"Most people are bothered by those passages of scripture they do not understand, but the passages that bother me are those I DO understand." Mark Twain
2006-08-16 02:54:33 · 14 answers · asked by 自由思想家 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
He meant he found a lot of stuff in the Bible which deeply disturbed him, such as slaughter of people from other religions in the Old Testament. Which doesn't mean he disliked all of it (such as the words of Jesus), by the way.
Twain never would have claimed to be an expert on religion or on morality, but you can find exploration of moral questions, especially questions of how we treat our fellow human beings (which is what Jesus seemed concerned with) in books such as Huckleberry Finn.
2006-08-16 03:00:47 · answer #1 · answered by mellexical 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
"...But the passages that bother me are those I DO understand."
One who believes that the bible is of divine origin is presented with a sort of paradox when he can understand it. If the bible is divine, then it should be so far removed from man's fallible human understanding that we would not be able to identify with its truth. It scares people to understand the bible. Every truth understood renders the bible that much less credible-- the divine becomes ever so slightly more human. Perhaps this is what bothered Twain.
Alternately, in many instances we are kept sane by our ignorance. Knowledge is an excruciating burden because it intimately involves those who possess it. Once you are conscious of something, every action or inaction you perform is on some level a reaction to it. Perhaps this is what bothered Twain.
"Most people are bothered by those passages of scripture they do not understand..."
I do not know if Twain meant this is a positive or negative light (though most likely negative because he contrasts them with himself), but in my opinion, people who are bothered by what they do not understand demonstrate intellectual strength. It is very easy not to be bothered by something you don't understand. Though it may dangle in front of you mysteriously, an unopened box, once you realize that a concept is beyond your ken you stop wishing it to open. Those who know they don't know are content in resigning to their lack of struggle, since to them a struggle that does not guarantee resolution seems unworthy of their effort. It is easier to be an agnostic than to be truly religious.
The enlightened man understands that he is in the dark, and rejoices in his darkness.
2006-08-17 16:14:39 · answer #2 · answered by vincent 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What he meant is that people don't really read the Bible, so they take the scriptures they read, but don't get to the heart of, and use them as they see fit.
Twain, however, is bothered by the ones he knows and understands, for whatever reason. Maybe the second coming, or the Commandments, or whatever . . .
2006-08-16 10:00:17 · answer #3 · answered by Songbird 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Perhaps he had a questioning mind or maybe those passages convicted Him of some need to change in his life. Or maybe he wanted to deny the truth of scripture. You would probably have to ask him what he indeed met by that statement. And of course, that won't be happening in this life.
2006-08-16 10:04:29 · answer #4 · answered by SunFun 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He may have been a great author,
But does that make him an expert on Religion?
Huckleberry Finn and your eternal salvation.
Sounds like an odd book to me.
Be careful who you follow!
Peace
2006-08-16 09:59:57 · answer #5 · answered by C 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He tried to understand what the Bible was trying to tell him.
Each person, depending on his/her/it's understanding, knowledge, experience and intelligence will interpret anything as per their ideas.
st
2006-08-16 10:11:32 · answer #6 · answered by Starreply 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He did not like the way that he looked before God. Remember in God's eyesight all our righteousness are like filthy rags. He probably did not like the idea that he could do nothing to earn his way to heaven. Most people have to much pride to acknowledge our utter dependance on Jesus to save us because only His (Jesus's ) blood can save us.
2006-08-16 10:01:52 · answer #7 · answered by diane 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I think he was trying to convince people that he was really a great theologian instead of just a great fiction writer.
2006-08-16 10:05:39 · answer #8 · answered by Open Heart Searchery 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He was probably referring to the book of Revelation, it bothers me too.
2006-08-16 10:01:20 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
He is saying that he has trouble living up to what the Bible tells him to do.
2006-08-16 09:59:53 · answer #10 · answered by double_nubbins 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