so there is the story of Jonas being swallowed by a big fish ,he prayed and spit out again ,REALITY OR NOT?

Question

by the way the rating by Yahoo for this question came out to be

Entertainment-music-television - reality TV

and then I placed it on R&S!

Answer 1

Well, Slave, I think it is actually allegorical. Although I am not, nor would I, ever defend the bible in any way. Anyone that would think it is literally true is definitely not playing with a full deck.

Answer 2

I don't know what's up with City Cowgirl, but I'll echo what she said: parable. In other words, the question of whether it actually happened or not is unimportant. What is important is the lesson(s) from the story. And Jonah has two of the most important lessons in all of the prophets, so the fish-story is good, cause he's the only prophet most people know about.

The first lesson is that God's mercy extends to all the people of the earth - he's not just the parochial god of Canaan, he's not just the God of the Israelites. Even the hated enemies, the Assyrians, can be the benificiaries of God's love and mercy.

The second lesson is quite a bit more subtle and just as subversive in the context of Judean religion. Take a look at this (I promise it's just a couple short verses):
Compare the Theophany of Moses:
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%2034:6-8;&version=77;
to the Theophany of Jonah:
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah%204:2;&version=77;

They're almost word for word, except something is missing from Jonah's version... Jonah realizes something about the very nature of who God is, that conflicts with the traditional orthodoxy of his day. Good stuff, what do you think?

Peace to you.

Answer 3

truthfully, it is honestly certainly one of the Bible's maximum alluring parables. No, human beings won't be in a position to stay interior the tummy of a fish. yet, God can shop them alive and positioned across them out of the hopeless project unhurt. it incredibly is a parable that parallels Jesus' stay interior the tomb and resurrection after 3 days. Jonah did no longer prefer to do God's will. Jesus asked to be set loose of the loss of life sentence. God stored Jonah alive. Jesus became delivered out of the tomb alive. all people who would not see this tale as between the main useful prophecies interior the e book are in simple terms no longer attempting to work out! and that i'm an atheist. maximum Christians are heathens and bigots. Why discourage them from interpreting a e book that would have some desire of directing them returned to genuine Christian values.

Answer 4

It does seem far fetched, but then again. God can do what he pleases in order to test our faith.
Also if you think about it. It never really describes what type of fish, only a big one. One capable of being able to swallow a human whole.
Though others may take it as a metaphor. A "big fish" meaning a sort of predicament you can't seem to get out of.

Answer 5

Thanks for putting this question in the right category so12gs since it has always been considered true and religious for thousands of years at any rate.

It is reality.

For your added entertainment (did I just write that?) below is two links to an 1891 account of one James Bartley who survived for 18 years after being swallowed by a whale.

Answer 6

yes as a Muslim i belief. coz God he him self says this story in his Holy book. Jonas was saying inside the stomach of the fish that Laillaha illa anta subhanka inni kuntu mina zaalimin so the Almighty saved him from the darkness

Answer 7

Wouldn't be great if there were reality shows back then, with cameras inside the whale and all?
Would have made a hell of a "Survivor"

Answer 8

I absolutely believe God could have accomplished that if He had a mind to. But at the same time I am more inclined to believe it was a vehicle of some kind.

Answer 9

100% reality.

Answer 10

Miracle.