Neanderthals and the Bible?

by uncle_onion 52 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  uncle_onion

  "I do not believe, however, that God tryed to explain it to us in inspired scriptures. I think the early writings were man's attempts to explain it to themselves. "

  So are the scriptures inspired or not?

  UO
• 

  jelly

  Larc, that is your opinion and your opinion is as valid as mine. I think sometimes my point gets convoluted because my writing style tends to wander. What I am really saying is that the genesis account can’t be used to prove the creator a liar any more than the parable of the rich man and Lazarus.

  I accept people not agreeing with the bible because of numerous reasons what I have trouble with is people not accepting the bible because they only know the fundamentalist view of genesis.
  Jelly
• 

  JanH

  I accept people not agreeing with the bible because of numerous reasons what I have trouble with is people not accepting the bible because they only know the fundamentalist view of genesis.

  
  The problem with this is that before science came up with facts that demonstrated that the origin of the universe, the earth and life were not anywhere close to how Genesis explained it, Christians almost universally accepted that the text described the events that had taken place. True, they often extended the creation week to millenia (but none to billions of years!), but religious people nevertheless accepted that Moses (or whoever wrote it) revealed supernatural knowledge. They believed that there once were literal people named Adam and Eve, for example, that were literally the first human beings. Now we know that even the term "first human beings" is pretty meaningless.

  Now, there simply is no reason to believe that there is any supernatural source behind the Genesis text, or any other parts of the Bible for that matter.

  Holding on to this belief seems then to be a question of sacred nostalgism, nothing else.

  - Jan
• 

  larc

  Uncle_Onion,

  Is the Bible inspired? Certainly not all of it. Parts of it might be, and some parts are inspiring.

  Jelly,

  No, the Genesis account does not make God a liar. If you reread my previous post, you will see that I contend that he never caused it to be written in the first place. So if he is not the author, he can't be accused of being a liar.

  Jan H,

  Your analysis of "speaking in tongues" and the subject of creation are "spot on" as the UK people say, or "right on" as us US types say.
• 

  uncle_onion

  larc

  So how would you answer the question that ALL scripture is inspired of God for beneficial......

  UO
• 

  larc

  uncle_onion,

  1. How is the book of Joshua beneficial for teaching?

  2. How can the story of Noah and the Ark possibly be true?

  3. Why is it all right for Lot's daughters to get their father drunk and have sex with him with no retribution and their mother dies for looking back.

  4. Why is Jesus' lineage traced through Joseph, when Joseph wasn't his father?

  Why do you believe everything is inspired, just because it says so?
• 

  uncle_onion

  now you got me really confused. How can you put your trust in a book that you believe not to be inspired?

  How can you take ANYTHING in the Bible to mean what it says then?

  Was there a Christ?The Bible tells us that there was but how do we know that this bit was not "inspired" and just a story that sounded good?

  I am not taking the Mickey. These are real questions that I have been asking myself these last two weeks. My wife has became a born again christian and cant believe that I am even doubting that there is a God.She wants me to have Faith but I can not unless I see some real prove. I have been decieved for 27 years. It is not going to happen again!

  UO
• 

  JanH

  UO,
  

  So how would you answer the question that ALL scripture is inspired of God for beneficial......

  
  Actually, the Bible does not say that. Look it up. The text says that "all scripture THAT IS inspired is beneficial..." It does not say anything about which, if any, texts are inspired.

  It is, however, very likely that it refers to most books in what we call the Old Testament, give or take a few books.

  - Jan
• 

  ZazuWitts

  Alert this is Larc posting under Zazzu's name. I ran out of posts.

  Uncle Onion,

  I believe that the words of Paul in First Corinthians the Thirteenth Chapter where Paul tells us what love is, are inspired. I believe that Jesus's words about love, mercy, and forgiveness are inspired. I don't think the rest of it matters.
• 

  uncle_onion

  so what about the "prophecies" in the Bible etc, etc etc? Where do you define what is inspired and what is not?

  BTW the text says "all scripture is inspired".

  UO