Are you interested in Bible Congruence?

by sabastious 130 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  SweetBabyCheezits

  Psac: ... it is very easy for ancient man to equate bad things happening to their enemy is "divine judgment" and to write it as such.

  Psac, I'm really trying to understand but I can't get this straight in my head... You seem to reach some similar conclusions as those of us who consider the bible to be just another book and Jehovah & Jesus to be just another couple of imaginary gods.

  Why do you stop short of finding the entire bible to be just another human conception?

  How does one have faith in a personal Christian god without accepting the Bible? (TEC gave me her perspective a while back but it lacked logic that I need before I can put faith in any book or god again. No offense, TEC, I'm just saying I don't have that connection with Jesus to let faith patch up the holes. And I don't know how to have that connection to Jesus without faith. It's a bit of a catch 22 that I think a loving god would've worked out in advance.)

  How do you know which parts you can trust? If you can't trust all of it, I don't see how you can trust parts of it. You might say, "well, everything that talks about Christian love"... but you'd sound exactly like my mother, who said she ignores the negative things about the WT Society and only looks at the good things.

  Doesn't work for me. When a group or a book claims to be backed by the omniscient, omnipotent, benevolent creator of the entire universe, I expect a little more than ever-changing doctrine or a holy book that is only half accurate (more credit than it deserves).
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  SweetBabyCheezits

  On the other hand, when I see a book used as a source of faith that speaks of a god who is jealous and has fits of anger and kills off those who fail to please him, it all makes sense as a book that holds perspectives of primitive men at that time. It was used to control the people with fear. That's why women had no rights and stories of death and destruction for the rebellious filled page after page. Control. The bible is no better than the WT Society today, IMO.

  But the second half has Jesus (yaaay!) and he seems like a pretty good guy.... although Christianity sprouted as a cult with lots of people following some guy around who said you should disown your family and be his follower. Some people did disown their family for him. I see that as destructive now.
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  SweetBabyCheezits

  Sab: Yes to give us all the illusion that we are forgiven (because sin is a fabrication). So we'd all stop killing and "keep our eyes on the prize."

  We're all mercenaries at heart.
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  agonus

  I suppose you can put a positive or negative spin on just about anything you choose to.

  The kind of God(s) I'd choose to believe in would have to put a positive spin on enough of human history and the human experience to make some sense out of it all... to make it ultimately meaningful, positive and worthwhile.

  I mean, I can do that perfectly well on my own... most of the time. But every now and then, like all of us, I lose focus and could use some help.

  At times like that I like to turn to a higher power who can help me do it... or just leave it in His/Her/Its hands.

  I personally prefer Jesus as a goto guy in situations like that, but your mileage may vary.
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  agonus

  I guess based on the above criteria for god/God(s) or image thereof, Jesus fits the bill fairly nicely... about as well as any other I've known. Plus he also happens to have been, from what we can gather, an actual historical figure, so that tends to help.
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  Satanus

  I used to see the bible as congruent. When i realised that it wasn't, that broke it, for me.

  S
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  tec

  SBC - no offense taken, of course. If you're ever feeling up to it, I would like to know what lacked logic - just so I know for myself.

  Was it Sab who said a while back that the message of the bible is Christ? to you.

  To answer the question in the title, I am far more interested in following Christ than in Bible Congruence. There is really no comparison. I also agree with Shelby, and many others who see this as well... that Christ is the Word of God. (I love the coin vs. sphere analogy, Shelby, btw) The bible speaks about Christ - and many other things too, but even Jesus is recorded to have said, "You diligently search the scriptures because you think by them you are saved. These are the scriptures that speak of ME... and yet you refuse to come to ME to be saved." (paraphrased)

  Tammy
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  AGuest

  The Bible... is the PROBLEM... dear ones (peace to you all!). That you cannot see that is... interesting, particularly if you profess membership in the Body of Christ. It is not an accident that it was compiled... nor by whom: agents NOT of God or Christ, but of another. How do we KNOW? It's "fruits"... and theirs... as a result of reading it, following it, referring to it, looking to it, venerating it, worshipping it, idolizing it... which are manifest.

  The Most Holy One of Israel... send His SON... because of the false teachings of the false christs and false prophets... and the false stylus of the secretaries!

  Eyesalve, people. It's out there... and available to all. Only One person "selling" it, though. Praise JAH, his "price"... is FREE. Go. Get yourself some. Seriously. It really doesn't take much effort. Just a little faith. The size of a mustard-seed. Which, as stated by my Lord and evidenced by this discussion... yet again... isn't the possession of all men.

  And, again, peace to you!

  A slave of Christ,

  SA
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  CandleLight

  The Bible contains a testimony to Christ. Problems occur when men take a written word and substitute it for the real Word.

  They steal the authority belonging to Our Lord and give it to themselves or a book, mostly to dominate and control others. Therefore the testimony present in the pages becomes lost. Jesus did not have an adversion to written word. He quoted it, taught by means of it and used it as the testimony it was. In fact it was a testimony TO HIM. We as his followers can do the same. However, it is not an authority. Instead all power and authority belongs to the living word, not a recorded testimony.

  CL
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  PSacramento

  Psacramento,

  You need to find a God you don't always have to make excuses for.

  Farkel

  Where would the fun be in that? ;)