What makes the Bible so believable for people?

[Twilight Hue]

Honestly I can't think of a single thing.

Nobody knows who wrote it, with any degree of certainty. No names of the original authors, nobody knows who was on the Council of Trent , Council of Nicea Etc.

It's obviously been redacted , has incomplete information and has gaps in its narratives. Side-by-side variations are noted in each version of the Bible that exist today to substantiate that is indeed the case.

The Bible clearly is not a divinely inspired collection of books either , evidenced by Christianity's vast and varied amount of denominations and sects, who, to this day remain visibly at odds with ongoing issues over interpretation and meaning, making it clear there's no evidence of any type of guiding hand at play to indicate it now or was ever divinely inspired to begin with at its inception.

There's no real support or proofs to the notion of divine harmonization between one author with another throughout the Testaments over significant periods of time to substantiate any type of harmony exists because each subsequent book could be "harmonized" with each proceeding book by simply reading what each proceeding book said and conveniently changing the subsequent book to "fit" each narrative to uphold the claim that the subsequent authors did not know what the preceding authors wrote making such alleged harmony between books a divine proof a Biblical accuracy and credibility.

Oral tradition is actually worthless. If it wasn't, it could have been used and demonstrated today as a living testament of reliability and accuracy but it isn't for a reason. Obvious reasons.

Hence the requirement for writing something down , and we've seen how effective that can be.


Why would anybody be willing to think the Bible is for one reason or another a proper foundation to base an entire religion on and in cases, people's own lives to point of believability that it would trump logic and science?

 

[Valjean]

Argumentum ad populum?
Social benefits of conformity and fear of consequences of dissent?
Religion as a social club?

People believe what's convenient.

 

[1213]

...
Why would anybody be willing to think the Bible is for one reason or another a proper foundation to base an entire religion on and in cases, people's own lives to point of believability that it would trump logic and science?

Science is in constant change. It would not be wise to base world view on it, when after couple of years it may again claim something else than today.

Bible doesn’t really change, so it is better foundation. And that atheists can’t show even one mistake or error in the Bible, I think it is really good. Also, I have seen it to be correct in many things that I think people would not know or understand or even chose without God.

 

[JadedClockw0rk]

Humbly , for me the answer is because, love is sacraficial towards self and beneficial towards others, and that is what God's word teaches, and what Jesus Christ did on the cross as a living example,Jesus- God in the flesh, showing that the greatest thing one can do is give up their life for others, and this does not mean to seek martydom in a vain attempt to eagerly sacrafice ones life in exchange for death, more often giving up ones life means - putting others before ourselves, rejecting vainity, and embracing compassion, and love; and if called to do so, and not by forethought and conspiring for vain glory, but for love of another to save their life, and ultimately lay down your own; preventing harm, never causing it. Love is the answer, Jesus Christ is love - God is love.

That's why I believe; I see the truths,the noble, loving, underlying messages, despite any translation faults, or editing done by the church, I know God, His Holy Spirit ministers to me the ministry of Christ's love.

As an example, the beautiful prophetic writing of Isaiah, foretelling who Jesus Christ is, and the suffering that God would endure for the love of all people. Sacraficing His life, not His childrens! this alone should show you to what extent God will go for all of us! and to me, this shows God doesn't punish and eternally torture any of His creation or children, that's not God! I don't care what parts of the Bible say, I know God, I know what He did on the cross forever seals His unending steadfast love for all.

Also, all of us relate to Christ , we too suffer unduly and we strive for love, we bare our crosses, and through God I know we overcome them, as He overcame His! Why do I believe? because this is me, this is my experience, what I go through, and Christ went through the same and more having never committed wrong, God in the flesh suffering the onslaught of evil, overcoming the cross and death, establishing forever our relationship with God.

Isaiah 53 ►

1Who has believed what he has heard from us?
And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
2For he grew up before him like a young plant,
and like a root out of dry ground;
he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,
and no beauty that we should desire him.
3He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrowsc and acquainted withd grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
5But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed

ETA ( I feel that a song praising the Lord's love should follow, Isaiah) -

 

[Ellen Brown]

Living as Homo Sapiens is chaotic and terrifying, driving people to hysteria. Worse yet, Homo Sapiens love to hate others and killing each other is even better. Transitional Homo Sapiens about to step to the next level begin to realize that we are uncivilized and will wipe humanity out left to our own devices. I think that the Creator is driving the evolution into higher beings. Yes, rather than view ourselves too loftily, we are but a huge breeding population where he is building a civilized, gentle population that will live peacefully in his presence. In most ways the Bible, and other documents chronicle our path to that end. Too many stupidly think of the Bible as permission to abuse others and to put themselves over them.

