Ive been told that we can have different interpetations of god from the bible?

Question

It seems that each denomination is interpeting the bible differently. how can this be. this is the word of god, isn't it. I would think there could be only one interpetion of gods words, otherwise there would be many different views of god, just like we see in the world? if there is a god, it seems god doesn't care how you acknowlege him/her, as long as you do. If it's ok to worship in your own interpetation, aren't all religons valid?

Answer 1

I agree with you ... all religions are valid. Go back to each one and look for the cornerstone, and you'll find every major religion on earth shares it: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

God gave us the Bible, the Quran, the Torah and all like instruments that we might know His greatness and live lives in accord with His love.

It was man, however, who interpreted and put down on paper the things God gave to them. Much of that was in illustrations or visions the the men involved had to interpret according to their own base of knowledge.

Faith is a very big tent ... with many rooms. There is, however, just one God.

While fundamentalists of every religion will state that *they* are the only ones with the "correct" interpretation, God would never work in such fashion as they go about their practice of exclusion and hatred. That runs counter to the very idea of God.

In my view, God sent numerous messengers into this world because he knew that various cultures were not ready to believe in a Prophet from another culture. He was right then ... and He remains right today.

We are all His children.

Answer 2

Since the Bible was not written in English, it is likely that the translated version does not convey the intended message in many, many instances. Even in its original form, I'm sure it is still up for interpretation -- much of it is veiled and cryptic, and only the writer really knows what message he intended to get across. I personally do not believe the Bible (nor any other "holy" book) was written through divine intervention, or are the words of God. The Bible is a collection of a bunch of ancient texts written by PEOPLE (mostly men, of course). If you believe the Bible comes directly from God, I respect that. In my opinion, I think you should read it and draw your own conclusions rather than allow some guy behind a pulpit - or anyone else - tell you what to think. I like your open-minded outlook.

Answer 3

on your checklist of doctrines approximately which there is conflict of words, you have handed over one considerable one. The Day of Judgment. nonetheless the Bible for advantageous says that no guy is acquainted with the day or the hour, that fact used in problem-unfastened words for the time of the Church Age. That have been given here to an bring about 1988. Now that Christ has opened the seven seals of the e book that Daniel the prophet stated, we are waiting to recognize, and we'd desire to recognize the day and the hour. In Ezekiel God training the believers to be watchmen and to warn the worldwide. which ability they might desire to recognize the excellent time. Else they gained't warn the worldwide. From committed religious study some have chanced on that the Day of Judgment may be might 21, 2011.

Answer 4

It's only "the word of god" to people who believe that. I believe the Principia Discordia is the Word of Eris, and you should follow it... but I don't think you're going to just because I say so. I'm amazed that Christians expect people of other religions to just convert because they say "We have a book, and it's the Truth!!!"

Ahem. Anyway.

Different interpretations of the bible are common. Even if it *is* the message of the creator to mankind, there's the big question of whether it should be taken as literally as possible, or interpreted as a metaphor or story. And if one of those approaches is correct, and is what JHVH wants from people, then the other one is wrong, and will lead people in directions he doesn't like.

Interpretation: it says "thou shalt not kill." Right? But we have a military, and they kill people. We kill cows to eat them. We kill corn when we harvest it.

So maybe it doesn't mean "thou shalt not kill," in a literal absolute sense. It means "some kinds of killing, you should not do." Then you have arguments about what kinds... and that's the kind of issue that creates denominational splits. Is it okay to kill a cancer cell cluster, but not a blastocyte that would grow into a fetus?

I think most religions are "valid," in the sense that they provide a sense of spiritual satisfaction to their followers, but that doesn't mean they're all "true." (And there are a few that are so disfunctional that I don't care how happy their followers are, they should be shut down. Snake handler cults. Death cults--note how many of those claim to be Christian. Obsessive membership cults. Possibly Scientology.)

Answer 5

It is like You telling a story to your friend. This friend in turn tells someone else but ask or deletes a few details.

Before you know it someone comes back and asks you that they heard a story about you and proceed tell you the exaggerated story.

Now you have to tell this person the whole truth. Meanwhile other people are talking about their version of the story to someone else.

To me this is what every ones version of the bible is.

If you want to see how similar some stories read Dr Joseph Campbell. He studied all the religions of the world

It was quite enlightening to me

As long as you believe is all that matters I guess

Answer 6

Tell that to the protestants and the catholics in Northern Ireland, the jews and the arabs, and to the muslims and the christians all over the world in conflict who all supposedly believe in the same god.

The sooner their god reveals itself the better or until they all grow up and realise it doesn't exist or if it does, it doesn't give a damn about some immaterial lump of back-water rock in some piffling little non-entity galaxy covered by the galactic equivalent of a bit of mould.

Answer 7

""If it's ok to worship in your own interpetation, aren't all religons valid?""

NO.

Denominations have differences on -- fine points-- we agree on all of the basics and on the attributes of THE GOD.

Answer 8

Each version of the bible is translated differently , KGV version, etc. Also each religion has different beliefs and views governing god and his biblical actions.

Answer 9

There is only ONE strict interpretation. It's like taking a picture of yourself, looking at it and then say that the picture may be someone else.

Answer 10

If you read the Bible (any version) you will see that God DOES care how you worship. All Bibles contain the Hebrew scriptures and in those scriptures are God's dealing with the nation of Israel. He set out VERY specific instructions for them on how to worship him.

The Mosaic law gave was designed to teach man that he is sinful and in dire need of a ransom sacrifice to redeem him. (Galatians 3:19)

God replaced the Mosaic law with the law of Christ which teaches that the Messiah has come, paid the ransom price with his life, and opened the way for us to be freed from sin and death. (Romans 5:20, 21).

In order to benefit, we need to exercise faith in his sacrifice. Exercising faith involves living by the law of Christ, which includes being obedient to his commands. His commands are set out in Matthew 22:37-40 and are listed as: 1) love God with your whole heart, whole soul, and whole mind; and 2) love your neighbor as yourself. It goes on to state that it is on these two commandments that the whole law hangs.

There SHOULD only be one interpretation of the Bible. Unfortunately, just as was foretold at 1 Timothy 4:1-3: "However, the inspired utterance says definitely that in later periods of time some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to misleading inspired utterances and teachings of demons, by the hypocrisy of men who speak lies, marked in their conscience as with a branding iron; forbidding to marry, commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be partaken of with thanksgiving by those who have faith and accurately know the truth."

Its very important to research everything thoroughly if you want to be pleasing to God by your worship.