I ask this because religious sects within Christianity seldom agree. Sometimes there's disagreement within the sects. Historically, much of the interpretations have been wrong - the argument for slavery, as an example - so how can anyone be sure their interpretations today are correct? What do you believe people living a hundred years from now will think about your interpretation?
2007-01-20 05:30:17 · 22 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
everyone thinks they have the correct one, that's the problem
2007-01-20 05:38:44 · answer #1 · answered by twysty 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That is exactly why you need more than just the text of the scriptures to guide you in knowing what is right. The holy spirit, revelation, willingness to read it more than one way, etc.
Sometimes I think there are many different right ways to interpret one scripture. I've noticed as I've read them at different phases in my life the same scripture will take on a totally new meaning for me. Does that mean the meaning I had before was wrong? I don't think so.
Maybe it's more like - if 5 different denominations had 5 different ways of interpreting a scripture, maybe they're just not getting the whole meaning out of it, and maybe if they put their 5 different puzzle pieces together the whole complexity and beauty of the verse would come to light.
Just some random thoughts.
2007-01-20 13:39:12 · answer #2 · answered by daisyk 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Holy Spirit gives the best interpretation of what you need to know. The Bible is a Rhema Word, a right now Word, needed for issues right now. There are so many truths in the Bible and so much insight. I know God will bring forth interpretation of anything at the given time for that specific purpose. The Bible is the Living Word. It is alive, quick and sharper than any two-edge sword. Say you and me are going through two different problems. We both read the same scripture. God's Word is there to build each of us up in different ways of our needs with the same scripture.
2007-01-20 13:43:29 · answer #3 · answered by Putta Rat 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
All of the orthodox denominations agree on the essentials. Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Baptist, Anglican, Pentecostal, Evangelical etc. all agree on the Bible as being the word of God, Jesus Christ being the Son of God come down from heaven to provide an atoning ransom for sin. All teach One God and Father and the Holy Spirit, one hope. So the points agreed upon are overwhelming greater than the points of disagreement. In any large house, there is always diversity of opinion.
Paul said "There must also be factions among you, in order that those who are approved may have become evident among you." (I Corinthians 11:19)
2007-01-20 13:47:08 · answer #4 · answered by wefmeister 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
First you have to know Hebrew and Aramaic, so there's not a translation problem....then, as far as what is metaphoric and what is literal, there are as many opinions as there are people. It's no different from "the right to bear arms within a well regulated militia", or however the amendment reads.....iterpretation becomes even more difficult as the times change and daily live is so different now from say, 2000 years ago, let alone 200 years ago.
2007-01-20 13:35:28 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
i am a christian and i was brought up catholic. i questioned my religion for 10 years. i knew i was a christian but there was a time i questioned the bible. i said that sometimes when u translate from one language to another the meaning may be lost. thats because the word that exists in one language does not exist in the other language. i think there is alot of things missing in bible but there is alot of good stuff in there.
i think my religion has the correct meaning and everyone else will tell u theirs does.
i think in a hundred years that bible is going to be so different because people will get their hands on it and make it so the bible agrees with their point of view.
2007-01-20 13:38:02 · answer #6 · answered by Miki 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Depends. Different branches in the Christian Religion usually believe that their interpretation is the correct one. It is mostly just on opinion but the only true interpretation comes from the person that inspired it all. God
2007-01-20 13:35:03 · answer #7 · answered by Ugly Duckling 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
You have to do more research, even in Islam there is one original text, the classical arabic, but believe it or not we have 72 SECTS. from all 2 of them are right, the rest of wrong. So it is hard to se which one is right, because all these are interpretation taken from one book.
So even I have difficulty knowing which one is right. The only thing i can think of is go with what makes more sense to you by reading and educating yourself with more than one or two book. See which one follows the similar path.
As long as you are trying your best to do the right thing following what you think might be the right one is also taken as good intentions to consideration. So I think you are already doing better than the rest of us.
Good luck :)
2007-01-20 13:42:31 · answer #8 · answered by Hunnypox 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Tough question to answer. The Roman Catholic Church refers to itself as the "original" and therefore "correct" Christian Church. However, through the centuries there have been schisms in Christianity most notably the East-West schism--Catholicism and East Orthodoxy, and Protestantism. All these non-Catholic forms of Christianity claim to have a "better", "improved" or "different" view of the Christian religion than Catholicism.
In the end, most Christians believe "their" form of Christianity is the right one. I suppose the only way to find out who is right will be in the after-life (assuming there is one)!
2007-01-20 13:37:35 · answer #9 · answered by sothere! 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Why not go all the way back to Jesus and the apostles? That would, of course, be the Catholic Church. Everything was fine until 1517 when Martin Luther wanted to do his own thing and added to the Bible -- from "we are saved by faith" to we are saved by faith alone". Since then it has become ever increasingly desireable to just do what one wants to.
In order to have a good understanding of scripture, one must have some knowledge of archeology, Greek, Hebrew, Latin, Judaism, the Middle East and other areas as well.
There are more than 10,000 different Christian sects in this country -- all wanting to do their own thing for their own gain.
2007-01-20 13:39:37 · answer #10 · answered by The Carmelite 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Let the Bible interpret itself.
The problem with many interpretations is this:
People pull one or two verses out of context here and there and build a belief system on it.
If you let the entire Bible explain itself, it does the job very well.
grace2u
2007-01-20 14:25:30 · answer #11 · answered by Theophilus 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