Yes, time for a nap.

 

[Fool]

Honestly I can't think of a single thing.

Nobody knows who wrote it, with any degree of certainty. No names of the original authors, nobody knows who was on the Council of Trent , Council of Nicea Etc.

It's obviously been redacted , has incomplete information and has gaps in its narratives. Side-by-side variations are noted in each version of the Bible that exist today to substantiate that is indeed the case.

The Bible clearly is not a divinely inspired collection of books either , evidenced by Christianity's vast and varied amount of denominations and sects, who, to this day remain visibly at odds with ongoing issues over interpretation and meaning, making it clear there's no evidence of any type of guiding hand at play to indicate it now or was ever divinely inspired to begin with at its inception.

There's no real support or proofs to the notion of divine harmonization between one author with another throughout the Testaments over significant periods of time to substantiate any type of harmony exists because each subsequent book could be "harmonized" with each proceeding book by simply reading what each proceeding book said and conveniently changing the subsequent book to "fit" each narrative to uphold the claim that the subsequent authors did not know what the preceding authors wrote making such alleged harmony between books a divine proof a Biblical accuracy and credibility.

Oral tradition is actually worthless. If it wasn't, it could have been used and demonstrated today as a living testament of reliability and accuracy but it isn't for a reason. Obvious reasons.

Hence the requirement for writing something down , and we've seen how effective that can be.


Why would anybody be willing to think the Bible is for one reason or another a proper foundation to base an entire religion on and in cases, people's own lives to point of believability that it would trump logic and science?

attis from the phrygia


And this same (one) is styled also by104 the Phrygians "unfruitful." For he is unfruitful when he is carnal, and causes the desire of the flesh. This, he says, is what is spoken: "Every tree not producing good fruit, is cut down and cast into the fire."105 For these fruits, he says, are only rational living men, who enter in through the third gate. They say, forsooth, "Ye devour the dead, and make the living; (but) if ye eat the living, what will ye do? "They assert, however, that the living "are rational faculties and minds, and men-pearls of that unportrayable one cast before the creature below."106 This, he says, is what (Jesus) asserts: "Throw not that which is holy unto the dogs, nor pearls unto the swine."107 Now they allege that the work of swine and dogs is the intercourse of the woman with a man. And the Phrygians, he says, call this very one "goat-herd" (Aipolis), not because, he says, he is accustomed to feed the goats female and male, as the natural (men) use the name, but because, he says, he is "Aipolis"-that is, always ranging over,-who both revolves and carries around the entire cosmical system by his revolutionary motion. For the word "Polein" signifies to turn and change things; whence, he says, they all call the twos centre of the heaven poles (Poloi). And the poet says:-

• 
  "What sea-born sinless sage comes hither,
  

Undying Egyptian Proteus?

 

[PureX]

Human beings survive and thrive by understanding the mechanics of their environment, so that they can anticipate and manipulate it to their own advantage. Our species' survival asset is cognitive knowledge.

So we become very vulnerable, and fearful, when we're confronted by the unknown, and even more-so by the unknowable. And as a result, many of us will choose to alleviate this fear by presuming unto ourselves knowledge that we do not actually possess. We presume unto ourselves a false knowledge of "the gods", and how they control the otherwise uncontrollable aspects of ourselves and our environment. And in so doing we can then pretend that we have gained influence over these gods and how they effect the world we live in and the people we live among. Thus, we can pretend that we have gained some control over the otherwise unknown and unknowable.

Pretending that "God wrote the Bible" provides those who do so with the delusion that they essentially know (or can ascertain) the how and why of everything that happens in their lives, and that they, thus, can have some control over it. All they have to do is look it up in God's 'how-to' book. And this delusion provides them not just with the comfort of pretending that they can have all the answers, but it also provides them with an ultimate "authority" through which they can stand in judgment over everything and everyone they encounter. So that not only does the 'inerrant Bible theory' relieve people of their most fundamental and existential fears, it boosts their egos tremendously as it positions them above nearly everything and everyone else in their lives.

And let's face it, that's one powerful psychological cocktail!

 

[74x12]

The Bible clearly is not a divinely inspired collection of books either , evidenced by Christianity's vast and varied amount of denominations and sects, who, to this day remain visibly at odds with ongoing issues over interpretation and meaning, making it clear there's no evidence of any type of guiding hand at play to indicate it now or was ever divinely inspired to begin with at its inception.

Confusion is not from God. There are so many varied opinions because people are people whether they call themselves Christian or not. Furthermore satan is real and makes sure people believe many false things.

