Do you believe in your Scriptures or do you doubt and research their contents?

[Jayhawker Soule]

IS ASKING FOR OPINIONS IN AN OPEN FORUM AN OFFENSE?

....and who is doing the shouting here?????

I'm not at all offended. By the way, you may wish to google "false dilemma" -- or, given your penchant for capitalization, "FALSE DILEMMA" ... :yes:

 

[nazz]

I doubt that playing word games has much credence. I believe it is the equivalent of asking if you have stopped beating your wife.

It's not a game. If "Bible" is equivalent to "Word of God" the terms should be interchangeable.

 

[psalmist23]

In the story of Thomas and the risen Christ (John 20), Thomas, one of Jesus 12 elect, doubts when the other 11 disciples tell him that they have seen the Lord. He says that he will not believe them unless he actually sees his wounds and touches them.
This tells us that Thomas did not just believe anything that he heard, and also that he needed to see (observe) and touch (examine) Christ up close himself before he would believe.
Now, did God scold him for this, or cast him away, or did he understand that Thomas needed to be sure in order to believe? The latter is the truth. Christ reveals himself as risen to Thomas, and tells him to see (observe) his wounds and touch (examine) them as well. And he does this, in order that Thomas should no longer doubt, but believe.

Believing does not necessarily mean that we ”just believe.” Even though Christ suggests that it is blessed to believe without having seen, he does not say that it is blessed to believe without having first examined the Scriptures. That would actually be rather foolish.

Today, people might not get to see and touch Jesus in that same way that Thomas did, but since he is the living Word of God, the Holy Spirit also lets us closely observe the crucified and risen Christ today.

So in my view, when it comes to the Bible, it is not necessary to examine Scripture because I doubt that it's true, but it is necessary to examine Scripture if I'm uncertain about something that I've just heard about or thought up myself.

 

[Vinayaka]

I'm not really a scriptural type. There is much more to Hinduism than reliance on scripture. Besides, our scriptures are way to many to have the time to study them all. I trust some more than others, but I trust my own common sense too. So with any individual quote, it's maybe-maybe not.

 

[Ablaze]

I spend a great deal of time studying, researching, translating, comparing, and testing the scriptures of my path for their reliability, authenticity, and practicality. Nothing is acceptable to me on face value until I have personal experience of its applicability to this moment.

Now, the Dhamma is well-taught by the Blessed One, to be seen here & now, timeless, inviting all to come & see, pertinent, to be seen by the wise for themselves.

Adhipateyya Sutta: Governing Principles

Through investigation, I've found this to be incredibly true.

 

[Plato]

[FONT=&quot]Dear Members,[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]My humble salutations and good wishes![/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]My question here in particular to the Muslims who follow the Koran along with their prophet's traditions, and in general to all others of such religions that have their religious scriptures such as the Bible, the Turah and the Talmud, and the Vedas and the Zarathushtra Gathas, and the Dhamma Pada to name but a few, is:[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]DO THE CONTENTS OF THESE SCRIPTURES MEAN HOLY TO YOU AND ACCEPTABLE TO YOU WITHOUT DOUBT (IN THEIR FACE VALUE) OR YOU HAVE THE INDEPENDENCE TO INVESTIGATING THEM AS SUCH WITH YOUR INTELLIGENCE AND LOGIC?[/FONT]

Well, I am Christian...but if I was Muslim, Hindu or Jewish...I would do the same...I doubt and research...everything. I study...I learn (or attempt to)...I have no fear.
It is my firm belief that if we all do have a 'father in heaven' who created us, he created us with...logic and reason and questioning...and wanted us to use them.
So, if He exists then I do his bidding....if he does not I learn and grow...in the end...it's kind of the same.
When I was growing up with both Catholic and Jewish teachers (there's a combo) they both agreed on one thing....study/ learn/ always question...If God 'is' then He is 'truth'.....your knowledge, study, learning, logic....should take you to Him.
The scriptures....I examine....'Holy' they may be....but not for me...unless....I apply my reason and examination to them....because....I must know them true...for myself. This I was taught is what God intended, and if He did not exist, my human brain would pretty much do the same anyway.

 

[Timidly -Truthful-Seeker]

Muffled!

That was a very honest answer and appreciated by heart by me!:clap

Answers such as these tend me to think of Paul's exhortation and warning which define the cross as the wisdom of God consider, " Not many of you were wise according to the world, but God has chosen the "weak" things of this world, to bring to shame the wise. For the Greeks seek Wisdom and the Jews seek a sign, but it pleased God according to the foolishness of what was preached to save them who believe. " I can't help but feel as though I'm sitting on the edge of a branch sawing the limb...