If the Bible isn't true, then how do we know what is right and wrong?

Question

I mean, you can't say that we know what's right and wrong, cuz we don't. Everybody has a different opinion and they go against eachother. Only one set of guidelines can be true. I've heard before that you can do whatever you'd like as long as you sincerely believe it's okay.That's crazy... I mean, what if an ax-murderer comes up to you and says, "I sincerely believe it's okay to chop your head off." I mean, if you stay true your your belief, you have to say, "okay, fine with me." Or what about the one that says it's okay as long as no one gets hurt. In others words, "yeah, go ahead and steal my life savings and everything in my house. Just make sure nobody gets hurt." So, how do we know... I need to know.

Answer 1

Without the restraint put on mankind by God's word (the Bible), life would be even more of a shamble than it is today. If everyone just did as they personally believed was okay, then as you say, we would constantly be doing only what was good for us without any concern about others. If I killed your brother, you would be obligated to kill me, then my next of kin would kill you etc. I know you realize that this kind of life would be worse than no life at all. ONLY in Christianity will you find a life style that is based solely on LOVE. Love from God to us through Jesus..Love from us to others because of Jesus. Some of the other faiths in the world have their rules but in most cases anyway, those rules allow people to harm others who happen to disagree with them. In otherwords, if you believe as they do you are okay, if you disagree, you are hated. Even atheists (people who do not believe in God) hate Christians more than they hate any other faith. Yes, some people have done and still do things that are wrong all in the name of Christianity (the Crusades in Europe for example) but they are not using the Bible as their guideline. Instead, they are doing what "they" want to do and are just using God as an excuse for doing hateful and horrible things. Remember...God is Love....Jesus died for us because of God's Love for us and for no other reason. I don't know about you, but if I am going to use anything to help me live a life that is beneficial not only to me but to my fellow man as well, I can think of no one better to guide me than someone (God) who loves all of us regardless of who they are. He even tells us to love our enemies and to show them His goodness by loving them.

Without God and the Bible, man may still know in his heart what is right...but he has no reason to follow that knowledge.

Some people believe that God was created by man to keep other men in line. I don't believe that is true because if man alone (any man) was in charge of what was right and wrong, they would always do what suits them and gives them the upper hand. We are naturally selfish. Take a look at a small child for example. Before they learn to "get along with others", they only do what They want to do as long as they get there own way. Think about what kind of grown ups they would make if no one ever taught them to do the right thing. God loves us (his creations) but once Satan got hold of Adam and Eve, then we became the opposite of what God wanted us to be. That is Satan's only purpose. He hates God and he hates us and does not want us to love God so he tempts us to do things that God has asked us not to do. It is called sin and sin will keep us from God. Because of this, God intervened by sending Jesus to give us sinners a second chance.The Bible is not merely a book of rules. It is the story of who we are.

I hope this has answered your question. God Bless You and I pray that He will open the eyes of your heart so you can see his many faces.

Answer 2

The concept of "right" and "wrong" is ever changing depending on the nation and culture of a specific time period. In other words...

It was perfectly acceptable to sell your eldest daughter into slavery during biblical times but is that acceptable or legal now?

To quote from an article I read on the death penalty,

"In Britain, the number of capital offenses continually increased until the 1700's when two hundred and twenty-two crimes were punishable by death. These included stealing from a house in the amount of forty shillings, stealing from a shop the value of five shillings, robbing a rabbit warren, cutting down a tree, and counterfeiting tax stamps. However, juries tended not to convict when the penalty was great and the crime was not. Reforms began to take place. In 1823, five laws passed, exempting about a hundred crimes from the death [penalty]. Between 1832 and 1837, many capital offenses were swept away. In 1840, there was a failed attempt to abolish all capital punishment. Through the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, more and more capital punishments were abolished, not only in Britain, but also all across Europe, until today only a few European countries retain the death penalty."

In the 1700s Britain was a Christian nation. That being the case, would you, now, accept 222 crimes that are punishable by death? Yet, according to your logic, Britain then, as now, would be following the laws and morality outlined in the bible.

