DOES THE BIBLE really really EXIST?

by Terry 87 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  Terry

  My main reason for posting here is to get feedback if I'm way offbase on my thinking.

  I come here and go away for awhile and then comeback.

  I think 95% of what goes on in this Discussion Group could be avoided by tackling the FUNDAMENTAL PREMISE itself:

  1.Is the Bible anything other than assertions, hearsay, constantly malleable attempts to control thinking?

  2.Without an uncorrupt original bible we can compare our modern translations to---how do we know anything we base a belief on is valid?

  3.If the Bible is an illusory myth--an historical Wikipedia--doesn't this make ANY argument over Scriptural interpretation ridiculous?

  4.Without the Bible, wouldn't all Religion simply be somebody's claim that God spoke directly to them to REVEAL something kept secret from others?

  And if so, how does this differ in substance or practice from a shaman, a medicine man, a prehistoric purveyor of omens?
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  OnTheWayOut

  #4. I know you are mainly refering to Judeao-Christianity. So I will ignore the rest of the world for this part.

  If they don't have the Bible, their writings will become their Bible- either the book of Mormon or Russell's Studies in the Scriptures or whatever.
  They will have some sacred writings if we totally dismiss the Bible.

  You are preaching to the choir in my case, so there really isn't a difference between what I suppose and the shaman, medicine man, etc.
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  frankiespeakin

  Terry a lot of what you say is true,, it is mainly your title that's throws one off.

  Mainly because the word Bible referes mainly to a collection of books and inspiration of God is not implied the term Bible but by fundamentalist who beleive it so.
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  PSacramento

  1.Is the Bible anything other than assertions, hearsay, constantly malleable attempts to control thinking?

  Perhaps, perhaps not, there is no real way to knwo for sure one way or another.

  I do think that taking the bibel for granted (without errors and 100% the wrod fo God) is a mistake.

  2.Without an uncorrupt original bible we can compare our modern translations to---how do we know anything we base a belief on is valid?

  Well, we do have some ancient sources and those we have seem to hold up pretty good with " less historical" stuff.

  3.If the Bible is an illusory myth--an historical Wikipedia--doesn't this make ANY argument over Scriptural interpretation ridiculous?

  Depends on what you are doing with those interpretations.

  4.Without the Bible, wouldn't all Religion simply be somebody's claim that God spoke directly to them to REVEAL something kept secret from others?

  The bible is just that, the written word of someone that claimed God spoke to them.
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  Terry

  Terry a lot of what you say is true,, it is mainly your title that's throws one off.

  Mainly because the word Bible referes mainly to a collection of books and inspiration of God is not implied the term Bible but by fundamentalist who beleive it so.

  I'm trying to take exception to preceding the word Bible with the definite article "THE".

  Already we have contained in the word "bible" a notion of singularity when it is a multiplicity layered and modified over time.

  I want people to realize something about thinking which is counter-intuitive.

  What?

  This:

  ONCE YOU THINK YOU KNOW SOMETHING you never question your basic premises about it any longer. It becomes invisible as a 'given'.

  The premise behind all the arguments and discussions on JWD unnecessarily beg the question of the premise of a BIBLE WHICH PROVES anything about anything.

  I think if I can startle people into reading something which makes them stop and REthink their invisible premises---it might lead to new conclusions which clear up many of the conflicting interpretive squabbles.

  Terry a lot of what you say is true

  I'm here to discover what part of what I say isn't TRUE. Can you help me?
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  thetrueone

  Isn't the bible really a history book ?

  A reference book on the history of human ignorance.

  Unfortunately some do not perceive it in that way, particularly publishing companies.......no names mentioned
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  frankiespeakin

  Terry,

  I'm here to discover what part of what I say isn't TRUE. Can you help me?

  Not hardly anything, anyway I look at this place as a place where we can write down our perspective and as a source of therapy where we can express ourselves and release our creative juices that are percolating inside us, you don't need any help just keep being yourself and write. Lots of people like your stuff because they can relate and that to me is what really counts not being a 100% right.
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  gubberningbody

  What the collective refer to as the Bible is a social construct. It isn't the magical thing people imagine it to be.
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  Terry

  A quote I've always found titillating is this one:

  A Word than can mean anything really means nothing.

  Now substitute "bible" for "word".

  The Bible is able to provide an "anything" meaning.

  This is why people who are not functioning morons seek out an INTERPRETER for them.

  Sort of like: "Hey, can you clear this up?"

  The God Salesmen jump right in and start "clearing it up". (which is to say: they interpret according to their own imagination.)

  We who were (and are) Jehovah's Witnesses simply found something that sounded good to us. It sounded JUST LIKE what our idea of TRUTH would sound like if we heard it.

  After some persuasion, of course.

  The Watchtower people are plugged in to a powerful PREMISE which happens to resonate with people exposed to BIBLE-olatry.

  When this PREMISE is exposed as a baseless assumption backed up by intellectually dishonest assertions of "authority"---the whole house of cards collapses in a heap.

  End of story.
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  Mad Sweeney

  I think you're pretty much right on. THE Bible, as God's Word to humankind, does not really exist. IF it was given under inspiration to the writers, where are those documents? Gone. If they were so important, why let them disappear? So that faith is necessary, is a possible answer, but that begs the question: Why does God need us to have faith when he could simply show up and show himself? What purpose does it serve HIM? Or US? None. It only serves religious masters, as far as I can see.