I don't believe the Bible is Inspired of god - Why do you / don't you?

by cantleave 202 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  Joey Jo-Jo

  The internet has changed a lot of things, even religion, atheism is increasingly becoming wide spread, but in most eurpean countries its still a small percentage of atheists.

  My native country which is mostly roman catholic who don't know their bibles unlike protestant america, in my opinion have more faith, because the belife in god is stronger than the belief in the bible which is very faulty and technically makes it idol worshiping, its also their long history with catholicism and country mascot saint fatima (I have book which is the equivalent of CoC but about fatima, speaks about the setup and the kids that were murdered so this saint can continue to exist, english translated version doesn't exist), preaching in Portugal was a lot more hostile than in Melbourne, bucket of boiling water dropped on me from the 2nd floor, chased by dogs and people, bashed at school for being a jw, I remember thinking to myself that these idiots much rather worship a priest that says the same over and over again every week than to read the bible, I still do.

  tec speaks of following HIM (god has a penis?) but how do you follow something you dont know? Eastern Orthodox likes to argue that the church came before the bible therefore the church over shadows the bible, but the apostles came before the churchs and Jesus came before the apostles, these letters that the apostles supposedly convey are all anonymous and they are the only thing we have, there are other letters that didn't make into what Constantine allowed the early church to finalise - bible, the NT is a mess and other letters that didn't make it into the bible makes it harder to understand, and while Ehrman puts the final nail in the coffin, the late Hitchens debators didn't even dare to discuss the bible with him it was always "We are not talking about the bible, I wan proof that God does not exist", and Dawkins killed creationism.
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  Fernando

  After a spiritual awakening the Bible has come alive for me and I am personally able to understand the awesome gospel message that runs like a thread through it and is antithetical to the "bad news" (religion). Far too much detail and correlation to be an accident.

  The once inexplicable evil spirit I have experienced in the Watchtower ruling religious clergy class now makes sense and is well explained where Jesus had the same experience with the religious leaders of his day.

  However I now question all the supremacist religious framework in which the Bible was presented to me by the Watchtower who have merely continued the RCC's corruption of the text with their spiritually blind physical interpretations and theology.
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  designs

  Fernando- Consider this, Everything said in the Gospels by Jesus and the Epistles by Paul about and against the Jews is wrong.
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  Crisis of Conscience

  In page 2, Ucantnome said, Sometimes I find it odd that people who have reached out and become elders because they believed they were ones who could teach, for many years taught that God existed and how he should be served including disfellowshipping people who saw Christianity in a different way than they taught, after a short period of time ridicule the God they served.

  I haven't read ahead yet so I'm not sure if someone commented on this already. But I have a simple answer for this.

  In one word - education. I'll offer an example and hope you understand its relation to your comment above.

  In America there is a rapper/producer by the name of Sean "Pdiddy" Combs. He has a clothing line.

  Suppose for a moment you were really into buying his clothing. It's ALL you ever bought. One day you get confirmed news that all his clothing is made by little children in a sweat shop, which is something you absolutely detest. You decide from that moment on that you can no longer and will not any longer support his business in this regard.

  Why would you do that? Again, education. You did something before because you weren't fully informed. But once you became aware of what was really happening, you changed your mind/belief.

  Well those that were at one time elders or what have you, and who now as you say "ridicule" God, are informed. They have made an educated decision. It shouldn't be a surprise, just as it shouldn't be a surprise that you can change your own mind on things after being educated.

  CoC

  edited: I see others commented on it. LOL Oh well.
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  Crisis of Conscience

  As far as the topic of the thread, I'm still somewhat in the stages of "waking" up.

  I however no longer feel that the Bible is either inspired or the book of God.

  When I sit and compare the stories in the Hebrew testament to fairytales and fables that I learned as a child, they are really not that different. If I believe one, then I might as well believe the other. If I don't believe one, well.................. You get the point.

  Once the walls came down, it was hard to believe anything else in the Bible. I agree about it containing things that can benefit people in their lives, but that's as far as it goes. It's no longer any different than listening to Dr. Phil.

  CoC
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  thetrueone

  The ancient scribes of the bible were inspired by their belief in their god, which gave them motivation to tell stories

  of their god to create a semblance of reverence and power. They knew of other civilizations that worshiped other god(s)

  which also gave them motivation to create a connecting relationship with their own chosen god.

  These stories created a emotional connection with these people very similar in the way that they do today.
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  Ucantnome

  C of C

  My surprise is over that elders are supposed to be able to teach. They believe they are informed more than the rest of the congregation.

  As elders they are not new to the bible or what the bible teachs.

  The then later discover that they no longer believe it. They feel they have been misled maybe.

  However informed they then become they still cannot say for sure that the God they believed and loved for so long doesnt exist.

  The God they loved hasn't changed he is always the same. All of the things they learnt about him are still the same. Unlike what you say here.

  "Suppose for a moment you were really into buying his clothing. It's ALL you ever bought. One day you get confirmed news that all his clothing is made by little children in a sweat shop, which is something you absolutely detest."

  The organization may change but God doesnt.

  In being fooled, misled or becoming more informed and deciding to leave the congregation for whatever reason. My surprise is that having been wrong once they would without positive proof of the non existence of God now ridicule him as if they are wrong they will lose. Then they would have been wrong twice. I just tend to be more cautious.

  Maybe ridicule was the wrong word. I couldn't think of a better one at the time.
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  Ucantnome

  Cantleave

  I think you are wrong if your illustration is saying that my post is circular reasoning. I agree it sounds like it.

  "It gives me hope. I've not seen a better deal being offered to me.

  I said this. This is what i meant. I have hope based on faith. Strong faith. Faith is a fruitage of the spirit. The evidence in my life. I have this because I believe in Christ who is God's means of saving us. God's eternal purpose, his divine plan of the ages. I first learnt of this plan from the Bible hence it is inspired."

  However the faith is the evidence and great things are accomplished in faith.

  Hebrews 11. 32 And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. 35 Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. 36 Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were put to death by stoning; [e] they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— 38 the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground. (NIV)

  I have seen things in my own life due to faith.
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  still thinking

  Ucantnome...You may have seen things happen...but how can you be so sure they wouldn't have happened anyway? We can have faith that things will happen...that faith has a 50/50 chance doesn't it. What about when things don't happen? Is is because God isn't watching at that particular time? Is it because you didn't deserve it at that particular time...Or is it that we just make excuses when it doesn't work out...and give god credit when it does.
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  Ucantnome

  still thinking

  I wouldn't want my faith tested in a hungry lion's den. Would you? Sometimes are faith is tested and the circumstances are not pleasant. In the lions den when it works out there is not a doubt as to why.

  John 20:21

  29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (NIV)

  I could tell you what happened in my life but it would make no more difference than reading the accounts in the bible I cant give you them for scientific analysis.

  When these things happened to the Apostle Paul do you think he wasn't praying why did God not stop them?

  24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one.

  25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea,

  26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers.

  27 I have laboured and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.

  At the end of Paul's life he had fought the fine fight and was assured of his reward. His faith got him through and God knew what he needed. Pray for more faith.