My field is tactile criticism--if it don't feel right, something's fishy.
Let me start by examining the Christian criticism of the Jews?
They messed up God's exact words with their stupid traditions, therefore we're going to straighten things out and tell you exactly what God wants us to do.
So we have early Christians developing important infallible, Bible derived doctrines.
We believe the devil is out to get us. We believe Jesus was sent to save us. We believe in the Trinity. We believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God, especially the New Testament books we just added to the Hebrew Bible. In fact, our new part supersedes that old covenant. So the new rules are: Sunday is the new Sabbath. And, if you pray to Mary, light a candle, get sprinkled on as a baby and pay indulgences, you might avoid going to Purgatory and go straight to heaven.
Wait? What? No, no, no, what's going on here? The complaint by Islam and Protestants and probably Jews is that the early Christians messed up and added "traditions of men."
My belief is that all religion is more man-made than God-made, and, therefore are traditions of men. I know I keep saying that, but it bears repeating so I don't forget it myself. So why would I think this? Because of things like what is happening here with the Gospel of Mark. Should followers of Jesus drink poison, handle snakes, lay hands on the sick and heal them? Of course they should. Jesus said they should. And dad-gum-it, the Bible says it. I believe it, and you'd think that would settle it. But no. How many Christians do this? Not very many. Why? Because they use their God-given brains and think, Wow, that would really be stupid to drink poison and handle snakes. Of course healing the sick is fine. And Christians do believe in that don't they? Not many. Those of you that don't, you do realize you're putting your trust in medical science and not God don't you? I know. You do the rational thing. You go to the atheistic doctor and you pray. Which is exactly what I do, but I have my doubts about both.
I trust the pagan-inspired New Age health nuts and take herbal remedies. That is until I get too sick from that and have to go to the ER. And then I call the priest, the nuns, the pastors, the rabbis, my analyst and last, but not least I say, Jesus, Yeshua, Immanuel, whatever your real name is, come save me!
None of us wants to be stupid or look stupid. Some of us take the Bible one or two more step down from believing too literally. If I don't believe Mark 16 then I have to ask myself, what else don't I believe? Creation, the flood, virgin births, the Trinity, the devil, hell, and maybe... even the resurrection?
The slippery slope out of Christianity is fun, like a spiritual slip and slide. Some of us end up as Buddhists, some Scientologists, some as heathen hedonistic ********, but we all gave up on Christianity because it isn't an exact, for sure, rock-solid belief system. There are so many variables and variations that some of us say, Why bother? I'll live my life the best I can. Which for me has become a meaningless, empty path to who knows where. So here I am back searching, seeking for answers. And, Mark, supposedly the infallible spokes person for God and Jesus, screwed something up. Don't tell me to trust the Bible and not my feelings--something smells fishy.
Thanks dyanaprajna2011 for a great thread with great questions. And thanks M Wm Ferguson MTh for adding some scholarly insights. That guy knocking his head on the wall was awesome. And thanks Sojourner, you always crack me up with your wit and wisdom. And I'd like to give a shout-out to Rusra2 and Sincerly. You guys always bring it--That total, typical, hard-core side of Christianity that scares so many of us. I'm out. (Have I been listening to too much hip-hop lately?)
I do have my own personal opinions regarding Christianity and its dogma which I share from time to time (like, whenever I can find information to support my opinion).
