Is it true and fair to say?

Question

That to be a fundamental christian and follow the bible literally (which is not possible) you cannot be logical

Answer 1

I might have argued with you until last Sunday when I was engaged in a conversation with a fellow christian and realized how their views have completely obscured any reason when it comes to secular matters. While I still consider myself a conservative, I have to say that to take absolutely everything literally destroys logic and reason.

Answer 2

No. I follow the bible because I used logic. If I follow the bible and live as christian a life as possible, and I find out when I die that I was wrong, what have I forfeited but a life of sin? But, if I live that life of sin, and when I die I find that I was wrong and there is a God, then I have lost everything.

As for it being impossible to follow the bible literally you can follow it logically. The way you do that is by studying the historical and cultural context in which it was written, and determining whether it was a parable used for instruction, or a vision of a possible future. These two you don't have to take literally, as one is mearly a morality tale, and the other is something that MIGHT happen IF the warnings are ignored. The rest make a lot of sense.

But, I was just wondering. Why is it that you pick out the bible as being illogical? Why not the Koran, or the Bagavad Ghiva (forgive my spelling)? Why not paganism, voodoo, or Bhudism? Why is Christianity the only religion you have to throw away logic to follow?

Answer 3

Reason and logic are functions of the mind which can be applied to all sensory informations. Obviously to allow a position to remain logical, all the informations sensed have to be consistent to remain logical. If there are inconsistencies between scriptures (from a literal standpoint), one could only remain logical by ignoring them or if one was ignorant of them. Also, it is fair to say that most people do not interpret always literally, meaning that their are so many personal interpretations. One may say 'I interpret literally', but this is more a statement of intention than a factual assessment of one's natural cognitive approach. Most people interpret allergory and metaphor without even being concious of doing it, because we are all trained to spot them from youth.

Answer 4

True. There are too many contradictions in the bible for a person to follow it literally.

Answer 5

from when i have proof in front of me that god exists (not the bible) i will then believe, i dictate to myself only and have myself only to blame when things go wrong ' only a fool says there is no god' was quoted, if he created us why didn't he create us all to believe and why are there 'other' gods surely he would have opposed that in some form, and would a true god accept the society we live in today and all the badness thats in the world, starvation, murder etc, if he's real why can't he stop it? after all he is a god?

Answer 6

Yes. Nobody who embraces that approach to the Bible follows it, but in the process they make all sorts of odd leaps of logic.

Answer 7

call me illogical if you want too- but I chose to believe all the Bible. It said that we would be considered foolish by the world's standards and that is ok by me. The Bible also says that "a fool says there is no God"- so go figure.

Answer 8

The fundamentalists would be just fine if they'd live and let live.

But they carry on as if it's their job to remake the world in the image they want - or think that the Bible tells them.

Let them be. They will go the way all the radicals go.

Answer 9

I don't know about logical but they scare the CRAP out of me and not in a good way. It just makes want to run as far away from them as possible.

Answer 10

It's even fair to say you can't take the bible literally and truly, genuinely love "God".