Are you SEEKING the TRUTH of the bible unaided? (page 3)

garyneal

EOM

I've been doing the same thing since last summer when I was trying to find the truth for myself. I feel like I am trying to be on the side of truth but I find myself not really knowing what the truth really is.

One thing I am finding out, though, is that the scriptures can be interpreted to say just about anything anyone wants them to say. That is uncomfortably true and is showing me that a part of me was just happier back when I was living in blissful ignorance going tra la la over my Christian beliefs like so many Christians do today. All the while never really reading or studying the Bible outside of church.

Now that I am studying, reading, and thinking (really thinking) over it all, I find my faith is sometimes being taken to dark corners where it is tested in ways that I never thought was possible before.

PSacramento

Garyneal,

The thing about scripotures is that, in isolation, they can be taken to mean almost anything and interpreted that way.

We see this very evidently in the JW.

The thing is, we must strive to read and understand the WHOLE and not the parts.

Take Paul, in isolation some verse make the man to be a homophobic misogynist and yet, this is the man that advocated salavation via faith, love above all and equality for all.

AN example, JW's say that a womn must cover her head in prayer and cite Paul's 1Corinthians 11:5

But what does ALL of Chapter 11 say?

Propriety in Worship

Head Coverings

2 Now I commend you a because you remember me in everything and b maintain the traditions c even as I delivered them to you. 3 But I want you to understand that d the head of every man is Christ, e the head of a wife 1 is her husband, and f the head of Christ is God. 4 Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head, 5 but every wife 2 who prays or g prophesies h with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since it is the same i as if her head were shaven. 6 For if a wife will not cover her head, then she should cut her hair short. But since it is disgraceful for a wife to cut off her hair or shave her head, let her cover her head. 7 For a man ought not to cover his head, since j he is the image and glory of God, but k woman is the glory of man. 8 For l man was not made from woman, but woman from man. 9 Neither was man created for woman, but m woman for man. 10 That is why a wife ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. 3 11 Nevertheless, n in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman; 12 for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And o all things are from God. 13 Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a wife to pray to God with her head uncovered? 14 Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears long hair it is a disgrace for him, 15 but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering. 16 p If anyone is inclined to be contentious, we have no such practice, nor do q the churches of God.

Notice the end: Paul makes it clear that, if anyone wants to be contencious of this ( and the other things he sated) that "WE" ( Christians) have No such practice (custom).

not a captive

I had a revelation some years ago that I didn't understand fully.

Any truth that is not accessable to a poverty-stricken, illiterate woman with too many children to care for is no truth worth the knowing. If she has to rely on someone with the mind and resources to know better than she does and tell her so , then it is not the truth.

wobble

Good point P Sac. I have long contended that this passage is talking against the use of a head covering.

As you rightly say, approaching scripture the right way, and reading all of it, not pulling out odd phrases and verses, it is possible to read the bible unaided and come to a logical conclusion as to its meaning and message.

not a captive

Thanks PSac--That make so much more sense--about the head covering.

Paul isn't as dogmatic as some think. In 1 Cor. 7 he speaks extensively about matters to do with singleness and marriage. He frequently makes distinctions between his personal opinions and thoughts that he thinks are rendered through him by God's spirit. Interesting that he doesn't think that every word he says is "gospel truth".

Terry

Here is the dog chasing its own tail.

Is something true because it makes sense to us? Or, does it makes sense to us because it is true?

If we approach knowledge by using our emotions as a truth-detector all we are ever going to find are the echoes of our embedded values.

We have been passively indoctrinated all our lives in a certain direction.

When we confront something that echoes those indoctrinations we cry, Eureka.

PSacramento

Hardly Terry,

But many do this, thatis true.

I for one, since I do NOT view scripture as "the rod of God" and "infalliable", try my best tounderstand whatis written based on the sum of the parts and not the parts themselves.

I may be right, or I may be wrong, I leave room for BOTH options.

Terry

I for one, since I do NOT view scripture as "the rod of God" and "infalliable", try my best tounderstand whatis written based on the sum of the parts and not the parts themselves.

I may be right, or I may be wrong, I leave room for BOTH options.

Would you view a Doctor's prescription that way?

Or, would you take that approach to filling out your income tax?

Just wondering....

I have asked many times for people who are really religious to come up with ANYTHING from the scriptures which would be an obvious FACT or kernal of WISDOM that would not otherwise be available to people at the time of writing.

Wouldn't this be a clue how advanced the bible writers were due to God's "hand" in the writing?

But, no---there seems to be nothing at all other than metaphors and strong emphasis on threats and promises and flowery language.

I've wasted a great deal of my life on poetry from stone age craftsmen!

PSacramento

Terry,

I understand and feel your frustration ( I am not being condesending).

Don't take this the wrong way and no offense is meant, but ut seems that the JW's did quite a job on you.

May I ask, what king of JW were you?

Terry

I understand and feel your frustration ( I am not being condesending).

Don't take this the wrong way and no offense is meant, but ut seems that the JW's did quite a job on you.

May I ask, what king of JW were you?

I assume you mean "what kind.." and not "what King"

I was a Regular Pioneer, music servant, books study conductor and gave hour talks before the Watchtower Study. In other words, I was a true believer. I went to prison from 1967 to 1969 because of the neutrality issue. I was a virgin when I married.

What else do you need?

Are you SEEKING the TRUTH of the bible unaided?

Share this