Poll: How literally do you take the Bible?

[T-Dawg]

I realize that RF may not be a statistical sample, but just to get a taste of the general trend amongst Christians:

How literally do you think the Bible is to be taken? Is it the inerrant word of God, or mostly metaphorical?

 

[javajo]

I believe it is the innerant Word of God.

 

[Trey of Diamonds]

Metaphorical, but I'm a heretic so what do I know.

 

[T-Dawg]

Oh, yes, I should probably make sure to mention that only Christians should respond to this poll, hence its placement in the DIR. I already know that non-Christians won't take the Bible literally .

 

[Bob Dixon]

Allegorical, but I answered "metaphorical", because I'm sure that's what you meant.

 

[Trey of Diamonds]

Oh, yes, I should probably make sure to mention that only Christians should respond to this poll, hence its placement in the DIR. I already know that non-Christians won't take the Bible literally .

Now now, I'm a Unitarian Christian, unless you aren't allowing heretical Christians to participate?

 

[T-Dawg]

Now now, I'm a Unitarian Christian, unless you aren't allowing heretical Christians to participate?

As long as you consider yourself Christian, you're welcome to participate.

The purpose is to give an indicator as to how many self-professed Christians follow the Bible as literal truth.

 

[Trey of Diamonds]

As long as you consider yourself Christian, you're welcome to participate.

The purpose is to give an indicator as to how many self-professed Christians follow the Bible as literal truth.

I do, although many Christians do not consider me one. The UU church still has many members who are either Unitarian Christians or Universalist Christians.

 

[riley2112]

At this time , all I can say is , I truly don't know. At times I believe parts were added by greedy men that just wanted to gain power and control. However most lies have a lot of truth in there somewhere. The problem is knowing what is true and what is not . How would you do that? There are alot of things in the Bible that they could not have known at that time.

 

[Kathryn]

I chose "other" because I found the options presented to be too limiting.

The bible is a collection of 73 (or if you prefer, 66) books that span several thousand years and a variety of cultures. There are dozens of authors - as many as forty - and many books are written by more than one author.

There are also many different literary styles presented in the bible.

So even within the same book, there may be different styles of writing. For example, in the Gospels, some of the writing is clearly a historical account, but in some passages, Jesus is using parables, or making general statements to illustrate a point (for example, divorce and remarriage), rather than defining every exception to the law.

I have found that when I read a passage IN CONTEXT the meaning is usually quite clear. We run into trouble when we cherry pick verses or take a small passage out of it's context and try to apply a skewered perspective to our personal theology.

 

[pwfaith]

I voted the first option but I agree with Kathryn, none of the options really fit what I believe. I believe the bible is inerrant, but I also believe that metaphors were used to teach a point, as well as many other literary styles.

 

[Me Myself]

I am to say what makes sense and what doesn´t with the heart and mind that God gave me.

the people that wrote the bible won´t take responsability in my place if I choose to beleve everything written in there is the inerrant word of God, just because.

4 testaments Jesus´s moralithy makes sense (a lot of sense) to me. For the rest, I like the stories

 

[ShareTheWord]

I chose "other" because I found the options presented to be too limiting.

The bible is a collection of 73 (or if you prefer, 66) books that span several thousand years and a variety of cultures. There are dozens of authors - as many as forty - and many books are written by more than one author.

There are also many different literary styles presented in the bible.

So even within the same book, there may be different styles of writing. For example, in the Gospels, some of the writing is clearly a historical account, but in some passages, Jesus is using parables, or making general statements to illustrate a point (for example, divorce and remarriage), rather than defining every exception to the law.

I have found that when I read a passage IN CONTEXT the meaning is usually quite clear. We run into trouble when we cherry pick verses or take a small passage out of it's context and try to apply a skewered perspective to our personal theology.

Well said! It's very important to actually read the bible through, particularly since passages in one book lend clarification to another. For example the book of Revelation in the New Testament read standalone leaves one with some questions, however when considering the text from the book of Daniel in the old testament and pairing it with Revelation, one gains a much more complete picture of what is being conveyed.

 

[DandyAndy]

I voted, but my choices were too limited. I believe the historical stuff is accurate (as research has shown) and I believe that there are many literary devices used through the scripture including metaphor, allegory, hyperbole and a plethora of other literary devices that I cannot name or define.

What, who, where, why and how is up to the Spirit.

 

[riley2112]

Is there anyone out there that has come across anything that could show Moses really leading anyone out of Egypt besides the Bible. Or anything that shows Egypt use them as slaves. I am not trying to start a big debate or anything I am just looking for some information. thank you

 

[ChristineES]

I voted for both symbolic and literal. It is too many different books to really say for sure which is literal and which is allegorical. Also, like Kathryn, I found the poll a bit limiting.

 

[Desert Snake]

I voted both historical and metaphorical.

 

[Mehr Licht]

I view Interpretation by spiritual correspondence to be the highest form of exegesis. Direct visionary perception of the realities alluded to and symbolized by the words of the text. Jacob Boehme and Swedenborg are good examples of people who operated on that level. Barring that ( a sinner like me doesn't always have access to that ) I make a lot of use of the allegorical method and in that area I've learned a lot from Origen. His writings have been like a real treasure to me.

"The letter killeth , but the spirit giveth life"
-2 Cor 3:6

 

[Darkness]

I am an atheist agnostic, so I mostly read the New Testament for radical, moral inspiration (e.g. agape love). For me, the story of crucifixion and resurrection is beautiful symbolic myth. Slavoj Žižek posits that St. Paul and the early Christians did not believe in a literal resurrection, but that God metaphorically died and exists now as the Holy Spirit, which is the community of believers. I doubt the writers did not believe their own works, but it is an interesting assertion.

 

[SageTree]

Allegorical, but I answered "metaphorical", because I'm sure that's what you meant.

same for me.