Is the bible (Old Testament) a collection of someones fables?

[mormonman]

And on what basis do you say that the Mr. Smith Translation is the most accurate? Please state where you earned your degree and how decent your Hebrew/Greek/Arabic are. Thanks in advance.

I'm going to earn my Undergraduate degree in Ancient Near Eastern Studies from BYU and I'll probably earn my Phd from there also. I'll just happen to study Greek, Hebrew, and Aribic, just wait 10 years. His translation was the best because he was a prophet of God. That's all for now because Ihave to go

 

[dawny0826]

I am rediscovering the Old Testamant Bible and while reading through Genesis, Kings etc it seems to me that this book either has gone throught so many hands of translation that logical it doesn't make sense. God is just and treats us equally, but upon reading the old testament, it seems that He has favorites which to is ridiculous.

I am begining to believe that at least for the sections I am reading that men created it so that their judgement would not be question because they will use God as an excuse to punish people even though logically they are correct.

The story of Noah having to repopulate the earth is a bit unbelievable because why were the fish excluded in God's punishment. Well again it just doesn't make sense.

What are your opinions.

This was your original post.

In my opinion, which you asked for...you either believe the Bible to be the infallible Word of God or you do not. If you don't...that's your right....you are most certainly entitled to your beliefs.

But...I for one feel that if you're doubting God's Word...you're doubting God. And I'm sure that Satan does do cartwheels when we overanalyze the Bible and poke holes in it. He wants nothing more than for you to forget WHO God is and to steer you away from the message that God intends for you to receive from the Word.

I don't understand everything that's written in the Bible and so I pray each and every time that I open my Bible for spiritual guidance...that God will reveal to me WHAT I should be taking from his Word and HOW I should apply the Word to my life. I don't doubt or discount the validity of God's Word. I make mistakes...plenty of them but God doesn't.

I believe that the Bible IS the infallible Word of God. And I also feel that DOUBT isn't of God but is of the other guy. When we take the Word to MIND and pick it to pieces...it's easy to miss out on the SPIRITUAL growth and understanding that God intends for us to gain from reading His Word.

 

[cardero]

GodLovesUs writes: I am rediscovering the Old Testamant Bible and while reading through Genesis, Kings etc it seems to me that this book either has gone throught so many hands of translation that logical it doesn't make sense. God is just and treats us equally, but upon reading the old testament, it seems that He has favorites which to is ridiculous.

Common Misconceptions About GOD

12. GOD does not hold ONE entity higher than the other, every entity (spiritual, physical, animal, plant) is equal.

GodLovesUs writes: I am begining to believe that at least for the sections I am reading that men created it so that their judgement would not be question because they will use God as an excuse to punish people even though logically they are correct.

Common Misconceptions About GOD

1.GOD does not ask humans to do anything that GOD cannot DO him/herself.

9. GOD does not punish or judge or enact revenge.

11. GOD does not murder or take away lives.

GodLovesUs writes: What are your opinions.

I use these guidelines to compare what I know today to the validity of the inspired authors of the Bible. So either these scriptures were mistranslated, the events never happened or the specific authors were in contact with a different entity other than GOD or…I could be mistaken.

GodLovesUs writes: The story of Noah having to repopulate the earth is a bit unbelievable because why were the fish excluded in God's punishment. Well again it just doesn't make sense.

Yes but unfortunately fish will not be excluded in God’s next punishment. Let’s see how well those fish do with fire (and teriyaki sauce).

 

[Deut 13:1]

I'm going to earn my Undergraduate degree in Ancient Near Eastern Studies from BYU and I'll probably earn my Phd from there also. I'll just happen to study Greek, Hebrew, and Aribic, just wait 10 years. His translation was the best because he was a prophet of God. That's all for now because Ihave to go

Good, well until you can read Hebrew, we here at RF would appreicate you not attempt to discuss the accuracy of translations when you yourself don't even know the Hebrew alphabet. However, if we are in search of uneducated opinions on the accuracy of translation from Hebrew to English, I will put you at the top of the list if you insist on being heard. Don't take offense to this, I just resent being told by people what the bible really "says" when they have never read it.

