Do you believe what the Bible says as the truth?

Question

I read a lot of the responses in the R&S section and many of them say to "study the Bible" if you want the truth. I've read and studied the Bible and all I see is a lot of contridiction and judgement. Plus (and this is for women) how can you possibly believe in a book that says to SUBMIT to men? I'm sorry, but the God I believe in didn't say that.

Please tell me your feelings about the Bible you do or do not believe in. Everyone of all faiths/non-faiths please feel free to answer.

Answer 1

I believe in God, or a higher power if you will, but will never believe or give any credibility to the Bible. First of all, let me say how disgusted I was to read about a God doing so many hateful and wicked things to his so-called "children". Turning them into pillars of salt, drowning them, forsaking their children and their children's children. That was the very first thing that turned me off about the Bible. Then there are the contradictions. If order to follow the Bible to the t and live your life by it you would have to be a hypocrite. Otherwise, how can you "turn the other cheek" and also believe in "an eye for an eye". Forgiveness and revenge are both promoted. That is just one example of many. I could go on and on. Last but not least, there's no evidence that anything in the Bible is true. Well those are my reasons. I have plenty more but my wrists and fingers would give out by the time I finished typing them all.

Answer 2

I was a philosophy and theology major in college so I know exactly what you are talking about. Some Chrisitans believe in nothing but what the bible says and accepts it as truth. When you talk about those contradictions, they really don't know how to respond. My take is this: I believe the bible to be a guide. It has good stories aimed to help you live a moral and upstanding life. There is a funny saying that says the word bible stands for "basic instructions before leaving earth". for me, the bible isn't absolute truth. I believe you have to look at the bible and understand the context and time period it was written. It was written during a time when women were considered property. The reason there is so much paradox is because the Old Testament is showing a wrathful God trying to get his people in line. The New Testament is totally different because it is supposed to instill hope not fear. I do not take the bible literally, if someone tells me they do, I say "okay has your right eye ever caused you to sin? have you ever looked at a woman in a lustful way?" most of the time they'll say yes. To that I say "then why haven't you cut your eye out?" In the bible it says if your eye causes you to sin to pluck it out. Again, the bible is guide to follow, but you have to understand the context and the time period it was written in. It's a great book to read with a lot of lessons that still can be applied today, but you can't take the bible at its word. Another example is found in the gospel of Matthew. In the beginning it gives a long list of names and generations(14 all together) ending with David and the birth of Jesus. What people don't realize is that Matthew was a Jew writing to Jews to convert them to Christianity. In judaism, in order to prove Jesus was the messiah, you have to prove he comes from the line of David. Hence the generational proof. Does Jesus really come from the line of David? No one really knows, but Jews will tell you no. Also, numerology was very important back then. 7 is the perfect number, 6 is the most imperfect number (hence the number for the devil being 666). So for matthew to show 14 generations from adam to Jesus is saying that He was the messaih, he comes from a number that represents perfection (14 is a number that can be divded by 7). Also, in that time period names were associated with numbers. In hebrew David is actually spelled DVD, D being the number 4, V the number 6, and D again being 4 which equals??? 14 again a divisible number of 7. Also, in revelation it says the 144,000 will be saved. is that the exact number that will be saved? NO. again 144,000 is a number divisable by 7. What revelation is saying is that the perfect number of people will be saved, or that the perfect people will be saved (those who have been baptized and accept God and Jesus as Lord and Savior.) I would receommend taking an intro to the bible course to learn more. It was very beneficial for me in trying to decipher and understand the true meaning of the bible. I know this is long and I am sorry for that, but I think people need to understand this instead of making claims about the bible that are untrue and walking along blindly in their faith.

Answer 3

To understand the Bible, you must do three things. First you must have an open mind and put aside the things you think you know but cannot prove positively. Second you must remember that if it happened before Moses it was the Patriarch era and does not belong in the law of Moses nor in the Christian dispensation. The Law of Moses was in existence from the time of Moses until the death and resurrection of Jesus. All of those things are there only to show us how God expected obedience and to let us know what happened during those times. When Jesus died on the cross, He took the old laws out of existence leaving them on the cross. Third, the New Law of Grace of Jesus Christ went into effect on the day of Pentecost when Peter stood with the 11 and preached the first gospel sermon. The death, burial and resurrection (the gospel) had never been taught before. From that time onward to the end of the New Testament tells us what to do today.

Answer 4

Yes. I believe what it contains is the truth. You need a systematic study of the Bible to adequately understand with "accurate knowledge and full discernment" (Phillip.1:9)

For example: "SUBMIT to men?" Let me ask you. You work for someone. They direct what they want done. Do you feel a slave to that person(s)? Or, do you accept it as necessary to get the job done? Or, do you prefer one worker and 30 bosses?

The arrangement is compared in the Bible to Christ as head of God's organization so the husband is to be head of his family. Jesus always put the welfare of the organization first ahead of his own comfort. Many times, he was very tired but the crowds continued coming so he put away his own needs for the sake of the people.

After giving the instruction to wives to be in subjection to their husbands in Ephesians 5:22-23 it goes on from 24-33 to instruct husbands to love their wives and honor them; treating them as they would their own bodies. No man would hurt himself, so neither would he harm his wife. There were penalties as Jesus is the head of the congregation would treat the husband as the husband treated the wife.

