How accurate is the Bible?

by WireRider 22 Replies latest watchtower bible

• 

  WireRider

  How accurate is the Bible? The "compiled" version (Council of Nicaea) was not established for hundreds, or even thousands, of years after events happened. Stories were handed down generation to generation to generation before being written down. Scrolls were copied over and over again - by people - capable of mistakes, establishment, redaction, plain changes. Translations of translations. Books describing personal experiences with Jesus were not written down for hundreds of years.

  Historians date Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John as having been written between 250 and 300AD - and not by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. How did matters of private conversations with Jesus and other disciples accurately, verse by verse, and word by word, get to the Bible?
  

  Yet everyone seems to get very involved with citing books, chapters, and even words to advocate their personal beliefs or argue against someone else's belief/practice. Can we really argue about things like "to become" vs. "will become? Really?

  Can a "religion" just cherry pick random verses from the Bible and tell people YOU MUST OBEY - SEE THAT WORD SAYS SO IN THE BIBLE. Really? What if someone coping a scroll in 245AD, just changed a line because it sounded better? What if they missed a word, line, page?
  

  Don’t get me wrong - I have a lot of respect for the Bible, it's meaning, and its' effect on the whole planet. But I don't see how cherry picking singe verses, usually complete out of context, can used to argue for/against anything or be used to control people and make them obey human people. If you want to make a case, quote entire chapters or books.
  
• 

  SecretSlaveClass

  About as accurate as a brick thrown at a tea cup a hundred yards away.
• 

  The Rebel

  What irritates me with the bible,.So and so begot so and so was the brother of so and so and the father of someone else. This can go on for page after page. The monotonous reading up of this noncence can send anyone to sleep.

  The Rebel.
• 

  WireRider

  I think if you read the entire Bible you would walk away a better person for it. What I don't get is all the propaganda that quotes a verse and think that undoubtedly proves the point, and usually if you look it up and read the chapter in context - it had nothing to do with the point. You must obey the JW, because this verse says so. The world is wicked, that verse says so. And we are chosen because if you take this verse and that one and put them together - the "Bible" says so.

  I'm sure if I said "No religion should ever hold a service inside of a building, never after midnight, and always serve fish - or you will be banished for not obeying". I'm sure I could cherry pick a dozen verses from wildly various books to prove what I say is true.
  
• 

  SecretSlaveClass

  In my opinion you have no choice but to choose which parts of the bible are applicable to you, if you didn't you would be stoning adulterers and homosexuals, not eating pork or crustaceans, still be treating women like nothing but breeding receptacles with restricted freedom and sacrificing animals in your back yard. Or you would have to listen to Jesus who couldn't make up his mind either - do we forgive unconditionally or only provided he is worshipped unquestioningly?
• 

  Witness My Fury

  Not very, is the answer.

  I also think you'd be a better person for not having had it fuck up your entire life.
• 

  fukitol

  I don't belive in any miracles or prophecies of the Bible, but there really is some completely inaccurate nonsense in the opening post.
• 

  millie210

  Since I am moving rather slowly away from being a JW, my feelings about the Bible are in flux.

  I am trying to go slowly because I dont want my thoughts about the Bible and everything else to be reactionary. I want them to be well researched and stand alone thoughts that are authentically mine and not part of my reeling away from "all things JW".

  When I read the topic of this thread my first thought was the Bible is probably about as accurate as most of the worlds holy writings.

  After reading the thoughts posted above, I would have to say my current thinking aligns mostly with what WireRider wrote.

  I can think of Bible versus that have made me act better as I go through life. Two I have used at work a lot are

  the stupid one is replying to a matter before he has heard it

  and

  in a multitude of counselers there is wisdom

  To be very honest, there are also many quotes I use daily that are not from the Bible - just men who pierced one of lifes veils in a humorous or succinct way that I find a good reminder.

  on not being overly impressed with people who claim to have money:

  Only when the tide goes out do you discover who's been swimming naked. - Warren Buffett

  on keeping grief in perspective:

  Let not your grief be measured by his worth, because then your sorrow would have no end.

  - Macbeth Act 5

  On being too convinced my way is THE way:
  

  We dont see things as they are - we see things as we are - Wayne Dyer

  I cant honestly say any one quote is more profound than another - Bible or mans.
• 

  The Rebel

  You make an interesting point when you mention Shakespeare millie210.

  Actually the most profound statement I have ever read was Shakespears "To be or not to be"

  The Rebel.
• 

  Watchtower-Free