Are people who believe in the bible really that gullible?

Question

Firstly I just wanna say that I'm not asking this to try and offend them. I have read the bible and it appears to me as though everything thats in it contradicts with other passages at some other point. I mean they all run around saying how it's the true word of some mythical deity, complete oblivious to the fact that it was wrote by humans 2000 years ago and has changed constantly with our social evolution every few hundred years. Even in this age we have people running round spouting random qoutes from this ancient piece of literature hoping that we to will learn to be just as gullible! Please try not to be offensive with your answers!

Crazyhorse what you also have to realizise is these things happened around the time the bible was wrote so it would stand to reason that they would appear in the stories yet maybe what happened was no more supernatural than anything else that happens?

Actually Larry I call myself dragon because I believe they are the pinnacle of human story telling. After all if you can convince people that they have seen a 30 foot lizard that breathes fire what else will they believe - the bible?

Linda I don't equate gullibility to simple mindedness and I'm sorry that you felt that way. When I read the bible I was young and truelly interested in finding a "faith". Yet when I read it I could not simply forget things that I know to be scientific fact. I just don't understand how people can take what is essentially just rumour and place it higher than things that are proven over and over again to be fact? Maybe this is the curse of a high IQ

Answer 1

I don't know if gullible is the right word. I do think people are looking for something to believe in and the bible fits the bill for some. I think myself as a child was brainwashed with organized religion. I was told either accept Christ as my personal Savior or I wold burn in hell. I think the prospect of burning in hell made me a convert. Now as an adult I question my beliefs. I think I may have gone off of topic, sorry.

Answer 2

What you call gullible I call faith. Sure most of the stuff in the Bible is unbelievable and supernatural in nature but if you believe in a higher power than you must have faith because there is little evidence to support the existence of said higher power.

Interesting side note, there is more and more archaeological evidence supporting specific events in the bible. Sodom and Gomorrah, Jericho, , etc while I am not saying that God caused these events I am saying that they were event's that are talked about in the Bible.

True these events could probably be explained by something scientific, but a lot of atheists have stated that the Bible is just a collection of stories, a myth, a faerie tale. All I am saying is that many of the places and events of the Bible can be located through archeology that it lends some credibility. Sodom and Gomorrah were found buried in ash and sulfur. Jericho was found, it's walls reduced to rubble and the city burned out.
Once again I am not stating that "GOD" did these things, It could have been a volcanic eruption and siege warfare that destroyed these cities, but it is an example of what is "Faith"

Answer 3

Christians believe in Jesus, not in the Bible. The Bible is basically just a set of guidelines to follow. It's purpose is to teach people, Christians or even non-Christians, how to be good to one another. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that. Unfortunately there are always going to be people who take things to far. Also, as with any other work of man, it's going to have mistakes and embellishments in it.
Keep in mind that the Bible was originally written in Hebrew and was translated into Latin, then English by monks. Some words in Hebrew do not translate very easily, so the monks had to make educated guesses at times, and sometimes, they were inaccurate.

For instance, in Genesis, where it explains about creation, the Bible says that the world was created in 7 days. In the original Hebrew, the word that was used did not exactly mean "day," it meant simply, "a period of time." That's not very specific. There's no way to know what the original writer meant. It could mean 10,000 years, for all we know.

Answer 4

I believe that the Bible is the word of God. I know that God is not a mythical diety. Can I explain this in terms that you will understand? Probally not... But I know He "real" from the wonderful things that God has done in my life. You say you have read the Bible? I am curious, did you just read it from the first page to the last? If you read it in that way, it can be confusing and tedious. I am just really learning now in the later years of my life how to read the Bible and get the most from it. It is a book that needs to be studied and it is helpful to have someone who knows its passages to guide you to get the message that it is meant to give. Before you are so sure that those of us that believe and have Faith in the Lord and His Word are gullible and *simple minded* (I am assuming this is what you think) maybe you could just open your heart and mind and give it another try.

Answer 5

There are some that belive, without quetioning or don't do research
that is blind faith. I do respect anyone and everyone who study and actually does reseach to know more how it was made and when and what condition and how it was changed and why. You must me
open minded at the same time, must also not be narrow minded. Yes, there are alot of gullible people, as well as a many we are not.

[ how it's the true word of some mythical deity. ]

I totally agree, what you are saying there it is like with different sects in Christianity for example saying the prophet Isha (jesus peace be upon him) said this and other said not he said this.
And many make up there own thing in that sect by actions like this. Same for Buddhism, it has been changed by cultures and there pervious faith in that region, such as Indian, Tibetan, Sri Lankan, Thailand, Japanese, Chinese etc..

seriously do you think all the Buddhist community can say they also belive in nat beings along with buddhism in Thailand? Or Shinto Kamis and Buddhism in Japan? The Bon religion mixed with Buddhism in Tibet?

Also, If you look and do reseach Christianty was changed by the Romans, espically the trinity, there is a trinity that the Romans held very stong to and it has been fussed and now say that there are 3 deities and they are in one god, to hide that they belive in one god. example the 25th of I belive May, or something ahh where they say that was for jesus brith actually that was the myth about the son of the father god. This is why everyone should actually reseach to seek out the truth, once you have to truth the falshood begans to dissapear.

Answer 6

I read this quote in a book and use it all the time to explain the Bible. It's the word of God not Written BY God. So of course it's surrposed to have mistakes in it. We humans are not perfect.
And some people just need something to believe in thats bigger then themselves. Gives them hope thats theres something out there then just nothing ness. I do like to think there is a after life when I die. I saw a pure athiest woman on tv saying they believe in nothing after dying and I can't help thinking that must be a depressing way to think. All well. As got me I'm half athiest and half Christain. I keep feeling athiest at times then Christain.

Answer 7

And your so brilliant that you don't ??
For one who calls himself "Dragon" you have some problems here with a "belief" structure being somewhat "mythical" ??
The reasons, as if it would equate to one who has already got a "thing" going about the Bible, that there are certain things that seem to conflict with the way "seculars" look at it-- is that there were several dispensations of time that this book covers and two completely different sets of viewpoints --- simplest form of explanation being the law before and then the law after Christ was born !!!

Answer 8

Okay yes the Bible was wrote by people long ago but was dictated by God I understand that things have changed in the bible but you'll read where God warns of this. I believe in the word of the bible and I don't believe that I am gullible just open minded enough to believe that GOD can be out there ( is out there). I'm not saying your not open minded we just have different views, I have to tell you that we do ask questions about things that don't seem to add up but all we can do is have faith. We struggle with our faith all the time, But in the end we believe. Please don't call me gullible, just rest with the ease that I believe in something you choose not to believe. I will not go around forcing my views on anyone not willing or wanting to hear them and I respect you and people who don't believes my views also. So please show me that same respect.

Answer 9

I've read the thread and I find it mildly amusing that people keep saying Dragons were in the Bible as a matter of disputing the original question, when in fact they are only proving that the Bible has fictional elements, and strengthening dragons viewpoint in the process.

Answer 10

Their "faith" is part of their community and also associated with their belief in God. I also had this problem until a special out of body experience forced me to change my way of thinking. I struggled with the knowledge I would receive continuously for many years until I realized the bible was written with "good intentions" but limited to the writers knowledge of what they were being told and how it applied to their social situations.