The Bible - god or manual?

jgnat

I am challenging my own perception of the Bible, from what I have comfortably held for many years. At work, I have learned the proper place for a manual - handy to refer to, but don't treat it as gospel. You Know those annoying colleagues at work, that pull out chapter and verse the minute things don't go their way. My dad taught me years ago to keep the intent foremost in mind (why in the heck did they have to write this down in the first place) and act according to that. It has made me a better supervisor, and kept me from being a royal pain. The only time I quote chapter and verse is when I meet a stubborn idiot that is keeping others from doing their job. Then I go looking for the chapter and verse that will move the idiot out of the way.

I realize that my attitude towards the Bible has shifted through the years towards treating it as a handy life manual. Keep the intent in mind, and nevermind chapter and verse. If I freak out about holidays and in the process injure my relationship with my parents and children, I am contrary to the intent of the bible writers.

I fear many fundamentalists are missing the magic, mystery, love, and beauty of the Christian life by treating the Bible as a god, to be fiercly fought over and defended to the death. Death of what? All normal relationships with people? I invite all opinions on this topic.

Edited by - jgnat on 8 August 2002 14:31:21

Crazy151drinker

I totally agree. To me its about the MESSAGE not the individual letters that make up that message.

Mulan

I agree with you. I have recently decided that the Bible is not what we always thought it was. And I also agree that far too many people worship it, and take it too literally.

If truly a prophetic book, it has all been fulfilled. (that is up for debate I'm sure) But, there are too many things, in there, done in God's name that are just WRONG, no matter how you explain it.

It may be a good book to live by (some of it), but I also believe there are other good books to live by, that are more up to date for our times.

Fredhall

Then I wonder how we should view the bible?

SixofNine

I agree with some of your premise. I think, in fact, that for most bible believers, the book is their defacto god. When you look at how little evidence (none) there is that the book is from a supernatural source, it is easy to notice that once more, the believer is hanging on to their personal doctrine by the thin but tenacious thread of faith.

I do however, think it is a bit odd for you to portray the bible as a suitable manual for anything, or to infer that it's intent towards humanity is honerable. It is, IMO, the biggest load of crap ever foisted upon mankind.

I challenge anyone to present any wisdom found in the bible that wasn't written elsewhere first. First, you'll have to sort thru alot of garbage to find the wisdom, and you won't find much of it when you do.

Mulan

Good point, Six. I usually say that about it, because my husband gets a little uneasy if I suggest it isn't what he thinks it is. Although he is beginning to come around, much to his dismay. He hates seeing what he is seeing now. Almost the same as learning the truth about "the truth".

jgnat

I am glad I asked this question. I found out I still like the bible a lot more than I thought. I very much appreciate your replies. It keeps me honest, searching, and wondering. I am wondering, six, if you dislike the bible because of the way it has been used on you? I can understand disliking an object if it has been used to whap people on the butt repeatedly. I know a child that still cringes when he sees an icing spreader.

Biggest load of crap? Full of garbage? Plagarized from other religions? When a lot of the old testament was written, other civilizations were recording the triumphs and pillagings of their kings. Sure, there is some of that in the OT, but also the history of ordinary people are recorded. Consider Ruth and Boaz, the Shunnamite woman. The less than flattering biographies of kings Saul, David, and Solomon. These stories provided the breath of reality and humanity to an ancient time. We did not see comparable literature in the English language until Goeffrey Chaucer. Also, were other ancient texts admonishing the people to take care of strangers, widows, and orphans?

Perhaps I have a kinder view because I was first introduced to a loving and forgiving Creator. Only after I accepted His guidance in my life, did I check what the manual had to say. The songs of David got me through some very rough days. David had such a way of starting out depressed and oppressed, and ending in optimism. I imagine him praying mournfully for help, and gradually awakening to the reality that he is not alone, and blessed. David taught me that I can express any feeling or doubt to God, and He can take it.

I still see beauty in the bible. It is not, however, the foundation of my faith. I find it telling when John the Baptist asked Jesus if he was the Messiah, Jesus answered,

The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good tidings preached to them. Matthew 11:5 ASV

Jesus was the confirmed Messiah not for what he knew, but for what he did. Likewise, I am marked as a Christian not for the knowledge I have gained, but by how much I model the behavior of my Messiah.

Edited by - jgnat on 9 August 2002 0:48:12

Scarlet

I Just finished taking a western religion class and found my teachers opinion of the bible to quite interesting. Its a good book to try to abide by but can not all be taken literally. It was a group of men that wrote it and has been translated several times so we will never know what the original writing said. I found this take to be interesting and close to what I believed any how.

If any of you are in school right now and have a couple of electives to fill I would definetly suggest the Eastern and Western Religion courses offered. I learned so much from those classes it gave me a whole new perspective on all religions.

The Bible - god or manual?

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