Reasons for believing in the Bible as the literal word of God.

[Audie]

No, their god didn't write it. Even Fundamentalists will acknowledge Moses, Daniel, Matthew, Paul and many more as the authors with the Holy Spirit acting as an influence on them.

Wellll...I did see that old movie where God
used like lightning to write the ten commandments. : D

 

[Audie]

Much as I appreciate this in-depth rebuttal, the facts speak for themselves.

Anyone with even a modicum of knowledge of literature can recognize works by two different authors by their writing styles - their vocabulary and word choice, their use of imagery and figurative language, etc... An allegedly eternal and unchanging God would be consistent in his dictation style, and "secretaries" copying His words would subsequently be consistent in their writing styles.
They are not consistent.

Furthermore, in the Gospels, we now have four accounts of the same incidents - now, while it would be plausible for the same source to have these "secretaries" emphasize different events for different reasons, they would at the very least get their facts straight. And these are not trivial facts - although if God is in fact speaking, nothing is "trivial" - these are crucial facts about crucial people and events.
They do not get these facts straight.

"Nonsense," indeed.

Yep nonsense.
You are confused as to what I said.
I made no such argument as you are so
thoroughly savaging.

 

[mindlight]

What are your best reasons for believing in the Bible as the literal word of God, if that's your thing? Heck, just give me reasons they don't even have to be good.

But I'm coming to the conclusion/opinion that there isn't really a "good" reason to believe in the Bible as the literal word of God.

I feel like I've just about fully shaken off my Christian convictions and beliefs. I've been an apostate for over a year now I'm pretty sure. The first few months I still had my doubts about my decision to reject Christianity. Just, it was ingrained into my head from birth pretty much that Jesus is literally God. All my family told me that and brought me to church where I was told that too.

Growing up, I dived into Christian apologetics in an attempt to reinforce my faith. I let apologetics convince me as a teenager of the soundness and literalness of the Bible. But apologetics is weak. It doesn't provide a solid reason for saying that the Bible is literally from God.

I realize now that it was two things that developed and fed my Christian convictions and beliefs.
1. Authority figures who I trusted told me the Bible was from God. This is not a good reason.
2. It was a comfort to believe that I have in my hand the literal word of the god of the literal universe. And it tells me how to live my life and that everything will be okay in the end. Very comforting, but not a valid reason to believe imo.

Those are the two reasons I identified why I used to believe so much and dearly. I now understand that I had no good reason to believe in the Bible, and I feel like I haven't a modicum of Christian faith or conviction in me anymore. Which is what I was going for, I'm no longer thinking there's a slight chance ima burn in hell for my apostasy.

So, do I have it right? There is no good reason to believe the Bible is the inerrant word of God.

The person who inspired it is the reason to trust it. If you trust Him then you will trust His word and gain perspective on the details that bug you. Also the untrustworthiness of the people whose worldviews you merely echo in your objections is a reason to turn away from them.

 

[metis]

In the Bible literal word of God is everything that God says directly in the Bible.

Is the Bhagavad Gita also the "word of God" and how can one supposedly tell?

 

[SkepticThinker]

Dictionary.com | Meanings & Definitions of English Words

The world's leading online dictionary: English definitions, synonyms, word origins, example sentences, word games, and more. A trusted authority for 25+ years!

www.dictionary.com

extraterrestrial

1. in or coming from a place outside the planet Earth: 2. a creature from…

dictionary.cambridge.org

Alien - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

Really!!!!

Yes, really.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

But anyone who actually reads the Bible can see the authors are using their own words - clearly they're not all taking dictation from the same source, so your argument falls flat.

Yes, they used their own words but God's corresponding thoughts are there to read.
The Bible is chock full of corresponding cross-reference verses and passages thus showing the internal harmony among the many Bible writers.
Jesus often prefaced his statements with the words, " It is written....." meaning already recorded written down in the old Hebrew Scriptures.
Jesus used logical reasoning on the OT as the basis for his teachings and the theme of his teaching being God's kingdom.

 

[Audie]

The person who inspired it is the reason to trust it. If you trust Him then you will trust His word and gain perspective on the details that bug you. Also the untrustworthiness of the people whose worldviews you merely echo in your objections is a reason to turn away from them.

Sooooo..
You are another flood- believer ?

