The Bible- A book of myths? History? Or God's word?
 

I wonder what people think about the bible. If they really believe it's god's word.. I have read the bible, due to being taken to church when I was younger. When I was little, I thought they were just fun stories. It still seems that way at times.

Some of the things in the bible seem a bit too out there. Making me think that some of it is myth, or people are taking it too literally.

Personally, I think it's a book of embellished history. There is proof in other records, such as Jewish accounts and Buddhist accounts as well, mentioning Jesus. So he must have existed. There must have been a flood since so many cultures speak of it.

The Egyptians do not mention having any Jews as their slaves. But the time period that the bible goes through, does make sense in historical terms and other accounts.

The big thing for me, is the last book in the bible. It wasn't completely written by one person, thus it can't be 100% reliable. I think things were added to and subtracted from it over the years. There is also the fact that some of it IS misinterpreted, then printed into the bible.

I believe a lot of it is history, plans, or just stories. I don't think that people should take too much of it seriously. I mean, for goodness sake, there is veggie tales- a way to brain was kids.

I do believe there is some sort of power out there, but why would they bother contacting something as unimportant as humans? Even if it did create them. I also don't think God is a He. God if you must call it that, I think is genderless.

Things to discuss:
1. What do you think the bible is?
2. Do you think it is accurate?
3. Should everything in it be taken literally?
4. What do you think might not be true, or do you think is true about the bible?
5. What do you think of God?

I'm sure others can think of other things about this. It's a rather broad topic. I would like to know your opinions, but please be reasonable, and don't flame other's opinions. You may discuss, and disagree, but don't flat out say "You're wrong" or something like that.

Once when we were bored, a friend and I decided to do something we heard someone else had done. We went to Barnes and Noble and moved all the bibles into the fiction section. We got kicked out.

Lol, that's funny XD

1. What do you think the bible is? A historical document, since it is proven by science and stuff.
2. Do you think it is accurate? It's a book written by humans, so it's not perfect.
3. Should everything in it be taken literally? No.
4. What do you think might not be true, or do you think is true about the bible? I believe that most of the events did happen, since in ancient history most of these things are mentioned, but not all of the points in the bible are provable.
5. What do you think of God? Never met him, so I can't really say.

Though I still remember being told that nobody has ever fully understood the bible either. But most people see the bible as a book written literally. Most or all of it could be metaphors to explain a situation. Like for instance when it mentions the Behemoth or Leviathan it doesn't have to mean that the mythical creatures are real, they may just be a symbol to explain something else.

1. What do you think the bible is?
It's a document that teaches undeniably good morals, and then some do-not-want.
2. Do you think it is accurate?
Probably not. For example, now that we know so much more, Noah's flood can easily be discredited.
3. Should everything in it be taken literally?
Absolutely not.
4. What do you think might not be true, or do you think is true about the bible?
I'm not sure. I don't read the Bible.
5. What do you think of God?
As far as I'm concerned, God doesn't exist. I haven't seen Him nor proof of his existence. I know that Christians say you don't need to see him to believe him, or "Have some faith!" It's just how I work. I can't possibly believe in anything that I can't prove exists.

1. What do you think the bible is?

I think the bible is a book of stories that are used to show people the consequences of their actions, they're fables, with a message at the end of the story, mostly the message is that god loves you, however often they are about why doing somthing/not doing something is good or bad. It's like a guide of how to live ones's life

2. Do you think it is accurate?

I think the messages are accurate, especially the 10 commandment, i.e don't steal, don't lie, don't murder etc. I think they are good rules to live by.

3. Should everything in it be taken literally?

Not literally no, because often they are just stories told to get a point across in an entertaining way.

4. What do you think might not be true, or do you think is true about the bible?

I think the story of genesis and the creation of the world is a fable, like an explanation because people back in the old days didn't understand the scientific side of things like that. I also think that Jesus was a real person, but not neccesarily "god", more just a person who said the right things and was a good story teller and a charismatic man, telling stories in a time when people needed guidance most.

5. What do you think of God?

He's seems pretty cool to me :P It's just some of his crazy followers I have trouble with!

1. What do you think the bible is?


i think the bible is an "orabian nights" style of book, some one that was alive at the time righting the book so they can eat.

i dont belive it was jesuses diary (so to speak) as there are too many storys in it for it to be one that was passed down and along.

its just a collection of storys that have a link and that link just happens to be god.

2. Do you think it is accurate?
as accurate as a book that old can be. not very due to translation errors and things like that.

like the parting of the red sea was actually the parting of the reed sea.

3. Should everything in it be taken literally?

not in my opinion.

4. What do you think might not be true, or do you think is true about the bible?

smething in it are true BUT not for the reason the bible says.

some things like mosis and his whole story was true (exept for a few translation errors like the reed sea) but its been found out that this was just pure luck and was done because of a volcano that erupted at the same time.

5. What do you think of God?

i dont follow any god. i wont say i do or dont belive in a creator because one has never effected my life in a way ive known.

I think a large amount of the Bible is based on historical events, but has been heavily distorted by the fact that many writers were writing centuries after the events happened, and the numerous translations that the Bible's been through.
This is combined with a very heavy reliance on metaphor and storytelling, and huge amounts of the Bible are probably intended to be symbolic.
The enduring part of the Bible is its message. The stories within may or may not be true, but they carry morals which have influenced entire civilisations, and ceaseless generations of people. The actual ideals of the Bible are very sensible and well-meaning - it's hard to object to love, forgiveness and all that.
However, the actual text is a contradictory mess, and it's extremely easy to twist the Bible to fit any political agenda you care to push, whilst often forgetting the actual message.

