Is the Bible a book to be interpreted or to follow literally?

Question

Which parts are to be interpreted?
Who decides that?

Answer 1

The individual decides what it means to them.

I believe it is a collection of nice stories designed that can inspire and motivate, but designed to control. I do not subscribe to it's teachings, nor do I believe in it's contents. But I would not take it away from those who do.

Answer 2

The Church to which the Bible was given is the only authorized interpreter of its contents. Either you listen to the Church that the Bible refers to as "the pillar and foundation of truth", or you remove the pillars and foundation and the structure crumbles into denominationalism.

You cannot read anything without interpreting it. Even a STOP sign has to be interpreted before you can do what it says to do. To "follow the Bible literally" just means accepting as true whatever you interpret to be the literal meaning. Therefore either the Church Christ founded, the one He told "whatsoever you bind upon earth is bound in heaven", is your authority, or you are your own authority. And the result of the latter approach is painfully obvious - thousands of conflicting, contradicting denominations, unable to agree on any aspect of Christian truth, yet each claiming that their particular set of beliefs come "straight from the Bible". How long does it take to recognize that a system just doesn't work?
.

Answer 3

It is full or parables, which are stories to be interpreted for different meanings. The parables of the new testament as related by Jesus are clear cut, and identified as such, but there are many more subtle ones throughout.

Some faiths take it as writ, and allow for no interpretive meaning, but I find that ridiculous, as Jesus used parables so much, and a literal faith in the Bible wor for word would mean an existence like the Amish and even they interpret scripture!

As for who interprets it, check with your local pastor or priest. If you are not affiliated with any religion, and looking to see what you may want to follow (if anything), I would reccommend checking some of the writings of the previous Pope, John Paul II. He was very learned, yet wrote for normal people on a variety of issues and was especially good at reconciling the book of Genesis (Biblical account of creation) and scientific theories stemming from Darwin's work.

Answer 4

each individual will interpret the bible and any text as they will- literal or metaphorical. based on how they were raised with either an open inquisitive, discerning mind or a programmed mind- or at a certain level in-between the two extremes.

i believe nothing should be interpreted literally- iow- with the mind, but felt individually through the heart. the hearts experience is way more real than the illusory veil of the mind.

we each get to decide for ourselves- this is free will. however- if you are programmed at a young age (or vulnerable point in time)...is it still free will? here it gets tricky. which leads to a whole new bunch of questions....
???

Answer 5

Interpreted. Who decides? Luckily, Jesus did not leave us high and dry when He ascended into Heaven. He specifically entrusted His flock to the Apostle Peter (John 21:15-17). The office of Peter is still with us today (see Acts 1:20-26 for Apostolic succession), and his current successor is Benedict XVI.

Answer 6

Bible came after the Geat Hoax of the Crucifixion of two thieves and the escape of Christ from crucfixion.

You are free to interpret anything you like but you can never follow it literally, you will have your brain blown apart by the little devils around.

You can check out The Age Of Reason at www.Xlibris.com and go through the Biblical Hoax verse for verse and satisfy your curiosity.

Answer 7

The Bible is the Word of God given through the medium of human beings. God spoke to people in the symbols and language that they understood. Taking everything literally demeans the glory of God's ability to communicate. Read the Bible and interpret it with your heart and soul.

Answer 8

A bible is a book of examples of how to act or how not to act (usually the latter). How the Bible is interpreted is determined by each individual who takes the time to read it.

Answer 9

The great fault of the Pharisees was to interpret the Bible literally and expect a literal King on a throne to come and slay the Romans and exalt Israel.

Nowadays, Christians and Muslims do the same thing, believing that Christ will return on a magic cloud with literal angels and in the same body He had 2,000 years ago.

In reality, the Return of Christ is like the Return of Elijah in the person of John the Baptist. The return is one of quality, not essence. It is one of attribute, not personality. The Word is the eternal spirit that appears in each age in the person of great teachers like Jesus, Muhammad and Zoroaster. It is not a single person at one time in history. Christ DID RETURN in quality and not personality, in 1863, the exact year prophecied in the Book of Daniel. His name is Baha'u'llah, which means Glory of God. Baha'u'llah is the Promised One of all ages and Return of Christ in the Glory of the Father.

Answer 10

Easy, the Bible is to be taken historically, and to be interpreted. Its very simple. I've had Preachers tell me about the Book of Revelation, "no one can understand that," and I just tell them, "then why is the 3rd verse in the 1st Chapter, "Happy is he who reads aloud and UNDERSTANDS THESE WORDS." So, of course they can be understood, the Bible even says so. People are afraid . . . terrified to discover new things, they would rather have "doctrine of men" and "tradition" given to them because that's what their parents bought. And, if it was good enough for them, then its got to be SAFE. So sad and and means no opportunity for growth and discovery!

Answer 11

I would say that the bible is a book designed to be interpreted. It contains many stories which contain morals. It is more a collection of fables than a collection of actual historical events.