all of the bible and not say "oh this is a symbolic story?" Seems to me a lot of christians cherry pick their way through the bible. I mean if certain stories are symbolic like genesis then there is no original sin and christ got himself nailed up for nothing. You should believe entirely and not cherry pick
2007-11-15 06:36:21 · 44 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Hope, genesis isn't a metaphor. The bible says god created the orld in 6 days. You either believe he did or didn't
2007-11-15 06:46:56 · update #1
Some of these answers are the arguments for atheism ever.
2007-11-15 06:49:09 · update #2
thing is, if some of it is symbolic then there's a chance all of it is and if thats the case.....
2007-11-15 06:53:45 · update #3
First point. The Bible is not one book - it is a collection, a compendium, a library, of books.
Second point. Those books were written at different times by different people for a variety of different purposes. Reading with an understanding of these issues is not cherry picking, it is using intelligence.
Third point. You are talking about Christianity, not Judaism so of course we will treat the Old testament differently. We will give primacy to the New Testament - the Gospel of Christ.
Fourth point. Scripture has been interpreted - i.e. not read simplistically - since the earliest days of the church. Even the writers of scripture interpret earlier scripture in ways far more subtle than you seem to think they should.
Fifth point. As an obvious atheist with very little knowledge of scripture, you are in no position to tell Christians how they should or should not treat it.
Last point. Do try switching your brain on. I find it helps.
2007-11-15 09:50:38 · answer #1 · answered by greenshootuk 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Dominic I don't really care for your questions but I have to admit that as a Christian you have asked a great question this time. However I would like to tell you that some of us do believe the whole bible. Some of it like Revelation is based on a dream and can only be symbolic and a lot of prophesy is symbolic as any scholar would confirm. However there are also people who are happy to quote a verse of scripture that is quite out of context to simply enforce an incorrect opinion.
2007-11-15 08:14:57 · answer #2 · answered by Andy 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'm a Christian....however - Every Christian denomination is different on this. Fundys take it all for gospel truth (no pun intended) Some say it's symbolic (totally) others say only Christ's words are true and rest are symbolic and on and on ya go - guess that's why we all pick our own church - or don't attend church at all and just believe what we believe. In the end no matter what denomination of Christian you are or what faith you are even aside from being Christian what you believe in in the end is a matter of faith anyway. No theory or belief is beyond question - even UNbelief isn't beyond question.
Free to be you and me and as long as nobody else is trying to sell their own beliefs on me - I'm fine with all that.
I don't think it's cool for anyone to say "You should believe (as you did) one way OR another. Just live your life and believe what you may - that's cool and so will I and so should everyone else in the world be able to do the same. That simple...but when it comes to religion and politics? People always think they are right and simply MUST voice their opinons - lol I care not.
2007-11-15 06:42:39 · answer #3 · answered by svmainus 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
People seem to forget we're living in the New Covenant of Jesus' blood.
But a lot of stories in the Bible are symbolic- for example, parables.
But I agree that Chrisitans should not 'cherry-pick' the Bible, as it is true- you wouldn't pick something out of a factual book but not other stuff, otherwise it wouldn't back sense!
2007-11-15 08:04:00 · answer #4 · answered by Cookie_Monster_UK 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
damn good question first and formost. i guess most christians miss the important part of the bedtime story that is the bible... i think that the book is not to be taken literally, but people should live by the message that comes across. sorry if that doesn't really answer your question. i guess what it all boils down to is what you believe and if the bible is a symbolic story, or if it all really happened. those who cherry pick there way through it, and only believe parts, then let them have thier faith the way they want...as long as you don't let them put their believes onto you. if you have faith, believe in it.
and do you really care what other people think as long as they get the big picture?
i have a huge issue with organized religion, and i tried to give an unbiased answer.
2007-11-15 06:58:02 · answer #5 · answered by Jen 2 · 3⤊ 1⤋
If you know "cherry pickers", then you don't hang with true believers. The Bible is written for those to believe in - you don't pick and choose which books in the bible to believe in or present as symbolic. Either you believe in the Bible as the word of God and accept his son Jesus Christ as your personal savior or you go to Hell. Really very simple in presentation, not easy to do, but easy to understand. If your read the entire Bible and not just hand-picked books out of the Bible, it all comes together in the last book - Revelation.
2007-11-15 06:45:01 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋
I am a Christian and I believe the Bible and haven't found much that I would even consider as being symbolic, unless the Bible specifically says it is symbolic. For example, at what I'm going to call the first communion, Jesus took a loaf of bread and broke it told the disciples that the bread represented His body. He took some wine and said it represented His blood. Obviously those things are symbolic...Jesus said so. As far as the other most well-known passages in the Bible (including the book of Revelation), I believe the Bible in its entirety. I don't "cherry pick" as you call it.
2007-11-15 06:41:19 · answer #7 · answered by ponygirlky2 1 · 3⤊ 3⤋
Not symbolic??? Genisis is even worse than that! Its a Babelonian creation myth which the Jews adopted while they were slaves.....ROFL
I suggest that instead of just reading the words of the bible you go and learn what those words actually mean.
2007-11-15 12:44:50 · answer #8 · answered by freyatru 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree. Genesis is the true story of Creation. God is all powerful and can create anyway He wants, He would not have to use evolution or take millions of years to do it. If you don't accept the evolution story you have no problem with this, and everything in the Bible then makes sense.
2007-11-15 06:56:54 · answer #9 · answered by A.M.D.G 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Even Jesus taught in parables...some things are symbolic or analogies or metaphores...and some is literal history.
Saying all must be literal is rather foolish. For even the 4 main gospels are not exactly the same...there are inconsistencies. To be literal is to say the Bible is errored (you realize).
~ Eric Putkonen
2007-11-15 06:43:01 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