Why are people so afraid to question the authenticity of the Bible... (page 6)

slimboyfat

I don't think the fact that Voltaire was a freemason proves he believed in God. When his statements rely on a belief on God, it is often clear he is being ironic. We have to remember that expressing total disbelief in God was socially unacceptable at the time.

Your example shows this most clearly:

"God is always on the side of the big battalions."

It may be problematic to attempt to reconstruct a dead man's belief system, but those are not the words of someone who believes in any sort of deity imho.

Slim

zagor

I don't think the fact that Voltaire was a freemason proves he believed in God.

Only if he lied when giving an oath. Because the first question asked was if he believed in a supreme being. It stems from an old belief that if you don't believe in god an oath means nothing to you. At least that is how they see it. But to understand his philosophy you have to understand masonic worldview. Their belief in god is very much different to what most people associate with belief. They believe in a rational god, a god who revealed himself though his works of creation not as many fundamental or otherwise Christians believe with unquestionable acceptance in a god that cannot not be comprehended by us mortals.

Unlike some here I tend to think masonic view is very appealing. Almost wish I came across them before becoming a dub. After all who wouldn't want to be in company of free thinking people such as Voltaire, Benjamin Franklin, Tolstoy, or Mozart?!?

Terry

I wrote:
If the Bible has a Supreme Being as its source it should de facto contain information which could not possibly be available to ordinary writers.
What information (not assertions) does the Bible contain which clearly demonstrates knowledge of facts only a Supreme Mind could originate?
That should prove the matter wouldn't you say?
Huge assertions require huge proof.
Supreme assertions require supreme demonstrations of fact.

That was, uh hem, a CHALLENGE.

Did I say it too quietly?

LittleToe

Terry:

If the Bible has a Supreme Being as its source it should de facto contain information which could not possibly be available to ordinary writers.

Sorry pal, it fails at the first assertion. If I were omnipotent and writing for mere mortals I doubt I would muddy the waters with deep explanations of quantum mechanics. Jesus parables were difficult enough for folks to understand, and still are.

kid-A

"Whether or not the Bible is God's word, the fact of
the matter is that it still carries practical guidance
on everyday living."

> Moot point. As others have pointed out, I would challenge you to provide a single example of some edict, advice or suggestion contained exclusively within the bible, that you could not just as easily find browsing through the self-help section at Barnes & Noble, or even within the pages of the great authors such as Dickens, Tolstoy or Dostoevsky.

"The book of proverbs for instance carries sound advice
and guidance if an individual is willing to apply it
in their lives."

> For example? I doubt there contains any advice within "Proverbs" that any normal individual raised within a civilised culture would not simply pick up with life experience. And moreover, should we follow the other examples of barbarism in the old testament, such as "stoning" disobedient children?

"In addition, governments such as the United States and
Great Britian have inpart used the Bible as a foundation
or cornerstone for making laws."

> Most civilized countries have abandoned capital punishment, which is really the most obvious "biblically" derived "law of the state".....Pretty much everything else, such as the legal ban on abortion, treating women like second class citizens (which is most certainly a common theme in the old testament), etc etc have been abandoned by most industrialized, modern nations.

Even more remarkably, most civilized countries have modified or adopted "Charters of Rights and Freedoms" that explicitely CONTRADICT the ancient laws and moral codes promoted by this ancient book. Many countries now have legalized marriage and/or civil rights for gay people, protection of minorities, laws regarding gender equality, choice for safe, legal abortions, etc etc.

In summary, if you really want to view what a society following ancient morality written thousands of years ago would look like, take a trip to Afghanistan and spend a few weeks in a "Taliban" controlled village for a real taste of that "old time religion"......

144001

I'm always astounded at the willingness of the masses to accept the bible as being the "word of god," despite its human authors and the absolute lack of any empirical evidence that "god," as man or the bible have defined such word, exists.

I was born and raised a JW; in my early teens I questioned the authenticity of the bible, and having concluded that it lacked any merit whatsoever as an explanation of human origin, I rejected the JW faith as well as all of man's other religions. I am content to deal with my life as I experience it, and I have no need to speculate as to what, if anything, happens after death. Escaping the mental bondage imposed by man's religions (e.g., threats of hell, or in the case of the JWs, permanent nonexistence) is quite liberating and I credit such escape with allowing me to live a very happy life.

Why are people so afraid to question the authenticity of the Bible...