The Bible, Why not Reliable? (page 9)

PrimateDave

littlebird, upon what facts do you base your belief?

Who Wrote the Bible?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suseKsLEWKo

Leolaia

Thank you, Leolaia, forgive me if I missed something in your previous post regarding Tyre, but I thought I read somewhere that there were two Tyres, one that Nebecanezzer dealt with and the next was the community rebuilt but down the road. I vaguely remember reading this somewhere and need to research it.

There was no "down the road"; Tyre was an island city in the midst of the sea. There were dependents on the Lebanon coast that supported the city; these are the "daughters" referred to in 26:6, 8. First Nebuchadnezzar is described as destroying the mainland settlements (v. 8a), then he builds a ramp (presumably out of the rubble of the dependents) to the city walls of Tyre (v. 8b), then he breaks through the walls and towers with his battering rams (v. 9). The oracle claims that Nebuchadnezzar would destroy both the mainland settlements (which were not called "Tyre" without qualification) and the island city. That Ezekiel had the island city in mind is clear from v. 5 ("out in the sea she will become a place to spread fishnets"), v. 14 ("I will make you a bare rock"), v. 15 ("will not the coastlands tremble at the sound of your fall"), v. 17 ("You were a power on the seas"), v. 19 ("I bring the ocean depths over you and its vast waters cover you"), and in the extended metaphor in ch. 27 likening the city to a ship in the midst of the sea that sinks.

PSacramento

PSacramento, we're clever here, we see through lies, don't try it.

I am hoping that you posted this in jest with humour.

PSacramento

*still wondering how Alexander wrote an AUTO (self) biography long after his death*

Oh, god, the idiots have truly taken over the world, haven't they? I am so ashamed of our educational system if this is what we're getting out of it. *sigh*

:)

Here are the big three:

The Campaigns of Alexander
by Flavius Arrianus (Arrian)
Written about 150 A.D. Arrian used the writings of Ptolemy I -- Alexander's general who later founded the famous dynasty of the Ptolemies in Egypt -- which makes Arrian's history one of the most reliable.
The Age of Alexander: Nine Greek Lives
by Plutarchus (Plutarch) Written around 100 A.D. Plutarch liberally mixes legend with fact. That makes it fun to read.
The History of Alexander
by Quintus Curtius Rufus
Written around 50 A.D., but with even more legend, they say.

littlebird

Thank you dave & leolaia for your responses.

No, I admit, I don't have facts, only speculations & theories. I don't know how anyone can really have too many facts in either direction, none of us were there. And as your video pointed out, archeology can swing either way, too.

At this point in my journey, I believe the bible to be as reliable as the imperfect people who wrote it. I focus more on the New Testament and my belief in Jesus. I believe that those writers made a real effort to write down their experiences with Jesus and I believe them. As far, as them being secretaries for God, as described by the watchtower and by many in Christianity today, I don't believe that. I think there is enough information in the new testament to know what those people believed about Jesus and how the early church was formed for a person to make their own decision.

Since Jesus and his disciples quoted from the old testament, they must have found it to be reliable. Since Jesus lineage is found clear back to Adam, there must be some reliability to it.

I could be wrong, but , I'm ok with that.

Terry

How many hands have handled the meal before you get a taste?

The Jesus stories were verbal descriptions and oral renditions. The memory and inclination of each listener allowed the kernal of fact to live or die by inches.

With that firmly in mind consider this one fact which is an insurmountable hurdle.

Writers who wanted to connect Jesus with ancient prophecy could make that happen fairly easily by creating contexts and quotes.

Examples of this abound. A sudden authorial ghostly voice will tell us (Jesus told them these things because.....)

This happens when honest people are motivated to tell a story to convince.

The writer knows how much more convincing it is when they "help". Secondly, convincing you to believe in Jesus is for your own good, you see?

Mommies tell stories to their kids which contain allegorical "truths" all the time. It is for their own good.

If you had been born a Chinese child you would not be so eager to go-with-the-flow of Bible believability. You would have a natural skepticism. (Like you have when a Mormon starts talking about those golden plates Joseph Smith translated from the angel Moroni.)

In those quiet moments of solitude as the day nears its end and the sound of the lark gently fades into reflective stillness......think about that.

Won't you?

Aussie Oz

Until a few months ago, i was like you sayitisntso.

For me, my belief was simply knocked for a six when i realized that saying ''the earth is a circle hanging upon nothing'' DOES NOT necisarily mean what we think. A circle is not a sphere and hanging on nothing can impy that it was standing on a giant turtles back. for all we know that may have been the writer of that passages understanding.

I then investigated the size of earth compared to the rest of the KNOWN universe and the notion that the universal sovereinty is to be decided on our pathetic little planet is absurd.

further, the notion of armageddon is a stomach churning evil idea and i do not wish to have ANYTHING to do with 'god' or his so called word if thats the master plan.

As for a positive constant theme, i see none. the only constant theme i see is murder and genocide. Other than that people make that book say what they want. For an example of how easy that is to do, go google the 'witchtower magazine' a satirical magazine and you will see.

perhaps this doesn't answer much to you.... BUT even if it is 100% the infallible word of god, given what it tells about 'god', his personality and plans, i want nothing to do with him.

Maybe i am ignorant, i dont know.

oz

leavingwt

I then investigated the size of earth compared to the rest of the KNOWN universe and the notion that the universal sovereinty is to be decided on our pathetic little planet is absurd.

Universal sovereignty aside, it's absurd to think that God would be concerned about what you and another consenting adult are doing with your genitals.

not a captive

The Blind men and the Elephant

Some blind men have the opportunity to examine a large beast called an elephant.

Touching the elephant's side the first says " It is like a wall" and he laughs.

Touching its tail the second one says "O, no, but it is like a rope" and he laughs.

Touching it leg the third says" It is a tree!" Every one of them is laughing and laughing.

Finally the last one grabs its trunk . "But no, it is a great big snake" He is laughing so hard his jaws hurt.

But he stops when he feels a moist puff of air into his face.He is aware quite suddenly that he doesn't know what is so funny.

So he asks the others:"Why do we laugh at this creature?" So now they laughed at him!

"Of course we should laugh--Because obviously there is no creature here at all."

The last man says in surprise, "How can that be? Haven't we each touched a part of him"

"Foolish one, of course there is nothing here! Such a creature with such various parts cannot possibly exist."

But the fourth man persists " But we are blind and cannot see it altogether!"

"Precisely so." The others answer.

So the three walked away laughing at the one blind man who was so foolish as to think an elephant might actually exist.

PSacramento

That is a very cool parable not a captive, where did you get it from?

The Bible, Why not Reliable?

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