Is it not intellectually dishonest to believe every word of holy books?

Question

I mean, if we use our critical and logical faculties to get through daily life, why abandon these when we come to books written by fellow-humans a long time ago "when things were rotten"?! :)

If you don't understand me, don't answer.

Hey, itsyouandme - that's not an answer, it's logorrhoea

Here2Help - I like your thinking!

Ecky boy - that scares me too - it is really insane

Hi Cassandra - I won;t be reporting you - good answer!

Hi Curious - was that "Cane" as in stick? or did you mean Cain. I'm an atheist who can spell - how annoying is that?

Answer 1

You know the answer already.
Of course it is.

Arguments based on "faith" are the negation of rational thought, objective data, scientific experimental procedure. Rednecks that seek to state the superiority of "faith" over "science" should be coherent and reject all the things whose discovery we owe to the latter : velcro, electricity, the Ipod, to name but a few.

If you want a real laugh, type in a question to do with the Ark or Noah on the US version of this site.
You can find people affirming *scientific* answers that *prove* how Noah managed to find penguins for his ark, or why the lions didn't eat all the other animals. (You see the penguins could have walked there since all the continents were joined together at that point in time; the lions were vegetarian. D'oh!)

It would be quite hilarious if these people didn't have such strong cultural and political power. See the current administration. Why not visit the new creationist museum to open in Kansas!

Answer 2

The Catholic Church does not take the stories of creation in the Bible literally. Catholics believe the book of Genesis tells religious truth and not necessarily historical fact.

The religious truth is that God created everything and declared all was good.

The Church supports science in the discovery of God's creation. At this time, the theory of evolution is the most logical scientific explanation. However tomorrow someone may come up with a better idea.

As long as we believe that God started the whole thing, both the Bible and modern science can live in harmony.

With love in Christ.

Answer 3

The more you learn, the more questions should be raised, so yes I think critical thinking is ok. Just don't get hung up on the details and forget what the WHOLE meaning is supposed to be.

My favorite is when Cane was expelled from paradise. He was fearful someone would kill him. God put a mark on his forehead so no one would kill him. He aslo later took a wife. I thought there was only Adam, Eve, Cane, and Able??

Another thing to remember is, even though the bible was divinely inspired, it was edited and assembled by man...If we're in it, it get's screwed up. Well I want this in, ok, but let's leave that out. Let's re-write it so every comman man can own a bible (KIng James Version)

Can you dig it??

Answer 4

As we can't really prove anything, it has to be a matter of faith, when it comes to books on religion. Any thinking person would see all the contradictions in theological books.

Now we have carbon dating, so much more can be revealed about our religion and indeed history.
We do fall short when it comes to logical thinking. There are things we want to believe and even when faced with new facts; we hang on to our doubtful history and shaky faith like grim death!

I suppose it's easier to be logical when it's applied to daily living.
However, touch our faith, or the things we were told at school, and believed to be true, written in stone; and you're in trouble. I guess we want to trust those text hold, and held the truth, never- the -less...

At uni,in philosophy. Logic: whats valid, what's invalid, what can be argued and proven? What indeed!
We cling to that spark of magic in our lives and poof! All logical thinking gone in a puff of blind faith, faith in what we have read and sometimes what we feel in our bones.
SAD, WHAT?

Sorry, my attempts at answering your question have ended in a question, I'll have another violation order;-)

Answer 5

Dishonest is a bit strong. I would substitute 'naive.' On the other hand it would be intellectually dishonest to attempt to enforce the word of the holy books when you doubt its veracity.

As to what itsyouandme said, what about the possibility that he was simply wrong? A person could come to the throne and declare his rule over a country only to find out later that he was not the actual heir.

Answer 6

Yes, and very dangerous. Mans interpretation of what "some one said according to person a" has led through the ages AND still does today, persecution, example being catholic & protestant and other religeons.

Remember with the advancement of the sciences, to use the old testement as an example, the creation of the earth by god is a simplified version of the formation of the universe, done over days instead of 'years'

Perhaps it should read "All living things create god/gods in their own image", not "God created man in his own image."

As risen apes I say we've come a long way, as 'fallen' angels then we are still plumeting downwards.

Answer 7

Yes, I think it is highly irresponsible. Furthermore, Anyone who considers EVERYTHING in the bible/koran/whatever to be the literal truth is an extremely disturbed person. Delusion to that degree is probably mental illness. Thankfully, there are VERY few people who would say that everything in one of these books is literally true.