The demon that causes division is said to be one of the most powerful demons and important ones in satan's kingdom.

 

[Nakosis]

Honestly I can't think of a single thing.

Nobody knows who wrote it, with any degree of certainty. No names of the original authors, nobody knows who was on the Council of Trent , Council of Nicea Etc.

It's obviously been redacted , has incomplete information and has gaps in its narratives. Side-by-side variations are noted in each version of the Bible that exist today to substantiate that is indeed the case.

The Bible clearly is not a divinely inspired collection of books either , evidenced by Christianity's vast and varied amount of denominations and sects, who, to this day remain visibly at odds with ongoing issues over interpretation and meaning, making it clear there's no evidence of any type of guiding hand at play to indicate it now or was ever divinely inspired to begin with at its inception.

There's no real support or proofs to the notion of divine harmonization between one author with another throughout the Testaments over significant periods of time to substantiate any type of harmony exists because each subsequent book could be "harmonized" with each proceeding book by simply reading what each proceeding book said and conveniently changing the subsequent book to "fit" each narrative to uphold the claim that the subsequent authors did not know what the preceding authors wrote making such alleged harmony between books a divine proof a Biblical accuracy and credibility.

Oral tradition is actually worthless. If it wasn't, it could have been used and demonstrated today as a living testament of reliability and accuracy but it isn't for a reason. Obvious reasons.

Hence the requirement for writing something down , and we've seen how effective that can be.


Why would anybody be willing to think the Bible is for one reason or another a proper foundation to base an entire religion on and in cases, people's own lives to point of believability that it would trump logic and science?

I read once that the Christian mass or worship was designed to subconsciously program people into belief. The rituals, recitals, hymns, even the hardwood pews designed to consciously flee the scene and leave your subconscious open to programming.

 

[Jollybear]

Oh my goodness, he hath blasphemed the holy book!

Lord have mercy on his soul.

 

[Ellen Brown]

I read once that the Christian mass or worship was designed to subconsciously program people into belief. The rituals, recitals, hymns, even the hardwood pews designed to consciously flee the scene and leave your subconscious open to programming.

Don't you know that we are subjected to programming everyday at almost every level?

 

[Kenny]

Honestly I can't think of a single thing.

I eliminated your personal views just because they are your "personal" viewpoints... but "why do people believe"?

Different people for different reasons but ultimately, people cement their belief by their ensuing relationship, the practical manifestation of that relationship and their deeper study.

 

[whirlingmerc]

Honestly I can't think of a single thing.

Nobody knows who wrote it, with any degree of certainty. No names of the original authors, nobody knows who was on the Council of Trent , Council of Nicea Etc.

It's obviously been redacted , has incomplete information and has gaps in its narratives. Side-by-side variations are noted in each version of the Bible that exist today to substantiate that is indeed the case.

The Bible clearly is not a divinely inspired collection of books either , evidenced by Christianity's vast and varied amount of denominations and sects, who, to this day remain visibly at odds with ongoing issues over interpretation and meaning, making it clear there's no evidence of any type of guiding hand at play to indicate it now or was ever divinely inspired to begin with at its inception.

There's no real support or proofs to the notion of divine harmonization between one author with another throughout the Testaments over significant periods of time to substantiate any type of harmony exists because each subsequent book could be "harmonized" with each proceeding book by simply reading what each proceeding book said and conveniently changing the subsequent book to "fit" each narrative to uphold the claim that the subsequent authors did not know what the preceding authors wrote making such alleged harmony between books a divine proof a Biblical accuracy and credibility.

Oral tradition is actually worthless. If it wasn't, it could have been used and demonstrated today as a living testament of reliability and accuracy but it isn't for a reason. Obvious reasons.

Hence the requirement for writing something down , and we've seen how effective that can be.


Why would anybody be willing to think the Bible is for one reason or another a proper foundation to base an entire religion on and in cases, people's own lives to point of believability that it would trump logic and science?

I can think of lots of things.

Taste and see that the Lord is good!!! Psalms 34. It tastes right and has a ring of truth

Archeology is in its favor

Nothing is impossible with God

Eyewitness testimony to the resurrection

Those would be a few of the reasons

A Posited Debate - The Book of Daniel

 

[Misunderstood]

Living as Homo Sapiens is chaotic and terrifying, driving people to hysteria. Worse yet, Homo Sapiens love to hate others and killing each other is even better. Transitional Homo Sapiens about to step to the next level begin to realize that we are uncivilized and will wipe humanity out left to our own devices. I think that the Creator is driving the evolution into higher beings. Yes, rather than view ourselves too loftily, we are but a huge breeding population where he is building a civilized, gentle population that will live peacefully in his presence. In most ways the Bible, and other documents chronicle our path to that end. Too many stupidly think of the Bible as permission to abuse others and to put themselves over them.

