I'm Very Curious About This...?

Question

What makes the bible different from any other fictional book? I mean, if I wrote a book with a bunch of stories saying that people should worship cats (which is a very good idea, lol!) would you believe it? If I said that the way Earth was created is that a great cat master took a strange poo and it turned into Earth and that all the bacterial life on it is us and plants and other animals except for the cats which are saviours and minitures to the master that the great cat master sent us?

I mean is it because it's so old and boring and long? Is it because they add 'th' to the end of everything and use words and phrases such as 'thou art'?

kdude, that's a funny idea! And my cat could be the great cat master lol...

SuperAtheist, you can help me write it. The Great Cat Master is mewing me holy words as I speak. Listen, you will here his mews...

Answer 1

Cats!

Perhaps we can go the cats section and round up believers!


....or they might kick us out again.

Answer 2

There are already cat religions. Either you can join an existing one or you can work on completing the tenants of your own.
So far it is not very sophisticated (no offense) and sounds like it draws heavily from Islandic (Hawaiian, etc) or Native American beliefs of creation that already exist and are believed.

The many books of the different Abrahamic Bibles do have some important points.
Assuming the family tree is not missing any branches, it appears to go all the way back to the creation of written language!
Also, since it has helped to shape much of Western society for well over 2000 years, understanding it can help to explain why so many Christians (Muslims, Jews) have been killing each other over details for so long.

Answer 3

The reason it is so popular is that it survived persecution by the Roman Empire, and then was adopted across the whole Roman Empire. The question as to why it was adopted is probably due to either spiritual awakening or the Roman Empire decided it was a means to increase or hold its power over its people - but for that later to have relevance then it might have also become supported by the people at about the same time through word of mouth. Since then society has slowly matured and perhaps when humanity reaches the equivalant of a teenager, we might have some more real spiritual revelations. Until then I think we need to look at our past and our present to move forward, not one or the other but both.

Answer 4

First, I will address your incorrect assumption that the Bible, written *thousands* of years ago, was written in early modern English, which did not develop until the latter half of the fifteenth century.

Second, I have no real response to this question. If you wrote a book that was considered a religious doctrine, no one would read it (save for other angry atheists who lack any faith in that which they cannot see, and subsequently demonstrate their one-dimensionalism). What have *you* ever done that people accept any authority from yourself (or your cat).

People read the Bible for the same reason that other people read the Quran, the Torah, etc. It is because we are willing to accept that all in this universe is too complex and awesome to have come about on its own, and because we are not afraid to trust in someone and things which we cannot see.

This is not to say atheists are stupid, or afraid. On the contrary, atheists are indeed very intelligent and (in life) very courageous. But, as C. S. Lewis said, I would rather live my life believing in a God and die to find that there is none, than to live believing there is no God and die to find that there is. I believe that *that* is what you call Faith.

Answer 5

If you heard over and over for as long as you can remember that "Gone With The Wind" was the greatest book ever written, regardless of whether you'd read it or not, you'd still have the notion that it WAS a "great book" whether it actually was or not. That's what memetics is all about: implanting an infectious idea in your conscious - usually through repetition. The meme (mind virus) can be irrational and conflict with your normal logical thought processes if it is sufficiently reinforced. "Coke is the REAL thing", "You deserve a break today" and "Jesus saves" are all simplistic yet highly potent memes that get stuck in your brain. These memes are essentially benign, but memes that cause you to reject logical thought and think/act irrationally are called "toxic memes". Toxic memes are like a cancer. Fundamentalist religions seem to have an abundance of toxic memes (particularly extreme forms of Christianity and Islam). Hopefully, science will one-day develop a "memetic vaccine" that will protect us against toxic memes.

Answer 6

I guess for some people, they just don't need to see something directly in front of them to believe it's true. It's a matter of faith, and mine is strong. There are too many wonderful things that happen in this world for me to believe everything happens by chance, that there is no intelligent plan/design behind it all. Sure bad things happen, but that's where free will comes into play. We were given a choice, to believe/not to believe, to follow/not follow his teachings.

But for me, it all boils down to one simple explanation.

When we die, if you're right and I'm wrong, I'll be dead in the ground, but having lived a life trying to be a good person and do right by people. Sure,maybe i missed out on a few guilty pleasures I otherwhise could have experienced, but so be it.

But, if upon my death, I am right, which I without question believe I am, I, God willing, will be lifted up to the heavens to live in the greatest kingdom ever, while those who haven't excepted our lord and saviour will be forever tormented.

Based on that alone, which seems like the wiser of the two choices?

Answer 7

If archaeological digs could validate and prove your book was true I might read it. The Bible is the most researched and most published book in the history of this world. Many non-believers have tried to prove the Bible a fake, yet it still remains true. God Bless You...Peace.

Answer 8

I'm strangely drawn to your story of the Great Cat Master. Where can I find out more about this, a religion that I think I can work with?

CD

Answer 9

i asked my self the same question . what if the the bible was a fairy tale long long ago. all i know is that i found a religion that i feel good in and worships earth. i think religion is a way for people to get through life. if you believe in it, it is true.

Answer 10

This book made some 126 prophecies about one man hundreds of years before he was born, and they all came true. What do you think about that? There is no religious or scientific book the world has ever seen that can even approximate that phenomenon.

Old and boring and long? I don't believe you.

Have you ever had to tell a child not to put certain things in his mouth?

Have you ever caught your child eating something he was told not to eat?

Have you ever had a child discover his wrong doing after the fact, and then try to cover it up?

Have you ever had a guilty child run and hide when he heard his father coming?

Have you ever asked your son a point blank question, Did you do this? ...and he blames his sister?

That's why we're all messed up. That's what went on in Genesis 3.

What do you mean its so old and long and boring? You're crazy.

Answer 11

There are many different religious scriptures and all the adherents of all these different religions think their scripture is the only one that is true. It's just a flaw in human nature.