I have heard chapter and verse used to justify almost everything. From torture and murder, to the editing of t-shirts. A quick skim and I see the potential for arguements backing up genocide (from the story of Joshua) and the subjugation of women into property (pretty much the whole old testament). I -know- that these are not -valid- arguments, but the words are there. Are there any points of view that the bible -can't- be used to back up?
2006-10-18 09:16:56 · 21 answers · asked by juicy_wishun 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
The point of view that black holes are the work of the What SHould I do? Retard.
2006-10-18 09:23:37 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If taken in context then one can not back up any sin, and also can not be used to approve of any censuring or taking away freedoms, but so few actually read it just to understand it can be used wrongly. No where does it say man can order genocide. No where does it say man should torture man, as an example the eye for an eye quote actually was used to limit consequences not make them worse. Another loosely used by you is women being subjugated. Who is freer the lady at home taking care of children or the Mom with a career being under paid working for a Corp who would not even give her time off to get her child off to a good start, who was left because divorce became easy, who is 7 times more likely to have heart trouble than women were 50 years ago, etc. etc. which one is subjugated?? The one who most often served a family who probably loved and respected her or the one who today takes orders from a profit motivated impersonal uncaring group of investors who appoint sociopaths to steal pensions and move companies to avoid paying a fair wage. You figure it out. Did one who could see the future set out some guidelines for a healthy workable pattern of living or did the rules just favor men.
2006-10-18 16:32:05 · answer #2 · answered by icheeknows 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you twist the biblical text, you can use it to prove anything you want. You can do the same with most texts. Take a book that you have read and try it and you will soon see how easy it is to take the text out of context and prove anything you want.
The Bible should be read within context. Each story or moral may run for a number of verses. If the story is broken up, than the meaning may not be clear and the text misused.
Take care,
Troy
2006-10-19 08:27:47 · answer #3 · answered by tiuliucci 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I just answered a question in which the asker used the bible to justify homosexuality. The bible can be twisted to support any arguement. True understanding of ANY verse can come ONLY through an understanding of its context. That means that one must read the whole book to have a true understanding.
A comparison would be a weather report saying the sky is blue. Without the date of the report, it might refute the fact that the sky is, in fact cloudy. That doesn't make it untrue, it just means it can't be applied to TODAY'S weather.
2006-10-18 16:28:30 · answer #4 · answered by Privratnik 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Reading the bible one can come up with specific scriptures regarding everything. But, is the Holy Spirit confined to a book? Is the Word an actual person? Many people take scriptures out of context and frame a religion out of it. All religions have taken one scripture and used it as the basis for their belief.
Note: reading the bible many times it seems to speak differently each time. It does speak to each person differently.
2006-10-18 16:23:00 · answer #5 · answered by dsheppard65 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Opinions can be backed up by whatever made you think that way. You can say absolutely anything in the form of:
"My opinions that _______ is true because of ______" and it would be backed up.
How you arrived at your opinion has no relevancy to an argument being valid or not. Heck an argument being valid or not on ideological discussions is almost always an opinion it self.
2006-10-18 16:23:11 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you twist meanings of words, you can use it to justify lots of things. Justification of a belief or action is not the same as if it sanctions the particular belief or action. Therefore, an independent and thorough understanding of the text needs to be had by all who undertake to base their beliefs or actions on it.
This can be said of anything. A lot of terrible things have been done in the name of science, but it would be silly to say that science justified the killing of millions.
2006-10-18 16:23:04 · answer #7 · answered by AT 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would say yes but only if you use it verse by verse. If you read the whole thing and compare and crossreference it is much harder because many of the contradictions can be clarified with simple study.
2006-10-18 16:23:55 · answer #8 · answered by Richmond C 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can use the bible to justify atheism rather easily. That's the really funny part. The Christian bible, actually, is the reason most folks become atheists. :)
2006-10-18 16:19:24 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
The key is how the words of Scripture are used...are they applied "in spirit and truth" or are they misused and misinterpreted. Perhaps the best example of this is Jesus in His confrontation with Satan. When tempted Jesus used the Word of God in every case in defense...even when Satan himself quoted Scripture to Jesus.
2006-10-18 16:26:51 · answer #10 · answered by whitehorse456 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