Why is it that so many people think the vast majority of the Bible should be taken literally, however...?

Question

...when we study other literature we do a thing called "close reading" in which we analyze each word of the text, discuss the possible connotations, and write about our interpretations? I majored in English and honestly, there wouldn't have been much to discuss in class if we all didn't form our own opinions on what each piece meant. The whole point of literature (for people that love literature) is that it means different things to different people and we love to sit around and talk about the vast array of possibilities.

Answer 1

Well, to people of faith, the Bible is far more than just literature, although it does have literary elements. For us, it is the inspired Word of God. Many people will nod in agreement at that sentence without paying attention to the word "inspired." This means the Bible was NOT dictated word for word by an angel, the way Muslims believe of their Quran. But, those who wrote it were trying to record for others their understanding of what God meant for them, no easy undertaking. They did so according to the cultural and scientific understandings of their day. We need to study their culture in order to come to a true understanding of what they were saying. If written in our day, the Bible would not read exactly the same. For example, we would not say that the sun stood still in the sky for a day. We know that to do so would require the Earth to stop turning on its axis. We would all be pulled to the ground by gravity, and one side of the earth would burn whilst the other side would freeze.

Many cling to literal interpretations of the Bible because they need this as a security blanket. It is safer to have a single source of absolute truth than to work out your understanding of God as you encounter Him in other people in life. And, unfortunately, many of those who need this kind of security blanket also need the additional security of imposing their rigid beliefs on others.

If you want to defeat a rigid Biblical literalist, just read Genesis 1 and 2 (one of their fave passages) with him/her, and then ask a simple question: "Was humankind created before or after the animals of the land?"

Yet, I disagree with you that the Bible should mean different things to different people in the same way that literature often does. The writers of literary works, with a few exceptions, did NOT intend for them to be taken in many different ways, nor does the ultimate Writer of Scripture want it to be subject to personal interpretation. Yes, there may be variants of understanding, but the Bible is used to interpret itself. There is a central kernel of meaning, the history and plan of salvation, which is so simple a ten-year-old can understand it completely. As God gives them the ability, adults should take the time to read and study the Bible, as well as hear the discourses of and discuss it with trained clergy and others of their fellow Christians, and to read interpretations left for us by past generations. But, above all, test it by the simple faith you had as a child. If an interpretation leads you to praise, thank and love God above all else and to live your life in humble service to your neighbours, then it is good and valid. If it does not, it is dangerous.

Answer 2

JWs do not really ever FEEL the holy spirit. They shun any kind of "spiritual sensuality. So, they have no idea whether or not they have the holy spirit. Some engage in speculation based on their success and position in the Congregation or even material wealth or getting a really good wife and kids. But in terms of actual "spirituality, there is none in the JW religion. Everything is based on physical things, like going out in service, being blessed by placing lots of magazines, or being blessed by getting a return visit or a study. I do not agree with you thaT there is some magic formula that is either 100% figurative or 100% literal. Such a "rule" would make the Bible, or ANY book you read appluying this imaginary "rule" completely ridiculous. I think if you take a second look at that "rule" that you invented, you will realize that either stan ce is just not balanced and not practical in any way. It will actually make understanding the Bible, on ANY other book ever written totally impossible. Some things are figurative. Some things are literal. It takes judgement and common sense to figure out when somerthing should be taken literally or figuratively. But there is also no guarantee to anyone that they will always get it right. People speak in metaphor every time they open their mouths. Every book ever written contains both literal and figurative language. Is the flood just a extended metaphor? Could it be? Did Cain reazlly litarally hit Able with a club? Is the whole of the Bible just a symbol? Is hell made up of the chemical reaction we know as fire? If it is actually fire, then what is the fuel? Why can't we see hell when we use magnetic imaging to look into the center of the earth? Does God really ride around on a chariot? Does he really have a three dimensional location in space that can be charted on an x y coordinate? Is He right here next to me now? Or does he live a thousand miles out into space? Does the Devil really live here on earth? Were angels really cast out of heaven and now reside with us on earth? Where does their realm of existence reach" The ozone layer or higher? Did Satan really take Jesus to a place where he could see the whole world? Isn't that impossible seeing as how the world is a sphere? So, no i don't agree that ANY serious scholar would say there is some kind of natural LAW that states that books should be either interpreted 100% literal or 100% figurative. That would actually be impossible and completely nonsensical.

Answer 3

Most of the people that say the Bible should be taken literally do not use the word "literal" in its literal sense.

If the following passage from Proverbs 1 is taken "literally" then it makes absolutely no sense:

8 Listen, my son, to your father's instruction
and do not forsake your mother's teaching.

9 They will be a garland to grace your head
and a chain to adorn your neck.

I mean -- a mother's teaching is literally an adornment of glittery material to beautify the head? It is a necklace adorning the neck?

No, of course not -- it's a metaphor (simile). The mother's teaching is LIKE those things -- which means that you keep your mother's teachings and they make you better, and people will notice that you are better like they notice jewelry.

Metaphors and similes are BY DEFINITION NOT LITERAL - they are NOT to be taken literally, they are to be taken "figuratively."

Thus, I have just proved once again that the Bible is not to be taken LITERALLY from cover to cover. At least the above verse (and I will tell you, many others) are clearly metaphors and therefore not to be taken literally.

That, of course, says nothing about its TRUTH. Figurative things can be true, just as true as literal things.

You and I understand the word "literal" in the same way. The "Biblical literalists" will come up with some sort of reasoning that the metaphor/simile that I just demonstrated above is really taken "literally" because it is interpreted in accordance with its "intended meaning." Well, that's just a way of calling non-literal things literal.

Answer 4

and that's the problem. some people interpret things to the extreme and for those who cannot read or just weak willed/minded can be easily misled to believe anothers point of view. you obviously read ,so if you look at the history of man it's bathed in blood. from the time of jesus to the here and now there has been atrocities committed due to a religious belief. i doubt that any religious diety would approve.

Answer 5

Because that's not how you're supposed to read/interpret the Bible. It specifically says that "2Pe 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 2Pe 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake [as they were] moved by the Holy Ghost. "

We are not to add our own interpretation to the Bible, but we are to allow the Holy Spirit to interpret it for us. We must compare line upon line, precept upon precept, verse upon verse until the meaning becomes quite clear.

Answer 6

What people forget about the bible is that it was written by men who were supposed to recording the word of the Lord.
Some of them weren't good listeners. Others were crazies. Some didn't have the right words for what they were hearing.
And it's still being edited and changed today.
You shouldn't take it literally, you'll make yourself crazy that way.

Answer 7

that's the thing. the bible is literature. literature is open to interpretation. seems to me that if there was a higher power, it was a pretty dumb idea to use literature to convey a message that has one true meaning.

Answer 8

The literl has to be separated from the figurative, and then understood together.

It's called "rightly dividing the word of truth"

Answer 9

yes i understand that ... but there is only one correct interpretation and its not realy open to a private interpretation ..

Answer 10

because they need guidance