You might be interested in fideism, which is belief in gods solely based on faith. There is much philosophical debate about fideism, including some questions about intellectual honesty. Some think that fideists are fakes or are merely deluded. Perhaps they do not believe at all, because the definition of belief implies some element of reason.

Answer 8

Nobody encourages blind faith in religion as well as in science.
People who don't use their brains in religion are as bad as such people in science. Such is the case of people who cannot state clearly why he believes in evolution or in creation.
The using of mind is more encouraged in this time of human maturity, it means that each individual should independently investigate the truth rather than depending on worldly or religious leaders. The ocean of knowledge is now covering the whole earth.
Yes, this is not the physical but spiritual maturity.

Answer 9

Yes, intellectually speaking, I agree with you.
I have Honestly answered your first question, and please understand that I respect your right to your beliefs. Allow me to comment and explain why i might abandon (seemingly) all "critical and logical faculties." That we all collectively, have many different beliefs is easily seen, but the "why" we would believe what we do, is not so easy. Consider, if you will, the first Christians, Jesus' 12 disciples, and thousands of other "believers": the consequences of their testimomies, i.e., the fact that they believed that this Jesus, was the long awaited Messiah, even to the point of death, did you know that the disciple Peter was crucified, upside down, he didn't consider himself worthy to be crucified in the same way as Jesus; did yoou know that most all of the first disciples/apostles were killed because they would not stop testifing/teaching of this Jesus why ? because they could not deny what they believed to be true, what they witnessed. When I first considered that people would actually kill another because of their beliefs,...wow...I couldn't fathom that ! By the way it was nearly six years ago when I was 50, that I first became a believer.
Now this may be hard to believe, ......... please bear with me, I consider this seldom spelled out so bluntly. Please receive this in LOVE and Know this ! I believe this....ALL THAT GOD DOES SERVES A GOOD PURPOSE, even when we don't agree. What follows is my attempt to explain the power of God: He, God uses an analogy/metaphor to reveal the relationship that we his creation have with Him; He the "Potter" and we the "clay" and the scripture...." can the clay say to the Potter, what are you doing?"
This "logic" that you speak of, should tell us that, if....... IF....we are the clay,...i.e.,the work of His hands, He, the creator/former of the clay, reasonably/intellectually speaking, should have "power" over it. And now, in this "power/sovereignty" He is able to "cause" us to ......believe....That, He is, and that we belong to Him...( not to bore you, but in this "power" I was brought into His presence and knew/felt love like... words cannot explain. And now I am convinced even unto death, that He is my creator, not even death can separate me from Him and His love! ) When we are shown this "POWER", our faith, then....." is in the POWER of GOD, rather than, in the wisdom of men."
To conclude, if I may, I'd like to apologize for me and any other Christians who have offended you and countless others. Our problem IMHO is this, we've all experienced this "POWER+LOVE", though in many ways and differing volumes: we've all had at least "a taste" of the promise of things to come; believing doesn't make us perfect, and so in our excitement to share, we're kinda clumbsy. Many Christians claim to understand this "power" thing that I've shared with you, but they show that they don't really, when they tell others that it is their responsibility to believe. In truth, what I've shared with you is this....." you CANNOT believe, it is IMPOSSIBLE to believe, apart from GODS power working in you! IE, apart from an "act of GOD," man cannot believe, and this is by design, that each of us in his own time would be brought into His Glorious Light, where nothing is hidden. These things are burned in my heart, so that I too, might be a witness of this Jesus, the Christ, the Messiah. And I know that I may not live so long in this world because of my testimony, but then, like Paul the Apostle, I consider to die(and to be with the Lord) is gain. To those who want some food for thought,.....what do you believe? ....have you considered how firmly you believe......would you recant in order to live ?
This is why I would "abandon what may seem like critical and logical faculties" this, God calls "man's wisdom," it has no power to save us or love us. ( Does this sound like brainwashing ? I used to think so ). Sorry that was so long. LOVE & PEACE.

Answer 10

Jesus is asking you today, Who do you say that I am?
That’s the main question,-------- the one which will determine your eternal soul’s destination.

You know, He was not a good man or a teacher as many grudgingly speak of Him.
He was one of three things.
1.He was a lunatic, a madman, suffering from delusions of grandeur; or
2.He was a liar, a deceiver trying to pass himself off as something he was not, or,
3.He is Lord of all Life, and He holds all Life in His hands now and forever.
There are no other possibilities—Because He made His three great claims: “I am God, I will raise the dead, and I will be the final judge.”
Accept Jesus as Saviour, or suffer the consequences of sin forever.