How can some Christians say the Bible is fact, yet also say parts of it are "symbolic" or "allegory"?

Question

If parts are symbolic or allegory, then by definition it's not fact. How does modern Christianity judge which parts are symbolic and which aren't, especially considering the fact that there is no scientific or archaeological evidence to support any biblical story?

When I say "no archaeological evidence", I mean things like the cross Jesus died on, the remains of noah's ark, the garden of eden, etc. Conclusive evidence that a biblical story could be true.

Answer 1

...depends, who is asking the question.

Answer 2

It's all conditioning. This is how brainwashing works. Scientology is very good at it, as well.

Basically, you get someone to believe something that's only slightly unbelievable. Then you let them believe that little something for a while, until it cements itself in the mind.

Then, using that unbelievable thing as a base, you can now tell them something else that's just a little bit more unbelievable. And you can do it, because now they are in a different level of skepticism. This second unbelievable thing would be poppycock to them originally. But now they're on the first step, rather than the floor.

You continue with this process, coaxing them to take more and more steps into insanity, each building on the last.

And they treat the bible this way. Whenever they realize "Oh, this is obviously not a true story!" then they have to make it a little more "believable". They do that by calling it allegory. But the mission is still accomplished. Even though it's called allegory, you're still convinced that this fictional story holds a truth in it. So even though it's fiction, you're on the next step.

For example, we know Adam and Eve is, at best, allegory. And most fairly intelligent Christians admit this. But Christians still accept this fictional story as being the reason why they are sinners, and will go to hell if they don't repent.

They don't make the connection that the story is not true. It's not literal. It didn't happen. Therefore, it cannot be used as a reason for anything.

Answer 3

What I find remarkable are the many creative ways revisionist history is reflected just in the answers to this question alone -- everything from the old reliable "Constantine invented the Catholic Church" to convenient omission of the fact that, regardless of who (physically) wrote the various books of the Bible, it was undeniably the Church that determined the canon of Scripture. If I may, I'd like to address just one comment above: That of "One reason the Protestant church was formed is because the catholic church kept the Bible from its people." Let's back up and see a timeline here. Invention of the printing press, mid-1400s. Protestant "reformation", mid-1600s. Widespread literacy among the "common people", slow progression through the Renaissance during the same period. Prior to the invention of the printing press, one book in any library -- either manuscript, or woodblocked -- was approximately equal in value to an entire farm. It would not have been readily available for Joe Average to read, even if he had been literate enough to do so; one can assume that Joe's days were likely rather full with making a living, with little free time for such pursuits. The literate clergy did not "keep the Bible from the people" as if there were stacks of the KJV in the vernacular in the back room that they refused to let the people get their hands on. How very dramatic to bring on stage the heroic "Protestant men" who "exposed the catholic church and made it possible for everyone to read the Bible and think for themselves." Were all of these Protestant heroes named Gutenberg? Because that was the means of getting the Bible into the hands of an increasingly literate population. A couple more dates for that timeline: Douay-Rheims Bible (NT) published: 1582 Douay-Rheims OT: 1609 & 1610, in two volumes King James Bible ("Authorized" version, supplanting earlier English-languge Protestant versions): 1611 Sort of begs the question: How is it again that the Church kept the Bible from the people? Amazing what lengths people go to in rewriting history to shore up their refusal to accept the Church's authority.

Answer 4

Christians say the Bible is the "inspired" word of God. Some Christians take it further and say the Bible is "inerrant" which means without flaw. The inspired statement means that all of it is inspired by God, but not necessarily just dry facts. Within it are the law, the prophets, the wisdom writings, poetry (psalms, etc.) the gospels and letters to the churches. It's a collection of 66 books, so I think you can see that there is room for many different types of writing.

We try to judge by weighing the original Greek and Hebrew meanings of words, comparing what is written with extra-biblical sources, and looking at how the passage was originally used. Was it used to teach ethics, or was it used as a responsive reading or music in a worship service, or what?

This is a good question, but I'm puzzled by your assertion that there is no archaeological evidence to support any biblical story? Some of the greatest archaeologists of the late 19th and the 20th centuries have devoted their careers to biblical archaeology.

Answer 5

It is fairly well understood that many styles were implemented by those who wrote the Old testament, including allegoric, song etc..
It is also understood that the allegoric style, especially as illustrated in the torah/(law) was used to often cover up deeper concepts attempted to be conveyed, so that the reader would have to ponder the deeper meanings hidden underneath the stylistic myths.

But if you don't believe the Rabbis, Paul at least recognized this fact when he wrote:

"22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and one by a free woman. 23 But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, while the son of the free woman was born through promise. 24 Now this may be interpreted allegorically: these women are two covenants....so on and so forth.... (Galatians 4)

I hate to break your heart but Captain Atheism is correct to the extent that the torah is laced with mythology designed to get you to think, and Jews would laugh you out of here if you tried to take those stories literally...

