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Can the politicians interpret the Bible according to their own interests and convenience?

2007-02-12 14:05:21 · 10 answers · asked by Willychilly 1 in Politics & Government Other - Politics & Government

10 answers

People can interpret a holy book however they want because no book specifies how it is supposed to be taken, whether figurative or literal. There is no book that you should entirely pattern your life after but if you're looking for a guiding text, look for the writings of the Dali Lama or the Buddha.

2007-02-12 14:08:37 · answer #1 · answered by PUtuba7 4 · 2 0

We can interpret them any way we choose to believe.

Each of these books, and my experience/knowledge lies primarily with both new and old testaments of the bible, have been translated several times through the centuries. And the books had been written in several different extinct languages over the course of many centuries. So some of the concepts and ideas that are presented may not be truly understood in our language and with our culutural backgrounds.

Many people do interpret these stories literally as they are read in English. However, some translations permit variations as do differing faiths and backgrounds. So it's just not that we interpret the material based on interests and convenience, it's interpretation problems based on a lack of our knowledge or first-hand understanding of the languages that the books were originally written in. Additionally, there are a number of scrolls that are missing or ignored in the bible itself that scholars are working to understand that were written during the same times and same general geography that the original scrolls were written.

I'm not sure about the Koran or other sacred books. The Koran was written more recently than the bible so it may be more easily understood. Plus if I am correct it was written primarily in Arabic which is a thriving language and can be interpreted and understood in a modern language. However, there is always room for political gain when using a religious writing for public or governance purposes. One of the reasons we have separation of church and state in the US.

2007-02-12 14:18:13 · answer #2 · answered by keyz 4 · 1 0

Politicians these days have to pretend they're Bible-believers, even if the truth is they've never cracked it open. That's because we're going through an Age of Endarkenment, where popular opinion is rejecting logic and reason in favor of mythology and puritanism.

For a guiding book, how about the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy? Or maybe the Harry Potter books? Those books make more sense than the Bible and are a more entertaining read.

2007-02-12 14:17:51 · answer #3 · answered by catrionn 6 · 0 0

All these texts were written by human hands, and hence all reflect the inaccuracies, biases, and other imperfections of any member of our species. Nobody is really able to lead his life according to the literal interpretation of the wording of any of these books any way. In some cases it's because of the distant conditions under which the text was written; you'd be hardpressed, for example, to carry out the injunctions concerning slavery in the Old Testament book of Leviticus. In other cases it's because of the contradictions between different parts of the books. The Koran both praises Jews and calls on Muslims to slay them wherever they are. Similarly, the Old Testament lauds the Israelites' massacres and dispossession of the Philistines and other tribes in Canaan, but also contains the calls for universal peace in Isaiah and the other prophets. Of course, this last point is enormously useful for politicians, who can pick and choose the text most convenient for their needs.

2007-02-12 14:33:58 · answer #4 · answered by Bethesdan 2 · 0 0

All i've got been able to finding so a strategies re your translation of the Rig Veda verse is that it is credited to Swami Prabhavananda and Christopher Isherwood. So it is totally attainable that the words have been chosen to echo something present day human beings would be attentive to. i'd incredibly p.c. to ascertain different translations, yet i'm no longer even finding a verse quantity to look it up. basically to make sparkling - i'm no longer announcing that the Rig Ceda translation is misguided, i'd basically p.c. to confirm its accuracy. a lot of popular Christian translations do unusual, deceptive issues with the Hebrew - finding out greater related to the Hebrew generally ameliorations the meaning. John makes use of a lot of Gnostic imagery - mild, darkish, the word etc. Gnostics worked with complicated systems of emanations (each and each sect had their very own transformations) which bridged the massive hollow between their appropriate, ineffable god and the actual international. 'the beginning up' and 'The word' have been 2 of those emanations. trademarks/The word grew to become into area of the wider philosophical discussions besides. The Stoics observed The word as a residing, reified 'reason' which pervaded and lively the universe. it is attainable that Gnostics study their very own terminology into the Rig Veda. They actually did unusual issues with Jewish texts.

2016-10-02 01:22:28 · answer #5 · answered by ? 4 · 0 0

Politicians can interpret anything however they want...but that doesn't mean that they're right. People can take Bible passages out of context and make it say anything that they want. Anytime you follow anything and scrutinize just one word or a few words at a time without looking at the bigger picture of perhaps the verse or the chapter, you can misinterpret it horribly.

2007-02-12 14:11:42 · answer #6 · answered by Smiley 2 · 2 0

Yes, they can, and do, interpret the Bible to there own prejudices, or more accurately, the prejudices of their parents. Luckily the Founding Fathers separated church and state so some lunatic theocratic politician can't enslave us all.

2007-02-12 14:16:20 · answer #7 · answered by Michael da Man 6 · 0 0

Well if they did, that'd be a combining of Church and State and there's a reason why it's called the Seperation of Church and State. I personally believe in the Bible and any politician who reads that Bible, I tend to be a fan of. But it also depends on how they believe it. Like I said though, there's a reason why it's called the Seperation of Church and State

2007-02-12 14:09:09 · answer #8 · answered by melissabgarner 2 · 0 1

Nobody really knows what God wants so none would be accurate. If you have that many books and all are different chances are all are wrong. Unless we have more than one God and creator. As to the politicians, well they do what the want as long it pays off.

2007-02-12 14:13:36 · answer #9 · answered by Jose R 6 · 2 0

I'm not religious, but I would say the Torah, which is the text used in the teachings of Judaisim.

2007-02-12 14:09:40 · answer #10 · answered by rdeck87 1 · 1 0

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