For those claiming that- how much thought or research have you done?
Objective or non-objective?
Ever read the other books claiming to be from God? Mormon, Hindu, Buddhist, etc?
Ever do a background study about the Bible?
Is the Bible from Men, NOT God?
by the-Question 64 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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David_Jay
The answer to these questions: yes, I've done all the above type of research you suggest.
However it is never enough to do research for yourself. Like all proper critical methodologies, a person needs to take what they learn and have their conclusions verified by independent, disinterested parties.
Jehovah's Witnesses often create people who like to claim things like: "I know these things are true because I did research and now I know from my own experience that what I believe is true."
That is always sign number one that the person has not come to correct conclusions. We have to rely on the work of others, especially those with contrasting views, to ensure we do not make mistakes due to personal bias. We have to have fail-safes in place that will prevent us from believing what we prefer.
It's not the quantity of study you do but the quality. If you don't listen to voices that prevent you from trusting your own conclusions without validation, it doesn't matter how much study you do.
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the-Question
True- but not the OPINIONS of others!
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stillin
David Jay is referring to something that is also called "confirmation bias." Personal research is good but it's almost impossible to keep one's self neutral. Denial kicks in, cognitive dissonance kicks in. And results get skewed.
The problem is that if the Bible is from God, He didn't really give us enough for us to be able to, without controversy, conclude that it is His Perfect Word. Look at all of the flip-flops that just one Bible-believing Organization has had in only a few years. And consider how many controversial subjects are discussed between the myriad of scholars and believers. Sincere, searching believers...
It's sad.
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David_Jay
The critical method does not allow opinions to be employed for the validation procedure.
A party disinterested in your field must perform the same steps you do in your research and verify the steps you make, checking your conclusions. And then the work of the disinterested party needs to undergo the same. When two of more disinterested parties do the same research and independently come to the same conclusions, your conclusions are validated.
Opinion is never used in critical methodologies. A methodology requires the use of a method, something opinions cannot offer.
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azor
Linguistics, similar previous mythologies, archeology, among many other fields of study show conclusively that the Bible is man made.
Each of the ones mentioned above has gone through multiple peer reviewed processes.
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David_Jay
Don't forget, Azor, that neither Jews nor mainstream Christians think the Bible was written directly by God, and the majority accept the interpolation and editing process up to the time of canonization as part of the inspiration process.
Unlike Jehovah's Witnesses who believe the Bible was somewhat dictated from God to humans, critical hermeneutics dismissed this view centuries ago for a far more complex definition of what the inspiration process entails. In some fields of Jewish and Christian thought divine inspiration is not synonymous with divine revelation. The work of scientists, doctors, artists, etc., even if their work excludes support in the concept of God often falls under the more critical interpretation of inspiration advanced by modern exegetes.
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punkofnice
For those claiming that- how much thought or research have you done?
Objective or non-objective?
Ever read the other books claiming to be from God? Mormon, Hindu, Buddhist, etc?
Ever do a background study about the Bible?It would be interesting to hear your answers to your own questions. thanks.
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scratchme1010
For those claiming that- how much thought or research have you done?
Plenty.
Objective or non-objective?
Objective
Ever read the other books claiming to be from God? Mormon, Hindu, Buddhist, etc?
Yes, some historic, some modern. I don't think that I need a degree in Theology or religion history to be well informed, though.
Ever do a background study about the Bible?
What do you mean by a background study? What's that?
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azor
David Jay the question was whether the Bible was written by god or man. Then it was compared to other religious books by the OP. By your logic all the other so called holy books have the same merit.