Does the Bible interpret itself, or a fiddle you can play any tune with?

by Rod P 66 Replies latest jw friends

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  Rod P

  Testing this thread

  Well, after three times, it finally worked. OK, here goes:

  Why are there so many religions all professing belief in the Bible, yet all of them interpret the Bible differently? They can't all be right, because they contradict one another. Yet how do you know for sure who's interpretation is right, and whose interpretation is wrong? And why are there so many different versions of the Bible? Doesn't this make the problem worse?

  Why can't biblical scholars, who have spent their whole lives researching and studying the Bible, agree amongst themselves what the scriptures mean? One says a certain passage is to be understood literally, while others argue it is symbollic or metaphorical or parable. Some point to prophecies that they say were all fulfilled in Jesus' day, while other teach they were meant for our day, in the 21st Century.

  It sure looks to me like the Bible is anything but clear, and you and I don't stand a chance trying to figure the Bible out all on our own. One guy's opinion is as good as another's.

  Yet our very eternal salavation is supposed to depend on our making the right choice.

  I guess we could say that the Bible is like an old Fiddle, upon which you can play any old tune.

  What do you think?

  Rod P.
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  iggy_the_fish

  It sure looks to me like the Bible is anything but clear, and you and I don't stand a chance trying to figure the Bible out all on our own. One guy's opinion is as good as another's.

  Yet our very eternal salavation is supposed to depend on our making the right choice.

  ...and therefore in my opinion, our eternal salvation cannot depend on figuring the bible out, as it's so impossibly difficult to do so clearly and unambiguously. So, if I get up to the pearly gates and St Peter (it's St Peter, right, or is it another one?) says to me "oh, you should have interpreted the bible this way, not that way, I would have thought that was obvious, you idiot!" and sends me down into the firey pit of hell, I am going to be extremely annoyed.

  ig
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  LittleToe

  I wonder if years from now someone will try to find a thread of meaning from an ancient compilation CD, and argue about it?
  Hopefully they'll at least find a thread of "love", especially in that timeless classic "Gawd I loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah!"!
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  Narkissos

  I'd say both.

  Sola scriptura => Scriptura sui interpres results in an explosion of meanings which in turn reveals the centrifugal "nature" of scripture -- or indeed writing. There is no such thing as "univocity" (simple meaning). We've got to love ambiguity.
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  LittleToe

  Didier:Are you saying you didn't like my snappy song title?
  How about "L'OH, un dieu, mon amour, oui, oui, OUI!"?
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  rocketman

  Certainly a valid question Rod. Perhaps the key to salvation is the stuff most Bible readers and scholars, no matter what their religion, agree on - loving God, loving one's neighbor, acceptance of Jesus, that sort of stuff.

  If the key to salvation includes, for example, precisely figuring out the fulfillment of all Bible prophecies, then we might all be doomed.
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  Narkissos

  "L'OH, un dieu, mon amour, oui, oui, OUI!"?

  LOL... Speaking of translation / interpretation, it reminds me that the Tower of Babel is the (anti-)climax of the Torah's introduction (Genesis 1--11).
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  John Doe

  If you notice, the hallmark of any long-lasting religeous text is ambiguity. How long would a religeon last that is explicit and detailed? The book has to be ambiguous so people can apply it how they see fit and feel like they're being righteous.

  Which has more romantic/spiritual appeal? "The Lord works in mysterious ways." Or, "God lives in x location and wants to do x and x and x to the universe. If you do x, you will be jailed. If you do x, you will be favored." So on and so on.

  Notice also that most religeons claim that true understanding is only imparted to "believers." So, when inconsistencies are shown, they just say you don't understand because God hasn't allowed you to understand. Sickening really.
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  Terry

  The problem is in the premise itself. The Bible is nothing; An ancient people's diary with the lock picked and nothing more. An urban legend has told the world that the Hebrew tribe's diary is really about everybody and we bought into it.

  We are our own salvation; but, we die anyway.

  We all die anyway.

  If you can't stand that ending; then grab the Bible and pretend.

  But, that is all it amounts to. We write our own play and we have the leading role. Mere chance edits our ending. (Like all the meddlesome geniuses who have edited that Hebrew diary along the way).

  Once you are free from your false premise (that the Bible even has meaning) you are free indeed.

  Free at last!

  Terry
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  LittleToe

  Terry:You didn't like my little song? I'm crushed

  An ancient people's diary with the lock picked...

  I can go with that part.

  We are our own salvation; but, we die anyway.

  That aint much of a salvation doctrine you've got going there, buddy.

  We all die anyway.

  A truism, if ever I saw one.

  If you can't stand that ending; then grab the Bible and pretend.

  I don't think the bible contradicts that one.
  That having been said, it isn't the only ancient diary around, and they all come to the same conclusion - this life is not all...

  Btw, I hate the large fonts, already - it doesn't lend your comments any more weight, but rather it detracts from readability. If folks need a larger font, they can always enlarge the fontsize for the whole site, in their browser.