Does the bible REALLY apply to us today?

[fallingblood]

Doing that just results in it being an Iron Age soruce among many, many of which advocate much the same things. Iron age documents are not normally considered relavent to modern life.

Not necessarily. It would result in seeing it as a collection of books, written over the course of around a thousand years. One would see that there are historical works, poetry, myth, etc in it. If you get to the NT, one would see that the primary focus was on salvation. The OT, you get a right way to live (for Jews), and hope.

Understanding it fully would reveal that many of the laws are outdated, and that is accepted by many (the oral Torah should also be considered as it has existed right along with the written Torah. This would show that the Bible, at least the OT, was never meant to be unchanging, but a "living" work, that continued to change with the times).

 

[Spiral Galaxy]

You are mocking something that you simply do not understand. That's the problem. You are making ignorant statements on a subject you have done no real study on. Instead, you only spread intolerance (as those verses are used to attack Christianity and Judaism), and hatred.

Maybe, before you respond, you should actually look at the Bible with an unbiased eye. Because if that is all you get from the Bible, then you really haven't read it or understood it.

You have made a claim to posses knowledge which cannot possible have, namely the extent of the real study I have undertaken and my knowledge of the bible. It is possible to look at text with an unbiased eye without believing it to be a true description of reality. Oh come on now, accusations of spreading intolerance and hatred? more ad hominem, don't tell me almost at the point where Godwin's law kicks in.

 

[fallingblood]

You have made a claim to posses knowledge which cannot possible have, namely the extent of the real study I have undertaken and my knowledge of the bible. It is possible to look at text with an unbiased eye without believing it to be a true description of reality. Oh come on now, accusations of spreading intolerance and hatred? more ad hominem, don't tell me almost at the point where Godwin's law kicks in.

So your excuse is that everyone is using ad homiems? You listing a set of ideas (that clearly look as if they were just taken out of context and probably from some website proposing hate) is not spreading intolerance (and as I explained, those verses are used to attack the church) and hatred? How not? They certainly aren't doing any good.

 

[Spiral Galaxy]

So your excuse is that everyone is using ad homiems? You listing a set of ideas (that clearly look as if they were just taken out of context and probably from some website proposing hate) is not spreading intolerance (and as I explained, those verses are used to attack the church) and hatred? How not? They certainly aren't doing any good.

What excuses have I made? I have quoted some bible passages from memory. I have admitted to mocking and ridiculing a book. I have not advocated intolerance or hate nor would I ever.

 

[fallingblood]

What excuses have I made? I have quoted some bible passages from memory. I have admitted to mocking and ridiculing a book. I have not advocated intolerance or hate nor would I ever.

You didn't read my last post carefully. I pointed out the excuse I was talking about, and I told you how your position supported intolerance and hate.

 

[outhouse]

The bible is a great book that "CAN" apply, if you seek the knowledge within its pages.

There within lies great stories and morals and pretty much a guide for good living.


The trick is to avoid reading it as a literal piece.

 

[PolyHedral]

Not necessarily. It would result in seeing it as a collection of books, written over the course of around a thousand years. One would see that there are historical works, poetry, myth, etc in it. If you get to the NT, one would see that the primary focus was on salvation. The OT, you get a right way to live (for Jews), and hope.

Understanding it fully would reveal that many of the laws are outdated, and that is accepted by many (the oral Torah should also be considered as it has existed right along with the written Torah. This would show that the Bible, at least the OT, was never meant to be unchanging, but a "living" work, that continued to change with the times).

Yes; which are rooted in Iron Age values, morals and ideas. Why are they relavent to modern living?

 

[outhouse]

ACCORDING to matthew

TO THE ROMANS,

TO THE CORITHNS

I Don't see my name anywhere?

and I don't know a matthew, can't do anything without a last name.

Is their even a scripture that says that the bible applies to all mankind today. For example, the scripture on fornication, when writing to the romans does that apply to us today?

You can try ripping pages out of the bible to correct it and remove parts you dont find personally correct.

But first you must realize, you dont fix the bible, it fixes you.

 

[outhouse]

Yes; which are rooted in Iron Age values, morals and ideas. Why are they relavent to modern living?

because they do apply for those who wish to better themselves.

I personally think if you have nothing and eat dirt to solve hunger and live with little to no morals then its a great guide to give you light at the end of a tunnel AND to help you to become a better person.