1. What do you think the bible is?

I think the Old Testament is total fiction and hogwash.
I find it very offensive.

For instance Leviticus condemns the men who wish to rape the visiting angels but then rewards the father who offers his daughters up to be raped in their place.


2. Do you think it is accurate?

I think of the Old Testament as a complete work of fiction that takes liberally from the mythologies and historical events of other cultures. For instance, there are plenty of references to Noah and the Ark under different names and titles throughout history.

I think the Old Testament turns oral history into written history but by the time the events were recorded they were taken out of context and exaggerated, either accidentally or intentionally.
In my opinion the fire and brimstone aspect of the Old Testament would be a great way to keep superstitious and fearful people inline.

I think the New Testament is based upon fact.
There is plenty of evidence that Jesus the man actually existed. But I think because of the period of time between the death of Christ and the writing of the New Testament, that it is also exaggerated and embellished.

3. Should everything in it be taken literally?

I think it would be hard to take the entire bible literally. That doesn't mean that people should dismiss anything they don't agree with and cling to the things they do. I've heard literal translations used as an excuse to toss out any number of things in the bible.
I don't think someone should be able to take certain parts of the bible literally and then toss out the distasteful parts when they're brought up in a counter argument.


4. What do you think of God?

I don't think I'll ever leave the contemplation phase. Clearly we came from somewhere. There is a strict scientific pattern behind most of it. But there are also unexplained phenomena.
There are a great deal of things we don't have explanations for yet. For all we know our entire universe could be located on a piece of lint in something's pocket.
I prefer to try and be a decent person and to avoid making assumptions and judgments about anyone's religion or lack there of, because there is no finite proof that any one specific group is right or wrong..

Hopefully they'll have it more accurately translated one day. Mary actually wrote a book. People refuse to publish it though, because they don't believe she was one of his diciples. I think she was because Jesus did kind of refer to her as such. I have high morals too, but I suppose I was just raised like that, as I said before I think.

I beleive the bibles all a work of fiction that people have taken far too serieously, all the people who wrote it are probably laughing in their graves. while it may have morals too it some of it is too far fetched to belive. it would be a leap of faith just to beleive it. if you think about it. Fairy tales also have morals to them that have been passed down through out the years. but they are just that fairy tales and they've stayed that way. there are theorys that the bible an predict the future there are secrests coded into it that only computers could crack. who knows. but as River from firefly would say.

Book: "What are we up to, sweetheart?"

River: "Fixing your Bible."

Book: "I, um...(alarmed)...what?"

River: "Bible's broken. Contradictions, false logistics - doesn't make sense." (she's marked up the bible, crossed out passages)

Book: "No, no. You - you can't...

River: "So we'll integrate non-progressional evolution theory with God's creation of Eden. Eleven inherent metaphoric parallels already there. Eleven. Important number. Prime number. One goes into the house of eleven eleven times, but always comes out one. Noah's ark is a problem."

Book: "Really?"

River: "We'll have to call it early quantum state phenomenon. Only way to fit 5000 species of mammal on the same boat."

Oh, there's swarms of apocryphal gospels and the likes. I seem to remember something about a recent discovery of a purported gospel of Judas.
Which amuses me greatly when it comes to Biblical literalists, seeing as the books of the Bible were decided by the early church at some point, and a lot of texts rejected. If the people had decided to include them, people now would be claiming them as the literal truth, but because they didn't, they don't.

Ditto. XD

If you must know, I'm not a practicing Catholic anymore but by papers I am. I'm still too... shy and frightened to expose otherwise. But I must say it's a nice storybook ---kind of.

And the lost in translation? TOTALLY.

It has been translated from it's original text five times and so much more.

Let's see if the original text is still kept in place after that!

But I think it's really not a good reason to keep using the 'lost in translation' argument actually. Though I don't discount it!

True. Not to mention a lot of the things are illogical. Moses waving his hand and that place parts.. Some think it's the red sea. I don't really know.

in my mind, the bible is true, and there i no doubrt it si true, it tells of tories of people, although no tthe exct same, similar to u and me, and telling of the misfourteunes tehy had. This leeads to believe it. Where i differ is that i do not follow it to th exact words, and instead use it as a guidline...

Yes, but is the god of the bible the one who created us all? We cannot be 100% certain of that.

I have read a very large chunk of the Bible...and while I may not remember the full details on the literal bit, I have found some lovely symbolism in it, as well as some...quite disturbing symbolism.

Now, I do not take it literally...at all. I believe it is possible that there is some divine force out there...but I don't believe that it is the Christian God, if it exists at all. If you look at it from a literal point of view...would a kind, loving, benevolent God condemn people to eternal suffering after death if they refused to follow a doctrine that has been horribly corrupted? That doesn't sound to me like anyone who should be worshipped.

However, the symbolism of Heaven and Hell...the idea of coming forward and confessing your sins and shortcomings and accepting help, or suffering for them? From a SYMBOLIC standpoint, is that not what happens here on earth to millions of people every day?

My belief, from having seen this, is that it was originally probably NOT meant to be taken literally, but read for the symbolism, as it essentially tells you how to be happy if you read it like that, and it was misinterpreted by a group of people who were desperate for some form of hope.

Also, an important thing to remember for those who do take everything literally, it was NOT originally written in English; much may have been lost in translation, not to mention that a few centuries ago, it was altered, because some king somewhere wanted to alter people's beliefs. Needless to say, it worked. >.<;

Much of it is simply impossible to believe from a logical standpoint. A man waving his hand and parting the Red Sea after speaking to a burning bush? If that happened to someone in the modern day, they'd probably be discovered to have been on some kind of heavy drugs. Read the same story for the symbolism, though...and THEN you have something worth passing through centuries. ;)