Is the Bible a book on controlling people or a book of how to live your life?

Question

Some people have told me that the Bible is a book to control the people and I think it is a book on morals.

Answer 1

B.asic I.nstructions B.efore L.eaving E.arth!!!!!!

Answer 2

It seems that alot of people have opinions on what the bible is or isn't. In the beginning of the book it looks as if it wasn't any different than a very old genealogy of a persons family. Adam& Eve.....but as you get further into the book it takes alot of twist and turns. Somethings so far fetched you would think your reading a Sifi, or majicains book.

What we read today in the bible may or may not be what was actually written. Some of it could be true and we would have a better understanding if the priest or religous person(s) of old would of put everything into the book not just what they though the common person should be aloud to know.

If you take it as a book of basic common morals. Then great because there's a lot of good stuff in there about how too treat your fellow man and how you should conduct yourself in life.

As for the controlling people thing, it's possible. Never in my wildest dreams would I have though a 10,000 people would get together and really believe that a man ( Benny ) could put his hand on anothers head and that person who has been suffering from one diesease or another could be cured. Then this man would continue to cure people....And people believe this. Not since the bible and jesus walked the earth has this happend.........So I don't believe then and I don't believe it now...........

Answer 3

The old testament strongly discouraged following your own moral compass and deciding for yourself what right and wrong are

Deutoronomy 29:19-20:
'If anyone should think to himself, "I will do well enough if I follow the dictates of my heart, God will not pardon him. His wrath shall burn against him, And all the curses written in the book will come upon him'

Biblical morality isn't about instructing people on what right and wrong are. Remember, mankind was perfect before it ate the apple and knew right from wrong. Biblical morality, at least in the old testament, was about NOT making your own decisions as to what right and wrong are, and instead trusting all your decisions to a system of rules and sacrifices run by a priesthood.

In some places in the new testament, Jesus seems to support this law, but in many, he seems to defy it. Also, in several places throughout the old testament, God actually commands people to do things that are in violation of his laws, or enters people directly to make them do things he commanded them not to do (Sampson and Jepthah are some of the best examples, but the whole book of Judges is like this).

In the new testament, though, there are parts that seem to support this system, and parts that actually encourage men to follow their own hearts. It's difficult to tell what the message of the new testament is, though, as it exists mostly as collections of letters, and in some instances (like two completely incombatable accounts of Judas' death, one of him hanging himself from a tree out of guilt after throwing his money into a fire, one of him purchasing a field and god striking him down), you HAVE to decide for yourself which story you are going to run with.

So, to answer your question, OT, freeing people from their own ethical decisions (which can be viewed as controlling), NT, it's your call.

As far as the rules themselves... a lot of Old Testament justice involved killing your whole family and village(Deuteronomy 16:10) and all sorts of stuff that would be illegal, morally reprehensible, and just plain wrong today. I think the kindest way to put it, would be to say that "that was then, this is now". The world was a different place back then, and their morals can't be applied today without landing you in prison.

Answer 4

The Bible is a collection of 66 different books, some history, some poetry, some songs, some letters, as well as the rules of an ancient religion . . . written over the span of thousands of years. Problems arise when people can't tell one from another, and confuse them into each other.

Problems arise when you try to take a rule written for and by a certain group of people, and apply it to your life today (taking your disobedient child to the gates of the city to stone him, for example).

People tend to focus on the words in the Bible, and miss the message behind the story. The words of Genesis 1, for example, are poetry, the message is that God is powerful, neither of which is a history lesson.

ANYTHING can be used the wrong way . . .a gun can be used to kill an animal for dinner, or it can be used to control or kill people . . .same object, different uses.

The Bible is a fantastic collection of stories written by, about, and for the followers of the God of Abraham, and the followers of Christ.

Godspeed.

Answer 5

Fred please keep in mind the bible is one book not the old and new. The Old Testament foreshadows (for tells) and the New Testament reveals ( confirms). They are inter-meshed.
The Bible is neither of those things and that is the first mistake of bible study. To try and make more out of it than it is. In bible study if the words have a clear apparent meaning take them for what they say.
It is the story or history of God's attempt to live in peace with his creation and how man's rebellious nature has prevented that.
It is one continuous story of God's love for his people what he wants for them and what he wants from them. Man has followed and ran away repeatedly into trouble and God leads them out.
It's a really great story and very interesting for the gotta know type. Too much what if and look what he did for the lazy.
I recommend gracethrufaith.com for inspired bible study.
God Bless!

Answer 6

It is just a book. It has stories that have a moral. Some look at it to control their lives others just as a source of good principles to guide their thinking and actions.

Answer 7

The Bible is a like an instruction manual on how to live your life the right way. For example, if you purchase a new TV, and you're having a few problems with it, you would read the instruction manual to know how to fix it. Same goes with the Bible. When you need help in life, you would read the Bible.

Answer 8

The Bible itself answers that question.

Romans 15:4- For all the things that were written aforetime were written for our instruction, that through our endurance and through the comfort from the Scriptures we might have hope.

2 Timothy 3:16, 17- All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness, that the man of God may be fully competent, completely equipped for every good work.

Answer 9

It is a book about how to live life, it is the Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth.

Answer 10

How to live your life. If ever one followed it there would be no wars, no pollution, no crime, and everyone would love one another. Police officers and prisons/jails are a way of controlling people, and we have these because people do not follow the bible.

Answer 11

simply by fact the Bible became written by means of roughly forty human beings on 3 continents in 3 languages over a era of 1500 years and all of it tells the comparable tale. simply by fact the Bible is an precise tale of history written by means of eye witnesses in the time of eye witnesses and it makes supernatural claims. Archeology confirms the accuracy of the historic account and while forty human beings all make it easier to comprehend the comparable tale it turns into sufficient to stand up in any court docket of regulation. That and a private dating with the single that stimulated the writing testifies of its credentials.