 

[sojourner]

Because the KJV is the closest translation to the Joseph Smith Translation, and the KJV is the tranlation that the LDS Church uses. Considering that my religion is the only true religion and we use the KJV that would probably mean that the KJV is the most correct translation.:jiggy:

There's a big difference between evidence and wishful thinking. The most accurate translation to date, based upon comparison with and study of the earliest extant texts, is the New Revised Standard Version. Most reputable Bible scholars agree with this. The KJV translation was the best they could come up with 500 years ago...but then they didn't have access to many of the manuscripts we have now -- the Dead Sea Scrolls, just to name one source. They may come up with a better one in future. Your opinion of your religion doesn't change that fact.

The OT writings rely heavily upon myth and story. Remember, the Bible was passed down for a thousand or more years by oral tradition -- nothing written. Many of these are "campfire" stories. Allegory, metaphor -- these literary forms help to reveal God to us in a way that is as amorphous as the concept of God and the understanding of our own spirituality. There are also Law, poetry, prophecy and wisdom. Stop reading for factual content, and read, instead, for revelation -- how God has revealed hemself to humanity and through humanity.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Good, well until you can read Hebrew, we here at RF would appreicate you not attempt to discuss the accuracy of translations when you yourself don't even know the Hebrew alphabet. ...

That is pompous nonsense.

 

[sojourner]

Also, remember that the OT was written within a very closed society. To the early OT writers, God was tied to the geographical area of Palestine. This is the story of a people, from the perspective of those same people. Jerusalem was the center of their universe, so that's where God lived. (Or, on the mountain, in earlier texts. God was a very provincial God to those writers. In order for us to "get beyond" perceived incongruencies in the stories, we need to understand the perspective of the writers and their audiences, as well as their reasons for writing, before we can extract truth from the scriptures.

 

[Deut 13:1]

That is pompous nonsense.

Nonsense... I've said it before, and i'll say it again. One can BEGIN to understand Torah without knowledge of Hebrew, but you can't really comment on how accurate the TRANSLATION is if you don't even know the alphabet of the language its being translated from. Sure, you can cite people who know it, but you're still basing that knowledge on someone else, not yerself. and you know it.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Tell me about Deuteronomy 32:8 ...

 

[Deut 13:1]

Jay, if you want proof, tell me the definition and relationship between korban and it's root karov. Then tell me how you know the significance of this. I'll give you a hint, by knowing Hebrew. So, yes, you can begin to understand the basic meaning, but in no way can one really know torah without it. It's all in the hebrew...

 

[Deut 13:1]

Tell me about Deuteronomy 32:8 ...

What about it? It's talking about the dispersion from Genesis 11 w/ the tower of babel. If memory serves me right, there is commentary about 75 different languages being created during this. But tell me, did G-d give Torah in 75 different languages? No.

 

[GodLovesUs]

This was your original post.

In my opinion, which you asked for...you either believe the Bible to be the infallible Word of God or you do not. If you don't...that's your right....you are most certainly entitled to your beliefs.

But...I for one feel that if you're doubting God's Word...you're doubting God. And I'm sure that Satan does do cartwheels when we overanalyze the Bible and poke holes in it. He wants nothing more than for you to forget WHO God is and to steer you away from the message that God intends for you to receive from the Word.

QUOTE]


Thanks for respecting my beliefs and I do the same as yours. I just wanted to think in the logical sense and map the bible to make me as a participant, things do not make sense. When you go to the priest they say your blasphamous for even thinking of questioning it but I question it to truly understand but no one can ever address how did adam and eve and then Noah repopulate the earth. On top of this why is it so focused to one region on earth. Its fairly arrogant of people to think they are chosen and judge and kill others because they are different, that to me just does not sound right.

God is never the question, its what men does is always questionable.

Peace.

 

[GodLovesUs]

Can anyone explain this:

Genesis
Chapter 19




19:1 The two angels came to Sodom at evening. Lot sat in the gate of Sodom. Lot saw them, and rose up to meet them. He bowed himself with his face to the earth,

19:2 and he said, "See now, my lords, please turn aside into your servant's house, stay all night, wash your feet, and you will rise up early, and go on your way." They said, "No, but we will stay in the street all night."

19:3 He urged them greatly, and they came in with him, and entered into his house. He made them a feast, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate.


In my experience, angels are spirits that can not possibly eat unless they become flesh and in the bible only one spirit became flesh. Is there another meaning to this?

