...books not quoted from by the NT Bible Writers, which are not inspired: Esther, Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon.
The Song of Solomon I agree with you on. It's a love story in the form of a poem, nothing more.
Do you believe the Bible is the inspired word of God?
by desib77 63 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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Flash
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William Penwell
No I do not believe it is the word of God. Outside of the bible there is no proof that it is authentic. It is full of old myths and stories that have been handed down through oral traditions that were eventually written down. Unless you have blind faith in believing what it says there is no proof. It is a book that is divisive where wars, crusades and inquisitions have been done in its name over the last few thousand years. It is for weak minded individuals that cannot face reality and live in a dream world. I challenge any believer in it, here and now to proof to me without a shadow of a doubt and without resorting to "it is inspired because it says so" that it is God's word.
Will
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Gretchen956
God wants us to use our brains (and spirits) to pick out the "treasures" from the dross.
Oh this SOOOO smacks of WTS reasoning! I must have heard a million times, don't be stumbled by the individuals, its still god's organization. Don't worry about those parts of the bible that alarm you or confuse you or sicken you, just take the good parts and the rest on faith.
Why believe in the bible? Because god said it was inspired. How do you know god said that? Its in the bible. And you wonder where the WTS got their circular reasoning.
Sherry
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lazyslob
Nope.
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trumangirl
I don't know what I believe. - Me too Minimus.
One thing I know is that the Bible brings out the best or the worst in people. The bible has been used for political and selfish ends by intolerant people, but it has also been a source of inspiration to some of the best political developments and justice and altruism in mankind down through time (particularly in the western civilisations I'm referring to, like human rights).
And there's something about Jesus' and Daniel and Revelations' prophecies that are still so intriguing. Can't see that there isn't something in it, just because the WTS's interprations have been wrong doesn't mean Jesus' prophecies won't come true (somehow).
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Gretchen956
Its also been used as a weapon all down through history. At least if you tie it to it's followers, the religion itself. There were the inquisitions, the crusades, witch burnings, wars ad nauseum, all because they believed that they were the only true believers in the words of that book.
Very sad to my mind.
What's more, altruism, mercy, love, morals are not the sole ownership of bible readers. Many others have another path, equally spiritual and equally as true to human rights. So why is this book inspired and not their holy writings?
Sherry
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DaCheech
Explain carnivorous dinosaurs, and why the Bible says that Adam & Eve
were in a paradise, when these dinosaurs were around the same time as men!
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shamus
Absolutley positively not. No more than Klingons in star trek.
Complete and utter garbage.
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onacruse
If it is, how could one prove it to be so?
If we are talking about "front-to-back-and-every-word-therein," then no. The development of the Biblical canon in itself has so apparently been influenced by 'mere' historical, sociological, and (yes, dare I say it?) political motivations, as to preclude any reasonable conclusion that it was God Itself who made the Bible.
otoh, if one believes that there is some kind of Prime Cause of the universe (which I believe), then it is not unreasonable to conclude that some kind of communication has transpired; what might be described as a "spiritual revelation." This option includes both numerous other written (so-called "holy") books, as well as personal revelations.
But that brings us back to "provability." Does the Bible saying about itself that it is "God-breathed" prove that it is? Pure tautology. Does someone saying "I just had a revelation from God!" prove anything? If I had just had such a revelation, perhaps even a prolonged phone conversation with God, wherein It enlightened me on every question I ever had...how could I prove that to anybody?
One thing I would say: If God truly wants to commiserate, It has a rather oblique way of going about it.
Craig
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boa
I do not. I have yet to read the volumes of information out there supporting its lack of inspiration (still finishing up all the Franz, Jonsson, Penton books lol), however, what I have read on this site and a few others contains the 'ring of troof' to me....Perhaps this is because its what I want to believe to justify my lifestyle (very NON-religious) or perhaps it is that I apparently am not capable of FAITH. One's assumptions reveal so much about what one believes (thank garybuss for teaching me that!).
I reject the emotionalism and 'leap' it takes to have faith. It is an unreliable, unquantifiable and indescribeable idea IMO. To believe the bible is the inspired word of God, or parts of it even, requires the elusive idea of faith and as stated I have none in anything that is not somehow explainable by science and reason whether existant now or to be discovered in the future.
JC....that has got to be your shortest post ever! Good one! Kudos!
bebu...I just love Steven Wright's material - he rawks!
boa.....