If you have morals and live a good life it "can" and has lessons for everyone.


even though it is ancient and has violence and outdated material, it is POSITIVE in nature when read in the right light.

Its all in the reading and I believe before reading a chapter or verse, there should be a page dealing with how to read it to put it in context so one doesnt have to be a scholar to really understand the meanings and intent within its pages

 

[fallingblood]

Yes; which are rooted in Iron Age values, morals and ideas. Why are they relavent to modern living?

No they aren't. THey are rooted in a variety of different times. In fact, we can see ideas changing throughout the course of the Bible. To say they are rooted in Iron Age values, morals, and ideas simply is false, and ignores the fact that much of the Bible was written much later than the Iron Age period. We see a variety of different roots here.

Why are they relevant? Because they still contain many good teachings. You don't throw the baby out with the bath water.

 

[cablescavenger]

What excuses have I made? I have quoted some bible passages from memory. I have admitted to mocking and ridiculing a book. I have not advocated intolerance or hate nor would I ever.

Given that the original post asks "Does the bible really apply to us today?", then in light of the topic you are entitled to discuss the words, actions and attitudes contained within it to highlight your point.

 

[savethedreams]

I think you have to first understand the purpose of the Bible before you can make any comments on it. When you make a statement such as "I don't see my name anywhere" you clearly have not spent time even trying to learn.

A book is a book. Your suppose to pick up ONE book differently from another? Who started all of this ?

 

[savethedreams]

You are mocking something that you simply do not understand. That's the problem. You are making ignorant statements on a subject you have done no real study on. Instead, you only spread intolerance (as those verses are used to attack Christianity and Judaism), and hatred.

Maybe, before you respond, you should actually look at the Bible with an unbiased eye. Because if that is all you get from the Bible, then you really haven't read it or understood it.

This is the problem I HAVE muslims are proud of their militant religion at times, well some of them. ALL CHRISTIANS IGNORE THE CHRISTIAN CRUSADES. IF it happened in your religion KEEP THE TRADITION. STOP ignoring it. It part of your history.

 

[A. T. Henderson]

ALL CHRISTIANS IGNORE THE CHRISTIAN CRUSADES.

That isn't true. I'm pretty sure that most Christians are at least aware of them, and that most have either fairly reasonable excuses (ie: they were perpetrated by "false" Christians) or tacitly approve of them, at least within their historical context. The Crusades weren't really about religion, anyway.

 

[Villager]

The Bible is none of your business.

 

[fallingblood]

A book is a book. Your suppose to pick up ONE book differently from another? Who started all of this ?

That is overly general. A history book is not a science book. A fiction book is not a nonfiction book. There are many different types of books and to read them all in the same manner would be ridiculous.

The Bible is a collection of books. That is something that must be understood. The purpose of the various books are quite different.

 

[sojourner]

A book is a book. Your suppose to pick up ONE book differently from another? Who started all of this ?

Sure. Would you read Harold and the Purple Crayon in the same way, or with the same plausibility as a science textbook?

Plus, the Bible is comprised of several kinds of literature, and each needs to be treated honestly.

 

[fallingblood]

This is the problem I HAVE muslims are proud of their militant religion at times, well some of them. ALL CHRISTIANS IGNORE THE CHRISTIAN CRUSADES. IF it happened in your religion KEEP THE TRADITION. STOP ignoring it. It part of your history.

How does any of that relate to what I was saying? I don't ignore the Crusades. However I also don't take an ignorant position on them either. It was not simply a religious based ordeal. There were many factors involved.

Understanding history and the reasons why is important. Blindly keeping a tradition is dangerous. More so, the Crusades were not a tradition.

 

[sojourner]

ACCORDING to matthew

TO THE ROMANS,

TO THE CORITHNS

I Don't see my name anywhere?

and I don't know a matthew, can't do anything without a last name.

Is their even a scripture that says that the bible applies to all mankind today. For example, the scripture on fornication, when writing to the romans does that apply to us today?

we know that history tends to repeat itself, because humanity remains fundamentally the same. There was immorality in 1st century Corinth just as there is in 21st century New York.

Even if that weren't the case, the bible, first and foremost, is the repository of the written tradition of the church and, as such, has cultural value for us today.

 

[angellous_evangellous]

This is the problem I HAVE muslims are proud of their militant religion at times, well some of them. ALL CHRISTIANS IGNORE THE CHRISTIAN CRUSADES. IF it happened in your religion KEEP THE TRADITION. STOP ignoring it. It part of your history.