To start I would like to say, I apologize if any of this post offends Christians. If you are a Christian and get offended from people questioning the Bible, I would not read beyond this paragraph. This is written with a slant on a Witness view and teaching I had to overcome in my exit ... The other night I was reading a book, something I do often, when I got to a part that really touched me. It made so much sense and seemed to put everything into perspective with something I was thinking about. I set there thinking, I like the way this author writes. He makes sense, he explains himself and he says in it a way I can understand. In doing so, one thing was missing. I did not say, "this man was inspired by God." Why would I not say that? Well one thing my post-Witness life has allowed me to accept, is that there are a lot of publications out there to read. Some are good, and some make me wonder, "why would anyone ever buy this?" In the end though, it comes to my attention that men and woman can write some great words. They can explain things to me, they can teach me things and they can give advice that I will take with me into the future. So with this in mind, what makes these any less in value from the Bible. Are we to think, that just because we have computers now and dictionaries, that man has improved in the ability to write and think. Is it not possible that, although less because of education in history, that people in the past were able to write as well as people in the present. In doing so, they made some records or descriptions that touched hearts and maybe inspired people to say, "God must have written this!" Think for example of all the things made in the past, the large structures and the inventions, or even some of the explorations made. In many cases, man always credited these huge leaps into advancement of man with God. In doing so, doesn't it make equal sense that man would have done the same with a certain percentage of writings. One thing I remember from my "let's dive deep into studying the Bible days" was the knowledge that there were many other books of the Bible. That their were many other religions during the time of the founding of Christianity, that taught similar things. So when I think about this, I question the Bible as the word of God even deeper. Why do I do this? Well for one thing, the Bible is not as well written as people expect me to believe. Many thoughts actually contradict others, and there are parts in the Bible that make no sense to the overall stated theme. Especially when we are told the God of the Bible is love, and then see records of so much hate and destruction. Then there is the mistranslations, and paraphrases that make you wonder if what you are reading is even what the author meant. Something that would seem more common in a piece of modern literature, than with a book I should be basing my entire life around and be willing to die for. So when I read all of the books I have read in my life, the Bible included. I always come to spots that make a lot of sense, that inspire in me the thinking I need at the moment. In the end though, I realize that much like the fact that man has always been one to invent things, to better their lives. Man has also, always had the ability to write things that inspire greatness in others. With this in mind, I feel a freedom in my thoughts, that my doubts in the Bible and with the teachings it lays out. I do not feel any guilt in thinking, "these are some interesting inspiring thoughts, but I do not feel they are the word of God" any more so then the books I read and enjoy everyday. My thought Dragon
Edited by - kenpodragon on 14 October 2002 22:9:19