If the bible is the word of "God",why is it so hard to understand and so ambiguous?

Question

You would think if such a being really did exist it would put his story in a clear way and not need interpretation.

Answer 1

Because God is not simple-minded like we tend to be.

I agree with the poster below me, the holy spirit gives interpretation.

Answer 2

Any ancient document is going to need interpretation for today's readers.

Something written could be very clear today, and 1000 years from now it might not be so clear.

I read 100+ year old newspapers all the time. Often what I read, although the English language has not changed, is quite obscure. Do you know what locofoco means? What is a Yegg?

I think the best way to approach the Bible is to forget that people claim it is the Word of God. Just buckle down and try to learn what it means. It will take work.

Answer 3

Good question in a way....How does one write a book that can be fully understood by many people of different cultures over thousands of years of time and yet conveys the mysteries of God? The Bible was written over a period of many centuries by 40 different authors and has different attributes in how it conveys it's texts....some are very straight forward and concise, some are allegory, some of it is history, some of it is parables, some of it is law and doctrine, some of it is prophecy and some meanings have changed over the centuries because of language and culture differences. It also has many passages that are interwoven with each other for reference to help understand them. God inspired it to be written in such a way that people of all ages in history and cultures could understand most of it but that requires us to read it very carefully and accurately. It does take a lifetime of study to better understand it and some meanings are beyond our interpretations. The basic message is clear....God's creation of the universe and man, the fall into sin, God's love for mankind and the promise of redemption, the flood of Noah, the prophecies of a Savior, the coming of Christ to fulfill those prophecies and be our loving Savior, his life, death and resurrection, how we can obtain eternal life in heaven through His grace if we believe in Him and the principles of His church here on earth until He comes again in judgement.

Answer 4

Because if the Bible were clear and concise, it could be more easily refuted by the evidence.

Answer 5

it's not and it's not. The Holy Spirit will help one interpret.

Answer 6

Maybe you're not reading it right. I don't find it hard to understand. I guess it's hard to read in the dark.

Answer 7

Vedanta -A style of living




Vedanta -A style of living
Vedanta is the concluding portion of the Vedas. Vedanta is the essence of the
Vedas. The Upanishads are rightly called the Vedanta. The goal of the man is the
realization of Supreme .Self realization alone can dispel ignorance and bestow
immortality, eternal bliss, and ever lasting peace. Knowledge of Supreme alone
can remove all sorrows, delusion, and pain.
Vedanta upholds the reality of the indivisible, immanent and transcendent
spirit. It does not exclude matter. It does not exclude anything .The oneness of
all existence is the message which Vedanta teaches. It has kept Indian society
alive for the last several thousand of years.
Vedanta is the only bold philosophy which dares call man god, not merely the
son of god, or his servant. It proclaims with emphasis that you are the
immortal, All pervading Atman, the universal soul, or Supreme Brahman in essence
in reality,. Boldness is the keynotes of Vedanta. The message of Vedanta is
fearlessness, Soul force and unity of consciousness.
Vedanta does not ask for converts or proselytes, but a deeper reassessment of
the divine- human equation, a return to the fundamental question of every being:
“what am I really? What is my real self?” Vedanta proclaims: “Man, in essence,
is identical with the supreme Being”.
Vedanta denotes one’s identity with the best of humanity. According to
Vedanta, there is no stranger in this world
Every one is related to one another in the kinship of the spirit. In Vedanta ,
there is no mine and for me; but ours and for us; and ultimately, His Or for Him
.If the Vedanta philosophy is rightly understood and acted up to, then it will
obliterate all evils that emanates from factional and racial prejudices.
Vedanta is no creed, no ceremony or form of worship. It is the science of right
living. It is not the sole monopoly of the Indians or the recluses. It is for
all.
Vedanta has no quarrel with any religion whatsoever. It preaches universal
principles .Vedanta encloses within its sphere all the religions of the world
and is strong enough to make them all useful and enduring. Vedanta never
interferes with forms .It concern itself solely with the life of religions. The
Christian need not renounce his Christianity, The Buddhist may stick to his
Noble eight fold path, The Mohammedan may stick to his Koran and yet all these
may follow the Vedanta and realize in practice all its high ideals and truths.
Their love to their respective prophets and Bibles will become more sober, more
enlightened, and more enduring. Religious animosity will vanish and the world
will move. Religious animosity will vanish and the world will move on to its
great end without any friction, with greater dignity and more goodwill among its
denizens.
Vedanta means no slavery. It gives freedom to all. It never condemns any man
as beyond hope, never looks upon anyone as accused, but takes all mankind its
fold. Vedanta is extremely catholic and liberal in its outlook. Vedanta can
offer to the modern society a common faith, a common body of principles, and
common moral principles. It is highly scientific in outlook and has a real
appeal to men and women today.

It is Vedanta alone that can eradicate totally human sufferings and can bring
ever lasting peace and happiness. Even a little understanding and a little
practice of Vedanta can raise a man to magnanimous heights of Brahman hood or
God- consciousness and remove all sorts of fears, worries and anxieties of this
mundane life.




What is present in smallest of the smallest (in atoms), and what is present in biggest of the biggest ,(in the universe) and the as life principle in the living things, it is from the beginning and now and for ever, apart from this nothing exists. Upanishad gives definition like this. One can see pure science in this explanation: the revolution of electrons and spinning of the nuclei in atoms, the rotation and revolution of earth, the solar system, the galaxy and so on are all guided from within the system and this force which gives energy and guidance for their movement is known as supreme(Brahman). It is the same energy manifested as (jeevathma ) bio chemical energy in living being which controls the heart, lungs, the liver, the blood circulation,the sensory organs, the functional organs, etc. in animals.



It is said that there are two states of Supreme (Brahman)

The extreme active state in observation known as saguna and inactive state in observation as nirguna supreme the two states are complimentary and never contradictory. In an atom ,the electrons are revolving at a fantastic speed /velocity but the materials which are composed by this atoms are seen in nirguna (without rotating or spinning). The earth rotates and revolves at a high speed (saguna state) but people living in this globe earth do not feel the speed(nirguna state in observation). Our heart/liver/lungs/ each and every tissue functions/work for 24 hrs (in saguna state), but the body does not feel that (particularly when sleeping) such a series of biochemical processes are going on inside(nirguna state)

Worship means understanding of this ultimate so that human being can behave or follow virtues in tune with this law of the universe

But this principle to be remembered always that is called prayer.



Beaause the same omnipotent ,omnipresent is only exiting in nature , Aham Brahma asmi- ( I am that divine power) thath thwam asi ( You are also the same divine power). It is also as life force hence ayam athma brahma ( this life force/energy is Brahman) and it is manifested as the inherent intrinsic consciousness and awareness, hence Prajanam Brahma ( that glorious knowledge is Bhahman)



They should act what they have to do in their own position in this world without any reward or result



As we learn the laws that govern our welfare are identical with cosmic law, we rebel no longer and the chief cause our turbulence is removed.. The trained mathematician does not try to work out his problem contrary to the rules of the mathematics; a chemist in his experiments does not petulantly disobey the laws of chemistry. No true scientist puts himself in rivalry with the universe, nor does he defy it; he cooperates with it. If we will make the universe our ally and confirm to its larger law, instead of living and acting and acting in obedience to the lesser law of our individual will, the whole universe will sustain us under attack and we shall develop a habit of serenity which cannot be broken

Answer 8

Have a star for being right...

Answer 9

mmmmmmm!....maybe......because the bible is not actually the word of god.