Once again, we're the mentally inept ones because we don't believe in your book?

Question

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=An3SRax38H364LBc8RHiExzd7BR.?qid=20070410095710AAEfDuc

"Until people want to know God the Bible is out of reach for them on an intellectual level, useless to them. Those who do not believe can not comprehend God's word."

Why do some Christians always use this hysterically funny (considering the source) and ignorant way of dismissing everyone else's belief but their own? "Oh - you're just too stupid to understand the bible."

Hate to break it to all you Christians using that as your security blanket, but my reading and comprehension is up to snuff at a collegiate level. I'm sure many Atheists and non-Christian Theists also have college level reading and comprehension skills. When we say we've read the book and don't believe - it has nothing to do with not understanding it. On the contrary, I think it means we do get it.

Jim - if this question is hate - you're really sensitive. Get a spine!

Meggie - Hmmm.

Just me - Neither. I don't need validation of my beliefs or lack thereof. I just get tired of the Christian Pot calling the non-Christian pot black (to throw your BS back at you).

Max - note I said *some* Christians. I know a lot of Christians who don't say stuff like this. I only bring this up to draw people's attention to how using certain arguments doesn't help their argument.

Sparkless - well, perhaps it wouldn't have sparked a reaction had you worded it differently. Like how you said it just now - I don't take issue with it because it wasn't condescending. Your initial wording, however, does nothing to bring people to God (which is your mission, right?). Instead, it alienates them and makes them think - "Those Christians think I'm a dumb ***!" And the compliments go back and forth...

Curtis - cheap shot.

Happygirl - so basically I'm not mentally deficient, but rather spiritually inept? I actually disagree with that, too. I've found what you've found, only in another religion. I believe all paths are right for someone. Besides, since I've read all the books and pre-Christian philosophy the bible and the Christian religion were intially based on....

Seimerth - I respect that Christians believe what they do. And yes, I left Christianity after a lot of thought and inquiry. But I totally respect and understand that it works for some people and is the path for them. That's cool. I just don't like being told I'm either mentally or spiritually inept because I don't believe the bible is the word of God and I'm not Christian. But you seem to totally understand where I'm coming from. Thank you.

Answer 1

I concur. I think what they believe is that Ex-Christians (for example) could have not truly understood "God's word" because if they did they would not have turned away because they would know the consequences of committing the unforgivable sin.

Well I do know the supposed consequences. I made my decision to rebuke the "holy spirit" (Yes yes, the unforgivable sin) because I felt that I could not continue to worship the Christian god on moral grounds. No, I'll even go further than that, I knew that if I had to choose between "God" and Satan that the devil would be the moral high ground out of the two and I would gladly fight with him against "God". I do not exaggerate when I say I would rather go to hell than bow down to the Christian god, I do truly mean that.

Now, obviously I would hope everyone who knows me, understands I am not Satanist (not now anyways) and I do not worship the devil. But I do feel he is the lesser of two evils.

Also, I always get a kick out of how people on the internet will tell people who they know literally nothing about that they could have never truly been a Christian or never truly understood the bible. This is a ball faced lie, and an arrogant one at that. No one knows what other people have experienced or gone though, no one knows what goes through their minds. Yet you always get those who judge you. Yes, I have been to college as well and read at that level, I also have studied a bit of Hebrew , Greek and Aramaic. And it was my stuidies that lead me to reject the bible. First the NT than the OT. (I say NT first because I found out that Jesus did not full fill the prophecies. )

Answer 2

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Answer 3

I would hope that my fellow Christians are not really telling you that you are intellectually deficient because I disagree with that premise. However, I will say this (no insult intended). People who look to the Bible only with their mind can not "get it" as you put it. It does not make sense from an imperical or scientific standpoint and I am the first to admit this. However, God commands that we hear and speak with our heart...not only our minds. It is to the heart that the Holy Spirit comes...not to the head. It is to the heart that Jesus enters in....not to the head. I also have a very high IQ and my reading and comprehension skills are in the so called "genius" catagory but if I were to look at God's word only with my mind, I would not buy into it either. It was not until I opened my heart to Him that I "got it". Since the Holy Spirit came into my heart I am a changed person. Not that I have so much changed what I do (because I have always been a nice person) but I have changed the way I see things and my priorities have changed. I sincerely hope one day that you will be called by God and will answer by allowing him to come to you. That is what free will is all about. It has to be your choice to let him in to your heart. Only then are you really going to know the answer. Not because you're stupid...but just because He is the only one that can provide you with the truth of it.