 

[TLK Valentine]

Yes, they used their own words but God's corresponding thoughts are there to read.

Are they really His thoughts, though?

The Bible is chock full of corresponding cross-reference verses and passages thus showing the internal harmony among the many Bible writers.

...to be expected when the writers of the later books had the earlier books in front of them.

Jesus often prefaced his statements with the words, " It is written....." meaning already recorded written down in the old Hebrew Scriptures.
Jesus used logical reasoning on the OT as the basis for his teachings and the theme of his teaching being God's kingdom.

Or, in lieu of Jesus, the Gospel writers put words in his mouth... and having the OT available to them, they knew which words to put.

 

[TLK Valentine]

Yep nonsense.
You are confused as to what I said.
I made no such argument as you are so
thoroughly savaging.

Perhaps you'd care to go back to posts #152 and #157 and make a note that it was URAVIP2ME's argument, and not yours, that I was so thoroughly savaging?

 

[YoursTrue]

But anyone who actually reads the Bible can see the authors are using their own words - clearly they're not all taking dictation from the same source, so your argument falls flat.

Insofar as words go, there are translations in the same language that use different words because of editorial differences. This does not mean that they are wrong. Being inspired by God to write and preserve particular occurrences (some writings mentioned in the Bible are not preserved) is due to God's holy spirit, or unseen power from Him utilizing faithful men to record their actions and circumstances.

 

[1213]

Is the Bhagavad Gita also the "word of God" and how can one supposedly tell?

Is it said in the Bhagavad Gita, "this all is word of God"? Please show where.

 

[Audie]

Perhaps you'd care to go back to posts #152 and #157 and make a note that it was URAVIP2ME's argument, and not yours, that I was so thoroughly savaging?

You choose to interpret as you will.

 

[metis]

Is it said in the Bhagavad Gita, "this all is word of God"? Please show where.

That's not the point I was trying to make, so let me ask it again, namely what evidence can you bring to show that the Bible is Divinely inspired but the Gita is not? Just because I may say "I'm George Clooney" doesn't make me George Clooney-- I'm far more handsome.

 

[TLK Valentine]

Insofar as words go, there are translations in the same language that use different words because of editorial differences. This does not mean that they are wrong. Being inspired by God to write and preserve particular occurrences (some writings mentioned in the Bible are not preserved) is due to God's holy spirit, or unseen power from Him utilizing faithful men to record their actions and circumstances.

...according to the "faithful men" themselves, amirite?

 

[TLK Valentine]

You choose to interpret as you will.

Apology accepted.

 

[Audie]

Apology accepted.

Rolls eyes heavenward in mock resignation

 

[YoursTrue]

...according to the "faithful men" themselves, amirite?

Your thoughts are yours and of course you probably didn't know religious thoughts of others when you were two years old, right?

 

[TLK Valentine]

Your thoughts are yours and of course you probably didn't know religious thoughts of others when you were two years old, right?

Fortunately I haven't been two years old in quite some time.

 

[1213]

That's not the point I was trying to make, so let me ask it again, namely what evidence can you bring to show that the Bible is Divinely inspired but the Gita is not?

I think Bible is inspired by God, because it has information, wisdom and love that I don't think humans would otherwise have. Like for example about the great flood, how Jews would be scattered and later gathered back, as it is happening nowadays and especially this:

but I say to you, Love your enemies; bless those cursing you, do well to those hating you; and pray for those abusing and persecuting you, so that you may become sons of your Father in Heaven. Because He causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and unjust.
Matt. 5:44-45

 

[metis]

I think Bible is inspired by God, because it has information, wisdom and love that I don't think humans would otherwise have. Like for example about the great flood, how Jews would be scattered and later gathered back, as it is happening nowadays and especially this:

but I say to you, Love your enemies; bless those cursing you, do well to those hating you; and pray for those abusing and persecuting you, so that you may become sons of your Father in Heaven. Because He causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and unjust.
Matt. 5:44-45

With me, it's the latter part as the Sermon On the Mount I can completely relate to and agree with. Gandhi said that this was very much a major inspiration for him, and he was a Hindu of course. Whether one considers the Flood narrative to be real history or a moral lesson using storytelling is vastly less important than what the Sermon teaches.

Thus, it is not just Christianity that teaches what you posted above.