Selective Bible inerpretation, no more bull crap or avoiding the subject?

Question

I don't want any quotes from the Bible on this unless it is a quote saying "Ye shall selectively choose when God's word suits you best and then enforce it but deny it as false interpretation or mistranslation while offering no correct one when his word seems contradictory or works against your current absurd argument." And I seriously doubt that is a bible quote. If you do not have a direct answer to this question do not post an answer. I want a real answer that makes sense and explains it. No simple "we don't always understand" or completely avoiding the subject at hand. Basically don't post worthless crap that doesn't answer my specific question:

Why do you choose when the Bible is good for your arguement and deny it if it works against you? Does God want this? I know that according to your religion he doesn't want you to enforce him just to win favor. No cop out answers.

So why does God supposedly want you to believe without question sometimes as this is is the true nature of faith, but if I say that God tells you to be a bigot you say he wants you to question and find him on your own?

stullerrl I specifically asked for no cop out answers. And if you don't like the question don't answer.

BlurGrassBob, you want me to respond, well you make a good point. Good job. But I'm not picking on anyone, and I mean sometimes one person will do this, it's not always completely different instances.

I did respond BlueGrassBob

Terry Miler if I don't specify that I know that it's not true for everyone and that I'm not generalizing then I assume everyone knows it isn't true for everyone and I'm refering to the people who DO follow the beliefs I refer to. About just ccepting it and letting everyone believe, I'd feel guilty if I didn't at least try to put a little logic in their heads. I I feel sympathy for those who have been lead astray by man made deceptions.

Answer 1

I completely understand what you are saying here and it is true, many religions and people individually pick and choose what is comfortable to them- I have been guilty of it myself and have had to repent. A god of our own making, imaginations is idolotry and there is no justification for sweeping aside instruction and scripture that does not suit one's fancy. I cannot say that I 100% understand everything in the bible and I am not afraid to say I don't know when I don't, but I am committed to learning and findong out the truth and weighing each 'interpretation' I come across with discernment and against other things I know to be truth in the Bible.
One of the biggest problems and a major downfall to Christians is not being able to say 'I don't know' - it is not just christians though- it is part of the human condition - pride. Because of it, we wind up giving out a lot of misinformation or talking ourselves into a corner.
I know you said no 'we don't always understand' but the fact is we don't- no one can claim they completely understand everything in the Word, the problem is pretending to understand and giving explanation instead of saying I don't understand.
And no God does not want us to pick and choose - He said if you are guilty of breaking even one of the commands, you have broken them all. So none of us have any excuse for speaking or acting this way.
I come from a family of nonbelievers and for some reason, especially the men in my family- when asked a question that they don't know the answer to they make something up, they try to make it sound intelligent and believable but they are unable to admit they are wrong or don't know. I have had to reexplain a lot of things to my children that my dad or brother told them that was completely off the wall. I have a feeling that this is very much the way god feels and as each of us is going to be accountable for every idle word that leaves our lips we should be a lot more prone to shutting up, listening and doing some reading and research before spouting off anything that sounds good.
This goes though, for believers and nonbelievers alike- pride and arrogance is the enemy of knowledge and wisdom

Answer 2

Dan C,
Avoid the text of proof? Okay, I'll make a deal with you, in order to properly explain my postion I need the proof of text. I won't quote the Bible, I'll just give you a reference for you to compare what I am saying with the things that I am saying. If you have a problem with that, don't look them up.

Peter claimed he was with Jesus. So did all these other people. Peter said that there was no scripture that was interpreted privately, that is; nothing was wqritten in scripture ( the old testament) that was provable to only one person. (2 Peter 1:20)

"Why do you choose when the Bible is good for your arguement and deny it if it works against you?"
There are several possible answers because I can interpret what you just asked in different ways.
1) Someone is choosing when to defy God ( Christian or not) and when they will not defy God.
2) Someone is picking out a promise of God that deals with the situation that they are in.
3) Someone is misinterpreting scripture, either you or the one you are speaking with. If there is a different interpretation an arguement ensues. One, I think it might be you, will claim that the other is defying God's word. The example is necessary in order to judge which is right and which is wrong. Or both might be right, or both might be wrong.

I have found that interpretation is hard to come by when rightly dividing the word of God ( 2 Timothy 2:15), by those that do not believe it. They don't know what value to put on one verse or another.

I truly believe that you are mistaken about what the scripture is saying, if you are a non-believer.

But alas, you have not given the example.

This board is not the best for your type of question. It requires a back and forth conversation. I think that you wiull frustrate yourself with theis kind of question on this site.

Maybe ezboard.com would be better for you. If you want to get into it, give me an e-mail.

Answer 3

This is such a generalized question, I don't know what argument you are referring to where someone uses the Bible to defend their argument or denies it for the same reason. We could spend years arguing each point in the Bible, so what specifically are you trying to ask.

The only way I feel I can answer this question is that if you read something (it doesn't have to be the Bible) and someone else reads the exact same thing, they may interpret it differently than you do. I think the confusion here may be that many Christians haven't read the entire Bible and many people, religious and not religious didn't notice the part where it says because Jesus died for us we no longer have to make the sacrifices and do all that - that was done in the old testament. I consider myself a christian, but sadly I have to agree with you that not only do some people pick and choose what parts of the Bible to follow, but so do some religions.

