by shamus 60 Replies latest watchtower bible
So, what do you think about the bible? Is it really ispired of god?
I am strongly believing that the Bible is nothing more than folk-tales, half-truths, and suggestions by man. In short, I am not believing that it is inspired of god; rather of men.
What are your thoughts on the Bible?
Shamus,
This is something I would love to know the answer to. I am so confused at the moment - I don't know what to believe any more. Surely if the Bible were God's Word, we would all be able to understand it. I can't quite fathom it out - it is written in an impossible-to-make-head-or-tails-of style and can be interpreted in so many ways. If God is our loving heavenly father, and if he wants what is best for us, how come he wrote a letter to us that nobody really understands completely?
I'll read the board's comments with interest, because I sure can't throw any light on this subject.
Terri
Shamus,
You may be interested in the following:
'Abraham, the Jewish patriarch, probably never existed. Nor did Moses. The entire exodus story as recounted in the Bible probably never occurred. The same is true of the tumbling of the walls of Jericho. And David, far from being the fearless king who built Jerusalem into a mighty capital, was more likely a provincial leader whose reputation was later magnified to provide a rallying point for a fledgling nation.
Such startling propositions - the product of findings by archaeologists digging in Israel and its environs over the last 25 years - have gained wide acceptance among non-Orthodox rabbis.' The Miami Herald, Saturday, March 9, 2002 Final Edition, in its review of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism's new Torah and commentary entitled Etz Hayim (Tree of Life in Hebrew).
The paper quotes Robert Wexler, president of the University of Judaism in Los Angles and writer of the essay 'Ancient Near Eastern Mythology' , as stating that on the basis of modern scholarship, it seems unlikely that the story of Genesis originated in Palestine. More likely, Wexler says, it arose in Mesopotamia, the influence of which probably grew out of the periodic overflowing of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The story of Noah, Wexler adds, was probably borrowed from the Mesopotamian epic Gilgamesh.
Shamus, the first thing I did when I left the Borg after finding that its dogma was flawed was to then research the authenticity of the Bible itself. I even joined an Ancient Bible History group which has members from all walks of life, some pro Bible and others who take the scriptures to be nothing other than man-made and NOT inspired of God. I fall into the latter category. The stories in the Hebrew scriptures are derived from myths produced elsewhere, such as Persia (where the Jews were held captive and interwove the Persian beliefs in with their own), Sumeria, Egypt and surrounding countries. It must ALWAYS be realised, especially when we deal with the supposed origins of a people (especially when told by themselves) that we are dealing with legendary material, not historical.
What does all this mean? Well, when we read that Jesus says: "It is written", thereby inferring that it MUST be true, it becomes obvious that if the Hebrew scriptures are basically baloney then so, too, is this Jesus character and all the scriptures associated with him.
No doubt you are going to have many Christians post to this thread expressing how the Bible IS the word of God. But they cannot offer a shred of evidence. All they can do is express a belief; they are talking about their faith - but faith alone is NOT evidence. I'm afraid this thread will go the way of all similar ones - but you did ask for people's ideas!
The bottom line for me is that those who say the Bible is the word of God do so, generally, out of fear. They cannot accept that there is no-one to save them once they die. Personally, I believe - which is a belief I have come to after researching - is that only we ourselves are responsible and so it is we ourselves who determine what we are and where we go. We do NOT have a reliance on a God.
Ian
No doubt you are going to have many Christians post to this thread expressing how the Bible IS the word of God. But they cannot offer a shred of evidence. All they can do is express a belief; they are talking about their faith - but faith alone is NOT evidence.
Well, to be honest, it also takes a lot of faith NOT to believe in God or the Bible. To believe that the huge variety of life on Earth just came about through a big bang or something takes a hell of a lot of faith in my book. Plus, although I do not know what I really believe, I don't want to turn my back on God or the Bible just because I don't want to go to meetings or be a JW any more. Many people I know have left the organisation and suddenly, almost overnight, become atheists. I think you should spend more time thinking about things - it's too easy to reject everything just because of a bunch of losers at the KH.
Terri
The Bible is not inspired of God. Scary though it may seem to one wrestling with a spiritual crises, almost all the evidence is staked against the Bible. However, many of the scriptures contain the outer forms of deep spiritual/occult teachings. I think that some of the writers probably based it on meditative visions or out of body experiences in which they studied the Akashic records, such as Revelation for instance.
Hi Shamus,
I've read several books about the Bible from the standpoint is it God's word or not. A few good ones were 101 Myths of the Bible by Greenburg and his other book, Mark Twain's Letters from the Earth, etc. But here is a website that has much handy information about contradictions and cruelties in the Bible.\
http://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com/
Pat
Terri,
Many people I know have left the organisation and suddenly, almost overnight, become atheists.
Yes, and just as many have also become Born Again Christians.
I think you should spend more time thinking about things - it's too easy to reject everything just because of a bunch of losers at the KH.
I don?t think you?ve taken on board what I wrote. I said I did a lot of research (and am still researching). I don?t know if God exists, but if he does he sure has a strange kind of humour!
As for the Big Bang, and I accept you don't refer to me, I never said anything about it! I find it difficult to accept that something, such as a Big Bang, came out of Nothing. But, at the same time, I find it equally as difficult to accept that God has always been there. How did HE come out of nothing?
Shamus? question was about how we perceive the Bible. I?ve expressed my views on it above. That?s not the same as saying I don?t think about things. You don?t know me so have absolutely no idea how MUCH I think about things!
The Bible is not the inspired word of God - that's a fact as we now know many of its Hebrew writings are taken from elsewhere. As my quotation mentions above, even some non-orthodox rabbis are questioning the authenticity of the Hebrew scriptures. If the Hebrew scriptures are wrong then it throws considerable doubt on the authenticity of the Aramaic and Greek scriptures.
Ian
A worthwhile post to make comments on Shamus. For one, I respect the beliefs of others. To down play others faith, beliefs etc. would show a lack of respect.
The Bible is the history of a Nation, the Israelites. Who am I to ridicule and judge what is written about their relationship with their God? Sure I will 'question' the why and wherefore's about certain events and dates. Which nation or group of people can rise above others and say they're history is without blemish/question? Why, my own ancestors history is an oral history and I still pose questions. Oral history can easier be bastardized than a written history, no?
If people choose not to believe in the Bible that's their choice, I'm not going to lose sleep over it, believe me. My stance is clear, respect other opinions and their beliefs.
Guest 77
I think you should spend more time thinking about things
Ian - I wasn't particularly referring to you - I mean people in general. I know that, when I started having doubts, I thought the whole thing, Bible and all, must be wrong because those who follow it seem to do such horrible things. But I was over-reacting because I was angry over a few people at my KH.
You don?t know me so have absolutely no idea how MUCH I think about things!
I have read many of your posts and I know you must spend a lot of time thinking about things. I respect what you say - no insult was intended - I wasn't implying you don't think.
The Bible is not the inspired word of God - that's a fact as we now know many of its Hebrew writings are taken from elsewhere.
I disagree with this remark. I just don't know whether it is God's word. There are many bits in the Bible that I dislike, and also many parts that encourage people to do good. I think it is too easy to say that IT IS A FACT that the Bible is rubbish. Many people would say it is a fact that it is true. I respect both views, but I'm too muddled at the moment to decide one way or the other, that's all.
Terri
http://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com/
I read about this website in earlier threads. It was yet another turning point for my belief system. I do not believe the bible was inspired by a God. I think the bible is ca ca.
