Is it Brain-washing ?

Question

The other day I posted a bible question. What I wanted to know was why Christians accept the bible as 100% fact. How can they swear that when it was first put into writing, it was correct? I was asking a question, not making a statement. I wanted links to non-bias (not churches, that is biased) sources so I could read this for myself. It was a "If I am wrong, show me" type of question. I had a bunch of replies stating that I was in fact wrong. There was only opinions given as responses and in the end there were no links posted. Is this really the best that can be provided? Was the "?" at the end of the sentence over look? Or is it that programmed brain-washing thing going on and creative thinking is not possible?

I am questioning the text in the bile and its creadibility. This is not a question if a supream being / creator excists.

I was raised Baptist. My parents taught in the Sunday school and we were there every week. I like to make my own decisions and think outside of the box. I do not just follow along with blinders on.

Answer 1

Not so much 'creative thinking' as it is 'critical thinking'. The majority of the adult population of the USA has never even HEARD of 'critical thinking'... much less, actually know how to DO it.

Religion itself is the best evidence of this. Religious thought simply cannot withstand the bright, glaring light of 'critical thought'... it just evaporates... poof.

This has been a well kept SECRET of religious leaders for thousands of years... although the secret was repeatedly let out by that well-known blabbermouth, Martin Luther. In terms of this idea, it explains a lot:

"Reason must be deluded, blinded, and destroyed. Faith must trample underfoot all reason, sense, and understanding, and whatever it sees must be put out of sight and... know nothing but the word of God." ~ Martin Luther

"Reason is the greatest enemy that faith has; it never comes to the aid of spiritual things, but... more frequently than not... struggles against the divine Word, treating with contempt all that emanates from God." ~ Martin Luther

"Reason should be destroyed in all Christians." ~ Martin Luther

"To be a Christian, you must 'pluck out the eye of reason'." ~ Martin Luther

"There is on earth among all dangers no more dangerous thing than a richly endowed and adroit reason, especially if she enters into spiritual matters which concern the soul and God. For it is more possible to teach an a** (donkey) to read than to blind such a reason and lead it right; for reason must be deluded, blinded, and destroyed." ~ Martin Luther

Answer 2

Would you consider any old American dictionary as correct in its definitions? But you accept it as what it represents, and I'm sure your'e not going to some other book for a different definition of some word.
I would bet that you would accept any other book as true and correct, no matter what the subject. Ha, but the Bible is suspect, irrespective of what God has to say about it and himself, which is, "I am not man, that I would lie." You suspect truth because YOU probably never had a truth experience (Look out! Don't contradict yourself!)

Answer 3

It's brainwashing. These Christians are indoctrinated from the moment they're born, and specifically trained to have no curiosity, to question nothing, and to value what authority tells them to do more than what their logical minds tell them.

And so, eventually they lose their capability of thinking logically.

What they're doing is they're telling you what their parents told them while they were growing up. Since you're an adult, and you're not brainwashed, it doesn't work on you. But they don't understand that, so they expect it to work.

It's basically like the perpetuation of the infant mind; thought less, without intellect, taking everything at face value and having no sense of wonder.

Answer 4

It can become brainwashing unless you seek the truth yourself (I still haven't found it) and I've been through many religions...

It's just confusing when everyone thinks that their "way" is it and if the Bible rings true, there is only "one true religion"


Hmmm, keep searching hon cause a lot of "them" are wrong *^_^*

All the Best, Shad @)~>~

Answer 5

I also believe that only through asking meaningful questions can we arrive at a logical answer! fair play to you mate!

Answer 6

The flesh says brainwashing.
The spirit says not brainwashing, the world
is brainwashing.

Well there you have it, it depends on which lighthouse your looking at.

Answer 7

I don't know if there is any way to show empirical data that would convince you or anyone else. I can tell you the facts as I know and see them.

First is its internal harmony and is it significant. This is especially so in view of the fact that the books of the Bible were recorded by some 40 men as diverse as king, prophet, herdsman, tax collector, and physician. They did the writing over a period of 1,610 years; so there was no opportunity for collusion. Yet their writings agree, even in the smallest detail. To appreciate the extent to which the various portions of the Bible are harmoniously intertwined, you must read and study it personally.

Has the Bible been changed since it's founding? “In the number of ancient MSS. [manuscripts] attesting a writing, and in the number of years that had elapsed between the original and the attesting MSS., the Bible enjoys a decided advantage over classical writings [those of Homer, Plato, and others]. . . . Altogether classical MSS. are but a handful compared with Biblical. No ancient book is so well attested as the Bible.”—The Bible From the Beginning (New York, 1929), P. Marion Simms, pp. 74, 76.

A report published in 1971 shows that there are possibly 6,000 handwritten copies containing all or part of the Hebrew Scriptures; the oldest dates back to the third century B.C.E. Of the Christian Greek Scriptures, there are some 5,000 in Greek, the oldest dating back to the beginning of the second century C.E. There are also many copies of early translations into other languages.