Answer 4

Does the Bible say God wants me to be a bigot? I just read a verse that stated God loves all people and creatures and we should treat them with respect and compassion. A lot of people choose a certain verse in the Bible and interpret it as the truth (without considering the surrounding content). The Bible as a whole is "the Word of God" and we have to examine it carefully to search for what we believe is true. If someone tells me you can see better in the dark by eating red beets, I'm not going to accept their word as truth, I'm going to research. I do the same with the Bible - I read the entire book over and over until I was familiar enough with each book to know what was truth.

You generalized a lot in your many questions - why do YOU do this and why do YOU say that? I believe the Bible as a whole is the truth - God's word. If you don't believe, then let it alone. Why do you criticize others for their beliefs? I'm not hurting you with my belief in God. I'm a better person because of my beliefs. I try to treat all people with respect and compassion. I volunteer my time for people in need. I give what I can financially to those ministered to by my church. Tell me how I'm hurting you.

Answer 5

Many theologians and Biblical analysts have adopted a rule of thumb to use when interpreting Scripture. It is to interpret everything written in the Word of God after the flesh (literally) except where a Spiritual interpretation is clearly and very obviously indicated. Only those who are not guided by the Spirit and forced to rely upon their own inadequate mental processes will need such a rule of thumb for interpreting the Scriptures.

Traditional interpretations have been handed down to us from men who were obviously under the influence of the spirit of this world as seen by their deeds, and these interpretations are meant to prevent us from seeing the Truth. They are also the "leavened bread" that we are warned to avoid eating. Those who partake of this bread eat mostly air and receive very little substance -- and also receive very little nourishment for sustaining Life.

To summarize: True interpretation of the Word of God can only come from the Author of those Words.

Answer 6

Well, since that is a personal question, I'll give it a personal answer. I have never denied the Bible, and it is always good for me to use it in my own life, and while teaching others. No, God does not want people to interpret his Word their own way. I cannot answer this for anyone else.
God does not want us to believe without question. 1 Timothy 2:4 says of God, "whose will is that all sorts of men should be saved and come to an accurate knowledge of truth." Coming to an accurate knowledge of truth implies putting forth effort to question things and learn things, not merely accepting them for what they are. Faith is a key component, but God wants people to search for the truth until they are convinced that he exists and believe what the Bible, his Word, says.

Answer 7

Some Christians quote verses literally (protestants) while others look at the bible as a whole and understand that some parts are symbolic (Catholics).

You percieve selective interpretation because you recieve answers from both divisions of Christianity.

Respond to this answer instead of picking on some of the more ill-informed.

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*RESPOND!!!!!

Answer 8

2 Peter 1:

19We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

20Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

21For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

(please note the above is King James Version of 2Peter1:19-21)

19 And we have the word of prophecy made more sure; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts:

20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of scripture is of private interpretation.

21 For no prophecy ever came by the will of man: but men spake from God, being moved by the Holy Spirit.
(This is the New American Standard Bible)

Answer 9

I am of The Christian Faith. I did not even own a Bible on the day of my Salvation. It was just me and God, one-on-one and personal... I read the Bible today(6yrs later) to expand what God Gave me on that first day.

I can tell you that there is no inerrant text of The Bible existing today. All we have are copies of copies of transaltions that man has been mucking about with from the begining... The original texts, which God dictated to the original scribes were lost well over 1500 yrs ago

The Bible, even the text we have today, is not ment for you, as a non-believer, to read and understand...most espacialy most of the "modern" english translations... and for absolute certain most all of the "modern" paraphrases of the work.

God dose not alow the nonbeliever unrestricted access to His Word or Will. So, dispite what you might like to think you do not have any understanding of God's Word... even satan himself,who has the entire original text memorized, has no true understanding... Only those God alows are abel to find in His Word that which He intends for them...

The Bible is not intended to be :"read" as a novel or history book. The non-believer will indeed find what, to him, will appear as contradicions... most non believers are not willing to allow God to open their eyes to The Truth... so no amout of explination will suffice to counter the misconceptions non-believers have about the intent of God's Word... I do not even bother to refute all of the nonsense and outright lies spread about The Bible....

One day I believed all the lies and deceptions of the non-believer crowd, concerning all the Christian crap...then, litteraly in a moment, I knew The Truth of God's word...No man,pope,priest,doctrin,dogma, or other "religious crap" brough me to the point that God would open my eyes to His Truth... It was just God calling to me...and me answering...

I am going totell you what you siad you did not want to here,...but it is The Truth...There is no one of The True Christian Faith who can tell you they fully understand God's Word. No man of True Faith will ever say that... I have read right here on YQ&A of hundereds who claim to have read the Bible through many times some hundere times even... I Have been of The Faith for just over six years... I hope, before my time is up in this mortal existance, to get through it once... as I am 59 I will have to hurry up a bit... It is a lifetime of study to come to even the basic understanding of God's Word...And that only with the leading of The holy Spirit...so... to be honest with you I to have to say I do not fully understand God's Word or Will...

I do not selectivly choose what parts to follow...there are many "parts" I would rather not follow poersonaly.... But I have no choise if I am to Faithfully live the commitment I made to God when He gave me His Promise of my Salvation

Answer 10

Whats the matter Thug?

Hemorrhoidal itch*, bothering you today?

The Book of Preparation H* Chapter 3. vs12.

"Prompt Soothing relief from painful discomfort".


Hope this helps.