Christians: Why do you rewrite the Bible....?

Question

You say that the Bible is absolute truth and you use it to justify your desired laws against homosexuality.

Yet, whenever someone points out that masturbation is a sin in the Bible, more often than not you say that it's not a sin anymore because that was a cultural thing. When someone asks why you're against polygamy, you say the same thing - polygamy was God's law when there were fewer people, but not now. Or when someone points out that Paul said women should be silent, obediant, and shouldn't cut their hair, you say that THOSE laws were cultural but that laws against homosexuality transcend culture and are true for everyone.

Can you please tell me how a book can be "absolute truth" and yet have huge sections that only apply to certain cultures?

Can you please tell me how you can be certain which rules are cultural (laws against divorce, laws against eating pork, laws for marrying many woman, laws for keeping slaves) and which rules transcend culture?

And considering that so many of you can't even agree on the simplest details (was Jesus rich or poor?), why should we trust your book to tell us about something as complicated as evolution and the origin of our universe?

Answer 1

OK, I will take a shot at it.

True, people have a tendency to interpret the Bible based on what they want to see & hear. If a commandment is not popular, people have a tendency to say that it was "cultural" and dismiss it.

Of course, the Bible has to be read in context in order to understand it, which means, in part, that you need to take the culture of the writer (and its intended readers) into account, but it is also easy to just make up an imaginary cultural context that makes it easy to ignore unpopular commandments.

Regarding masturbation, there is no express command against it. But there are some passages which suggest that mentally lusting after someone that you are not married to is a sin, so these passages are normally interpreted to condemn the practice. Since these passages are ambiguous as to whether they are referring to either masturbation, or to single people (Jesus mentions looking at a woman who is married to someone else with the intent to lust, for example), these passages tend to lead to arguments.

Regarding the passage from 1 Corinthians 11 that you are referring to (the writings from Paul about women covering their hair), the way that the passage is worded suggests that the real issue that Paul is worried about is not the head covering itself, but what it symbolizes -- namely modesty and submission. I don't think that most people simply ignore the passage; most people try to obey the spirit and intent of the passage, instead of its literal reading, as it would apply to our culture (As in, what are symbols of modesty and submission in modern culture?). There is some precedent for this, since Paul himself appears to suggest over and over that following the spirit of the law, rather than the literal letter, was what God really wanted. One has to read Paul in context of his own writings. Some people do take this passage literally, however.

Having said all of that, Paul and Jesus makes it clear that we will all have to stand alone before God one day and give an explanation for everything we did and said. If you honestly think that God will buy your interpretation of the Bible, then go for it. But you have no one to blame but yourself if God does not buy any of your excuses on judgment day.

Answer 2

Your questions need too much depth for this venue. These questions have been asked and answered over and over during the past two thousand years. Do you realy want seriouse answers or are you just wanting folks who agree with you to support you?

The Bible also says not to let the small, pety differences interfe with the larger message...that of salvation through Jesus Christ.

I'm sorry, but I think homosexuality is a smaller issue then one's salvation.

There are many books out there which interpret Bible verses step-bp-step. These are called commentaries. Also, Norm Geisler has wonderful books..one of my favorites is called "When Skeptics Ask". If you are sincere with your questions then take up the mantle of your own education.

I am not trying to side-step the question, but merely pointing out that if you really want sincere answers you should open the book yourself. Tha'ts what I did. And I chose to follow Christ (who is perfect...not His followers (who aren't). While I'll ask my fellow believers what they think and research in the commentaris....ultimately I will read the Bible myself and get my answers there.

The book is the truth. The fact that I disagree with some of it(thanks to my own pride, arrogance and nature) and some of it convicts me of my own sins does not change it's truth.

Don't let the little stuff rob you of the greater message....God still wants us....even if you're a homosexual, have cut your hair, a druggie, a thief, a glutton, ugly, conceted, whatever. The truth is He still wants us to have a relationshiip with Him despite our flaws.

