the bible..
@chicksdigscars (5483)
August 17, 2011 8:19am CST
This discussion may cause some major controversy, but it was actually a fellow mylotters discussion that got me thinking about this, however the thought has crossed my mind on previous occasions, many previous occasions infact.. and it relates to the bible.
We have all seen Harry Potter films, or atleast read the book, and we all know how J.K Rowling has created a brand new world, brand new language, magic, and various other not-of-this world elements. As has Philip Pullman in his novels Northern Lights or the Golden Compass. Or even more so, the Lord of the Rings books by J. R. R. Tolkien. Brand new worlds, brand new lifestyles, different lanuages, different beliefs, different religions, magic.. the workds.. all from the imagination of these wonderful authors.
But then we have, The Bible. The book by which the majority of good Christians live their faith, and the moral basis on which most found their social, home, and martial lives! We believe every story, every verse, and have no problem in believing that there is a higher being, a life after this, and events which shaped our very existence! We believe who we think wrote it, who was around at the time, what was word of mouth, what was fact etc etc.
But did it happen? Is the Bible real? Has anyone ever stopped to think that maybe the book is nothing more than a collection of short stories about the same hero, Jesus, and the same external characters, Mary, Joseph, the Apostles? How, if we can see how “easy” it is to write about a completely different, fictional way of life, including different religions, are we so sure this is real? Especially when there are other religions that believe in different things, and THEY don’t believe the Bible is real etc?
How do we know the Bible isn’t just a collection of short stories, written as way in which children could enjoy the stories, and learn good morals and a good way to live their life?
What are everyone elses views on this? And can the very religious see my point?
I would just like to mention that I am a Roman Catholic, I have been baptised into the Roman Catholic church, made my first communion, confession, and confirmation, and I am a follower of the Christian faith.. yet I still will regard this as a possibility.
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9 responses
@ReverendShaggy (415)
• Philippines
18 Aug 11
First I wanna say this was a very thought out post before you even considered posting wasn't it? Very detailed and I like it.
I tend to post on this topic a whole lot because I find it very interesting, and as I always bring up people seem to forget that Greek and Norse Mythology were also the undisputed truth of their lands until someone decided that they were not true.
The stories were exactly the same points of showing courage, respect, determination and all other good traits in us. You bringing up stories such as Harry Potter and Lord Of The Rings is very appropriate. Also throw in Conan and Star Wars and thousands of others. They all are the same.
I hear all the time oh the bible is the holy word of God or whatever religious text is followed. The thing is Words a a product of man, created by man to assist in conveying thought. Before texts were ever written things were passed down orally or by dance. The versions will change the meanings will change it is unavoidable, much like the game of telephone where you whisper in someone's ear and pass it down the line. The last person says something totally different then what was originally stated.
That all being said I am christian through and through, but I do not base my life on a book. a book is written by man not Lord. I praise my lord and I revere him. Just because I know the Bible is a book and not beyond that does not shake my faith whatsoever.
@chicksdigscars (5483)
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18 Aug 11
everyone on here is from the Philippines, i should have realised! haha!
i didn't realise that about scientology? to be honest, i sort of put it into the same wacky, spur of the moment, jump on the band-wagon category as the kabala, or however you spell it..
so are you telling me that the entire religion of scientology is fictional?!
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@ReverendShaggy (415)
• Philippines
18 Aug 11
I actually moved to the Philippines as soon as I got out of the Army so I could be with the love of my life :).
I'm not really saying that the religion is fictional because religion is really just a belief system, and a belief system can never really be fictional.
But the founder of Scientology whose name is L. Ron Hubbard is a very well established writer who had stated that a majority of his writings were in the beliefs that he had and supported.
All I brought it up for was to show that as you stated with The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter was even more realistic with a truly established religion that is recognized by church and state.It is no more fictional than any other religion in the world. Because as I said religion is not a book. I could start a religion based off of the X-Men and I would probably have followers, and it would suggest a way to live life right.
@ReverendShaggy (415)
• Philippines
18 Aug 11
That is exactly how I see it. As far as you religion, I am very aware of its intricacies and everything. I do live in The Philippines after all and it is the dominant religion :). Your last paragraph though says exactly how I see it. It is a book written to follow the life of a great man that got a little beyond the realm of normal man somewhere and was some how deemed to be the law of the proper way to live. That is the same for the other religions and their holy scriptures as well.
One last example is to take a look at Scientology, which is an organized religion much like Christianity. Many of the books that are foundations of that religion are ones such as Battlefield Earth which was written by the found of scientology and it is a Science Fiction Novel through and through.
@urbandekay (18278)
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18 Aug 11
The historical evidence for Jesus is good, in fact at least as good as many historical figures we accept as real.
The evidence that Potter does not exist is also very good
all the best urban
@urbandekay (18278)
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18 Aug 11
Seems to me and please correct me if I am wrong, that the pith of your discussion is
"How do we know the Bible isn’t just a collection of short stories, written as way in which children could enjoy the stories, and learn good morals and a good way to live their life? "
We know this because there is good historical evidence for the existence of Jesus and that he was crucified
all the best urban
@chicksdigscars (5483)
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18 Aug 11
but thats the point. the VAST MAJORITY, of the "proof" we have, is in the Bible in the first place.
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@chicksdigscars (5483)
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18 Aug 11
i don't REALLY think you've grasped the discussion.. but thank you for your comment.
@QeeGood (1213)
• Sweden
18 Aug 11
You can compare fairy tales with situations from real life as well. It has to do to learn something important. It can be a behaviour, a way to manage life according to rules or to be respectful towards one another and have a responsible approach. Have a wonderful day! Happy mylotting!
