Why should I believe the Bible?

by wobble 49 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Heaven

  I'm not sure you should, at least, not 100%. See the September 8, 1957 Awake! Magazine article entitled 50,000 Errors In The Bible? at:

  1st page: http://www.jamaat.net/bible/AwakeArticle(1957).html

  2nd page: http://www.jamaat.net/bible/AwakeArticle(1957)b.html

  Can anyone verify that this is an authentic article? If so, it is quite damaging and could be very helpful when discussing any topic with a JW since they assume the Bible is not in error.

  This article evokes questions in me such as:

  Can the WTS produce the entire list of errors and if so, can I get a copy? If not, why not? They are claiming errors have been resolved by modern scholars so they must know what errors were fixed in order to be able to make this claim in the first place.

  Can they produce the list of resolved errors and if so, can I get a copy of this one as well? If not, why not?

  My expectation is that no JW has ever seen this article. And... I expect, they would NOT be able to produce the lists.

  Heaven
• 

  Narkissos

  Heaven:

  Interesting article.

  But the point is about NT textual criticism, and implies that the errors of old versions like the KJV have been corrected in "modern" Bibles including the NWT.

  A more problematic issue for the NWT is that the conclusion of the article (only "negligible" errors remain once the earliest and best mss are taken into account) leaves little room for the insertion of "Jehovah" into the NT without any support from the earliest and best NT mss...
• 

  mkr32208

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtXi7w6_ScM
• 

  villabolo

  What it boils down to is this. Some people see the Bible as a message from a superior, controlling and judgmental being. Others see it as a product of the human imagination.
• 

  Chalam

  does the Bible (let's say by the Protestant canon) define itself as "the Word of God"? -- If it did, it would be a circular argument, but that's not my point. My question is, does it?

  We are getting into "labels". If you want one for Jesus, He is the Logos (Word) as John says.

  However, most believers would say the bible is God's written word. I do not have a problem with that. However, God speaks thought His Spirit too, the Spirit of Jesus who lives in the heart of the believer.

  So are you born again? Only the man with the Spirit can understand it. First and foremost it is a spiritual book. Also, it has history, science, politics etc within it but that is not its primary purpose. if you want to be forever learning but never finding the truth then read is non-spiritually. However, I believe Jesus.

  John 6:63 (New International Version)

  63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.

  All the best,

  Stephen
• 

  Narkissos

  most believers would say the bible is God's written word.

  That doesn't make it "scriptural".

  So are you born again?

  I was tempted to answer "yes, a few times" but to be honest with you it depends what you mean by this question. "Are you born again?" is to many English-speaking Evangelicals what "Are you a JW?" is to JWs. You even have "how long have you been born again?" which easily translates into "how long have you been in the truth?" in JW speech. So if you are asking for a group password my answer is no. I did identify with the "born again / from above" Johannine metaphor at some stage in my life and in a completely different context though. I might still use it, as I like it, but definitely not with self-proclaimed "born again" Christians.

  Only the man with the Spirit can understand it.

  As evidenced by the spontaneous and universal agreement of all those who claim to be "born again" in scriptural interpretation (n.b. that was ironical).

  I did my best to answer your personal questions. You consistently avoided my specific (and non-personal) questions about the meaning of the texts you quoted. Maybe you'll think it over though. Even if they come from an "outsider" there may be something to them.
• 

  Chalam

  Hi,

  I think the vast majority of JWs saw they are not born again, their doctrine is that the born again are "anointed".

  On the subject of being born again I think you should be in no doubt. The bible says those who are receive a guarantee.

  2 Corinthians 5:5

  So I guess you want to see the Kingdom of God? I'd go for it, much better than the kingdom of darkness.

  John 3:3

  I think I have answered the questions about the texts. I have been specific about the Hebrews one. However, my position is that spiritual things are spiritually discerned and until you have the Holy Spirit you will be untimately clutching at straws.

  Anyhow, let's agree to disagree.

  All the best,

  Stephen
• 

  quietlyleaving

  I think its possible to have multiple born again experiences - it happens all the time in nature - why not in humans? chalam I would have thought that "holy spirit" is everywhere evident in nature busy with born again happenings.
• 

  AK - Jeff

  Why should I believe the Bible?

  Believe it to be what?

  The OT premise is this:

  One man - then he loses a rib and it becomes One Woman. Here comes a snake, talking. The snake gives the rib-woman a bite of fruit. God is angry - kicks the new people out of his place - tells them they will die today for eating the apple offered by a talking snake to the rib-woman. They don't die today - but they die 900 years later. They make kids, who make kids, who all turn out bad except one 500 year old guy named Noah. In all his 500 years he only has three kids, and the kids have no kids yet. So they hear God tell them to build a box that will float while he drowns out all the other people that arose from the rib-woman and her man. They do - they live - all the others die.

  Later, one guy gets swallowed by a big fish, another is cured of leprosy by swimming in a holy river. Lots of good guys. Lots of bad guys. Moses is saved. God's people are saved because Moses was good. Lots of good guys. Lots of bad guys. Lots of time. Still suffering from the sin of the rib-woman.

  The NT premise is this:

  Jesus comes - dies on a tree for being a Jewish rebel against Rome. Decades after the fact, he is recreated into God, and his single death will eventually undo all that is wrong. All that is wrong has arisen because the rib-woman ate an apple 4000 years earlier. 2000 years after Jesus died - still we are paying for the rib-woman's eating of an apple handed her by a snake who talked.

  Well - might be worthy of a look. A good skeptical look I would think.

  Jeff
• 

  nicolaou

  I don't put faith in the Bible ... the Bible did not die for me. I put faith in Christ, of whom I was taught by my parents, Dominican Sisters, and the Catholic Church. The Bible is inspired and inspiring, but it is only a book. The Bible was not compiled until 400 years after Christ, and was not declared inspired until the 8th century by the Catholic Church. It is a relationship with God and Christ that counts ... not a book.

  Jim, how would you know that Christ died for you if not for the Bible? In fact, how would you know of Christ at all - let alone be able to claim a relationship with him - if you did not put faith in the Bible, that what it tells you about this man from two thousand years ago is true?

  Sorry Jim, you clearly do put a measure of faith in the Bible, even if it is through the proxy of your parents or religious mentors.