I am afraid from your words quoted below, it sounded pretty clear to me that you were making the judgment and insinuating that I was immoral and that my belief constituted idolatry.
No, I was attacking the belief and not the person. Even if idolatry were perceived to be intrinsically "evil", which I actually didn't say nor do I believe is correct, I didn't imply that you were "evil". It's the old "hate the sin and not the sinner" approach, although I'm not even going so far as to call idolatry a "sin", even though most in the Abrahamic faiths believe it is.
Actually, you expressing your opinion doesnt bother me at all and Im not so overly sensitive that I cant take people judging me. It is the double standard that I find objectionable.
Except there was no double-standard being used.
I would also like you to point out anywhere that I said anything about someone going to hell if they dont take my position, as you have accused me by your words below...
This I do apologize for because I did have the impression that this is in part where you were coming from, but unless I went back through what you actually had posted up to this point, it's very possible I was conflating something someone else had said with what I thought you were saying. If I screwed up here, please accept my apology.
I am glad to see that you did not actually imply that placing importance on the scriptures is idolatry. If I was mistaken in my understanding of what you were saying then Im sorry. Im not interested in being argumentative with you, just for the sake of arguing, I prefer to understand your perspective and express mine, even if we disagree. I am also glad that you read the scriptures and try to understand them and see how they apply to your life. I would just like to clarify that I do not elevate the scriptures above God, yet, I believe they are His words and therefore inseparable from Him. If I say I believe, love, and trust God Im not going to ignore His whole counsel as expressed through His words in the scriptures.
No apology necessary. BTW, I did not say you "elevate the scriptures above God". Nor am I in any way stating that what is written should be ignored, nor is that my approach.
I also believe that the original manuscripts were perfect as written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit of God. While the reputable versions we have today may not be the original manuscripts, I believe they all contain the same foundational truths as has been demonstrated by the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls and the innumerable copies of other books which show only minor errors or discrepancies revolving around spelling and grammar.
I would agree that the generalities appear to be quite accurate as far as what's been passed down from generation to generation, but it's generally quite difficult to go to the next step and actually find evidence for the accuracy of most of the narratives.
I dont think it is unreasonable to believe that God the Creator of the universe is capable of preserving His words throughout history. You may not believe this and Im not here to say you must, but this is my perspective based on my trust in the power and faithfulness of God.
But, which are "His words"? As an anthropologist who has studied religions throughout much of the world, almost all religions make such claim, so how is it that I can tell that the Bible is supposedly the "word of God" but the Bhagavad Gita is not?
Instead, my approach is to study as many as I can, and draw from that the wisdom found within each, especially focusing in on what I might find useful. It's an imperfect process, but it works for me.
Shalom
