Full disclosure: I am not Christian, but I don’t think we live on a ball.
Here is what I find astonishingly confounding: how is it that people can actively question the shape of what we are told that we live on, but refuse to question a book, the Bible, that people tell us to read? How is this not cognitive dissonance?
I have heard the reasoning, and it makes no sense. When somebody says something like, “Either the Bible is the word of God, or it isn’t. Either the Bible is right, or I am.” - Can they not see that putting your faith in a book, rather that looking inside yourself, and observing your surroundings, is no different than somebody who reads a text book about space, then fully believes that text book? - Or reads a book about ball Earth, and fully believes the ball Earth? Your only logical answer to this would be that you have “faith“ in the Bible, but you don’t have faith in those text books. I think that all of those books are propaganda, including the Bible. All of them are trying to make you think one way or the other. All of them are pushed on you by others who have some kind of agenda at hand. Do people not think that King James had some kind of agenda when he had the Bible arranged for HIS control over people? How is he not different than any other king or notorious ruler? HOW? - And why would you take his propaganda as truth over your own ability to question further?
There are many people that live all over the realm that we live in. All of the different peoples have different stories about how reality was created or formed. To believe that ONLY the story of the Hebrews is the true one makes no sense to me, whatsoever, at all. In fact, it is a prejudice without any justification whatsoever at all, beyond saying, ”Because I believe it is so.”
Doubt is a spiritual tool that must be utilized in the pursuit of truth. It is hypocritical to question one thing, such as the shape of the Earth, but not to question another, like a book called the Bible or otherwise.
Looking forward to all your thoughts!
Here's something to examine if you doubt the Bible's authenticity:
There's so many impossible patterns in scripture, indicating divine inspiration. Check it out. It's a fascinating discovery only revealed in the last year or so.
I’m saddened by some of Dennis and snaketurbanheads back and forth. How come you guys are writing to each other so harshly (in my opinion)? I’m not seeing how that facilitates constructive conversation about the topic. But I do love and appreciate you both and value your perspectives and experiences.
Why do "People Do Not Question The Bible".....LMAO
Who in the heck are you assuming do not question the Bible. Do you honestly think the majority are nothing but intellectually vapid mouth breathing morons who mouth the words as they stumble through challenging verses like John 1:1?
Do try harder....
You don't think people quesgion the Bible? I think it's the most talked about book ever and lots of that talk is questioning.
I just now read this thread (I’m new to the forum) and really enjoyed the candor. Especially sheepamongwolves and turbanhead….refreshing…..as if I’m listening in on your convo around the campfire, lol, thanks to everyone who posted…I enjoy this topic too and having been raised in a Christian home, then through rebellion, and back to Christ, then to questioning the Bible (still in this phase), yet having a deep peace that our Creator is keeping me. I’m drawn to people who humbly keep questioning everything…while maintaining strong convictions that yield the fruit of the spirit. To date, I’ve not met anyone (or religion) that comes close to competing with the deep peace of knowing Christ Jesus (in spirit), and so while I’m still questioning things, I also sense a strong, safe protection of sorts that until I’m convinced otherwise, am comfortable knowing as Christ Jesus (but I’m so cautious to use that name, because I’m just not 💯 sure on names). Anyway, thanks again to everyone who reads this. What a great little community. I’m still super curious what’s going on with George regarding the FE podcast, and why he does not seem very active on the forum either, but that’s ok. He sounds like an extremely busy brother and this is all a labor of love anyway, in the midst of his myriad of responsibilities. Grace and peace to all! ❤️
I have certainly questioned it. My path has been one of questioning King James motivations, learn about the “Pauline” Christianity idea, and pure curiosity on what might be wrong with it. A few months ago, when I began thinking we werent on a sphere, I realized that most of the ruse is to ultimately discredit the Bible. I understand the Zeitgeist ideas, but also wonder if that isn’t also disinformation. It’s maddening to not be able to believe anything is true anymore! Maybe it isn’t perfect, but it definitely seems to be the best chance we have to get some truth!
There are 2 spots in the Bible that immediately come to mind that specifically tell people not to take the book at face value, that there are deeper meanings and truths that you have to decipher.
The first is Hebrews 11:1 - “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” The word “substance” to me implies something tangible, and that you should indeed be able to find the evidence of God all around you and within you. The second place is Jesus explaining the purpose of parables in Mark 4:11 - “And He said to them, “To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, so that ‘Seeing they may see and not perceive, And hearing they may hear and not understand;…”
I take this to mean that God doesn’t want blind faith, He wants us to figure out HOW to read the Bible, which in my opinion suggests more of a Gnostic approach. Disciplines such as astrology, numerology, geometry, human physiology, etc. are the cipher keys for decoding the Bible. Reading the Bible at face value, or just the surface narrative in other words, I have found to be quite confusing; but using things like I mentioned above will peel back the layers and reveal the deeper meaning and hidden truths the book is trying to convey. I think we‘re meant to do the work to prove to ourselves that the evidence of His existence is literally everywhere around us and within us, which leads to knowing rather than just believing. A good resource for me has been Marty Leeds, if you’re interested in checking out his teachings of the deeper esoteric meanings in the Bible.
Right now, I don’t think that the Bible is necessarily the word of God in its entirety. I am still open to listening to others who believe so, and attempting to see why they believe so. Otherwise I would be a closed minded idiot. I may be a full spectrum retard, but I am not a closed minded idiot.
I would also agree very much so that the Bible SHOULD be questioned. Throw anything you want at it! Dive in. Dig. Prove it wrong. I can assure you, God is not afraid of your questions, but relishes them. And if you sincerely seek truthful answers, you'll find them. And the Bible will survive them all.
Voltaire preached against the Bible, and prophecied that one day it would be abolished. He sure wanted it to be. Later, his house became a printing press for printing Bibles.
Turbanhead, I understand what you're saying. My best response would be something like this:
- there is no other ancient book that can stand the tests that the Bible passes.
1) Prophecy - without going through prophecies that predicted the end of kingdoms, etc. consider the life of Jesus alone. Over 300 prophecies in the OT came to pass in the life of Jesus, prophecies that were written 400+ years minimum before He was born. The vinegar He drank on the cross, that they divided one of his garments and cast lots for the other. All the places He lived. On and on.
2) History - no other ancient book has been proven over and over and over again to accurately record history. Things though to be untrue turn out to be true.
3) Scope - 66 books, over 30 authors, written over 1000s of years, from people from every walk of life, kings, shepherds, cupbearers, all agreeing with each other. So many parts of the Bible connect in absolutely profound ways. i highly recommend Josh McDowell's "Evidence That Demands a Verdict." He endeavoured to disprove the Bible, and Jesus, and ended up becoming a Christian.
4) Accuracy - through the Dead Sea Scrolls, understanding how the Bible was copied, and the over 13,000 extant manuscripts we have of the NT, the accuracy of the Bible we have today is proven. It has not been changed, as much as critics want to convince people that it has.
5) Testimony - the countless stories of people who, through reading the Bible, have had their lives changed forever. This is evidence of it's "living"ness.
There are more reasons. McDowell outlines them all. Other books have also been written.
Lastly, I would state this. The character of God Himself. It is written, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away." You can be sure that a faithful, loving God Who wants us to know Him would make sure that His Word is accurate and accessible, and would not allow it to be corrupted.
Have you read the whole book ?
Sounds like you have your mind made up, and any response will illicit and argument...no matter what the reply might be