Are you a literal interpereter of the Bible?

Question

I was just wondering how literal the so called "literalists" view of the Bible is. For example, do they believe that the Tower of Babble really reached to the heavens? Do they believe that the world was actually created in 7, 24 hour days? I'm just curious.

Answer 1

Lectio Divina is Latin for “spiritual reading” and represents an early monastic technique of prayer which continues in practice though less widely, intended to achieve communion with God as well as providing special spiritual insights and peace from that experience. It is a way of praying with Scripture that calls one to study, ponder, listen and, finally, pray from God's Word.

History
Lectio Divina was first expressed in the year 220 AD. It was found that to read the Bible profitably it is necessary to do so with attention, consistency and prayer. The systematization of “spiritual reading” into four steps dates back to the 12th century. Around 1150, Guigo II, a Carthusian monk, wrote a book entitled “The Monk’s Ladder” (Scala Claustralium) wherein he set out the theory of the four rungs: reading, meditation, prayer and contemplation. In 2005, Pope Benedict XVI stated, “This is the ladder by which the monks ascend from earth to heaven.”

Method
Lectio is typically practiced daily for one continuous hour. A selection from the Holy Scriptures is chosen ahead of time, often as a daily progression through a particular book of the Bible.

Time
Selecting a time for lectio divina is important. Typical methods are to pray for one hour in the morning, or to divide it into two half-hour periods, one in the morning and one in the evening. The key is to pre-select the time that will be devoted to the prayer, and to keep it. Using the same time every day leads to a daily habit of prayer that becomes highly effective.

Place
The place for prayer is to be free from distractions. This means it should be isolated from other people, telephones, visual distractions, etc. Some find a religious icon to be helpful. The same place should be used for lectio if possible, especially as one first begins to practice it. Familiarity with a location reduces the possibility of distraction away from the prayer. Some practitioners conduct other devotions, such as praying before the Catholic Eucharist, as a preparation for Lectio Divina.

Preparation
Prior to reading, it is important to engage in a transitional activity that takes one from the normal state of mind to a more contemplative and prayerful state. A few moments of deep, regular breathing and a short prayer inviting the Holy Spirit to guide the prayer time helps to set the tone and improve the effectiveness of the lectio.

Once the stage is set it is time to begin the prayer. There are four phases of the prayer, which do not necessarily progress in an ordered fashion. One may move between different phases of the prayer very freely as the Spirit guides.

The Four Moments
Lectio
Read the passage several times.

Meditatio
Reflect on the text of the passage, thinking about how to apply to one's own life. Gravitate to any particular phrase or word that seems to be of particular import. This should not be confused with exegesis, but is a very personal reading of the Scripture and application to one's own life.

Oratio
Respond to the passage by opening the heart to God. This is not primarily an intellectual exercise, but more of the beginning of a conversation with God.

Contemplatio
Listen to God. This is a freeing oneself from one's own thoughts, both mundane and holy. It is about hearing God talk to us. Opening our mind, heart and soul to the influence of God. Any conversation must allow for both sides to communicate, and this most unfamiliar act is allowing oneself to be open to hearing God speak

Answer 2

Yes I am one of those who believe that the Bible is true, but not literal in every passage. I don't think anyone believes that, not even a fundamental Baptist. But to answer your questions-

1. Did the tower of Babel reach the heavens?
No, God stopped the builders by confusing their language.
2. Was the world created in 7, 24 hour days?
No, it was 6 literal 24 hour days.
On the 7th day God rested-that means something.

I suggest you try to learn as much about the Bible you can. You may laugh all you want-no problem. but i think you will be surprised at what you learn.

Answer 3

A Christian literalist takes the Bible in the form it was intended. When the work is a historical narrative, we take it as history. When it is poetic, we take it poetically. It is just like any other type of literature. Within the Bible, there are many types of literary styles.

As to your question about the Tower of Babel reaching to the heavens, we take that literally. "Heavens" also means "the sky." But you must also recall that it was man who wanted it to reach the heavens, they never made it, as God interrupted the work.

As to the creation account being literal 24 hour days, the biblical literalist truly believes that they were 24 hour days. Others say that they couldn't be 24 hour days because of a "grandfather's day" being the entire lifetime. In the context of creation however, it is a 24 hour day, as the text clearly states there was "evening and morning."