The stories you cite of the OT are clearly allegoric, in my mind, and looking for a boat that would carry two of all specie on earth is simply lunatic...it's meant to convey something other than biographical non-fiction accounts...

And when you discover the Gospel of Peter, where it is inferred that the crucifixion was an allegorical fiction...well...just stay in denial if you don't grasp the methods of the writers and the messages they truly tried to convey....let someone who has no clue spew out their thoughts and nonsensical doctrines and do the thinking for you... the whole point of this style of writing was to get YOU to think, not let PRIESTS and PASTORS do the thinking for you...the books are spiritual...

Answer 6

The Bible is truth and the word of God. It does contain allegory, symbolism, etc.. but that does not diminish its truthfulness.

"the fact that there is no scientific or archaeological evidence to support any biblical story?" Really?

Israeli Says Elusive Biblical Wall Found
JERUSALEM (AP) - A biblical wall that has eluded archaeologists for years has finally been found, according to an Israeli scholar. A team of archaeologists in Jerusalem has uncovered what they believe to be part of a wall mentioned in the Bible's Book of Nehemiah.

The discovery, made in Jerusalem's ancient City of David, came as a result of a rescue attempt on a tower which was in danger of collapse, said Eilat Mazar, head of the Institute of Archaeology at the Shalem Center, a Jerusalem-based research and educational institute, and leader of the dig.

Artifacts including pottery shards and arrowheads found under the tower suggested that both the tower and the nearby wall are from the 5th century B.C., the time of Nehemiah, according to Mazar. Scholars previously thought the wall dated to the Hasmonean period (142-37 B.C.).

The findings suggest that the wall is actually part of the same city ...

Tiny tablet provides proof for Old Testament

The sound of unbridled joy seldom breaks the quiet of the British Museum's great Arched Room, which holds its collection of 130,000 Assyrian cuneiform tablets, dating back 5,000 years.

But Michael Jursa, a visiting professor from Vienna, let out such a cry last Thursday. He had made what has been called the most important find in Biblical archaeology for 100 years, a discovery that supports the view that the historical books of the Old Testament are based on fact.

Searching for Babylonian financial accounts among the tablets, Prof Jursa suddenly came across a name he half remembered - Nabu-sharrussu-ukin, described there in a hand 2,500 years old, as "the chief eunuch" of Nebuchadnezzar II, king of Babylon.

Prof Jursa, an Assyriologist, checked the Old Testament and there in chapter 39 of the Book of Jeremiah, he found, spelled differently, the same name - Nebo-Sarsekim. ...
( www.telegraph.co.uk)

There is much more archaeological evidence that proves the hisitoricity of Scripture.

Answer 7

The same thing applies here as in all other literature. If someone says "The whole town was there." They don't literally mean everyone in the town was there, they mean a lot of people were there. This is an example of the literary device of hyperbole, overstating things for effect. The Bible and all other literature makes use of this and other literary devices. The difficulty is that the allegories and symbolism in the Bible are from a different culture than ours and are more difficult to catch.

Answer 8

It is all true, but interpretation is key. For instance, if I tell you it is raining cats and dogs, I mean it is really raining....but not cats and dogs. Those who seek to distort the Bible to make it say whatever they want, however, do a great disservice to it - for instance, trying to make the literal Genesis account of Creation fit with modern scientific theories declaring the earth to be millions or billions of years old.

Answer 9

u just cant deny the fact that it is a holy scripture .. and holy things are mystic .. and the fact is you can only understand up to your knowledge things beyond it are symbolic and allegory or UFO to you.

grow up dear .. in near future God knows how much we ought to be knowing ..!

Quran refers to people like you in a verse ... that they call thy book a story book of past nations but they have no knowledge.


PS: this is the gist of the verse i dont recall the actual right now.

Answer 10

The Bible is fact, just because we don't understand all of it doesn't mean its not true, See isn't believing, Believing is Seeing, Jesus Christ came to earth to die for our sins on the Cross at Calvery. He was us clean because He was a Perfect Sacrifice. One thing that is very clear from the Bible is that the only way to Heaven is thru Jesus Christ, Ephesians 2:8-9 says For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. To show our Faith we must repent of our sins and confess the Jesus is Lord, having arose from the grave third day, Romans 10:9 says That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Nothing symbolic about salvation, admit, believe and confess, are you willing to do so, is the Holy Spirit touching your heart today, if you feel the Holy Spirit tugging at your heart today is the day you need to make a decision for Jesus, 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 made a decision for Christ or have any questions, Please send me an email, God Bless YOU!!

Answer 11

The fact that IS the Bible is that it is God's Word. What it CONTAINS can be historical or prophetic. The historical can contain mere narrative or, in the case of Jesus, illustrations, parables etc. The prophetic as in the books of Daniel, Ezekiel and Revelation contain much symbolism,.