Any conscious, thinking person learns very quickly the "effect" of their actions on others. Thus morality and law for that matter, is ever changing depending on citizen consensus of what is commonly considered reprehensible behavior. The bible has very little to do with this. If it did, we would still be stoning people to death for a variety of reasons including children talking back to their parents. Consequently...

Knowing right from wrong is completely dependent on the nation and culture that you happen to live in and enjoy.

Answer 3

Society creates right and wrong, not the bible. Honestly, why is this so hard for people to understand? The parts of the bible that actually matter, and make sense, can be summed up in two words, "Harm none". You don't need anything else.

And it doesn't take a whole lot of brains to figure out that the world is a nicer place to live in if everyone isn't trying to hurt each other all the time. Why? Because if you hurt other people, they're going to want revenge and the behavior will perpetuate itself.

More harm has been caused by religion than by anything else in the world. Especially since most people don't live by their religion anyway but only pay it lip service.

Answer 4

The only way to know what is actually wrong or right is to read and follow the Holy Quran. It brings peace in the heart and if you follow it correctly, you will become a better person.

Allah has given rights to everyone and the Holy Prophet(SAW) says "Actions are judged by intentions."
This means that even if aperson intends to do something good but he messes up, it will be considered a good action. But if people see someone doing something good which he only did because of some bad intention e.g.out of jealousy, it will be considered as a bad action becuase Allah kows what is in our hearts as well.

Answer 5

I seriously believe that it is okay to use the Bible as my justification to start wars, persecute other groups of people, tell other people that they are going to Hell even thou I know nothing about them, and generally disregard any other opinion that is not like my own. ---

That's crazy because people like that are crazy. An ax-murderer is not a good example for this. People who have had the word of God are not always moral. Those who had no idea Christianity even existed have had the same laws in their society.

Answer 6

There are moral codes that predate the bible. For example the Code of Hammurabi.. there are those that are extra biblical, such as the Hittite code of laws, Ur-Nammu, et al..
I could give you a list a mile long of pre-biblical and extra biblical moral codes and laws.. so, morality isn't specific to the bible.
Human beings are hard-wired with a sense of right and wrong.
It exists in tribal societies today that don't have Jesus as part of their belief.

Answer 7

Actually we do know what is right from wrong...deep down. Think of it as a divine spark...a part of God within us...it can be covered by our own egos, desires, etc, etc. But no matter how much it is covered, it still remains.

That piece is what knows right from wrong...and everyone has it.

There are places in this world that has never heard of the Bible...and yet they know right from wrong.

How about before the Bible was created? There were people who knew right from wrong.

I don't need the Bible to tell me what is right and wrong...I know what is right and wrong. I feel it deep within...where that spark of Divinity resides (God breathed it into us).

~ Eric Putkonen

Answer 8

Being Civilized comes from the Bible.

Before people were unruly and lawless.

God gave the Laws and it has changed people. Even if you don't believe in God, you follow alot of his ways, if you live in a Civilized society.

Read in Genesis how people were so wicked and out of control, God had to make a Great flood and start all over.

Now again, people are out of control. Fire is next. Prepare yourself.

Answer 9

What makes the Bible true as compared to the Quran, the Tanakh, the Bhagavad-gita, Pali canon, or any society's holy scriptures? Or philosophers from ancient to modern times?

Answer 10

The Bible says that our righteousness is as filthy rags...meaning we are not saved by how good we are. We are saved by the law of grace (yet the law is STILL good for us). That means that the entire Word of God tells us right from wrong...law and grace. Thou shalt not murder. Murder is wrong.

Everyone needs a moral compass in life.

Answer 11

Morality has been around since the beginning of time. Written records of morals and ethics go back to the Summarian culture. You never heard of the code of Hammurabi? Morals and ethics have been debated by philosophers for centuries. You never heard of Socrates or Plato? Morality and ethics predate religion. Oh please, get an education.