Answer 4

Okay, I-ll try to satisfy your curiosity.
Yes, I would be classified as a literal intgerpreter of the Bible. Where it is intended to be interpreted literally. For instance, in the Book of JOb, the conversation is held in long poems. But I am sure Job's friends did not come along and start speaking to him in poetry. And in his anguish I am sure he did not start composing poetry in order to answer them!
When it says the Tower of Babel reached to the heavens, does that mean to the stars? or to the spiritual heaven where God and His angels would be? I would say it is intended more in the sense of a modern day sky scraper. The building does not literally scrape the sky! Also, reaching "to" the heavens is not the same as bein "in the heavens" . It means the building was extremely high.
In the book of revelation, the writer says he is describing visions that signify other things. So he is making it clear he is not to be taken literally. (So there won't be a ten-horned beast coming out of the sea). By the way, in the Old Testament prophecies, the expressions "the sea" and "the islands" are often used for the nations apart from Israel and Juda.
Creation in seven 24-hour days? Well I don't know how many hours God took, but I believe the creation was sudden and not gradual. I believe that seems to be what the passage describes. I deduce that from other passages in the Bible that seem to preclude death before Adam's fall into sin (although some might say that only refers to death in the human race). You don't ask about the flood, but there seems to be records in all parts of the world of a universal flood. There are also geological records.
The most important part for me is the central theme of the Bible: redemption in Jesus Christ. It is foreseen throughout the Old testament, and revealed in the New. Basically God's willingness to welcome you and me into His fellowship.
By the way, did you know the Bible claimed the earth was round, and speaks of the sphere of the earth? Interesting, when in the middle ages many supposedly educated Europeans believed it was flat. The Bible has always been, and still is, avant-guard.

Answer 5

The Bible already gives you this information, but no the Tower of Babel did not reach the heavens -oh the people wanted it to, but it didn't. Was the world created in 7, 24 hour days? No, it was in 6 days that the world was created and on the 7th day God rested but I do believe they were 24 hour days, why else in the story of creation would it be so clearly written
"...And the evening and the morning were the first day."; "...And the evening and the morning were the second day." etc., What measure of time has both an evening and a morning...simple one day (24 hour).

Answer 6

6, 24 (He rested on the 7th) hour days not sure...6 days I'm sure. Sound confusing? It's not really:

Ezekiel 4:6 And when thou hast accomplished them, lie again on thy right side, and thou shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days: I have appointed thee each day for a year.

2Peter 3:8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

A day (scripturally) could mean a day, a year as in Ezekiel or even a thousand years as in 2Peter.

Also, the first day didn't complete until after the sun was created..
Gen 1:5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
The Bible doesn't say how much time had passed or if time even existed before then...
(Joh 1:1) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
(Joh 1:2) The same was in the beginning with God.
(Joh 1:3) All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

The important thing for me is that God created everything..holding a stopwatch to it, is like saying "I wish He did it quicker"...or "If God is sooo powerful He would have done it quicker."

Answer 7

But is it reasonable to believe that everything on this earth was created in six days?

There are some religious groups that teach that God created everything in six 24-hour days. But that is not what the Bible says.

Genesis 1:3-31 tells how God prepared the already existing earth for human habitation. It says that this was done during a period of six days, but it does not say that these were 24-hour days. It is not unusual for a person to refer to his “grandfather’s day,” meaning that one’s entire lifetime. So, too, the Bible often uses the term “day” to describe an extended period of time. (Compare 2 Peter 3:8.) Thus the ‘days’ of Genesis chapter 1 could reasonably be thousands of years long.

Answer 8

yes i do believe all those things. i believe that the whole word was covered in water at one point to. when the tower of babbel was built, the heavens it was talking about was the clouds. they word heaven is used to desribe 3 things because they never had different words for sky, space or heaven itself.

some people think that God couldn't have done the things in which the Bible says, therefore they belittle God's power. did Moses part the sea or did part the reeds? some say the reeds. just because you don't see his power doesn't mean it's not there. and i think it is also foolish to mistake kindness for weakness.

there are parts of the Bible such as Revelations which are meant to be metaphorical. or the parables of Jesus. this is obvious.

here's a website of Bible prophecy in which some things have happened within the last 100 years of our history. if you read these prophecies you will see they are very literal. no room for interpretation. like the Jews returning to Israel.

http://www.100prophecies.org/

Answer 9

Have you ever heard of the word "hermeneutics"?

For example, what do you understand by the term 'heavens'? What did it mean to the people 4 000 years ago? Jesus supported the creation of the world in 7, 24 hour days.

The Bible is read literally UNLESS there are valid reasons to interpret it otherwise, eg. a parable.

Answer 10

When the literal sense makes common sense, then seek no other sense.

Specifically, the "Tower of Babel" ... if you read it correctly, I think it says they TRIED to make it reach the heavens.

As for the Universe being actually created in SIX days. Yes, 24-hour days from one perspective. But have you ever considered the possibility the Age of the Universe MIGHT also have another viewpoint? One that could explain the light-years of distance between the solar systems, etc.

The Age of the Universe:
http://aish.com/societywork/sciencenature/Age_of_the_Universe.asp

Answer 11

The tower reached to the heavens to them.They had no idea how high was up.God could of created the earth in a milli-second.7 days is easy,but that could be an allegory for time marking.Literalists do believe in allegories you know.When it says the sun came up ,we know the earth is rotating,and when Jesus said He'd cover Jerusalem with His wings,we know He is not a bird....Dig?