If the bible is not to be taken literally what gives you the right to pick?

Question

and choose which parts SHOULD or SHOULDNT be taken as 'gospel'(excuse the pun).Try reading Leviticus 20 for starters.

Answer 1

The entire Bible is up for your personal interpretation. Some parts might be pretty straight forward-like Leviticus-but others could have a number of different meanings. Just be ready to defend your interpretation and prove other peoples interpretations wrong!

If the Bible were to be taken literally word for word, it would contradict itself.

Answer 2

The discovery in recent years of sacred texts, Gospel of the Essenes and the Nag Hamadhi Library, casts a dark shadow over the established churches and how they and the Roman Empire sought to control early Christianity. The revelations made undermine the Peter/Paul duo [Appointing someone who denies Christ three times as the foundation and Paul who made a point of killing Christians before his “political” conversion and who didn’t even meet Lord Jesus never felt comfortable] and it is now quite apparent that Mary Magdalene was the foremost disciple. Sensitive Spiritual folk would know this from her washing of the Lords Feet and the exclusion of women from major religious rites confirms Paul as a misogynist.

One can clearly see the position the Roman Empire would have been in to control what information was released from the political shenanigans that occur all over the world today and to rely on self appointed Priests or Vicars to guide one spiritually is abandonment of responsibility.

Answer 3

I don't really like the idea of "picking". You do not need to choose one of a multiple of interpretations. There are many ways in which the Bible can be understood, and there should be no barrier to you adopting any number of these understandings.

I do think, however, that the importance of Love for others, over and above any other "truth" that you might otherwise derive from the text, should be precendent. That's what I read in Jesus, anyway.

Answer 4

The Bible must be taken literally. Especially the part about Adam and Eve and their talking snake.
Also the part where Moses and Aaron cast a spell, and frogs came up from the river and infested the land of Egypt, and even found their way into Pharaoh's bedchamber.
Also the part where Lot and his wife were...I mean she was turned into salt.
Yes, read all these stories literally, and be afraid, be very afraid.
Also the part where Elijah went up into Heaven riding a chariot of fire. These are all literal. Not to mention the time Joshua commanded the sun to stop rotating around the earth, and it did; which just goes to prove that astronomy is false. And if astronomy is false, perhaps the rest of science is false too, and only the Bible and all those idiotic literal stories are true.

Answer 5

Everyone refers to Leviticus, but did you read the Gospels?? Jesus fulfilled that old law, and gave us the new law of grace and love. The Israelites used to have very strict rules, because at that time, Jesus had not yet died, therefore the only forgiveness available was through animal sacrifices. Jesus came as the eternal perfect spotless lamb, whose blood covered the sins of all of the world. Now, we have forgiveness simply by asking and repenting. Their rules and punishments were extreme to keep them from going there. It was God's love that laid down these laws. Kinda like setting up electric fences next to the highway. If you know the pain of the punishment, you'll stay away from those things that will eternally hurt you.

Answer 6

King James Bible alone has 25000 documented errors and inconsistencies. If you take it literally It also denies the existence of millions of years of provable evolution including dinosaurs.

Yet I do believe in God as many of us lucky coma survivors do!

The only safe interpretation of the Bible that I believe is reliable can be found by reading it front to back to find the underlying truth of it's message, to do all the good that you can to all the people of the world in as many ways as you can for as just long as ever you can! Hebrews 13 says be not forgetful to entertain all strangers lest by so doing thou hast unaware entertained angels!

Answer 7

Obviously, you haven't lived long enough to discern between seriousness, and stupidity. Just like this question.

There isn't a point in which a Christian "picks and chooses" what he thinks is truthful. Everything in the Bible should be taken seriously, and should follow the same guidelines for interpretation in each and every single verse. Each verse should go under the same scrutiny. What is supposed to be taken literally, and what shouldn't?

For Example:

When Jesus was referring to himself as being bread and wine, broken for his people, he wasn't pointing out that he was a physical piece of bread, he meant that his body would be broken for the punishment of sins.

A verse like that shouldn't be taken literally as a piece of bread, but should be taken seriously in the point that he was making a parable about himself. It's not picking and choosing what the verse means, it showing the real meaning of what Jesus was saying.

Another example:

"I'm as hungry as a horse." Of course you are just making a statement that you are very hungry. Something like this shouldn't be taken literally that you are going to eat a whole horse, but by the fact that you are very hungry. Again, not picking and choosing what I believe it means, just the fact that you are trying to relate one experience to another.

Answer 8

heh, i heartily agree with that stance. religion/spiritual belief is often muddled up with hypocrites, confusion, mis-interpretation and so much more and worse. leviticus XXV, 44 is a great example, sayin its ok to own slaves, as long as theyre foreigners. one of many things that suppports the rational conclusion that the bible is very much not of divine decree and/or the like. thank you for thinking about what you are 'fed'. :)

Answer 9

If you love God you will love all of his word and hide it in your heart. If you pick and choose what you want to satisfy yourself You might not have good understanding in what God is saying. My question would be are you using religion for your own purpose or living for Christ

Answer 10

John 1 : 17 ....For the law was given by Moses , but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ...............Also See the great answer by baseball G above ^