obviously the Bible saying so doesn't work logically. So, am I missing something? Jesus said he always spoke in parables, couldn't Creation and the Flood be metaphors or just poetry? Or does that tear down the whole thing for people? Just curious, it seems it would be hard to follow every word of the Bible.
2007-06-09 18:42:07 · 16 answers · asked by ajj085 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
because the bible it self is the TRUTH.
2007-06-09 18:46:14 · answer #1 · answered by JENNY 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋
The bible has to be true if it really is God's words. Because God, if He is good cannot lie. If He lies He's no longer good. Jesus spoke in parables that people of the day DID understand. When talking to a crowd of farmers, he told parables about crops, and harvest. When talking to herders, he told parables about sheep and shepherds. He was using common illustration because they COULD understand it. Not so they could not. The ones who most often couldn't understand it were the teachers of the law, who'd gotten so wrapped up in the rules that they'd forgotten to understand the HEART of the laws. And the HEART was the whole point. Not the law.
Also, to follow every word of the bible isn't hard. Some of it is complex, yes. But so is a physics book. With time and study, you can learn to understand it.
As to whether or not the flood is a metaphor, I say look at the Grand Canyon. That is evidence of a MASSIVE flood. That's not a metaphor. The same is true of the Creation. It's not a metaphor. Thinking it only took God six days to create this universe seems impossible. But if you are ALL POWERFUL, six days is nothing to you. Besides it says that God made man on the sixth day, and if that day really metaphorically meant some span of time much, much greater, Adam would've been really, really old when he died. Instead of about 900 years old, he would've been millions of years old. And even if the earth's rotation was changed a lot, and the climate of the earth was drastically changed, thus slowing down how the creatures on earth aged, no creature can live millions of years old. The 2nd Law of Thermodynamics as it applies to people, we know for sure that "ashes to ashes' is what happens to man. And it happens a lot earlier than millions of years.
The things that the bible teaches, even the farfetched and seemingly contradictory things can be taught and understood. It just takes commitment and a good teacher, and a willing heart.
2007-06-09 18:59:01 · answer #2 · answered by godcr8dyou 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Every word of the Bible does not have to be true. Ironically, that very doctrine is unbiblical. It is not surprising that 75% of Christians reject the idea that the Bible is the Word of God. Unfortunately, over 50% of American Christians believe that every word of the Bible must be true, so folks always attribute this belief to all Christians.
The Bible is not illogical - far from it. But it is illogical when you presume that a modern American from Kansas can pick up a book written thousands of years ago in three obsolete languages and instantly understand it with no cultural, historical, or linguistic context.
Take Noah's Ark, for example. If you understand the significance of the constellations of Scorpio and Aquilla in ancient philosophy, then you will understand exactly why Noah was closed up in the Ark at that precise time, why he left the Ark at that precise time, why he built an "ark" instead of a boat, and why every ancient Christian church included an icon of Noah on the wall. But if you have no context for the story and try to read it as a simple historical narrative, you will walk away like that poor monkey fellow saying "the Bible is not meant to be read logically."
2007-06-09 18:46:55 · answer #3 · answered by NONAME 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
As you have seen in the answers so far, some think you don't have to, and for some it's essential!
If held inerrant, some things become simpler, at least at first sight. "The bible's right."
It does, however leave considerable problems that those who take the bible most literally are reluctant to acknowledge, or whose understanding of "faith" allows them to put aside.
God having friendly conversations with Satan in the opening of Job, perhaps, or letting Job's family be wiped out as an "experiment"?
Taking a less-literal approach and considering different literary forms, and the history and culture of around them, is more complex and requires much more thought.
It also increases uncertainty, and the variety of interpretations, which many see as undesirable, if not simply "wrong" if the Bible is intrinsically a divine revelation.
An additional problem with this approach is that neither Jesus or Paul appear to have treated the story of Adam and Eve, for example, as anything other than literal...
And if this approach declares *their* understanding mistaken, what exactly is left firm to build on?
These are not "the" two choices. A whole spectrum of thinking and belief exists from the "King James Only" point of view, through to those who see the bible as a collection of historic human religious documents.
But particular belief in the nature of the bible will affect the handling of it, and the message taken from it. Which can become self-reinforcing, at both extremes.
2007-06-09 19:15:13 · answer #4 · answered by Pedestal 42 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well for a Christian to say that stuff in the Bible isn't true would be like calling God a liar. It just doesn't work that way for because we know that God cannot lie. Now, we take English classes and for Bible interpretation hermeneutics classes to know what form of writing each book is, and if it should be taken literally or not. Anyone who is serious about reading the Bible will take the time to learn proper hermeneutic skills.
2007-06-09 18:55:19 · answer #5 · answered by Jason M 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It does tear the whole thing down for some people. For me, it all made more sense when I learned about higher critical studies and textual criticism. My faith made much more sense. I have no problem understanding the creation or flood stories as myth, or understanding that the Bible is made up of all kinds of literary forms.
2007-06-09 18:50:48 · answer #6 · answered by keri gee 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Rabbi Saul (St Paul) is the one who said Jesus always spoke in parables so that he can alter the content of the Bible. That's why you found that the Bible has so many mistakes and contradict each others.
2007-06-09 20:04:29 · answer #7 · answered by z_jepoh 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A word of advice is to view it as a decision of cunning fairy memories, issues that are impossible are impossible for a reason. (in case you rather prefer to have self belief in a god, don't think he guided the palms of dozens of fellows making them write web site upon web site. Then making yet another series throw 9 tenths of the papers away, then rewrite what became left.) Now take them approximately as heavily as crimson driving hood and different memories, in view that's what it incredibly is. Taking each and every word of the bible actually would get you imprisoned for such deeds as: merchandising your daughter into slavery, killing your toddler for no longer ingesting his vegetables and so on.
2016-10-07 05:19:54 · answer #8 · answered by faim 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your not supposed to use logic when reading the Bible, that's the whole point. Only faith is what is required. Like in the story of the wizard of Oz - your not supposed to look behind the curtain!
2007-06-09 18:46:55 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Adam was part of the Creation and there are lineages from Adam to other people in the Bible. If he were a metaphore then they could not exist.
2007-06-09 18:46:32 · answer #10 · answered by †ServantofGod† 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
The Bible is NOT perfect. It was written soooo long ago... tranlated a bunch of times.... copied by hand a bunch of times.... there is no way that during this process there were no mistakes made.
2007-06-09 18:49:11 · answer #11 · answered by Trump 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