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The WORD of GOD... really?

G

gzusfrk

Christian
QuestioningMind said:
I have read biblical prophecies, and what struck me was how it's possible for individuals to interpret them in most any way they choose, especially when approached on the basis of some predetermined criteria.
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Approaching the Word with predetermined criteria is bad. You should approach it with an open heart and mind, The new testament will reveal to you what it says according to YOUR heart.
 
Pegg

Pegg

Jehovah our God is One
QuestioningMind said:
I have read biblical prophecies, and what struck me was how it's possible for individuals to interpret them in most any way they choose, especially when approached on the basis of some predetermined criteria.
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dont worry about what individuals want to interpret them as, look at the ones that interpret themselves

look at Daniel as an example . The rise of a world power was foretold at Daniel 7:6 “After this I kept on beholding, and, see there! another [beast], one like a leopard, but it had four wings of a flying creature on its back. And the beast had four heads, and there was given to it rulership indeed. It was again described at Daniel 8:5 as a he-goat "And I, for my part, kept on considering, and, look! there was a male of the goats coming from the sunset upon the surface of the whole earth, and it was not touching the earth. And as regards the he-goat, there was a conspicuous horn between its eyes”

I guess we might hear hundreds of interpretations from people as to who this world power might be, but the bible also has an interpretation as to who it is. Daniel goes on to say in 8:21 “The hairy he-goat stands for the king of Greece.”

In many cases, not all, the provides the interpretation itself.
 
Pegg

Pegg

Jehovah our God is One
QuestioningMind said:
But this is my point exactly... all along it has been fallible humans who have judged what prophets to consider, and when or if a specific prophecy had come to pass.
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this is the natural course of inquiry, its what needs to happen in order to establish truth. If i told you I have a prophecy from God, how else would you determine if I was telling the truth or not? The only way is if that prophecy comes true. Then you can say that I was telling the truth because otherwise im just another fallible human with a crazy claim that may not be true.

QuestioningMind said:
The bible is a human attempt to define God's Word, NOT God's Word. And putting your blind faith into believing that it is, is not faith in God, but rather blind faith in other fallible humans.
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It seems like the issue you have with the bible is that it was written by people...would that be correct to say?
What would you think of the bible if it had been written by an angel instead? Would you accept it as the 'word of God' or the 'word of an Angel'?
 
ninerbuff

ninerbuff

godless wonder
Beta said:
I did not say God's Word or the Bible is perverted but what mankind is doing to it because of their own free will - that is what perverts it. It is the human will that causes the damage. God's Word, his Laws and Commandments are printed in black and white for ALL men to read and OBEY but man does NOT CHOOSE to obey. Maybe we should start with our OWN SELF - do WE obey ? do YOU obey ? If you can answer that honestly you might better understand the trouble we are in and the problem God has with us.
IF man kept,observed,obeyed God's Commandments most of our troubles would disappear in an instant. God wants man to use his free will to choose the right way to live and God's Law of Commandments are there to help us. Do you believe that , do YOU want to follow them ? Most people don't. They want to live as they please yet blame God when it goes wrong.
We are to learn to make the right choices in life which are based on God's Laws. That is the bottom line for a happy peaceful life.
God wispering in your ear would make no difference if you are not prepared to obey his guidance and instuctions. We already had them for 6000 years.
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One of god's commandments include putting someone to death for disobeying their parents. Yeah, I can see how that would make troubles disappear instantly.:rolleyes:
 
ninerbuff

ninerbuff

godless wonder
Midnight Pete said:
This is where a lot of people start dressing in black, cutting themselves, and listening to Marylin Manson. This is the great disillusion, the great falling away from God. Right here, at this junction.

Doomed indeed ...