By the way, the questions in your last paragraph are the easest to answer. But easy doesn't mean "short and simple".

best wishes to you.

Answer 3

You are right, man has changed the meaning, but God has never changed. Some things took on a different meaning after Jesus came, but the basic morals and principles in the Bible remain in tact. Many men make it fit their lifestyle without regard to the Truth and say it is okay, but it is not okay. Like I said there are things that were changed with the coming of Jesus, but for the most part people mutilate the Bible significantly. On the same note, like I said, God hasn't changed and states His word to be the Truth. So, if one is to have Faith and Believe than one can still hold the Bible in moral goodness even if the people reading it are not.

Answer 4

Masturbation is a sin. Polygamy was ALLOWED in the mosaic laws, but those laws were put to an end when Jesus was killed. After that polygamy was NOT ALLOWED by the bible. Hence now. The bible says that Women are compliments of men. They should be silent only in the matter that a woman should not lead a family or a group were there are men. Women do not have to cut their hair, just maintain modesty according to the bible. All rule from the bible except those that were stopped by Jesus should be followed.

If you have questions ask tony not me. his e-mail is [e-mail]

Jesus could have been rich, but he decided to live the life of a "poor" as he did not even have his own house. He did eat with people who invited him, and would stay in people's houses when people would offer their house.

So sad how some fake christians mess up the whole bunch. Anyways, talk to tony. Im the science guy not the everything guy.

Answer 5

FYI, True Christians don't add words to the bible because they knew the bible warnings,

"Nothing can be added to it, and nothing taken from it. God does it, that men should fear before Him." Ecclesiastes 3:14

"These savage wolves are liars and murderers, misleading the people they guide and causing them to be led astray." Isaiah 9:16

How can we tell if someone is a wolf or a sheep? Here is one, by thier use and application of the word.

Through out the History itself proved that Catholic and Orthodox Church preaches unbiblical teachings.

You will not find the terms or words Trinity, Trinitarian or God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost anywhere contained in Holy Scriptures and in the Original Hebrew.

In Greek terms like, manifestations, incarnation, offices, self-existent and monad again are not contained in Holy Scriptures.

Answer 6

I'm kind of wondering why a person who seems to profess a Goddess based faith is so interested in tearing down the beliefs of another religion? Why should it matter to you what a Christian believes about their own faith?

Is it anger? Is it a sort of intellectual one-upsmanship?

If people poke holes in the works of the Farrars or Valiente or Starhawk, would that diminish your own faith?

People will interpret their scripture or holy works as they wish. Why not just leave it alone?

Doesn't the Charge if the Goddess tell you that if you don't find what you seek within yourself, you won't find it without?

Let's not criticize other faiths simply because it's fun. Give an answer when challenged, but what use is picking fights when we are seeking to show our value as Pagans?

Answer 7

Some people want to fit the bible into their own opinions & say things "were" this way & that according to culture. , but some points in the bible were culture like when the apostles went to different towns & spoke to the people in that town concerning them, HOWEVER Gods law, his word , his message itself is neverchanging no matter the time period in which one lives.If he said he is against something & it is written in the bible , then it is still his word & no one can change his mind (though some churches/people try to use their opinions instead of Gods word)

Answer 8

I am a Christian...not as good a one as I wish I were...but the hypocrites who always annoy me are the folks who always want public acknowledgements of faith...public prayer is a good example. And yet the Bible tells us to go alone to a quiet place and pray in secret.

Answer 9

I am glad you are asking these questions. These are the same type of questions that I asked when I was younger. I am glad to see you questioning, and obviously studying, the bible, and trying to interpret it for yourself. Many christians truly do not. They allow themselves to be spoonfed their beliefs.

Answering these question for yourself will lead you to either believe or not believe in what the bible, or any other religious writings, have to say.

Answer 10

People who change the bible to benefit themselves aren't real christians and give a bad name to everyone else. They are just hypocrits who want to justify their hatred for a certain act or group of people. People change but God doesn't so his word shouldn't change either.