Why do you believe The Bible is the literal "word of God?"

[science_is_my_god]

Hey, I destinclty remember Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble give each other a hug in a Flintstones episode!!! Does that count? They predated Christ by like 2,000 years.

 

[sojourner]

Hey, I destinclty remember Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble give each other a hug in a Flintstones episode!!! Does that count? They predated Christ by like 2,000 years.

But the narrative did not. The narrative is only about 40 years old.

 

[science_is_my_god]

Sheesh, I know. I was making a joke, but you have no sense of humor. Oh well, maybe I wont persue a carreer in stand up comedy.

 

[sojourner]

Sheesh, I know. I was making a joke, but you have no sense of humor. Oh well, maybe I wont persue a carreer in stand up comedy.

I imagine that the first stand-up comedy routine happened before the Flintstones, when some proto-hominid got up off all-fours for the first time and said, "Hey guys! Watch this!" And promptly fell over backwards into the pond.

 

[fantome profane]

You never answered the question, other than with a reference to the OT. Are there any other references to loving your neighbor in OLDER texts? It's a simple question actually and hopefully someone can provide an answer for us.

BTW, Buddha predated Christianity by better than 500 years. I have no idea if he has any existing works or not. As I read their philosophy, I find that I have a huge tilt towards his teachings. Go figure.

No, you indicted that it went back 2 millennia, I responded in saying that it went back further than that. You then asked me for texts to show that it went back earlier than that. And I answered that question. Your original question did not say “other than with a reference to the OT”. Leviticus 19:18 was an appropriate response to your request for a text that goes back earlier than 2 millennia that states “Love thy neighbour as thyself”. So don’t tell me I didn’t answer the question.

I also stated that I believed that it could be found in other traditions. Actually I included two links in support of that position but they seemed to have gotten screwed up somehow. But if you want direct textual evidence that the idea is found in places “other than the OT” that go back more than 2 millennia I will see what I can do.

In the meantime:

http://members.aol.com/porchfour/religion/golden.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethic_of_reciprocity

http://www.religioustolerance.org/reciproc.htm

You most likely have seen articles like these. If you want something more specific I will have to get back to you.

 

[ChristineES]

I assume that some of the Bible is symbolic since in the New Testament, Jesus (Y'shua) taught in parables. If Jesus taught in parables, wouldn't the prophets have written or spoke in parables as well?
The story of Washington as boy with the cherry tree wasn't a true story, but it doesn't mean that Washington wasn't an honest man.
The stories themselves have truths but are symbolic truths, not literal truths. They are told in symbolism because I don't think that we could even comprehend the literal truth in some cases. But that, too, is assumption.
If I knew all the answers, I would run for God (Klinger said that on an episode of MASH, it was such a good quote, I thought I would use it now)
TTFN-Tata for now!

 

[Perfect Circle]

Dear Obi-wan,

Being as how I am also a jedi master, I know where you're coming from here. I too was raised catholic only to question my faith around my adolescence. In fact, I went to mass every sunday along with sunday school, but on the weekdays I went to a baptist day care where I was taught a totally different doctrine of christianity. I think it was the contrast between these two forms of what amounted to the same religion that gave me a bitter taste of christianity as a whole. For several years I became an atheist, but came to the conclusion that there are just too many things that science and rationality can't account for. There simply has to be a deeper explanation as far as I'm concerned, but that's a differen't argument.

I understand that you believe the Judeo-Christian cannon to be totally false because it has some number of inconsistencies. To me, it follows that one should not take this book as a literal word of God simply because it has been tampered with by men throughout the centuries, but this does not dismiss it totally as an accurate historical text. In fact, as far as most of the books go, they are an incredible insight into the mind of the average palistinian of the age. Also, I believe you refer to these people as "primitive", which I (and most anthropologists) would take to be a fallacy. They were people, the same as you and I. The fact that they didn't drive around in a hummer and watch family guy has nothing to do with their intelligence. They had fears, hopes, ambitions, and feelings, just like anyone else in the world.

Now, I personally don't look to the bible as a guide through life. I, like many others, can find help with my problems through any other medium available to me. Including "Star Wars" if I so choose. But, if I've learned one thing through this short amount of life I've lived thus far, it's that nothing is for certain. You shouldn't look down on anyone that takes the bible as the literal word of god, or feel more enlightened than them, or anything of the sort. The day may come that someone approaches you with undeniable proof that every word in the bible is true, and that you were wrong the entire time. Who would be the enlightened on then?

