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What does a book have to contain for you to accept it is of divine origin?

anonymous9887

bible reader
Ok so many of you don't believe in the bible, many of you don't believe in the Qur'an or the Vedas or religous texts. What would manuscripts have to contain for you to say they are of divine origin? If we just have the text itself what must it contain? Would you even accept a document?
 

Sunstone

De Diablo Del Fora
Premium Member
If I found a 3,000 year old book that explained the Germ Theory of Disease in detail and provided a practical guide to building modern water, sewage, and sanitation facilities -- so as to increase human life spans by a decade or two -- then I'd consider the possibility it was inspired by a benevolent deity.

More seriously, I don't think there's much that a book could contain which would provide us with conclusive evidence that it was inspired by deity.
 

Unveiled Artist

Veteran Member
Ok so many of you don't believe in the bible, many of you don't believe in the Qur'an or the Vedas or religous texts. What would manuscripts have to contain for you to say they are of divine origin? If we just have the text itself what must it contain? Would you even accept a document?

It's an attachment. I realized that when I bought The Lotus Sutra and The Gosho (Nichiren Shonin's Writings). Placing it in a special place. Reading it as if the words were my spirit is an attachment.

I bought (uncomfortable enough) the Gohonozon (The Lotus Sutra Dharma summarized on a scroll) for $20 dollars. Like the Bible, practitioners pray to (or depend on) the Gohonzon for their spiritual well being. They have attach themselves to the scroll, book, or so have you.

That is like my paying for my soul, taking it out of my body, hanging it in a large Buzadan (a retangular wooden box), and praying to it.

What does the book have to contain for me to accept it as a divine origin? Nothing. If we attach ourselves to it, then we loose sight of ourselves. If we see ourselves in it, we become depended on it. If we see it as words, then it becomes "The Word." We learn we do not need it (it is Not a divine origin) and we can set it on the book shelf next to our cooking book and favorite novel.

If it does contain divine origin, I'd say it would be like copying my soul or describing my spirit in a book (or scroll). While relating to my soul or spirit in a book is fine; I can't carry the book whever I go. Some time I have to learn to let go. That's what we do in the grieving process. It lets us learn we do not need material things to enhance our spiritual well being. We want it. It is benefitial.

It shouldn't replace who we are just help us in our spiritual growth. So, no book holds no divinity. The divinity is in us.
 

lewisnotmiller

Grand Hat
Staff member
Premium Member
Ok so many of you don't believe in the bible, many of you don't believe in the Qur'an or the Vedas or religous texts. What would manuscripts have to contain for you to say they are of divine origin? If we just have the text itself what must it contain? Would you even accept a document?

Untearable pages would do it. Normal old paper, print it with divinity and BAM! Pages won't tear.
 

wizanda

One Accepts All Religious Texts
Premium Member
What would manuscripts have to contain for you to say they are of divine origin?
Interlinking passages going beyond time, with a knowledge of the future, showing a clear understanding beyond our normal comprehension. :innocent:
 

Subhankar Zac

Hare Krishna,Hare Krishna,
In my view...
The Lord has two parts: the unmanifested cosmic consciousness that is unchanging, eternally situated and indestructible
And
The dynamic energy that transforms the cosmos with time.
Purusha is the unmanifested and lies beyond the cause and effect of all the universes.
All living beings are born out of manifested forms of the Lord which is the energy.
The living beings then interact with the three modes of material nature which we call 'upbringing' and then with each other.
Since all living beings are God themselves, gradually with the Mode of goodness they unlock their self. They realize that they are not a body but a soul that is immortal and unchanging.
That's how they merge into the original truth.

Books, Prophets and prophecies do not help in that.
The actual book of God lies within us and by proper practices we can unlock it.

I deny the bible and the Quran because they are scientifically invalid, have very little on personal development and mostly is fear mongering and destructive to personal intelligence. I was a Christian for 2 years and found it to be a waste though my church was very progressive, I still like my church still I m no longer a Christian.


The Vedas are thought to be unauthored... Neither men nor God wrote them and it's meant to allow good births in the next life and though focus on personal development exists, still not the entire truth. Based on rewards and sacrifice.

The bhagavad gita wins my heart because though it's for kshatriyas, still the message of the power of the mind, emotions, sense control, laws of conservation, law of action and reaction is given out vividly and resonates with people of all faiths, color and cultures
Divine or not, it greatly explains everything that is relevant today. No fear mongering, desperation of attention by conversion or unnecessary war against other faiths. Krishna speaks them as his opinions and at end asks Arjuna to Deliberate on everything that was said and then take an informed decision.

Overall Hindu religions are expected to evolve with evidence and even with a dogma, there's no fear of need to convert and kill.

Gita's detailed analysis can be found in many buddhist texts without any God, with few differences. Buddhism worships the mind and knows it's capacity.
No dogma or fear.


Taoism presents many interesting concepts which when combined with the bhagavad gita and Buddhism, creates a new understanding of everything.

So, if I had to choose, I'd choose the bhagavad Gita. As I know God is not a desperate power hungry rape loving genocidal bully and rather the seed of the entire cosmos that can be seen by the self with proper practices, meditation and the 26 divine qualifies.
 

Deathbydefault

Apistevist Asexual Atheist
Ok so many of you don't believe in the bible, many of you don't believe in the Qur'an or the Vedas or religous texts. What would manuscripts have to contain for you to say they are of divine origin? If we just have the text itself what must it contain? Would you even accept a document?

It being in a language that does not exist, yet everyone can understand.
It can be tested as something humans have absolutely no means of making.
It not being boring to read.
 

bobhikes

Nondetermined
Premium Member
Ok so many of you don't believe in the bible, many of you don't believe in the Qur'an or the Vedas or religous texts. What would manuscripts have to contain for you to say they are of divine origin? If we just have the text itself what must it contain? Would you even accept a document?

It would not have to be explained to me. It would universally be understood.
 

Brian Schuh

Well-Known Member
For a book to be in the New Testament, it must have been written by an apostle and eyewitness. If there are books like that, I would consider adding them to my New Testament, also I would consider ripping out books that turn out not written by an eyewitness and apostle.
 

Subhankar Zac

Hare Krishna,Hare Krishna,
For a book to be in the New Testament, it must have been written by an apostle and eyewitness. If there are books like that, I would consider adding them to my New Testament, also I would consider ripping out books that turn out not written by an eyewitness and apostle.


Just don't buy the book then. Many trees have to pay the price for education, not for illiterate men to rip them off.
 

Brian Schuh

Well-Known Member
Just don't buy the book then. Many trees have to pay the price for education, not for illiterate men to rip them off.
No, not literally rip a book out if the NT. Figuratively. I could just as easily create a file of all apostolic writings and print them up on my printer.
 

Subhankar Zac

Hare Krishna,Hare Krishna,
No, not literally rip a book out if the NT. Figuratively. I could just as easily create a file of all apostolic writings and print them up on my printer.


Oh... I thought you meant tearing off science books other religious books. You can even tear your Bible, as long as not destroy other books on education, science, mathematics, Gita, other religious books, etc. :)
 

`mud

Just old
Premium Member
There is no divinity in any books inspired by heaven's throne occupants !
There are only word salads in the form of testament coming from man !
~
'mud
 
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