When reading Bible?

Question

I'm a rational person and tend to rationalize everything. This becomes really evident when I read the Bible. It's more of a stumbling stone for me. I just over analyze and tear it apart...

Anyone else have this problem?

Anyone have any advice for me? I really want to get to the place where I can have faith and not worry about rationalizing everything!

Answer 1

You can take that step.
You can say, if you are for real, show me.
If you are the real thing, give me a break.
If you saved all those people, why wouldn't you save me?
If you showed them, why not me?

Answer 2

I'm not sure I understand. Why shouldn't you apply rationality to the text.

OK, I'm an agnostic, with a Buddhist philosophy.
But I've read the Bible. A few times in fact. For one it is the oldest published book in the Western world and an interesting source of historical perspective. The Old Testament provides us with interesting symbolic representations of the history of civilization. The New Testament reveals that in the Western world, 2000 years ago, there was some sort of revolution in thought that would redirect people from one way of looking at their world, toward a new perception about people and society.

I don't need to believe that there was a worldwide flood, or that Jesus was anything but a poltical figure with a side of deep humanist philosophy.

People in those times didn't know about the world. They knew about the region they lived in. If they had a big flood, sure, they thought it was worldwide. It's just a matter of limited perspective. There, that's rational thought applied to the Bible. No harm done, unless you really think we have to believe in something as absurd as a boat big enough and a man long lived and patient and impossibly far-reaching enough to rescue ALL the animals on the Earth.

There's nothing wrong with rationality applied to the Bible. It makes for good reading.

But if you really are looking for a justification for faith, that's another matter.

Faith needs no justification, and may not be such a useful thing as rationality.

Answer 3

It is difficult to make sense of nonsense Sug. The bible was put together specifically to water down the loving message that Jesus left for us. If you take the time to study the actual roots of the book that we call the bible, you will never see it as anything but a story book again.

It is very important that so-called believers never look into how the bible came to be. If they actually did they would understand that it was never intended to assist in spreading the message of Jesus.

Rather it was put together to cover the message of Jesus up and distort it.

Only small parts of the new testament have anything to do with the message of Jesus. The rest is absurd ancient Hebrew nonsense.

There are far better sources one can use to follow the teachings of Jesus.
Biblical fiction is one of the worst.

I try my best to follow the teachings of Jesus from a book called a course in miracles.

It has completely changed my life. I went from being angry and judgmental 24/7 to unconditionally loving most of the time. I don't have it quite perfect yet but the change has been amazing.

I actually can go to a place like a shopping mall or an amusement park and everyone that I see looks like a beautiful child of God to me. Everyone looks like someone precious and worthy of love to me these days. Sometimes I have trouble even believing this has actually happened to me. Its like I woke up one day and the whole world had changed. The only thing that actually changed was my way of looking at it.

For a while I thought it would pass and I would go back to seeing the old scary world I knew before. I guess its not going to happen because it’s been 7 years now and I haven’t forgotten the truth this book taught me. If your belief system won’t let you see everyone that you encounter as a beautiful child of God then your belief system is failing you miserably. If this is the case I suggest that you get a copy of the course in miracles and begin to study it. At first it is difficult because it is so different from the conflicting messages that we are used to getting from organized religion. After a while it gets very clear and you wonder how you could have missed it for so long.


Love and blessings
don

Answer 4

I can have that problem too. I have two suggestions, first get a really good Bible commentary. Everyone has their favorites, but I'd look through several to find one that meets your needs and that you trust.

Second, and this may be going over board a little, is to learn about society in Biblical times. Society was set up differently then than it is now. We all know that it was heavily patriarchial, but there were also differences in norms and policies. Things they took for granted when the authors wrote the books, but which have faded away over time. Understanding the customs and society that exsisted might help understand why they did what they did.
For example, in Sunday School yesterday our teacher said that back then there were only a couple of reasons why you could divorce someone, primarily it was if the wife didn't/couldn't have children. He went on to say that one of the great love stories in the Bible was not found in Ruth, but in Samuel. When Hannah, who was the second wife, had not given her husband any children, he could have divorced her, but he didn't. The only real reason that it could have been was because he really loved her. She was his second wife and the customs of the day was that to have a second wife you had to be able to afford her, what ever you did for the first wife you had to do for the second one too. So her husband was pretty wealthy, and would have had no problems financially in getting a second wife again if he did divorce her, but he kept her because he loved her.
Now, I so couldn't have gotten that if I had just read about Hannah in the Bible. Learning about that has really given me great insight into that story as well as others.

