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Do people of the Christian faith, believe that there is a man (God), that is watching and recording the deeds of individuals, as a means of calculating the rights of entry into "Heaven"; or do they believe that the Bible was written as metaphor?

2007-03-31 07:34:03 · 10 answers · asked by High-wire 4 in Arts & Humanities Philosophy

10 answers

The Bible is a wonderful book it should be awarded a Nobel for literature. And we all know at that level books deal primarily with attempts at cosmic metaphors...

2007-03-31 09:37:58 · answer #1 · answered by Goldmund 3 · 0 0

The protestant christian faith believes that God the Father (not a man) is watching the deeds of man. But no amount of "good works" can get you into heaven, only by trusting in that Jesus (His Son) is your righteousness and following the Holy Spirit (which shows that you actually do believe in Jesus). This faith comes by the grace of God.

The classic protestant view is that the Bible should be read literally which means that narratives in the Bible should be considered narratives, metaphors should be considered metaphors and so on. The Old Testament is a shadow of the New Testament, I recommend you read the book of Romans for more information on that.

2007-03-31 15:06:58 · answer #2 · answered by Mister Farlay 2 · 1 0

Some Christians might believe such things. Others would not. Some Christians might accept only a simplistic reading of the Bible as literal. Others would seek the content of revelation as being encoded in metaphors. Are you asking whether or not, God is, by his nature, a metaphor? You need to clarify your question, it seems unclear what you are asking. Or are you making a statement through your question-- that believers should understand their particular beliefs as metaphors, because the alternative (literalism) seems trivial or does not do justice to their systems of conviction. A clearer question might generate some really important insights about the nature of God, revelation, and belief.

2007-03-31 15:50:38 · answer #3 · answered by Timaeus 6 · 0 0

In my experience, it is the belief that God, not necessarily a man, but male, watches and records. The Bible is taken as a verbatim, spiritually inspired writing.
In the new testament, Jesus uses "parables"....similar to metaphors, as a teaching method. But the entire Bible as a metaphor? No.

2007-03-31 22:49:15 · answer #4 · answered by aidan402 6 · 0 0

I as a believer believe with Faith and Works that Jesus was the Son of God the Father of all things made in heaven and in the Universe. I believe that he died on a stick or tree or planks of wood nailed together in a cross and such died on that cross as the prophets said he would. For he is the only man in History that was written about some 1500 years or more before it happen and this man named Yeshua or Jesus did exactly what they said he would do.
That God is a Living being for which humankind cannot grasp a hold of for our own petty lust of this world. That he is the ultimate Ruler of all things and that the Father will send him back to Rule for 1000 years to straighten this mess out even if mankind does not like it. In addition, the outside influence that is causing man to think wrong will be dealt with and cast into a bottomless pit.

2007-03-31 14:59:57 · answer #5 · answered by Michael JENKINS 4 · 1 1

Christians believe in a God that had a plan and man was the plan. We are meant to be temples to Him and his vision. Jesus Christ is the complete realization of that plan, He is the embodiment of God in character and spirit so much so that He is God's Son, alike Him in every way, the same as Him in fact. God as presented in the bible is thought to be real, not metaphor. However, the concept of God as a man in some ethereal place monitoring activities of people is a poorly informed interpretation. God is meant to be wholly expressed within and through His universe. At present that is not the case. A cancer often referred to as Satan wars for the body universal and bodies human. A metaphor is still a truth. It is simply a truth one can only see with the eye of one's heart.

2007-03-31 14:56:26 · answer #6 · answered by dean_maiorano 1 · 1 1

God is truth. The Bible is literally the Word of the Living God.
There are metaphors in it but neither God nor His Word are totally metaphors. The Old Testament is Christ concealed and the New Testament is Christ revealed. However, from Genesis to Revelation it is all about Jesus the Christ and Messiah, the Son of God and God Himself.

2007-03-31 15:19:10 · answer #7 · answered by Jeancommunicates 7 · 0 1

You are trying to lock in a specific trait to all of the Christian faith. The different churches view it on all ends of the spectrum. I've dealt with some who view the Bible as an interesting story with some good morals, and others who believe god is like a judge and executioner of the damned. I think it's just a dude who like s a nice taco with a beer. just cause he's powerful doesn't make him lofty and weird. Maybe he doesn't answer our prayers everyday cause he slept late after watching TV all night. The whole point is that we're not supposed to know, that's where FAITH comes in.

2007-03-31 14:46:52 · answer #8 · answered by wolfsingleton 2 · 0 2

both are true, there are literalist sects and non-literalist sects. Some but they generally agree that the earth was created in seven contemporary earth days, that Jesus was born of immaculate conception and that Mary Magdalen was not a real disciple (probably because she was boinking the Messiah, maybe that's why they called her a hooker, mean old John the Baptist).

2007-03-31 17:59:50 · answer #9 · answered by Duncan w ™ ® 7 · 0 0

Some do. Some don't. But I find it interesting that those rail against Santa Claus and how he can't be possible are the same ones that sing the loudest at church.

2007-03-31 16:36:21 · answer #10 · answered by Sophist 7 · 1 0

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