For instance, you are obliged to stone your wife to death if you find that she is not a virgin on your wedding night. You are even encouraged to own slaves. In fact, you are obliged to stone to death those that do not believe in God. The bible is very clear that you must make sure that Atheists are stoned to death. (Leviticus 24, Numbers 15, etc)
Are these virtues of a good Christian, or is realizing that the bible is incorrect a virtue of a good Christian?
2006-11-29 17:25:35 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Do Christians not follow the old testament? How many days do christians believe that the universe was created?
2006-11-29 17:33:16 · update #1
OK. First I'll actually answer your question. No. We are supposed to take the entire Bible as the direct word of God. Those (myself included) who want to ignore or discount tougher areas are basically being hypocritical. However, regarding the specific examples you gave, I don't think they need to worry you. They are in the Bible to show our sinful state and how sin would be dealt with if God was directly (and this means on earth and noticable) ruling. In practice, they were laws for the Jews to keep them pure. Also, what is your reference for the "encouraged" to own slaves bit? We, under the New Covenant as Christians, no longer have to directly follow many of the laws in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy (special diets and stonings and other stuff). We are just to believe on Jesus Christ to be saved, but that doesn't or shouldn't discount other verses in the Bible just because we don't get along with them. Does that make any sense?
2006-11-29 17:36:25 · answer #1 · answered by beethovens_sixth 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First off, being a good Christian is not the same thing as being a good person.
Secondly, in order to follow the bible at all, you would have to pick and choose which verses you are going to follow because the bible is constantly contradicting itself. It does encourage slavery in some part and it condemns it in others.
Also, if you’ve read it, than you know that it is a very long book that is written in old verse and the sentences are poorly structured so it’s easy to get confused. Most people have only read parts of the bible and even people who have read it all the way through, forget parts of it. Those who seem to have it memorized have to rationalize in their own head which parts to through out and why that’s okay and they usually come up with some really interesting tracks of “reasoning”. I just have to shake my head.
And many Christians feel that when Jesus came that it suddenly made the old testament void (tell me where Jesus say “okay, everything in the old testament no longer counts”). He voided out some things, but not the whole thing. Besides, the new testament contradicts itself sometimes too.
2006-11-29 17:36:09 · answer #2 · answered by A 6 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Ask a priest. There is a reason why the new testament is called the NEW testament. And JC already reduced the comandments down to 2, love god and love your neighbor.
I'd just like to add some things because the question is "are you a good christian". And definitely if you follow literally what those verses said, you are not because you are in fact ignoring CHRIST! And christ brought the new "agreement" the new "contract" if you don't want to use the outdated word "testament"
But definitely, if you want to be a good person, you even have to go beyond that. But that was not your question.
2006-11-29 17:31:07 · answer #3 · answered by ragdefender 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
If you want to take things out of context then you're right.
Obviously you have never read the bible, or if you did you must have missed that whole Jesus part.
Things changed with Jesus. Remember the woman who was about to be stoned for adultery and he saved her?
Remember the whole love your enemies thing.
The new testament or new covenant(means the same thing) changed things. That's why we call it a new covenant.
Perhaps before you criticize you should seek to understand. Otherwise you may look foolish in your ignorance
2006-11-29 17:32:02 · answer #4 · answered by songndance1999 4 · 1⤊ 2⤋
does it really matter? Religion is SOOO past due for a "reality check", how can you ask people who have somehow forsaken reality, believe in a diety only because a book says so, why they believe the way they believe?
That's like asking a dog why he wag's his tail. He's not smart enough to answer the question.
2006-11-29 17:37:55 · answer #5 · answered by candy2025 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
why do you ask this questions if you don't believe the answers.
you are reading the old testament that means that people were under the law. try to read the new testament (matthew,mark,luke or jhon). God bless you and may he open your heart
2006-11-29 17:40:45 · answer #6 · answered by g-man 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
That is from the Old testament. The Old Testament came from the Jewish faith. The New Testament teaches none of that.
Here is primarily what we Christians believe.
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are the meek: for they shall posses the land.
Blessed are they who mourn: for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall have their fill.
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart: for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
2006-11-29 17:34:01 · answer #7 · answered by rustyshackleford_sha_sha_sha 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Nothing like catching stones with your face.
2006-11-29 17:27:44 · answer #8 · answered by Illegals Are S*** 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋
christians don't follow jewish Laws.
2006-11-29 17:29:07 · answer #9 · answered by Nikki 5 · 1⤊ 2⤋