In the introduction to his seven volumes on The Chester Beatty Biblical Papyri, Sir Frederic Kenyon wrote: “The first and most important conclusion derived from the examination of them [the papyri] is the satisfactory one that they confirm the essential soundness of the existing texts. No striking or fundamental variation is shown either in the Old or the New Testament. There are no important omissions or additions of passages, and no variations which affect vital facts or doctrines. The variations of text affect minor matters, such as the order of words or the precise words used . . . But their essential importance is their confirmation, by evidence of an earlier date than was hitherto available, of the integrity of our existing texts.”—(London, 1933), p. 15

What of the scientific inclusions, things people didn't know until much later. The fact that the earth was round. Isa. 40:22: “There is One who is dwelling above the circle of the earth.”

Lev. 11:6: “The hare . . . is a chewer of the cud.” Though this was long attacked by some critics, the rabbit’s cud chewing was finally observed by Englishman William Cowper in the 18th century. The unusual way in which it is done was described in 1940 in Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, Vol. 110, Series A, pp. 159-163.

We also know it is filled with prophecies reflecting detailed knowledge of the future—something impossible for humans. I will only share a couple here.

Prophecy: Isa. 44:24, 27, 28; 45:1-4: “Jehovah . . . the One saying to the watery deep, ‘Be evaporated; and all your rivers I shall dry up’; the One saying of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd, and all that I delight in he will completely carry out’; even in my saying of Jerusalem, ‘She will be rebuilt,’ and of the temple, ‘You will have your foundation laid.’ This is what Jehovah has said to his anointed one, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have taken hold of, to subdue before him nations, so that I may ungird even the hips of kings; to open before him the two-leaved doors, so that even the gates will not be shut: ‘Before you I myself shall go, and the swells of land I shall straighten out. The copper doors I shall break in pieces, and the iron bars I shall cut down. . . . For the sake of my servant Jacob and of Israel my chosen one, I even proceeded to call you by your name.’” (Writing by Isaiah was completed by about 732 B.C.E.)

· Fulfillment: Cyrus had not been born when the prophecy was written. The Jews were not taken into exile to Babylon until 617-607 B.C.E., and Jerusalem and its temple were not destroyed until 607 B.C.E. In detail the prophecy was fulfilled starting in 539 B.C.E. Cyrus diverted the waters of the Euphrates River into an artificial lake, the river gates of Babylon were carelessly left open during feasting in the city, and Babylon fell to the Medes and Persians under Cyrus. Thereafter, Cyrus liberated the Jewish exiles and sent them back to Jerusalem with instructions to rebuild Jehovah’s temple there.—The Encyclopedia Americana (1956), Vol. III, p. 9; Light From the Ancient Past (Princeton, 1959), Jack Finegan, pp. 227-229; “All Scripture Is Inspired of God and Beneficial” (New York, 1983), pp. 282, 284, 295

Prophecy: Luke 19:41-44; 21:20, 21: “He [Jesus Christ] viewed the city [Jerusalem] and wept over it, saying: . . . ‘The days will come upon you when your enemies will build around you a fortification with pointed stakes and will encircle you and distress you from every side, and they will dash you and your children within you to the ground, and they will not leave a stone upon a stone in you, because you did not discern the time of your being inspected.’” Two days later, he counseled his disciples: “When you see Jerusalem surrounded by encamped armies, then know that the desolating of her has drawn near. Then let those in Judea begin fleeing to the mountains, and let those in the midst of her withdraw.” (Prophecy spoken by Jesus Christ in 33 C.E.)

· Fulfillment: Jerusalem revolted against Rome, and in 66 C.E. the Roman army under Cestius Gallus attacked the city. But, as Jewish historian Josephus reports, the Roman commander “suddenly called off his men, abandoned hope though he had suffered no reverse, and flying in the face of all reason retired from the City.” (Josephus, the Jewish War, Penguin Classics, 1969, p. 167) This provided opportunity for Christians to flee from the city, which they did, moving to Pella, beyond the Jordan, according to Eusebius Pamphilus in his Ecclesiastical History. (Translated by C. F. Crusé, London, 1894, p. 75) Then around Passover time of the year 70 C.E. General Titus besieged the city, an encircling fence 4.5 miles (7.2 km) long was erected in just three days, and after five months Jerusalem fell. “Jerusalem itself was systematically destroyed and the Temple left in ruins. Archaeological work shows us today just how effective was the destruction of Jewish buildings all over the land.”—The Bible and Archaeology (Grand Rapids, Mich.; 1962), J. A. Thompson, p. 299.

Now, we just scratched the surface. God has preserved His word down through the centuries, even in the face of those who would have destroyed it completely. It's quite amazing.

I believe the Scriptures are inspired of God, and I do take it as 100% accurate. Hope this helps.

Answer 8

Yes to both. Sorry, Christianity is like that.

Answer 9

I think you actually got answers, just not the ones you were hoping for.

Answer 10

no it is not!! the bible is God's word and is all true