Are religious texts based on the society of the time that wrote them?

Question

I always thought that a god could transcend time , if it was a creator?

Answer 1

Yes. Religious texts were written by men, for men. They weren't faxed down from Heaven directly from God. In the past, people used them for both social and religious direction.

Answer 2

To an extent, for example see the laws about sacrifices or ritual purity in the Old Testament. But many people can also see themes and elements (like hope, charity etc) that transcend time to have meaning for them today. Taking these texts too literally though is showing gross ignorance of the fact that the author was writing to a contemporary audience. They would obviously emphasise different things depending on what their audience was concerned with (e.g. some gospel authors emphasised apocalyptic elements because the communities of christians they were writing for were being persecuted and they wanted to show them there was hope for the future and that they would be vindicated).

Answer 3

I would not say that they are based on the societies that wrote them, but it is clear to me that the Torah and Koran were written in a language most accessible to the cultures that wrote them. For example the numerology and codes built in to the Old Testament are most accessible in Hebrew and the poetry of the Koran needs Arabic to make it come alive.Later cultures have had to contend with translations and the unfortunate habit of languages to change over time.
One area where they seem set in their times are the legal codes laid out in the Torah and Koran. These have been superseded by more modern efforts and I do not think it offends God if we update them accordingly.

Answer 4

Inspiration is the stuff that enters the mind as if from nowhere.

How often I wonder, when a thought comes into mind that appears to be inappropriate or 'not invited', have you asked yourself the question 'where in the hell did that come from?'

Our thought life is full of imagined things. We spend half the time imagining the future and the other half complaining about it when it arrives in a different form to what we had imagined!

Jesus declared Himself to be the pure undefiled 'thought' from Heaven, like a fax from God's office - the eternal Word; the eternal Logos - pre-existing time, space and matter. Jesus didn't need the thoughts and teachings of men to justify, authenticate and verify His words. Infact, He said this Himself in plain language: 'I don't need the testimony of men'. He was the Holy Spirit of God who paid us a visit in the wineskin of human flesh to speak with a personal testimony of Himself as God and as Man that bypassed the channel of man's thoughts through which He formerly revealed Himself in the older times. - (Older times means a people not ready to receive) 'I have much more to say but these things will be too much for you to bear' He said once to His disciples.
There is a contention between scripture spoken by men of corrupt mind in the present time of mankind and scripture spoken by a man who existed pre-time.

All explained in the book 'The Bible that dethrones Christ...' at www.lulu.com/dunamis

Answer 5

No laws are relative to the time and society that created them.

God(Jesus Christ) is not relative, but He's fact. The same yesterday, today, and all days to come.

If the Bible seems like it changed or details have been added or removed;it's becuase some corrupt person or people who dont want to agree with God have tampered with it,cuasing confusion i many people.

Answer 6

Yes, I would say so. Also the culture. Can you imagine if the Bible were written now in our time. How in the world could any two people agree on religious text.

Answer 7

Religious texts may contain eternal truths but they are a product of the culture prevalent when they were created. That is why religious movements cannot be afraid to reevaluate & grow.

Answer 8

Some religious texts are as you point out.
Truth, however, is eternal.
It remains worthwhile despite ages.
That's why some religious texts have faded into oblivion and others seem as good today as when written.

Answer 9

Of course they were. God was trying to communicate to men who had little in the way of scientific minds, The message however is timeless. Jim

Answer 10

The old Testaments are based around the time it was written, but the new testament is now and the future.