Is the Bible really just a fake story, perhaps a bit like the Loch Ness monster tales?

Question

When we pass on information to another (example: story, joke, description of something etc) by the time these details are passed on by word of mouth, interpreted by others, and then written down, the final details are typically quite different than the original information.

Since the Bible is just a man-made story passed down over many years in various forms, surely the chance of it being accurate in any shape or form is remote?

There are people who swear blind that the Loch Ness monster exists regardless of all the evidence to the contrary, but a fence post bobbing up and down in the Loch does the trick. Similarly there are people who swear blind that God exists and the Bible is fact, yet there isn’t one blind bit of evidence to support such theories.

Don’t you think that Biblical tales are really no different than Loch Ness monster tales, just the era is different?

Answer 1

the scriptures wre written not passed on by word of mouth.
although it doesn't bother me that you have not done your homework, why not take a less condescending tone.

The fact is, the manuscripts of the books that were eventually gathered together to form the cannon of what is now called the Bible,encompass over 1600 years of chronilogical time. They were written onto scrolls by 40 different men. As the timeline was 1600 years, most of the men never met each other.
As the books were written at diferent places in the middle east, do you not at least have the slightest inkling of how it is that this collection of writings and prophecy come together in a cohesive, coherent, complete message without disunity?
As you know, the message game, (passing a message around a small group and it comes back changed), yet this message in the Bible as checked against scrolls predating Jesus, discovered in1948, affirm that the Bible is virually unchanged from the pre-Jesus dates to the 21'st century.
Next time check your facts before going off half ****** and exposing your ignorance.

Answer 2

The Christian Bible and by extension the Jewish books that precede it, that are its basis, contain a core of truth.

The people written within are mostly historical, as there would be no need for fictional ones to be made up, except when the story is purely metaphorical.

Like Adam and Eve. That story is symbolic, not literal.

Obviously the various writers over the centuries had their own agendas and audiences that they wrote for, so they took editorial license with certain facts.

Catastrophic flooding in the Middle East destroyed some part of the ancient societies there.

The ancient Jews wandered and fought for a homeland, spreading their vision of a single over-arching diety, monotheism.

David and Goliath probably happened in some form.

Jesus really did walk the Earth.

But the divine and miraculous aspects of these lives are over-blown and exagerated to convince readers of the legitamacy of the writers' own power and knowledge.

That doesn't mean that everything in these Holy Books or in the related Koran is rubbish. They contain valuable moral lessons on how to conduct a civilized and moral society. They are the foundation of our civilizations' laws and customs. These aren't just entertainment like Loch Ness myths.

These Holy books are worthy of respect, even if we are not part of their faith.

Just don't be a slave to the literal interpretation of every word.

One of the greatest evils in the world today is the blind loyalty, ignorance and laziness masquerading as faith.

Answer 3

And so -- what qualifications do you bring to this interpetation of "the way it is" ??---I love the covert usages of such words as --"just a man-made story" ---if for no other reason than your ignorance of actual verifiable history that bears out all of the basic texts in this book--you should be embrassed to make these claims----and then there is the ---passed down by word of mouth crap---if you truly knew the Bible--it's history and makeup you would know that most of the scriptures were written from first hand experience and not "passed down" by any other method than from the writings to the writings----great attempt though of passing your ignorance off as facts ---the very thing you are accusing the Bible of doing---and honestly here I believe its creditibility holds up far better than your own

Answer 4

Men did write the bible, but it was inspired by God.
That means that God directed the writing, much as a businessman uses a secretary to write letters for him.

Consider this:
In Isaiah 40:22 it says, "There is One who is dwelling above the circle of the earth."
In ancient times the general opinion was that the earth was flat. It was not until over 200 years after this Bible text had been written that a school of Greek philosophers reasoned that the earth was likely spherical. So, if the Bible was not inspired by God, how would Isaiah know the world was not flat?

Answer 5

first off, lake loch ness is really big, deep and mostly unexplored. it is quite possible that a large reptile of some sort is living there undisturbed (probably more than one, as it takes 2 to... well you know.) as far as Biblical tales, most of them were written from firsthand experience. as for genesis, adam lived long enough to know methuselah, who lived long enough to know shem, wh lived long enough to know moses, to whom the writing of genesis is accredited. these were all relatives of one another, and most assuredly talked and all kids like stories. maybe not first hand, but straight from the horses mouth.

as for the new testament, the christian gospels were all written before the year 80 AD (Jesus' ministry taking place in the 30's) by people who either experienced first-hand, or by the stories from people who were there first hand.

back to the loch ness monster, do you have proof that all dinosaurs are extinct? there is a creature that lives in a swamp in the congo region of africa that very much resembles an allosaur (this is documented by numerous acclaimed scientists and explorers), many sightings throughout the different oceans of what may be a plesieosaur (again, by renowned explorers, captains, sailors, and military personnel)
these creatures are smaller in size than the bones of the ones we find, but in the antedeluvian era, people were living 900+ years, who's to say that animals weren't as well? reptiles don't stop growing until they're dead, you know. how big could an iguana get in 900 years? would you then call it iguanadon?

Answer 6

I think Jesus had a direct experience of god (enlightenment experience) like the Buddha and came to share the incredibly good news of Unconditional Love and how our ultimate nature is beyond birth, death, inviduality, etc. But the message gets changed - it ALWAYS does - by those who can't understand it (most) and those who don't like the implications. This interpretation then made it into a number of writings and were picked as representing Jesus' message (by the fact that most people at the time resonated with the interpretations - because most people are like us today and resonate with an ego/dualistic interpretation of things). I think much of the bible and other religious writings are like that. However, read 'Parable of the Prodigal Son' and see how Jesus tries to get across the reality of god (unconditional love, doesn't know about sin or guilt or hell, doesn't reward someone for special obedience -- e.g. the 'good son'). See how the 'good' son is exactly like the majority of us -- we project our ego thought system onto god and want him to reward us, etc. -- we don't know (and don't like) the implications of unconditional love. And so we change the message (even the prodigal son parable is warped into a message of sin and forgiveness).

Answer 7

I believe in God, because there is no other logical explanation of how we got here. But I do believe that the Bible has been changed over the years and that some parts have been exaggerated more or even added. I do believe that the Bible isn't EXACTLY how it happened, being that it was written by people.

Answer 8

I inderstand what you are saying about passing down stories, ie the "telephone game" effect. However, the more info I see on Discovery or read about, the more I'm coming to believe that the Bible is more like a history book than a collection of fairy tales. It's really interesting.

Answer 9

Some of it is fact.. i.e. certain people and placed in the bible existed. I believe Jesus existed.

But much of it is made up or borrowed from older pagan religions. Come on, who believes that Noah REALLY got every single animal into the ark from penguins to every species of elephants, to lions, tigers and polar bears, oh, my?!!

Before anyone puts me down, I was a Christian for nearly 2 decades. I am not anymore (agnostic).. I did my research and I'm not saying God isn't real. But the bible is predominantly fiction.

Answer 10

The Bible is NOT just a man-made story passed down thru the ages.
It is written by men AS INSPIRED by God so that they would write the message that He wanted us to have thruout all these years.
It was, is and always will be true and accurate. And for those who say we need to change it to fit the times. God's word is forever, Man changes, God remains true to form.