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10-22-2001, 01:47 PM | #1 |
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Bible as fact
One thing I have always failed to understand is why anyone would insist on treating the bible as word for word truth. Even if you take as a given that the bible was inspired by god the job interpreting what he said and the writing the book still falls on falible humans. People should understand and even expect there to be errors and exagerations. Not only is this a far more logical aproach to take, it simultaneously solves nearly every problem that the bible has with respect to science and progress.
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10-22-2001, 02:14 PM | #2 |
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Genesis, for example, relates certain events of the alleged creation which occurred before there were people who could possibly have recorded those events. It also relates other alleged facts which only "God" could have known. Either "God" dictated Genesis or "inspired" its authors (giving them certain otherwise unknowable facts through that inspiration)--or else Genesis is fiction.
Once you start throwing out bits and pieces of the Bible, not taking those bits and pieces as literally true, the question arises as to what--if anything-- should be taken as true. If, for example, there were no Garden of Eden, no Fall, then there is no real need for a Savior, a propitiatory sacrifice for "sin," such as that allegedly provided by the crucifixion of Jesus. Keep in mind, that it would be an easy feat for a perfect and omnipotent "God" to perfectly inspire the biblical authors, copyists, translators, and interpreters to get it right. Anything less, it seems to me, provides good evidence against the inspiration of the Bible by a perfect and omnipotent "God." After all, what would be the point in a perfect and omnipotent "God" imperfectly inspiring the biblical authors, letting them get it wrong? --Don-- [ October 22, 2001: Message edited by: Donald Morgan ] |
10-22-2001, 06:00 PM | #3 |
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It could very well be that god didn't care about the bible and never asked that it be created. Which is not to say that the stories are fiction but that god never helped in writing them. It would certainly not be out of character for the god of the old testament to not care about such a thing.
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10-22-2001, 07:26 PM | #4 | ||||
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All true or nothing true are by no means the only possibilities, even for Genesis. Quote:
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Tercel [ October 22, 2001: Message edited by: Tercel ] |
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10-22-2001, 09:06 PM | #5 |
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The Bible is an account of the age old conflict/struggle between church and state. Atheism as an ideology is older than recorded history, and if you notice the Biblical writers/authors always appear to have the winning hand and we atheists are relegated to the status of having a lost cause. Well, this is actually the very opposite of the true history of atheism. The above statements I made are all facts. This may come to a shock to some but much of what is contained in the ancient writings that wound up being placed in the Bible were very likely to have been conceived and written by atheists. Yes, of course the priesthood has corrupted these works to their favor and benefit but big deal, we atheists are still here carrying on the ancient tradition. Theism can not conquer us.
The Bible is fact? The fact is the Bible can't get rid of us! |
10-22-2001, 10:25 PM | #6 | |
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--Don-- |
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10-22-2001, 10:41 PM | #7 | |||||
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1.) Unless you were omniscient, you could not know with certainty what anyone missed. 2.) The fact is that I have not missed that possibility. 3.) I have nowhere stated that all true or nothing true are the only possibilities. In fact, I mentioned that once you start throwing out bits and pieces of the Bible, not taking those bits and pieces as literally true, the question arises as to what--if anything--should be taken as true. Quote:
And please describe the "meaning" in Jesus' alleged sacrifice if your interpretation is different than typical Christian doctrine has it. Quote:
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--Don-- [ October 22, 2001: Message edited by: Donald Morgan ] |
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