plz answer me
2006-12-12 15:08:10 · 9 answers · asked by needmorepill 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
it means that you believe exactly what it says.
2006-12-12 15:11:20 · answer #1 · answered by Hannah's Grandpa 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Take Jonah and the giant fish story. A literalist believes that it was an actual man and an actual big fish that swallowed the man. As a seminarian, I know that Jonah was symbolic of Israel and the big fish was the nation of Babylon which enslaved Israel in 575 BC. Later, the Babylonians returned the people and paid to rebuild the Temple and the walls of Jerusalem. The story was a reminder of God's deliverance back onto the promised land and that "EVERY" (not just 1 man) believer was called to witness to the God of repentance. The literal interpretation limits the extent of the story and the symbolic interpretation in totally inclusive. Decide for yourself with knowledge in hand.
2006-12-12 23:14:20 · answer #2 · answered by Turnhog 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The only way I can answer your question is this way: literal interpretation means to believe that even the most absurd stories or statements are true.
Literal interpretation does not leave any room to symbolism or
metaphors, which comprise 90% of the Bible, especially the book of Genesis.
2006-12-12 23:22:45 · answer #3 · answered by Dr. Sabetudo 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When the plain sense makes common sense then seek no other sense.
The Church has gone through periods of time when they preferred to look at everything allegorically. That isn't good; though St. Paul clearly says that some things are an allegory.
Psalms, as well as some other portions, clearly are Hymns or poetry and should be understood as such. Ecclesiastes by it's own statement, says that it is looking at things as they are seen "under the sun" so read it as how humans perceive it; not necessarily as God says things are.
So, a literal interpretation is ONE method and, usually, is the best method; but also consider it in context.
2006-12-12 23:18:01 · answer #4 · answered by kent chatham 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It means you take the words to mean exactly what they say.
And not try to explain away difficult to understand or accept passages as something other than literal. But literal also allows for figurative language, poetic language and all the normal conventions of literature. So unless there's some sensible reason derived from the context (surrounding words) not to take the words as meaning literally and exactly what they say, you take them naturally.
For example, in Revelation 19:11-16 in a literal interpretation, "white horse" would mean a real white horse; "robe dipped in blood" would mean an actual robe, actually dipped in blood; and the armies following Him on white horses too you would understand as actual armies on white horses. And so on.
2006-12-12 23:24:43 · answer #5 · answered by Bill 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
JUDAH KING AND THE PROMISED LAND PROPHETS IN OLD TESTAMENT
Miriam Exo.15:20; 1520 BCE-Deborah Judges 5:1,31; 1300
1163-1083 Saul----------40-Eli-1Samuel 4:15,18; 7:2,13,15; 25:1;
1077-1037 David--------40-David Acts 2:27-35; Abinadab 2Sam.6:3;
1037-0997 Solomon-----40-Nathan and Gad 1077-977.2Sam.7:2; 24:11;
1027-0997 Rehoboam---17-Ahijah 1120-920.1Ki.11:29;12:22 Shemiah
1017-0980 Abijam------03-Jehu 1Ki.16:7;1000-900.
1030-0977 Asa----------41-Old Prophet & man of God 1Ki.13:11;
1026-0936 Jehosaphat-40-Micaiah 1Ki.22:9; 977-677.
1003-0913 Jehoram----08-Elijah 1Ki.18:1 967-867
0995-0905 Ahaziah----01-Amitai 929-829.
0994-0904 Athalia-----06-Elisha 2Ki.2:1; 957-857
0948-0858 Jehoash----40-Hosea 1:1; Isaiah 827 to 714-Assyria #2.
0919-0829 Amaziah---29-Zephaniah 1:1 Jonah 2Ki.14:25;
0867-0777 Uzziah-----52-Amos 1:1; Micah 800-700.Jer.26:18;
0851-0761 Jotham-----16-Nahum 1:1; Obadiah 1:1;
0835-0745 Ahaz-------16-Habakkuk 1:1;
0806-0716 Hezekiah---29-Joel 1:1;
0749-0659 Amon-------02-Jeremiah-Baruch 526-606-Lamentations-626
0718-0628 Josiah-------31-Ezekiel 1:1; 540-640-Huldah
0707-0617 Jehoiakim--11-Daniel 533-633
0696-0606 Zedekiah----11-Malachi 1:1; Iddo Neh.12:16; Babylon #3. Kings end.
0000-0000 THERE WILL BE NO KING UNTIL KING JESUS AT HIS SECOND COMING
0626-0536 ---------------70-Cyrus in Empire #4.
0536-0443 ---------------93-Ezra 1:1; Haggai 1:1 Mordecai.
----------------------------------Nehemiah 1:1; Zechariah 1:1;
THE LAW [ MOSES ], AND THE PROPHETS WERE UNTIL JOHN THE BAPTIST
Luke 16:16
The law and the prophets were until John: since that time
the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.
17 And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one
tittle of the law to fail.
THIS IS TAKING THE BIBLE LITERALLY AND PUTTING THE TIME TO THE PEOPLE THERE
2006-12-13 06:48:02 · answer #6 · answered by jeni 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It could mean two things:
1. The more common, but innacurate meaning is that you believe everything it says (like me).
2. The more accurate, but less common, meaning is that you take the metaphorical parts literally (metaphors are never meant to be taken literally).
2006-12-12 23:10:51 · answer #7 · answered by rusty.turkey2 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
A R rated of fiction novel wrote by Really Old people while in the good side.
2006-12-12 23:12:36 · answer #8 · answered by Rigel 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Look it up, the people here are kinda into getting riled up over religious issues and I doubt will be very helpful. Try wiki.
2006-12-12 23:11:42 · answer #9 · answered by Viki 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