I'm more interested in the Bible now that I believe it isn't inspired (?!)

by GetBusyLiving 25 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  jst2laws

  Getbusyliving,

  Yes, I view it very much differently now, but what I have done is refine my definition of "inspired" from the fundamentalist (evangelical) literalist view. Inspiration is from the Spirit, and seems to have moved humankind everywhere. It is all 'inspired', yet we can learn a lot from many Classic Inspired works 2000 to 3000 years old.

  It was MEN, not God, who claimed the Hebrew and Greek to be the innerrant, unchangable, complete word of God. Expecting too much leads to disappointment. But our real disappointment does not mean we should throw it out completely.

  I too find it VERY useful.

  Jst2laws
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  Leolaia

  I agree with your sentiments....I love and cherish the Bible as literature, filled with many fascinating questions about how people in a certain society at different times tried to understand the world around them and what God meant to them. The history of how literature like the Bible came into existence and how successive generations of readers interpreted the writings according to the worldview of their own times.

  It's great fascinating stuff.
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  Dustin

  I tried to read the Bible since I have come to realize it as not being the word of god. I just threw it away. It really serves me no purpose anymore.
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  a Christian

  As jst2lws said, not all Christians understand the word "inspired" to mean 100 % inerrant.

  Most Christians believe that it was only the text of scripture as originally written that was inerrant, but that God has allowed various insignificant corruptions to find their way into the Bible over the years due to errors in transcription and translation. Many other Christians believe that since God used imperfect men to write the Bible He allowed them to be human. This means He allowed them, as they wrote, to occasionally make small mistakes in unimportant matters.

  Either way, all Christians I know believe that God saw to it to preserve for us in the pages of the Bible all the information that we need to come to know Him and by so doing gain His forgiveness for our sins and receive His free gift to us of eternal life.

  Some say that the Bible cannot possibly be the "inspired word of God" if it contains any imperfections or if it is not easily able to be fully understood by any and all of its readers. However, I disagree. For I believe the Bible itself clearly indicates that it was deliberately written in a way that would allow those who prefer to reject its contents the opportunity to do so. (Matt. 13:11-16)

  Mike
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  googlemagoogle

  yes i feel the same. but i also got more interested in "apocryphal" and extracanonical literature like the early "apostolic fathers" and religious history and church history in general. what's very very interesting is to compare all that to other religions in the region. the mesa-stone for example (i believe it's the mesa stone), replace "mesa" with "david", replace "dagon" with "yhwh" and you could slip it into kings or chronicles and noone would notice. they even had the same gear for temple service...
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  googlemagoogle

  For I believe the Bible itself clearly indicates that it was deliberately written in a way that would allow those who prefer to reject its contents the opportunity to do so.
  
  LOL
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  JW83

  GBL, what is the Teaching Company, & could you write my next essay for me?!!
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  El blanko

  Some say that the Bible cannot possibly be the "inspired word of God" if it contains any imperfections or if it is not easily able to be fully understood by any and all of its readers. However, I disagree. For I believe the Bible itself clearly indicates that it was deliberately written in a way that would allow those who prefer to reject its contents the opportunity to do so. (Matt. 13:11-16)

  I think if you read the scripture quoted, you'll get the general idea

  It depends if one believes God speaks to the heart through scripture. If ones heart is hardened by selfish intent, for instance, the theory is that the message of truth will simply not penetrate far enough to be understood.

  I am assuming this is what you mean "a christian" ?
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  A Paduan

  The bible itself teaches of the literalist and spiritualist views of scripture: straw and wheat - straw being necessary (the story) to carry the wheat (the seed food). With straw you can bind clay (people/flesh) to make a brick, even a tower. Or, take the example of the OT food observances (behavioural teachings), leading to Paul's statement "Their God is their belly". "inspired" - 'has spirit' not "inspired" - 'is literally true'
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  a Christian

  El Blanco,

  You wrote: If ones heart is hardened by selfish intent, for instance, the theory is that the message of truth will simply not penetrate far enough to be understood.

  That seems to me to be what the Bible itself indicates. In fact, Jesus said He spoke in the way He did, often in hard to understand stories, so that some people would NOT understand what was meant only for His disciples to understand. (Matt. 13:11-13) Since Christians believe Jesus Christ Himself inspired the writing of the entire Bible, it makes sense to believe that the entire Bible was written in much the same way, in a way that only Christ's disciples would get the sense of, and in a way that would give those whose hearts are not inclined toward God an excuse to reject the message of Scripture.

  Mike