@chicksdigscars (5483)
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18 Aug 11
see i agree with you. i do think the bible is true. my faith tells me that.. however, it does need to be questioned, in the sense that how do we actually know? if authors now a days are able to make up stories completely from the top of their heads, with made up characters, made up lands, made up times, made up languages, and even made up religions, who is to say this wasn't intially what the bible was? a collection of short stories to teach kids right from wrong! ..
for example we teach our kids about santa, and being good throughout the year and they get rewarded. whos to say god wasn't initially meant to be a "santa" type figure to make our kids scared, and teach them how to behave!
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@chicksdigscars (5483)
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18 Aug 11
well yes i agree with that, whether their is a Lord God or not, the Bible can atleast show us how to treat those around us and strive for a better world to live in :)
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@koperty3 (1876)
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17 Aug 11
Hello.
I believe in God. As for a Bible I know that this is not the same Bible as was written. I mean every it was printed and translated on 100's of languages always something was change in the text. Who knows what was written in the first scrolls or book of Bible. So I believe this is not the same book as it was written first time. From the history we know that you can erase the problematic content from the books. It hard to say the real meaning of Bible today.
@chicksdigscars (5483)
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17 Aug 11
it's not so much the meaning of the bible i'm talking about, or whether or not todays bible is the same bible that was around many years ago, i'm saying that the bible is meant to be an eyewitness account of the life of jesus christ, the events, what happened.. and we are meant to believe that these things actually happened.. whether or not the details are changed due translations differing over centuries, we are still meant to believe that the events actually happened.
what my discussion is saying, is how do we know these events actually happened and were recorded, or whether or not the bible is nothing more than a collection of short stories written for kids as a book?
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@chicksdigscars (5483)
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18 Aug 11
see thats what i wondered, whether it was meant to be merely an accurate account, or whether it was written to help us persue a better way of life.. as sposed to actually meaning to be a book by which we must control our lives.
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@Flash2 (347)
• United States
18 Aug 11
Some people these the bible just like they look at the books you just described As a work of fiction. As for my part I look at the bok as a part of human history. Lineages and family lines, who begat whom, and the sort of family almanac of a particular line from a certain seed of Abraham. As far as teachings go-- there are many good texts that teach the same things in all the major religions the only thing that differs is who the Prophet is.
Now we have cultures killing each other over the same message, but they argue over whose Prophet is the correct god or son of god.
@chicksdigscars (5483)
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18 Aug 11
what a good point! people actually argue over whos version of events are right and divine and "the way" .. surely if the Bible is what it is, it's overall message wasn't to destroy those who didn't agree with what it taught? ..
@chuckzster (109)
• Philippines
18 Aug 11
There were several historical events that are written in the bible. However, I do believe some of those events were exaggerated. I'm a faithful Christian, but I also believe that some of the events in the bible should not be taken literally. Most of the authors during those times were poets which basically signifies that certain events were really altered.
@chicksdigscars (5483)
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18 Aug 11
i guess it's pretty standard knowledge that they must have been altered, people remember things differently, people exaggerate, people hear differently to other people, so i guess nothing can be taken as accurate and standard. i am a faithful christian too, but i just wonder how much is real.
@libramie (562)
• Philippines
18 Aug 11
For me the bible is a very important book where I get the knowledge of salvation comes Judgment day. You can search the truth by asking some important questions to the authorized pastor who can teach you the real word of God written in the bible.
@chicksdigscars (5483)
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18 Aug 11
but that doesn't really make much sense, because the "pastor" will be following the Bible as well, unless they have some extra book i don't know about? haha!
@walking2010 (1009)
• United States
18 Aug 11
Hello there how are you this morning I read your post and I had to comment, first I would like to say that starting this discussion was a very good discussion, when it comes to the bible a lot of people do get touchy about it but in the bible it does state that anyman who changes the words to his word shall be cursed all the days of their life, are there somethings that have changed in the bible of course it is because the factories who re-make the bible tried to break it down to a standpoint to where we would understand it. If you go into the store you will see a bible called the wordly version and you will see a bible called the orginal king james version than you eould see other version but if you notice onething about the bible no matter how many times man has remade it over the concept still stays the same from Genesis to revelation, but if you really want a sign of whats real you know the power of the Lord seek him for guidence to show you a sign of whats real or what to follow, and being that you are a catholic its a lot different with you I have nieces that are Catholic and they have different beliefs and they take heed to certain things differently than others, but the most important thing that matters is that your faith is real, and you believe in christ, thats what matters the most and with that being said all of you guidence and answers will come in due time.
@chicksdigscars (5483)
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18 Aug 11
yeah i see what you mean, i hadn't thought of that actually, of the various types of bibles and translations that you can get etc.. it just goes to show how we really cannot take each verse literally, it' should be taken as more of a rough guideline than anything else.
@toniganzon (72281)
• Philippines
17 Aug 11
I don't even wanna go beyond the point of questioning it's authenticity. The truth is it has crossed my mind but i remained having faith in God and the truth of what the Bible says. I don't want to question who wrote it or if they were real or maybe it was just another fiction that somebody who's very creative wrote. It's just something that i don't want to entertain my thoughts as it might weaken my own faith in what i believe.
So i'm living it at that and i don't want to argue with anybody about it.
@chicksdigscars (5483)
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17 Aug 11
that is majorly the point of the discussion.. just a curiosity if this has ever crossed anyone elses mind or not. i enjoy my faith, i sang in a church choir for many years, i still light a candle and say a prayer if i feel overwhemled by things in my life, i prayed to st therese for many years, and i will always walk by a chapel and bless myself, and i ask for forgiveness from God in the privacy of my own prayers.. so i am not even saying i don't believe in the bible, i'm merely very curious as to how many other people, with strong faith, has had this cross their mind.
thank you for your comment!
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