Is the bible practical in the modern world?

Question

I'm an Atheist, but I have great respect for the bible's tenets of love, kindness, respect for your parents etc. I don't think these all important things are best explained when taking the bible literally however.

Can't magic, fairy tales, talking donkeys and snakes, be simply metaphores to living life as a good person? Must we surrender reason and rationality?

Must we discount Eastern religions as blasphemous when they are trying to accomplish the exact same thing? -- which is being an enlightened decent human being? Buddhism doesn't criticize Christianity and say "it's wrong, and the punishment living by its rules is the roast on Satan's BBQ forever" does it?

Wouldn't the concept of decency be spread to more of humanity by omitting the literal translation of fairy tales and instead concentrating on love exclusively?

Well said Sawyer

beautifully written huffyb

Answer 1

To your main question, I would have to say no.The Bible is a collections of works describing events that may or may not have taken place and chalking those events up to magical happenings.This simply isn't practical in an age of reason and logic.

Once a belief is made about the nature of our existence in a doctrine based ideology, people are willing to kill, fight, and abandon all reason and logic to hold that belief.

Answer 2

You might try reading the Bible and just see if it appears to be mere fairy tales. You say you have respect for some of its tenets, so maybe you should try reading the first couple of chapters of Matthew and Luke in the New Testament, especially now that it is Christmas time. You can read about the events leading up to the birth of Christ.
Now that's the big difference between Christianity and all those other religions. Nobody is saying that you can't find good moral behaviors taught in some other faiths, what we are saying is that religion, per se, is not good in general. Christianity is not about a religious system of lighting candles, ringing bells and contemplating your navel. The core message that is taught through history, narratives, and even metaphors in the Bible is this; man is sinful and falls completely and absolutely short of God's holy standard. That being the case, no chanting, wearing saffron robes or supposed divine poetry helps in any way save man from an eternity apart from God. So God himself comes in the person of Jesus Christ and lives perfectly in our stead, and bears the cross for our penalty. We sin, He saves. That's it. Religion just for religion's sake doesn't save you, and you would figure out some of the moral rules of life as an atheist just in getting along with the rest of society. So it isn't the rules, or the religion, the guru or the disciple. The question is, is it the truth? Jesus was a real person, nobody who is remotely educated denies that or calls it a fairy tale. But what do you do with him, and who is He in your estimation? That is the all-important question. Eternity is at stake, not because God is demanding and pushy and likes a good BBQ, but because we are sinful and need Him. We apparently want the BBQ! We are the problem, Jesus is the answer. Nothing else.

Answer 3

You run into a problem here, which is that most people cannot operate this way. Psychologically, communities need to believe in their religions as more than metaphors - most people would not see the point in contradicting their selfish desires without a carrot and stick. On an individual level this is often true as well - it is difficult to imagine Desmond Tutu challenging the forces of Apartheid over his seeing value in a fictional God. Further, tehse time-tested religious mythologies would have been impossible to develop and live out had they not been advanced and maintained by people who believe in them literally - nor would any of those same systems of mythology withstand a demythologization that blurs the boundaries among all religions.

Can a purely mythological reading be a valid path for an individual? Yes. can it provide the kind of cultural context, communal connections, and personal responsibilities that a dogmatic religion does? No.

Fundamentalism has to lose out to the postmodern realization that we don't have the market on truth. But that doesn't necessarily mean we have to think everyone else is as right as we are or that we can't go on letting Jews be Jews and Christians be Christians and Hindus be Hindus. A monochrome society would lose the value in all the religious traditions that bring us these wonderful metaphors.

Answer 4

The bible is practical today as much as when it was being wrote. What you dismiss as 'fairy tales' is nothing more than you opinion. Quite simply if you remove God from the bible, it is as worthless as a modern day history or biology book. It might look good on a shelf, but has no inpact upon the life of the owner.

Answer 5

I think it is impractical if the majority of people cling to the King James Version and do not investigate other texts that were cut out along the way. A great deal of the book is chopped to pieces and the pieces that are missing are the key to what people need today!

Answer 6

According to the USA Supreme Court which recently jettisoned the 10 Commandments, the answer is no.

The USA Supreme Court consists of a majority of European Catholics as judges.

Answer 7

No,the good person thing isn't God's salvation
plan.Love is a good thing,but is it working for the world?There are different kinds of love.God's love is agape love.Without the truth,we wouldn't know about this love.

Answer 8

I've often wondered the same thing--it's a real shame that the West didn't follow the path of understanding why one should transcend ones ego--which is represented by the Buddhas teachings---whereas Christs teaching demand surrender of ones ego--which I see very little evidence of.

Answer 9

Its always been and always will be depends on the way we understand it.

The way the world is and is going doesnt mean the Bible is irrelevant etc. Gods still here to see our faithfullnes toward Him on this earth at this time.

Answer 10

Of course the Bible is practical today. I am all in favor of concentrating on love, and I really appreciate your respectful way of asking this.