Do you think men may have changed/added/edited the Bible to suit themselves along the way ? Or to scare ...?

Question

... scare the crap out of people because of the Revelations predictions ? Why did we have to be so doomed ? Because of sin, I know...but if all is known before it ever was created and so forth, then why is our destiny to be DOOMED at first ? Crazy...

Answer 1

Modern textual analysis of the Bible leaves little doubt that it is a human document produced by the work of many hands who have been editing, adding, and changing (and, plausibly, deleting) over the centuries. The Book of Revelation was not intended to scare the crap out of people; it was written during a difficult time of persecution in the Roman Empire and was intended to bolster the faith of believers who, given the violence being done to Christians, were beginning to lose hope in the final victory of Christ's return.

Your final question is the tough one. It's tough because it requires one to know the mind of God in order to answer it correctly. I, for one, don't presume to know the mind of God. I DO believe, however, that God loves us; I also believe that faith in God saves us from the doom of which you speak. So why the free will - why have we been given the power to reject God's love? If I think about it from God's perspective, it makes sense - we all want to be loved because someone CHOSE to love us, not because that's the only way that person is programmed to think or to act. Love is by definition an act of free will - we cannot truly love until we CHOOSE to love. Choosing not to love God dooms us to an eternity without a relationship with God - perhaps not the fire-and-brimstone of popular myth, but an eternal emptiness, a void that can never be filled. That is an eternity of our own choosing. I hope this makes sense - I don't even know if it makes complete sense to me, because it is a tough subject.

Answer 2

The earth will end someday, but it won't be the result of some massive war, nor will it be sudden, or in the near future.

Bible thumpers throughout history lied all the time, they are no different today, and were no different when they "wrote" the bible.

Average people are more honest than any preacher, priest, rabbi or holy man of any kind. They tell people what they want to hear or they wouldn't be allowed to be preachers, priests, rabbis or holy men.

Religion is not only nonsense, it is the home for every kind of liar ever invented.

Go in peace and stop worrying about that which you cannot control and ignore the professional liars.

Answer 3

Maybe men hasn't changed the Bible itself, but has understood it wrong. I mean, when u read the Bible, u have a personal interpretation of it. If u go to church the priest or your spiritual guide tell u their interpretation, and well they have studied and all but that doesn't mean they have the last word. So, personally I don't think the Bible is a litteral book. i believe all the stories that it contains are metaphores and are there so that u interpretate them according to your life and you apply it in a real context.
And well, the Bible was written by men, not by God, and well they say it was inspired by God, but then again men are not perfect, not at all. Referring to the Revelations i think it's just a warning book in order to make people behave well.

Answer 4

Yes on both. The reason for invoking FEAR on people --like you said, using Revelations is one of the ways-- is to get people to JOIN their church RIGHT AWAY!

And once you're officially a member --usually through their own version of Baptism-- MORE FEAR will be breathed down your neck from the pulpit or stage or TV screen at least ONCE A WEEK... So now that leaves you helpless and you'll be TOO SCARED to leave the church that you had joined in the first place. Now you're stuck and out of luck!

What's even worse is: YOU CAN'T QUESTION the church at all!! Just FOLLOW EVERYTHING YOU'RE TOLD to do: How to behave, how to dress, how often and WHEN to show up, how and what to pray, and most importantly, to PAY THE PIPER every time you show up and for each and every ritual...!!

At least in this day and age, they knock on your door first. If you had lived five or more centuries ago, you'd be lucky to be ALIVE if you DIDN'T BELONG TO THE CHURCH! They'd break down your door and burn down your house if you didn't get baptized... "in the name of God!"

Heaven help us all. That sure ain't what Religion ought to be...

Peace be with you!

Answer 5

I has been repeatedly changed and stuff taken out. Jesus' text was changed to make him sound less sarcastic, the Song of Solomon was almost gutted because "it was too sexual". It's been changed, no doubt. As for doomed, probably. But that has more to do with US than any prediction in any book. It's more of a self fulfilling prophecy than anything else.

Answer 6

The bible has been changed. The concept of original sin does not exist. Both Adam and Eve were forgiven by Allah (Swt) before being sent down to earth. All people are born sinless. It is our actions, that is, the pathe we choose willingly leads to heaven or hell. So we don't believe we are doomend from the beginning.

Answer 7

Reading few verses of the bible, and with my limited command of English, I could tel easily that it was written by some persons reflecting their views and supported by some stories from the Tawrah. so they were either descendant of some Jewish families or were affected by some of their Jews friends .

Answer 8

Yes, and that's why the bible is crazy! Man has edited it to suit his needs, it has been bastardized A THOUSAND DIFFERENT WAYS, and we still have some people whose lives are so empty that they have to believe in SOMETHING!!

Answer 9

Is your question concerning altered Bibles or predestination?

Answer 10

Your right dear look out for my next question its a doozy! check the next question comeing up! its about woman!