How many of you literally interpret the Bible?

Question

Why is that?

Answer 1

excellent question, most arguments about religion stem from a literalist interpretation of holy texts, when there really isn't much reason to buy it.

I can imagine the dumb argument would be, "Because the bible says it's the word of God, and God is truth." or worse, just because the Bible says so.

then the slightly smarter arguement would be, "Prophecies predicted in the Bible have been fulfilled, so parts are right. And other parts say the rest is right, so logically it's all right." This of course is illogical as well, as other parts have been shown to be wrong.

Answer 2

--OF COURSE there is the literal & symbolic interpretation of the Bible , within the Bible Library itself!
--WE DO NOT have the authority to do any interpretation that is already been done, all cross-referrenced in the 66 little books of the Bible:

2 Peter 1: 20 "[Yet] first [you must] understand this, that no prophecy of Scripture is [a matter] of any personal or private or special interpretation (loosening, solving).
21For no prophecy ever originated because some man willed it [to do so--it never came by human impulse], but men spoke from God who were borne along (moved and impelled) by the Holy Spirit.

--2 Tim 3: 16 All Scripture is inspired by God (A) [a] and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness,

Footnotes:2 Timothy 3:16 Lit breathed out by God; the Scripture is the product of God's Spirit working through men; see [2 Pt 1:20-21].

--ITS ALL IN THE 1600 years of unique writing!

Answer 3

The bible is not just a book to gain knowledge from. It is the living word of God. It is Gods word to YOU! The Holy Spirit will interpret the word of God for you. I understand more and more each time I read it. I will look at a piece of scripture at a certain point in my life and it wont do much for me because I dont understand it but then I will go back to that same scripture later in life and it becomes clear. So I guess the answer is only the Holy Spirit can interpret the whole bible becuase God inspired it to be written and He is the only one that completely understands it.

Answer 4

It is a form of idolatry to take the words of the bible literally. This is bibliolatry.

It is also pathetically ignorant. Any informed person should know that the Bible as we know it came into existence only long after Christianity was well established. I think it was at the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD.

Jesus said - On this rock I will build my church. He did NOT say - On this rock I will write my book.

Christianity is about the man and his church, the head and the body. It is not about the book. The Bible is just a useful tool; it is not intended to be worshiped.

The request of Jesus is not to make an idol of a book, it is - Follow me. Very few fundamentalists are willing to give up everything and simply follow him. They prefer to waste their time on trying to find Christ in their literal interpretation of a book, the Bible.

Answer 5

Yes the Bible is literal mostly. There are also parables that are not literal but stories meant to teach. There are also prophecies containing visions of creatures and objects which represent real things such as in Revelations.

Answer 6

Let's just be more accurate with how we use the terms, "Literal" and "Interpret."

There are several definitions of LITERAL.

--- actual...
--- being reproduced word for word, VERBATIM,
--- being characterized by a concern mainly with facts.

Now... as for INTERPRETATION...

--- to explain or tell the meaning of : present in understandable terms.
--- to conceive (understand) in the light of individual belief, judgment, or circumstance.

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO...
How many of us LITERALLY INTERPRET the Bible? Are you asking...

--- Actually explain?
--- Actually understand?
--- Reproduce the explanation of?
--- Reproduce the understanding of?
--- Factually explain?
--- Factually understand?

Uh?

Answer 7

I do, but that means interpreting literal parts literally, and allegorical parts allegorically. The Bible itself makes it clear which is which - IF you are willing to read it intelligently.

Answer 8

Word-for-word - no.
In context - yes

for instance, Matthew 1:1 "Jesus, the son of David, the son of Abraham"

If you take it literal word for word, you will conclude David was the father of Jesus and Abraham his grandfather. But in context, knowing who David and Abraham are, you will clearly see the author is saying that Jesus is the heir to David's throne and also as a descendant of Abraham is the promised Seed.

Answer 9

Too many.

Literal in addition to figurative, all in spiritual truth.