:cover: :ignore: :sad4:
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Are you kidding? I'd rather wear some baggy pants and dance hip hop rather then listen to that.:yes:
 
Pegg

Pegg

Jehovah our God is One
ninerbuff said:
So the heaven or hell thing is just a joke? He's not forcing us on this ultimatum?
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yes it is a joke...completely untrue...anyone who has read the bible knows exactly what it says about death and it doesnt say that there is a fiery place awaiting us.
 
ninerbuff

ninerbuff

godless wonder
Pegg said:
dont worry about what individuals want to interpret them as, look at the ones that interpret themselves

look at Daniel as an example . The rise of a world power was foretold at Daniel 7:6 “After this I kept on beholding, and, see there! another [beast], one like a leopard, but it had four wings of a flying creature on its back. And the beast had four heads, and there was given to it rulership indeed. It was again described at Daniel 8:5 as a he-goat "And I, for my part, kept on considering, and, look! there was a male of the goats coming from the sunset upon the surface of the whole earth, and it was not touching the earth. And as regards the he-goat, there was a conspicuous horn between its eyes”

I guess we might hear hundreds of interpretations from people as to who this world power might be, but the bible also has an interpretation as to who it is. Daniel goes on to say in 8:21 “The hairy he-goat stands for the king of Greece.”

In many cases, not all, the provides the interpretation itself.
Click to expand...
Yeah pick out the scriptures you WANT to follow. That is probably why there are so many christian denominations.:yes:
 
ninerbuff

ninerbuff

godless wonder
Pegg said:
yes it is a joke...completely untrue...anyone who has read the bible knows exactly what it says about death and it doesnt say that there is a fiery place awaiting us.
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Well dang, I ain't got nothing to worry about then!;)
 
Q

QuestioningMind

Well-Known Member
Pegg said:
It seems like the issue you have with the bible is that it was written by people...would that be correct to say?
What would you think of the bible if it had been written by an angel instead? Would you accept it as the 'word of God' or the 'word of an Angel'?
Click to expand...

My issue is that people are turning towards the bible for answers about God instead of looking within. If you sincerely believe that God speaks to us, why look towards what people thousands of years ago claim God said to them instead of developing a personal relationship with God and listening to what God says to you? How can anyone genuinely experience for themselves what God IS if they are preprogrammed by someone else's interpretation of what they believe God should be?
 
Q

QuestioningMind

Well-Known Member
Pegg said:
I guess we might hear hundreds of interpretations from people as to who this world power might be, but the bible also has an interpretation as to who it is. Daniel goes on to say in 8:21 “The hairy he-goat stands for the king of Greece.”

In many cases, not all, the provides the interpretation itself.
Click to expand...

Yet, "The Hairy he-goat stands for the king of Greece." can be interpreted in more than one way. Does it mean that the hairy he-goat IS the king of Greece or does it mean that the hairy he-goat is someone who stands WITH or for the king of Greece? So even the passages that seem obvious to you remain questionable to others.
 
Q

QuestioningMind

Well-Known Member
gzusfrk said:
Approaching the Word with predetermined criteria is bad. You should approach it with an open heart and mind, The new testament will reveal to you what it says according to YOUR heart.
Click to expand...

You see, I would suggest that approaching God with predetermined criteria is bad. Looking to the bible to reveal for you what God should be makes it impossible to approach God with a truly open heart and mind.
 
yourhopeboundheart

yourhopeboundheart

Mig
he said:
Atomist said:
Well doesn't the presuppose god would write in a book, given god could simply write it out in the stars and make it say "I am your god you shall have no other gods before me... blah blah blah...." ever since mankind existed.
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and your response was:
Pegg said:
I suppose he could do that, but that wouldnt give you much of a choice then...you'd have no choice but to believe.
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later you said:
Pegg said:
he doesnt make it hard to believe in him, he just doesnt force people to believe in him.
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how is making god's word more available and, well, god-like equate to forcing you? the same, therefore, could be said of him writing a book at all. if his word is his word, then having it written down on paper is just as "forceful" as having it written in the sky, or written behind our eyelids, or having the entirety of it inscribed in our memories when we're born. god supposedly communicated with us, it just seems odd that he would choose to do it in such a refutable way. it still wouldnt be forcing belief to make himself a little bit more well known.
 
G

gzusfrk

Christian
Eliot Wild said:
With all due respect, I've literally searched for God all my life and have never found Him. Since as early as I can remember, I have had questions about the nature of things, how our universe came into existence, and who or what might be responsible for it. I have made sincere efforts at prayer and biblical exploration, only to have nothing revealed to me from God.

Furthermore, I know many atheists who have made couragious efforts to 'find' God, but as of yet have not been able to find conclusive proof to satisfy their own minds.

How do you explain God's disregard for us, if as you say, He is able to be found for those who sincerely seek him?
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He can reveil Himself through the NT, if you read and study it, if you have really spent hundreds of hours reading and studing the NT and you got nothing that could be a problem.
 
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