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

What about it? It's talking about the dispersion from Genesis 11 w/ the tower of babel. If memory serves me right, ...

It does not. Surely you, knowing the Hebrew alphabet and all, can do better than this. Look into it and get back to me.

 

[cardero]

GodLovesUs writes: But...I for one feel that if you're doubting God's Word...you're doubting God. And I'm sure that Satan does do cartwheels when we overanalyze the Bible and poke holes in it. He wants nothing more than for you to forget WHO God is and to steer you away from the message that God intends for you to receive from the Word.

The demonic “high fives” could also be occurring when people pay to much attention to one book so as not to realize that a REALationship with GOD can be obtained without a book.

 

[GodLovesUs]

or the specific authors were in contact with a different entity other than GOD or…I could be mistaken.

Thats another perspective, I always say if there is confusion and argument over an idea, items, etc it might be the work of evil so that we fight amongst ourselves. Now thats weird but it might be true since men followed things and slaughtered people and believe that it is God's will which personal now I find disgusting. I personally would rebuke someone that says pick up arms and kill in the name of God, but in reading the OT, there is a lot of incidents of war in the name of God. Its hard to believe that a loving God would let his children murder each other in his name. That I truly believe is mans own doing.

Hope no one is offended but that is currently what I see in reading the stories in the OT. may I be enlightened.

God Bless

 

[Deut 13:1]

Jay, if you want proof, tell me the definition and relationship between korban and it's root karov. Then tell me how you know the significance of this. I'll give you a hint, by knowing Hebrew. So, yes, you can begin to understand the basic meaning, but in no way can one really know torah without it. It's all in the hebrew...

Look into it and get back to me.

It does not. Surely you, knowing the Hebrew alphabet and all, can do better than this. Look into it and get back to me.

To answer your question: בְּהַנְחֵל עֶלְיוֹן גּוֹיִם בְּהַפְרִידוֹ בְּנֵי אָדָםיַצֵּב גְּבֻלֹת עַמִּים לְמִסְפַּר בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל

Please tell me you have something better to offer then the contention of people bnai elokim...

Anyways, I'll be back in 6-7 hours.

 

[GodLovesUs]

The demonic “high fives” could also be occurring when people pay to much attention to one book so as not to realize that a REALationship with GOD can be obtained without a book.

Specially when I see things like this:

19:31 The firstborn said to the younger, "Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in to us after the manner of all the earth.

19:32 Come, let's make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve our father's seed."

19:33 They made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father. He didn't know when she lay down, nor when she arose.

19:34 It came to pass on the next day, that the firstborn said to the younger, "Behold, I lay last night with my father. Let us make him drink wine again, tonight. You go in, and lie with him, that we may preserve our father's seed."

19:35 They made their father drink wine that night also. The younger arose, and lay with him. He didn't know when she lay down, nor when she arose.

19:36 Thus both of Lot's daughters were with child by their father.


This just doesn't sound right to me at least in todays society. If someone believes in the OT whole heartly can you explain what the purpose of this verse is because right now it doesn't make sense to me why this would even be allowed. I always say if you drink and get drunk you are responsible for your actions but again God will judge these people not me. Be aware of your actions. it sounds to me another excuse to do harm to another human being, because it allows relationships with your own grand children. Englighten me, who wrote these translations.

 

[dawny0826]

The demonic “high fives” could also be occurring when people pay to much attention to one book so as not to realize that a REALationship with GOD can be obtained without a book.

As a Christian...whose primary focus IS at all times to establish a closer relationship with God through Christ...I find it difficult to grow closer to God if I'm not following HIS WORD.

 

[GodLovesUs]

As a Christian...whose primary focus IS at all times to establish a closer relationship with God through Christ...I find it difficult to grow closer to God if I'm not following HIS WORD.

How do you know that the bible is God's word? I only know its God's word because the priests kept on telling me this is the word of God, but when I read things and apply it to today it just doesn't make sense. I started reading Genesis and I am up to chapter 20 and all I see are excuses of men to have relationships with their daughters etc and it uses God as the messenger, call me blasphemous but I already noted several verses which no one can explain why they y are there. I truly hope its just the translation. Its just does not make sense to me. Is that what truly God wants us to do?