Yes, time for a nap.

Thank you, Ellen, I Liked this post a lot.

 

[Ellen Brown]

Thank you, Ellen, I Liked this post a lot.

Mashallah. Arabic word which means "All good comes from God".

 

[Skwim]

Science is in constant change. It would not be wise to base world view on it, when after couple of years it may again claim something else than today.

Bible doesn’t really change, so it is better foundation.

Mathematics texts don't really change either. Thing is, although the inability to deal with change can be laid to rest by faith in the unchanging it comes at the cost of self respect. Assuming, that is, that one values reason as a better assessment of truth than psychological need.

And that atheists can’t show even one mistake or error in the Bible, I think it is really good.

Another one of those pulpit messages used to assuage the flock and keep its heads nodding "amens." That the Bible is free of error isn't at all true; not by a long shot, but if believing it helps you get keep your Bible intact, so be it.
However, as a small challenge, consider that 1≠ 2, and to say it does would be a mistake, and to say that 8 = 18 would also be a mistake. Yet the Bible presents just such a mistake.

2 Chronicles 36:9 (KJV)
9 Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem: and he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord.

2 Kings 24:8 (KJV)
8 Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. And his mother's name was Nehushta, the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem.​

.

 

[lukethethird]

Honestly I can't think of a single thing.

Nobody knows who wrote it, with any degree of certainty. No names of the original authors, nobody knows who was on the Council of Trent , Council of Nicea Etc.

It's obviously been redacted , has incomplete information and has gaps in its narratives. Side-by-side variations are noted in each version of the Bible that exist today to substantiate that is indeed the case.

The Bible clearly is not a divinely inspired collection of books either , evidenced by Christianity's vast and varied amount of denominations and sects, who, to this day remain visibly at odds with ongoing issues over interpretation and meaning, making it clear there's no evidence of any type of guiding hand at play to indicate it now or was ever divinely inspired to begin with at its inception.

There's no real support or proofs to the notion of divine harmonization between one author with another throughout the Testaments over significant periods of time to substantiate any type of harmony exists because each subsequent book could be "harmonized" with each proceeding book by simply reading what each proceeding book said and conveniently changing the subsequent book to "fit" each narrative to uphold the claim that the subsequent authors did not know what the preceding authors wrote making such alleged harmony between books a divine proof a Biblical accuracy and credibility.

Oral tradition is actually worthless. If it wasn't, it could have been used and demonstrated today as a living testament of reliability and accuracy but it isn't for a reason. Obvious reasons.

Hence the requirement for writing something down , and we've seen how effective that can be.


Why would anybody be willing to think the Bible is for one reason or another a proper foundation to base an entire religion on and in cases, people's own lives to point of believability that it would trump logic and science?

The story resonates with religious believers, that I can understand to a point, but what's puzzling for me is why people read the story literally and make historical claims about Jesus.

 

[Jim]

Honestly I can't think of a single thing.

I don’t think anyone really believes everything in the Bible that they say they do. I think they just tell themselves that they believe it. In fact that’s what “believe” has come to mean in popular thinking, in actual practice: telling yourself you believe something even if it has no consequence whatsoever on what you do, and even if you don’t have any idea of what it means.

ETA: That isn’t just about people believing the Bible. I see the same thing in all the factions.

 

[Misunderstood]

Mathematics texts don't really change either. Thing is, although the inability to deal with change can be laid to rest by faith in the unchanging it comes at the cost self respect. Assuming, that is, that one values reason as a better assessment of truth than psychological need.



Another one of those pulpit messages used to assuage the flock and keep its heads nodding "amens." That the Bible is free of error isn't at all true; not by a long shot, but if believing it helps you get keep your Bible intact, so be it.
However, as a small challenge, consider that 1≠ 2, and to say it does would be a mistake, and to say that 8 = 18 would also be a mistake. Yet the Bible presents just such a mistake.

2 Chronicles 36:9 (KJV)
9 Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem: and he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord.

2 Kings 24:8 (KJV)
8 Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. And his mother's name was Nehushta, the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem.​

.

I guess your not familiar with Common Core. It has changed math concepts a fair amount. So 8 can equal 18.

 

[Ellen Brown]

The story resonates with religious believers, that I can understand to a point, but what's puzzling for me is why people read the story literally and make historical claims about Jesus.

Please have the decency to allow others the same freedom to practice their beliefs that you expect. I am rather much of a Biblical Literalist, and find the explaining away of key elements of Christianity to be insulting.