I'd just like to hear your thoughts on this.
2007-03-21 07:11:09 · 37 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I have skimmed through the bible before and upon completion I doubted how much of the content was actually literal. Perhaps it is just one giant metaphor?
2007-03-21 07:19:25 · update #1
Fascinating answers so far.
2007-03-21 07:20:46 · update #2
Neither. Fictional story.
There are a small amount of facts and history there, but mostly it's just made up stuff.
And the idea that it's a moral guideline is laughable. Do you kill homosexuals, adulterers, atheists, and disobedient children?
2007-03-21 07:14:24 · answer #1 · answered by Some Dude 4 · 3⤊ 3⤋
The Bible contains both Factual Events AND Moral guidelines !! This is borne out in thousands upon thousands of documented cases of actual historical records AND the shear facts that again and again over time--- in anthropological digs -- long concealed evidence has been unearthed that has bore the absolute solid earmarks of statements that lay within the covers OF the Bible !!
Granted there are "parables" and "story lines" that are used by certain writers OF the scriptures to explain certain points and to make certain points that were never meant to be taken as a literal accounting of historical events or records OF actual things that went on ----and to the serious Bible scholar these incidences of poetic or script technique is quite easily understood to be exactly what they are !!! To the individual who is NOT a scholar or aware of the Bible's full content-- these instances are often refered to as the examples they draw on for claiming that the Bible is some kind of ---book of myths-----when all their references to these things prove --- is their own ignorance OF the Bible !!!!
2007-03-21 07:23:13 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Many theological scholars have seen the Bible as both. Many of the stories and happenings are there to make things sensable for the people the stories were told to many centuries ago.
Jesus told parables to help make a point, much the same way we see the fables of Essop (sp?). There is a moral to the story that is most important.
Example: The story of Jonah and the fish/whale. Is it possible that a fish (Mediterranean Sea) swallowed Jonah and spit him out on the beach? Or shall we take the lesson that "If we chose to go against God's command/will, he will work his way through us anyway? Jonah wound up going to Nineveh anyway and performing great work in God's name. Never mind how he got there.
Many of the stories and happenings of the Old Testament are seen the same way. They also seem to show some factual information as well.
Joshua is one example. March around the city, blowing your horns for days ..... then the walls come crashing down? Kind of hard to except, right? Well, bottom line is that Joshua did what God told him and the city was delivered to him as a victory.
So .... there you have my opinion on this.
Kev
2007-03-21 07:38:52 · answer #3 · answered by Hobgoblin Kev 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The bible was written by men about stories that were past down from generation to generation and may have been changed to suit certain peoples needs. Alot of it may be fact but it is ment to be moral guildlines as well. If you believe in God, then you are doing the right thing and use the bible to learn good things.
2007-03-21 07:15:13 · answer #4 · answered by NANCY J 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
To some degree, both of the above.
But only to some degree: many of the "facts" have been disproven (Methuselah's age, say). And many of the guidelines don't make much sense in today's world (much of "Leviticus").
Indeed, when you study the Bible as literature at university, you gain insight into how our human understanding of God and morality has evolved over the millenia.
2007-03-21 07:19:16 · answer #5 · answered by will_o_the_west 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Both. I believe that modern science actually supports a young Earth, intelligent design, a worldwide Flood, a crossing of the Red Sea, etc. There is no scientific reason to reject a literal interpretation of the book of Genesis, and the rest of the Bible is pretty much historical records, to be believed as much as any other historical record.
2007-03-21 07:17:22 · answer #6 · answered by FUNdie 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Both...
The Bible is a good historical reference, no doubt about it. The Old Testament is more like a Ruler or a Table of Laws, and we can sense the Fear as a way to reach that people's heart. The New Testament, in the other hand, is more like Jesus life and example to be followed, we sense the Love as a way to reach that people's heart. So, of course people take it as a reference for their moral code. it's up to you, though, if you want to do that based on Fear or Love.
Peace!
2007-03-21 07:19:26 · answer #7 · answered by Janet Reincarnated 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The Bible is both full of Factual Events that really took place full of people that really lived AND to be used for Moral Guidlines.
2007-03-21 07:17:16 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Both. There are events in the bible for which these is a great deal of evidence....others, not so much.
And as it is the source of judeo-christian moral thought, there can be little argument on the latter.
2007-03-21 07:14:10 · answer #9 · answered by mzJakes 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
A little bit of both. The old testement was passed on verbally for thousands of years before it was written, and the gospels were not written down for hundreds of years after jesus's death. So some of it may be factual, but there's bound to be mistakes and mistranslations throughout it.
2007-03-21 07:17:17 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I believe in the bible as facts. Maybe its just the way i was raised,but it feels wrong to think otherwise. Im not a highly religious person so this is not as much a concern to me. I do believe that putting faith in God is more a guide to help yourself, but i wouldn't dare say God is just a thought to deal morals.
2007-03-21 07:14:49 · answer #11 · answered by me_myself125 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