My priest said that there are a lot of things in the bible that didn't happen. Its how we use it to interpret it to live happy lives. But, doesn't that limits one's strong feeling of faith?
2007-06-09 10:37:44 · 16 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
The Bible was written by men, but AUTHORED by the Holy Spirit. Since God cannot deny Himself, and He authored it literally, why would you not believe it literally?
Your priest need to be born again. If he doesn't believe in ALL of the Bible, who dictates to him which parts to believe, and which parts to ignore?
2007-06-09 11:00:27 · answer #1 · answered by Bobby Jim 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yes, it should be taken literally as it happened the way it says. Just because a priest or someone else says it did not happen does not mean it didn't. Many said for years, centuries in fact that there was no such place as some that are spoken of in the bible and it was taught that way until some artifacts were found that proved the cities did exist and there was the proof of it just like the bible said. Only thing you need to watch is that some things are meant to be for teaching only, parables, and not taken literally such as Lazerous and the rich man. Simply a parable to teach a lesson but some take it as saying you burn in Hell and can be seen from Heaven throughout eternity. Don't let just one story or one passage be your base of doctrine or you will be led to false teachings. See other passages that speak of the same thing and when they all agree, that is your doctrine. Eternal burning in Hell is nowhere in the bible and yet some will take just a few passages and misrepresent them to say you burn for eternity. To do that you have to be alive but if you look at 1 John 5;12, you will find that without Jesus you have no life and what is the opposite of life? DEATH. Wages of sin is death, not life eternal. Turned to ashes, so what is left to live on? Nothing!!! Let the bible interpret itself. here is a site that can help you if you want to study what the bible says without all the rhetoric you get from most.
2007-06-09 17:49:20 · answer #2 · answered by ramall1to 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Up to you...
If you do, you will find yourself trying to rationalize apparent discrepancies.
A lot of the stuff in the Bible was written by people who didn't understand what they saw. Some was written long after the fact.
I think there is a message in the Bible. But if you expect to get it from any member of the Clergy, I don't think you'll get it. You'll just get what they've been taught. On rare occasions you might even find out what they think. But I think the message has to come from inspiration. If you get it from others, it's just dogma. If it comes to you as a result of your studying the Bible with an open mind, then it may just be from the source.
I don't know if Moses waved his staff and parted the Red Sea, I don't know how Enoch, Elijah and Jesus ascended. I don't know if David killed a giant with a little stone. I don't care. But I believe these stories, literally true or if only allegory, have a message. And I think it's up to the individual to find that message on his or her own. And to have some parsimonious pipsqueak who probably knows less about the Bible than those listening to him, babble for an hour or so stating little more than he learned from some seminary, is meaningless.
Good luck on your search for the truth.
2007-06-09 17:58:08 · answer #3 · answered by gugliamo00 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This is a good question, that so many times a person may hear that they are taking the Bible literally.
I happen to believe that the Bible is a book that tells the stories of the family of the Hebrews and others that crossed their path. If someone wrote a book about your family and the things that happened in your lives would it be fair to think that when read a person would take the story litterally? I think that the Bible shoud be taken litterally. The people of the Bible were real, live and breathing souls, so it would stand to reason that things that happened to them would be taken litterally. I think that seeing the people of the Bible as 'real' people helps us to have a better understanding of the scriptures. So many times the Bible is read and misunderstood as myth, something that didn't 'really' happen, and therefore the reader doesn't take the message as important as it is. I say read and understand the Bible as the litteral Word of God.
God Bless You
2007-06-09 17:58:01 · answer #4 · answered by B Baruk Today 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, I hear what you are saying.
I believe the whole Bible... what he may be saying to you is that alot of things Jesus talked about were in way of illustrations, parables (stories).
It was a very effective way of teaching.
The Bible has principles in it that will keep you spiritually upbuilt & teach you how to live a more pleasant life, too.
A distinctive feature of true Christianity is that it includes education that affects mind and heart so as to transform people from within. (Ephesians 4:23, 24)
“The word of God is alive and exerts power.” (Hebrews 4:12) It is still exerting a powerful influence on individuals, thus proving that it does not become outdated.
The article below goes into much detail on how to benefit from the Best Education available:
2007-06-09 17:44:27 · answer #5 · answered by ? 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Bible should be taken literally in some areas, and contextually in others. Some of the things in the Bible are just stories to relay a message to us. Other events such as Jesus' death and rising into Heaven, we take literally.
2007-06-09 17:41:03 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
i don't think you should take it literaly and i also don't believe that would limit your faith.
why not look at the bible as fables--stories that set examples of how man should live (although some of the stories really aren't good examples, to be honest)
the bible was written by man. whether god dictated it or not doesn't change the fact that the man is fallable. my grandfather takes the historical events as literal but the rest figuratively since it is admitted personal stories written by different individuals. he views them as testamonials by the people who wrote it about their experiences and views them as examples of how to live, etc.
i don't really see why this would limit your faith. from what i hear, personal experience with god, is the strongest manifestation of faith anyway, so i think reading other people's personal experiences would help you get an idea of what it's like and how to better interpret yours.
i dunno, i'm not christian, but this makes more sense to me than to take every single word literally. stories are meant to teach us. they have moral lessons.
2007-06-09 17:44:30 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Get a Strongs Concordance. It really helps with understanding the language in the Bible. You can find them at any book store.
2007-06-09 17:43:46 · answer #8 · answered by LilbitFiery:) 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
In the n.t. and the gnostic gospels Jesus made extensive use of analogies and symbols becasue they were the best way to communicate the lessons He came to teach. The Spirit of truth will communicate the meaning to us in the context of our current needs. These are living concepts meant to be applied in our lives, not verses to be memorized and argued over.
2007-06-09 17:48:18 · answer #9 · answered by single eye 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What is written has already come to past, certain books of the bible, like revelation is a book of visions
2007-06-09 17:48:18 · answer #10 · answered by didnotknow123 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