At that point in history, husbands treated wives as property. Yet here were Christians putting responsibility upon husbands to honor their wives as their selves! This was difficult for Christians back then as it change their world view.

In Ephes. ch. 4:17-32 we see Christians told to put on the new personality which involved treating all people, especially family, differently than the rest of the world. Read this and see if it is not different.

Answer 5

I am not sure what is the question. It might be, "Why is the Bible truth?" It might be, "Are women supposed to submit to men?" It might be, "What are your feelings about the Bible?" With regard to the first question, I ask you to consider what the difference is between the truth and fact. Facts are like light bulbs. The ones that light up are the ones where your understanding of truth match what is actually true. The ones that don't light up are the disconnects between what we believe and the truth. The source of the electricity for these light bulbs of fact must be from one source if truth is absolute and that source is not within us. I believe that absolute grace and truth come through Jesus Christ, God's Spirit leads each individual into all truth and that each person is set free by truth to live as God intended them to live. This brings us to the second possible question. I do not believe the question is formulated in such a way that there is an answer in the bible. The world has developed systems to keep women in subjection to men throughout history. This is not the doing of the bible and it does not represent God's ideal for men, women or marriage. You want an answer from women, so I will tell you what my wife said last night. She makes some very interesting observations. Another woman is always bossing around everyone she knows, telling them what to do, go shopping with her, etc. No one wants to be around her because of her attitude of superiority. Anyways, my wife pointed out that this is because she has not learned to respect her husband. The bible talkes about women respecting their husbands in the context of family relationships. You may have overlooked the counterbalancing point that men are to love their wives as Christ loved the church and gave his life for her. Many men make the unbiblical demand of submission just because they are stronger; few men follow the biblical exhortation to love their wives and sacrifice their life for them like Christ loved the church. Finally, to the third question. Jesus claims that He did not come into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. In the same breathe, He states that the Word which He spoke will condemn those who do not believe. The Bible for me is a matter of eternal life or death proportions. I believe it, I seek to understand what is written in it, I strive to apply the truths gleaned from it to my life. If my understanding is correct, the facts light up. If my understanding is faulty, I reconsider what I believe to be true. God desires all men to be saved, and to come to a knowledge of the truth. Many people are saved, but few people come to the knowledge of truth in their inner being. Most people keep words from the Bible in their head; few people allow the message of the Bible to transform their heart. Jesus didn't build schools of learning for His followers; He focused on transforming the hearts and lives of those who followed Him.

Answer 6

I don't know what Bible you are studying but there are no contradictions in the King James Version. The reason probably you think they are is because you are not a Born Again Christian. Jesus said in John 3:3 that except a man is Born Again he cannot see the kingdom of Heaven, You must be born again Spiritually to understand the Bible, Jesus said that you must worship him in Spirit and in truth. The only way to know the truth is to have a Personal Relationship with Jesus Christ. He died for our sins on the cross at Calvery. He was a perfect sacrifice, He died and arose from the grave victorious over death and the grave and now calls all people to repent and be forgiven and you will be saved. The Bible is the Word of God, if you don't believe that you cannot be saved and you cannot go to Heaven when you die, and we all die. If you seek him then you shall find Him. Jesus came to earth so that all people might be saved. Hell was made for the devil, not us. Do you believe in Jesus? Are you willing to confess to him you are a sinner in need of a Saviour? If you are and would like to become a Born Again Christian you can do so right now, just pray this prayer of faith and accept Jesus today, just pray Dear Jesus, I know and confess that I am sinner in need of salvation. I believe you died on a cross at calvery and arose from the grave to wash away my sins, I ask you right now to come into my heart and save me, I pray this Prayer believing in the name of Jesus Amen. If you prayed this prayer with a sincere heart you are now a child of God, rejoice that your name is written in the Lambs book of Life. Jesus will now send his Holy Spirit to come and live in your heart and guide you into all truth. If you have any questions just send me an email, God Bless YOU!!

Answer 7

There is no contradiction only perceived contradictions. The whole damn world Jew,Gentile and Heathen were not too great to their women.They enslaved adults of all races including children worldwide.It is just a matter of evolving civilly The New Testament is the only scriptures that say "Now in Christ ,there is no more Jew,Gentile ,man or woman,slave or free,but all are Christ's."
And where in today's Islam is woman much more than a "hosebag"? the Animist tribes of Africa still sell and resell their women.Get over it will you ? Look at what's up today not what happened 3000 years ago.

Answer 8

You can make the Bible say AnyThing.

Takes The Invisible Holy Spirit to Lead and Guide you to The Truth!

You get The Holy Spirit when you Ask (no kidding around Either!) Jesus to Come into your Heart (Spirit) and Save (ReCreate) You!!

Later!!! ;)
Dit==============to!

Answer 9

The bible is a collection of parables intended to teach lessons about human nature and life. It was never intended to be taken literally. The bible is no different than the ancient stories of Greek and Roman mythology.

Answer 10

The Bible is a fiction book that isn't even particularly well written. It's also part manifesto, but I think the manifesto is half baked and archaic. Believing literally in the Bible and using it as an instruction manual to life in today's world is silly.