Does the Bible Have to be "True"?

[Quagmire]

I would live my life very differently if I thought that Christ was going to literally swoop down and make the world perfect than if I thought his swooping was only metaphorical.

Really? what would you do differently?

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

I can think of several reasons that justify it.

The main being that because so many people use the Bible to "justify" passing laws in this country (USA) that it makes sense to understand the book behind the proposed laws.

...which is kinda weird when you think of it, since the New Testament was written from a perspective that assumed that Christians would stay on the fringes of society and never have political power, which would normally mean Christians shouldn't be in a position to pass laws at all.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Really? what would you do differently?

I'd worry less about helping others. If God's already on top of whatever problem I come across, what can I add with my efforts?

 

[Brian Schuh]

Why would anyone have to justify that?

Study your own history and study the books of your own people. I have often heard the argument that Christians taking the Tanakh from Jews and reinterpreting and mistranslating it to make it seem to be about Jesus is nothing short of theft. They robbed the Jews of their Scripture and preach the lie that it is their book.

 

[allfoak]

If it is not true (it isn't) where does that leave Christian and other religions?

 

[rusra02]

No it does not. Please cite the scripture that even suggests this. Moreover, John 1 cites Jesus as being the "Word".

2 Timothy 3:16,17 - "All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness, so that the man of God may be fully competent, completely equipped for every good work."

 

[Quagmire]

I'd worry less about helping others. If God's already on top of whatever problem I come across, what can I add with my efforts?

Well, if I knew he was going to show up this afternoon I might take the morning off.

 

[McBell]

Study your own history and study the books of your own people. I have often heard the argument that Christians taking the Tanakh from Jews and reinterpreting and mistranslating it to make it seem to be about Jesus is nothing short of theft. They robbed the Jews of their Scripture and preach the lie that it is their book.

Out of curiosity...
Who do you think "his people" are?

 

[McBell]

2 Timothy 3:16,17 - "All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness, so that the man of God may be fully competent, completely equipped for every good work."

so "inspired by" is the same as "gods word" to you?

Begs the question:

What other liberties do you make with the Scripture?​

 

[Quagmire]

Study your own history and study the books of your own people.

And ignore the other 99.999% of the world's literature. I would probably do that if I thought narrow-mindedness and xenophobia were good things.

I have often heard the argument that Christians taking the Tanakh from Jews and reinterpreting and mistranslating it to make it seem to be about Jesus is nothing short of theft. They robbed the Jews of their Scripture and preach the lie that it is their book.

Gosh that's terrible. Not seeing why I shouldn't read it though.

 

[Brian Schuh]

Out of curiosity...
Who do you think "his people" are?

Excuse me if he happens to be Jewish. I'm directing my statement to Christian Gentiles who will never understand the Hebrew Bible because they know nothing of Judaism. So I'm kindly saying to stop wasting your time.

 

[Quagmire]

Out of curiosity...
Who do you think "his people" are?

I'm in the library as we speak, looking for the History of Imaginary Talking Monkeys section.

So far, no luck.

 

[Quagmire]

Excuse me if he happens to be Jewish. I'm directing my statement to Christian Gentiles who will never understand the Hebrew Bible because they know nothing of Judaism. So I'm kindly saying to stop wasting your time.

Wouldn't have guessed you were going for "kindly" there.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Well, if I knew he was going to show up this afternoon I might take the morning off.

Regardless of when Jesus comes, people's suffering now earns them reward in Heaven. In the long run, I wouldn't be doing anyone any favours by helping them.

 

[Quagmire]

Regardless of when Jesus comes, people's suffering now earns them reward in Heaven. In the long run, I wouldn't be doing anyone any favours by helping them.

I don't think I've ever met a Christian with that attitude. Or if I have, they were being quiet about it.

 

[rusra02]

If that's so, what is the literal, accurate description of the opening of the tomb on the third day? That of Mark, where the women find a nameless young man in the tomb? Or Luke where the tomb is vacant and then two men suddenly appear? Or John where two angels confront Mary, followed by Jesus himself in disguise?