Oh and one more, I've found that if I read a passage, then write down what I think it means and any thoughts I have about the story or passage, then pray about it, it usually helps. I usually read my scriptures right before going to bed, so I read, write, pray then sleep on it. The next night I reread the last two or three verses to kind of help bring me up to speed and think about what I read the night before. If what I thought it meant is the same as what I think it means the next night I figure I'm on the right track, if it isn't the same, then I reread what I read the night before and write and pray again. It can be a long process, but if you really want to know what a passage means, it can be worth it.

Answer 5

yea that's cool, you should analyze things, unless you over do-it too much, just like that wouldn't be cool with anything, not just bible reading. If you just believed whatever it said taht would b retarded, it would make you some1 who istn' sure in there faith. but if you analyze it's good, it sounds like your going to develop a deeper understanding on things, also then just take it to God see what he's got to say about it. Christianity is based on faith, hope for things not seen. some things can even sound so different if you understand what certain things stand for if you were able to read it in the original language like hebrew etc. and if you understand the culture at the time of the writing.

Answer 6

You need to stop rationalizing and just accept on faith. Pray to the Lord for understanding and discernment. There are lots of things in the Bible that you can tear apart but just accept it at face value and ask for wisdom to be able to do so. God blesses and honors the reading of His word.

Answer 7

Dear sister, when i read your question, i really wish that i can help you. I went back to my Bible and hope to find a verse that can help you. When i came back to my computer, i get to see so many negative answers. I am so sad and pray that God will give you the wisdom and lead you to the right answer. I feel in my heart to share my personal experience with you.

About 10 years ago, i was new in Christianity. Christian friends gave me basic bible study. But i had problem to understand the true meaning of the Words in the Bilbe. One day, i was sitting on my bed reading my Bible and trying to understand and reason out. The more i think the more i don't feel like going to continue. I was thinking, "why is it so difficult to reason out the truth, God!Jesus, please give me wisdom to know your truth. " then i try to continue to read the Bible. I found my mind could not go any further. i felt a warm subtance starting to fill my heart, like filling up emty holes in my heart. And my eyes start to get wet, soon tears flow down and i do not know why. Why am i crying? I have not tear for many many years. Why am i crying? What is happening to me? I could sense peace and warm in my heart. I had not have such a feeling before. It is from that moment, I know that God is alive and real. There is no need for me to reason out every thing that stated in the Bible. I just need faith to believe what the Bible says. God says it is by faith we are saved. Not by our understanding nor by our work.

Later i get to know through Bible study that the experience i had was the touch of the Holy Spirit.

please read Is 55:8-9 "For My thoughts are not your thougths,Nor are your ways My ways,"says the Lord... For as heavens are higher than the earth,...and My thougths higher than your thougths."

God bless you.

Answer 8

Rationalization is human nature ~ having faith means to have the ability to faithfully know without needing "an explanation" if you really think about it in depth. So the trick, if you will, is to not ruminate and rationalize everything, and by all means start your reading in the New Testament, it helps =) Prayers!

Answer 9

Yes I do have some advice. Before you open the bible again, ask God to help you understand the things He would like you to know about what you are reading. God, by the way, has no problem with a thinking, rational person. His own word says "come, let us reason together". He meets each person exactly where they are when they approach His word. You have to ask yourself, though, what is your true goal? Is it to truly understand what God is saying? I pray that He help you find the answers to your questions.

Answer 10

it's very hard to not rationalize what you read in the Bible. Understanding God to the best of our earthly ability is the best way to get past that. just remember God created everything. God can do anything he wants that includes what we would consider to be magic. Plus time will help you out. the more you read the Bible the greater your faith will be. God bless you.

Answer 11

Let me tell you a place where you might be helped. It's through the bible radio, with Doctor J.Vernon McGee. He takes a pretty rational and down to earth approach to the Bible. His ministry can be found on the radio or at "ttb.org." tune in with a real audio player. He is an old southerner, but he is really down to earth. You might enjoy him.