Answer 4

People who do not understand the Bible are not stupid. They can have much more knowledge about many things than some Christians do.

Just reading the Bible is not the answer. Satan knows every passage much more than we do. He believes. After all, he was there, at the cross. People either want to believe in Jesus (God's Word in the Flesh), which is who the Bible (God's written Word) exalts, or they don't.

To be saved one must just believe that Jesus is God's only begotten Son and that He died in our place for our sins. That He is Lord and Savior and that we must repent or turn away from our sins. One must believe that Jesus now lives and was raised from the dead. He is now King of Kings and Lord of Lords and lives in Heaven with God.

God gives us wisdom and understanding when we accept His Son Jesus, as our Lord and Savior. We are given the gift of His Holy Spirit who teaches us the meaning of His written Word. However, we will not understand everything until we are face to face with Him.

Answer 5

There's a spiritual side to the Bible that can only be understood spiritually. It has nothing to do with intellect, but I think that if you ever truly sought the truth, to see what there is to be found, you would not only become Christian, you would probably make an exceptional leader if you do indeed have the ability to understand at higher than average levels...the Apostle Paul was very highly educated.

Answer 6

The perspective you refer to has nothing to do with "stupidity" and everything to do with "insight." Reading comprehension and spiritual understanding are two different things.

You certainly have the right to reject the Bible based on your extreme high intelligence and own wisdom. I am college educated as well, with an MA in English literature, and my reading comprehension is up to snuff. Still, in Christ, reading the Bible goes beyond my own intellect and wisdom.

How can I expect you to understand something that is impossible for you to see when you rely on your earthly eyes? Does that sound mystical? Well, it is. Through the Holy Spirit those who walk with Christ see something beyond what you see. It's not meant as a put down. It's simply an invitation.

The Bible says, "Taste and see that the Lord is good" and "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." It also says that our own knowledge "puffs up," and that "professing to be wise, they become fools."

Can you be an educated, analytical person and choose to believe the Bible and follow Jesus Christ? Yes! but if you choose to rely on your own wisdom instead of drawing near to God, you miss it all. You read the Bible as a lifeless book. Those who have given all for Jesus have eyes to see it as "living and active, able to pierce between even the soul and the spirit."

Stating this is not meant to alienate you. The invitation is open to everyone, including you. "He is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance."

Blessings.

Answer 7

I am judging no one. . .I believe the way I want to and you are free to believe how you do. I don't understand your lack of belief just as you don't understand my belief.

And, no w/o faith and w/o belief you never will comprehend the Word of God.

You can take it however you want. . .I didn't say you were stupid at all I said you would not be able to comprehend the Bible and you don't want to . . .so why do you even care.

Sword, I hope that it is cleared up for you. Most all of us are educated in some way here. . .I do not know you personally and don't know how smart you are or not. . .the Bible is something different to me than just normal education and smarts. I guess I knew what I meant when I said it and some may not have. . .so I hope this did clear it up and I'm sorry. :) Peace.

Answer 8

Are you looking for validation of your beliefs - or lack thereof? Religion is based primarily on faith which by its very definition means it cannot be proved. But that doesn't make it any less real to the religious believer.

But I agree, to call a non-believer mentally inept seems like the pot calling the kettle black.

Answer 9

You hit on a point. The "ignorant" aways ESCAPE their lack of knowledge by phrases that justify their delusions. I am "faithful" but only because I spent 37 years studying the ancient past and did NOT come up with the same conclusions these religions of present day teach. Alot of deception occurred in the past in religions and the ignorant aren't even aware of it.............

Answer 10

I believe the best statement you made in this question was: "When we say we've read the book and don't believe - it has nothing to do with not understanding it. On the contrary, I think it means we do get it." I'm going to be sure to use that in future debates if you don't mind. You are very correct in this statement in that it seems to me that Non-Christians have a much better grasp and understanding on the Bible that Christians.