These are manifestly accounts of different events. If one as historically accurate, the others are not. So... how does one make sense of that and the contention that the Bible is inerrant?

The various accounts of the events surrounding Jesus resurrection are complementary. Each adds details of that eventful day, and some describe different events occurring that day. All are accurate. Just as eyewitnesses to an event may add details omitted by others, the gospel writers together present an accurate picture of Jesus resurrection day.

 

[rusra02]

so "inspired by" is the same as "gods word" to you?

Begs the question:

What other liberties do you make with the Scripture?​

Literally, inspired means "God-breathed." So yes, "inspired by" means that God is responsible for producing the Bible. The Bible writers referred to the Scriptures as God's word. (2 Peter 3:5) Jesus read from the Scriptures and spoke of them as God's word. (Matthew 15:3-6)

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

I don't keep Passover. In fact, I don't keep a lot of it. I'm just repeating stuff I learned from hassidic rabbis. The fact is that I don't see any reason why I should read the Tanakh one more time. It is all irrelevant to my life.

I, on the other hand, see no reason why you would claim to present the Jewish point of view since you clearly neither understand nor respect it. In the future, please speak for yourself.

 

[Kelly of the Phoenix]

The Bible claims to be the Word of God. Jesus said in prayer to God; "Sanctify them by means of the truth; your word is truth." (John 17:17) If God's Word is not historically accurate, it would not be the truth. Jehovah is called the God of truth and Jesus said his disciples would know the truth. (Psalm 31:5, John 8:32) So the Bible is accurate and can be relied upon, IMO.

Psychos say they are the Word of God too. I've seen lots of them, especially on religious forums. What makes them wrong but the biblical authors right?

"Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied."

Paul is a moron. HIS preaching may be in vain, but not the preaching of Jesus' MESSAGE, which was about being a Light or Salt to the world. The resurrection has nothing to do with being a decent person. Paul is immunizing against his critics to make sure everyone thinks he is right. In the Garden of Eden, God didn't seem to thrilled with the thought of us living eternal lives. We were to be mortal janitors, cleaning up dog poop and weeding and stuff. It's vainglorious people desperate to cling on past their 15 minutes who NEED an afterlife. If you have fulfilled your purpose in life, there is no need to continue.

To understand God is to believe in Him. If you don't believe in Him you can't possibly understand anything about Him and end up comparing Him with everything else you don't believe. It's redundant.

I understand many things that have no nature in reality. I'm a decent Pokemon player. I know the rules and the plot. I understand it quite well. When Pokemon Go comes out and I see pokemon superimposed on the real world in my cellphone, I'm not going to think those creatures actually exist in reality.

If Christ saves, isn’t he capable of saving even if the gospels are inaccurate? Even fabricated?

Amen.

Yes I think you are, I'm saying if the things in the Bible didn't happen, including the resurrection, the Christian's faith is in vain and pointless.

Only if one is confused about the difference between a divine being and a book.

You see that external thought has nothing whatever to do with truth. Truth is. Jesus is truth. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.

But then we must work hard to verify we HAVE it, not just take someone else's word for it, right?

Whether there really existed an empire of Hittites and who they were, for example, doesn't affect my life, and it wouldn't affect my observance if Hittites turned out to be a myth.

True. After all, whether Adam and Eve really exists doesn't exactly pay the bills and put food on the table (unless you're clergy). Plus, unlike Jesus, we can read stuff from actual Hittites.

2 Timothy 3:16,17 - "All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness, so that the man of God may be fully competent, completely equipped for every good work."

This is a claim for usefulness, not accuracy. The NT is filled with "All humans are liars and I, a mere human sent by God, am telling you the truth"-type statements.

 

[savagewind]

2 Timothy 3:16,17 - "All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness, so that the man of God may be fully competent, completely equipped for every good work."

1:1 John In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Tell us how the Bible was in the beginning.