May the force be with you...

 

[crystalonyx]

"The day may come that someone approaches you with undeniable proof that every word in the bible is true, and that you were wrong the entire time. "

Logically impossible.

 

[Dirty Penguin]

Actually, there are plenty of arguements historians make that claims that Jesus never really died at all, that the vinegar he was forced to drink was a form af anesthetic, and he was removed from the cross unconscious, not dead. That would be a good plan his followers could have done. Not only would that save his life, but also create the illusion of being "ressurected." And yes, the Bible is constantly narrative, the freaking disciples are the narrators!!! I have read both the new and old testaments several times. I used to be Catholic, but "god" blessed me with the logic to rule out his existence. Go ahead, quiz me on the "Word of God" if you want.

Yea.....You're going to get nowhere with this one.

I tried in a previous thread...

Yeshua was taken down and put into a private tomb, wrapped with Aloe (healing properties.....just as we use it today) and Myrrh (antiseptic).

Jewish custom does not permit women to prepare dead bodies of men, they may only prepare the women so there would be no reason for these women to come to the tomb to "annoint" him unless they were coming to nurse his wounds to health. According to the burial custom once the body is prepared it is placed in the tomb. The tomb is then sealed with a large stone and never opened unless other family members are to be placed therein. The dead body is left there for up to a year and then the bones are placed in a box (ossurary).

One of the stories says the lady was looking for Yeshua and asked, who she thought was a gardener at the time, where is he?, where has he been taken so that she make take him away. There would be no physical way for her to carry this dead body back to the tomb....and even if she had help...I'm quite sure they would have been discovered doing so......(just my opinion)

 

[Dirty Penguin]

At the end of the day, loving your neighbor is STILL the answer. Even after 2 millennia.

Can you define "Love".....? What sort of love am I'm supposed to show?

Is it love or toleration?

I have a few neighbors and I don't love any of them...NOT one bit....but I do tolerate their presence......

 

[Scuba Pete]

Can you define "Love".....? What sort of love am I'm supposed to show?

Is it love or toleration?

I have a few neighbors and I don't love any of them...NOT one bit....but I do tolerate their presence......

Do your best. Everyone loves in a unique way and that's the best part about it!

 

[Perfect Circle]

"The day may come that someone approaches you with undeniable proof that every word in the bible is true, and that you were wrong the entire time. "

Logically impossible.

How so? In my experience, anything is possible...

 

[fantome profane]

Can you define "Love".....? What sort of love am I'm supposed to show?

Is it love or toleration?

I have a few neighbors and I don't love any of them...NOT one bit....but I do tolerate their presence......

I would suggest that this kind of “love” is not so much an emotion that you feel as it is a decision you make.

 

[Perfect Circle]

I would suggest that this kind of “love” is not so much an emotion that you feel as it is a decision you make.

Agreed..

 

[Nessa Nenharma]

)(

As Dallas said, it is up to each person to decide whether you believe a certain story or book in the Bible is literal or a parable. All of the books of the bible were first written thousands of years ago. Some of the stories were started word of mouth (such as the creation story, Adam and Eve, the Flood, and so on). We don't really know anything about it for certain.

It is the message that is important.

But if you have ten people interpreting it ten different ways...who's interpretation is right? I mean at the end of the Bible << King James Version it says:

Revelations 22:19 "And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book."

So if that isn't the "literal" word of God, what makes it ok to pick and choose...??

 

[NIX]

Why do you believe The Bible is the literal "word of God?"

Well I DON'T. But I think people believe such, because it's what they're taught to believe.
Why else would they? I mean do people (with no religious formation) just wake up one day and say "gee, I think I'll read the whole bible",
then finish the book put it down and say... "Ahhhh, that was the literal word of God".

People are LED to believe such a thing. People just do not come up with ideas like this on their own.
They are pointed to passages and notions......

*Nixxie*

 

[ChristineES]

)(

But if you have ten people interpreting it ten different ways...who's interpretation is right? I mean at the end of the Bible << King James Version it says:

Revelations 22:19 "And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book."

So if that isn't the "literal" word of God, what makes it ok to pick and choose...??

I always read more than one translation, I go with the majority (but they usually all say the same thing in different ways. )
I am not choosing which is literal and which is not, it is more like saying "I don't know which is literal and which is not". I know nothing for certain.

And Revelations 22:19 appears to be only talking about the book of Revelation. Don't forget the Bible is not one book.