Bible versus Reality?

Question

One refers to the bible for all their answers. The bible is a book.

Scenario:
You are driving down a road and have a map book you bought at the store. On the map, it says "turn left off of 56th ave." When you get to the spot, you notice, through the window of your car, that the road does not, in fact, exist. Would you follow the book and turn left or would you look to reality and keep going straight?

My point is, the Bible is merely a reference and is NOT reality. Some believe it is God's writing but if God wrote it I doubt there'd be so many problems and issues with it.

So, will you ever look to reality or "self" or will you turn off the road because the book said so?

OK, another mindless answer. Anyone who doesn't always answer everything with "God did it?"

ok, Morganie, where does Noah's arc fit into reality? How about that girl coming from buddies rib? I normally see people giving birth

Again, no1home, I would use real life. I would hope you do doubt me so I would understand you are figuring things out for yourself versus just reading, smiling, and nodding. The map says turn, reality say "no." I found this out for my "self."

Yes, I know, thinking sucks sometimes

Answer 1

Most religious people know almost "instictively" that the Bible is written by men in allegorical and didactic form. It was intended to teach illiterate people a most basic moral code through drama, fear and horrors. People are impressed by those stories, especially if they include magic feats.

However, most people today seem to enjoy the "faith game." They want to believe that they believe! Actually, in practice, they do not believe and do not plan to use the Bible as a practical guide for living morally, and even less as a text of scientific truths.

For example, no one today would follow what God asked of Abraham when he tested his faith. Do you think that there is a single modern "believer" that if asked by God to prove his faith by sacrificing his young child would put that faith into practice? I'd say that it is time to call things for what they are. In practice there are only Atheists in the world, but a great deal of them enjoy the pretend game of having faith in the supernatural. They LOVE to play a mind game, mostly with themselves. Of course, they are only kidding themselves and each other. Grown people have grown out of childish games like that.

Answer 2

Bible versus reality.

Answer 3

The bible is a book written by men to control men. Any person who has read the bible and has some knowledge of science and history knows this. Or they are so deluded or brainwashed that they can't tell the difference between truth and the falsehoods of the bible. I just cannot believe that there are so many out there that will not embrace the wonders of the real world, and leave those fairy tales for good.

Answer 4

Again, you tear down straw men.

The Bible is as relevant as today's newspaper.

Did you know that the Bible even describes a nuclear bomb? Of course YOU might never notice it, because you don't bother reading Scripture quotes, so I won't quote it, lest you pre-judge this answer and stop reading.

The Bible IS relevant for the major issues people face today, such as fear, anxiety, worry, sorrow, anger, hope and eternity.

Don't YOU quote experts in answering questions?

For instance, it is said that fear causes torment (no - I didn't quote it - I merely paraphrased it). It was true 2,000 years ago, it was also true 5,000 years ago, and it's still true today. Fear causes torment. (Go see that new movie, "The Brave One" with Jodie Foster to see how fear caused her to be so tormented that she was afraid to go out with a gun! It's a good movie, but I was very disappointed that they had to throw in some nudity and sex scenes.) But, otherwise, it really does demonstrate what I'm talking about - that is, that what the Bible says IS revelant today.

Of course, if I were to take YOUR advice, and somebody had a question concerning fear, I would have to just make something up and pretend it was real.

Answer 5

The problem begins when you start with the premise that the book is absolutely free from error. Unfortunately, that requires that the book be free from the possibility of being misinterpreted.

I'm willing to bet that there are many Christians here who take the passage "it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven" to mean that it is almost impossible for rich people to enter heaven.

Unfortunately, this is only one example of the Bible being unclear in today's world. There was, in ancient times, a low gate to the city called the needle's eye, through which a camel would need to stoop low in order to pass. It was not extremely difficult, but something which the camel would be led through because the movement was not entirely natural.

So problem 1 is that we don't have the cultural context with which to understand some of this book.

Problem 2 is the concept of "original language". Many Christians talk about the "original Greek", or "original Hebrew". The problem is that contrary to the assertions that these are flawless documents, there is considerable controversy as to which are the best "original manuscripts". Among them, word for word, there can be up to 8% difference. That's nearly 1 word in 10 being different, and these are not merely insignificant differences, but some rather important ones. This would be like playing cards with 4 of the cards missing.

Too, the original manuscripts have no punctuation. It is left to translators to determine where each period or comma or other mark might come. Take the following sentence: "Truly I say unto you this day thou shalt be with me in paradise". It is up to the translator to determine where to put what punctuation. If one were to add a comma, where would it go? You have the possibility of two completely different sentences:
Truly I say unto thee, this day thou shall be with me in Paradisel
or
Truly I say unto thee this day, thou shall be with me in paradise.

The first says the person gets to heaven today, the second says a person gets there, but is not specific as to when.

How much faith does a person put in a translator?

--Dee

Answer 6

Since morality existed BEFORE religion, the Bible serves no purpose. Additionally, using the Bible as a moral compass is very dangerous - just like praying to an invisible "God" and starting a WAR and killing people in the name of your "God". Think people...open your minds not your Bibles.

I Vote for DrEvol

Answer 7

See that's just the thing. To use your scenario, I was wandering around life without a map. Then I read Jesus's words in the bible and they directly corresponded to the reality I saw around me and the reality of the condition of my own heart. His words brought life into perspective, that's why I choose to follow him, because I believe his "map" of the world is the only one that really makes sense and helps me navigate life.

Answer 8

lol. "mindless answer." I hate it when people beat around the question and close their eyes and just say "god is the truth, nothing you can do will change that."

They obviously can't give you any real answers, so they just say "I belive the bible because it has transformed my life." Let me ask you...in what way Esther? I think it just gives people comfort in knowing there is something higher than us, but nonetheless doesn't make it any more true.

Answer 9

You are comparing apples and oranges.

You are comparing a fallible map for the infallible Word of God.

Pastor Art

Answer 10

I am not sure what Bible you are reading, but mine is filled with reality.
In fact, I like to refer it as a compass as it is filled with direction for our lives -