"Read your Bible before you ask a question like this."?

Question

This is an example of the kinds of answers that church folks come up with on here.

I was simply asking whether God, being perfect, just decided not to bother creating humans and animals perfect -- or, whether he is imperfect and just created them to the best of his ability.

In asking this question, I assumed that people are aware that humans are not perfect; so I was trying to find out how church folks think about that -- their ways of dealing with the fact that a perfect god created imperfect humans; it was not about the Bible per se.

Yet, when I do ask a question about the Bible, I generally find they don't know the Bible well.

So what's the point of answering me by telling me to read the Bible before even asking? Why don't they read their own Bibles?

(I would encourage all your church folks to study your Bibles -- but beware: I was taking Bible classes all through high school and, by age 16, was diagnosed in the early stages of atheism.)

Answer 1

Agreed. It was the seemingly endless paradoxical statements in the bible (as well as xian teachings) that led me to conclude that none of it was real.

Once I decided to look at everything from the perspective that there was no god, everything made sense.

Answer 2

The way I see it, when you look at the intermediate stages of many (perhaps even all) creative processes it is easy to see what may appear to be mistakes...it is often virtually impossible to envision the finished product (unless you're the creator). When we look at a Monet painting, we're looking at his finished product...but he saw it from blank canvas through every stage of development.

Of course the humans we see (including the one in the mirror) aren't perfect...God isn't finished with his creation yet! Looking at a human being on earth and judging the intentions or capabilities of the creator is a little like trying to judge the flavor of a meatloaf by looking at the raw meat as it goes into the oven!...yuck!

God created us for a reason...to serve a purpose in his kingdom...but this isn't his kingdom...we're still in the factory being shaped and moulded into his vision of the perfect human being. If you want to judge the perfection of God's creation, you need to wait until he's finished with it...and that doesn't happen until we exit the factory!!

Answer 3

So is your question, "Why don't they read their own Bibles?"
So do and some don't. You are right though there is a lot of Biblical ignorance among Christians today. Some historians of Church History say that there never has been a time in the history of the church when Christians are as ignorant of what the Bible says as in this generation. From a Christian standpoint, I think most of them are too busy singing to read and study their Bibles. Your point is well taken.

Answer 4

I find it hard to believe you have studied the Bible! In the first chapters of Genesis it shows that Adam and Eve were created perfect, then sinned, thus passing imperfection to all of us. They were created perfect, but with free will. They made the choice to disobey, like Satan and the demons.

That's what the Bible says.

Answer 5

WELL, LET ME FIRST TELL YOU, I'M AN ATHEIST
BUT I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN THIS KIND OF THINGS SO, IF I WAS ONE OF THOSE ´CHURCH FOLKS´, MY ANSWER WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN READ THE BIBLE BUT ´READ WHAT (SORRY, DON'T KNOW THE ENGLISH NAME) SAN AGUSTIN WROTE.
WELL, HE BASICALLY SAID THE OPPOSITE OF 'GOOD´( AND I MEAN GOODNESS AS A CONCEPT) IS `NOTHING`. GOD IS ENTIRELY GOOD, AND SINCE HE CREATED EVERYTHING 'OUT OF THE BLUE ' (OUT OF `NOTHING´) EVERYTHING THAT EXISTS HAS BOTH A GOD PART AND A NOTHING PART. IF SOMETHING WAS PERFECT, IT WOULD BE GOD. BUT AS HUMAN BEINGS ARE NOT GOD, BUT WERE CREATED BY HIM, CANNOT BE ENTIRELY GOOD, BUT NEED TO HAVE BOTH THE GOOD AND THE ' NOT SO GOOD' PART. SO THIS IS HOW HE EXPLAINED WHY PEOPLE ARE NOT PERFECT, BASICALLY SAYING: THEY ARE NOT PERFECT BECAUSE IF THEY WERE THEY WOULD BE GOD.

ANOTHER THING HE STATED IS THAT NOTHING IN THIS UNIVERSE IS 'EVIL' OR 'BAD' , BUT THERE IS A CERTAIN ' SCALE OF GOODNESS' IN THINGS. SO, IF YOU SIN, IT'S NOT THAT YOU CHOSE SOMETHING BAD BUT THAT YOU CHOSE WHAT HAD LESS GOODNESS IN IT.
(ps. sorry about my grammar but I studied this in spanish)

Answer 6

I didn't read the responses to your question, but I submit that knowledge of the bible is indeed not necessary to your question.

It is a question of logic dealing with both Human and Divine Nature, applicable to all the Abrahamic religions and perhaps more. Neither you nor your answerers (answerees?) should require biblical quotes to back up your arguments.

Answer 7

Well just becuase we can't understand they why of that particular
question doesn't mean there isn't an answer. The point being
IF you do believe in God...who are we to question him on
why he made us perfect/imperfect.

you also imply that "free will" is not a perfect thing, however
i disagree and say it is.

God planned this all out before we were even made. you can choose to accept it based on faith...or not....

here is the verse you are seeking....


deut 29:29

Answer 8

As the saying goes, one has to dig through all the rubble before finding or chancing upon a gem or two.

To answer your original query, simply put, I believe that humans were created with the "capacity to become 'perfect'", metaphysically speaking. However we almost always fall short of such perfection.

Peace be with you

Answer 9

I think they mean that it is very clear that God created us perfect, but our fall into sin scarred the human race. So of course people aren't perfect anymore, and it is not God's fault.

Answer 10

The purpose of an answer like "go read the Bible", is to watch themselves type.

Answer 11

Well, if you DID read the Bible, you will see that Adam and Eve WERE perfect when they were first created. Why would God say that it was "good" if it really wasn't...if it was a defect or something.

Some say perfect people couldn't sin, but they can because of free will. They could have chosen NOT to sin.