Sheshbazzar

Pardon me, that I might place emphasis on a portion of this post to draw attention to something that seems to be neglected between the opposite extremes of opinion about the inspiration of text of the Bible.

On one hand the fundamentalist position demands that every word, and every story to be accepted as inspired and true, this of course leads to all kinds of mental gymnastics and 'might-have-been' scenarios attempting to explain away what are rather obviously flat out contradictions, or forces the fundamentalist into engaging in a dodging evasiveness that borders on downright dishonesty.

On the other hand, The atheist might also go to an unwarranted extreme in denying any inspiration to the contents of the text, As;
"......were "He" to have ANYTHING to do with the inspiration of "His Word."

It is my position that it is possible for text to be "inspired" without being dictated word for word, and for stories to be fabricated and 'made up' for the purposes of teaching, without need of being scorned as 'fairy tails' and 'lies' simply because they do not under critical analysis conform to the exact dictates of historical accuracy or of scientific proofs.

Every one of us have a capacity to be inspired by external forces and by ideas which have origin outside ourselves, as we are all subject to that continuum, "in which we live, and move, and have our being."
Call it "Reality", call it "Truth", call it "God", or call it "Yahweh", Men have never been without the workings of inspiration.

I might also have succumbed to unbelief had not the of words of the Bible inspired within me a gift of a peculiar esoteric knowledge, and a vision, a gift of ideas and insight that I must in all honesty acknowledge did not originate from within myself. You need not believe, of course.
-Sheshbazzar-

gregor

While I appreciate the fact that you have your own, personal gnostic belief system, you'll understand why I reject it out of hand.

You believe that portions of the Bible are 'inspired.' Using objective criteria, one has to ask which portions would those be, and how do you determine they are inspired. Unless you have some testable criteria that others can review and comment upon and unless you have used that criteria to analyze various passages, your claim must be rejected. You'll understand when others believe - in all due respect - that you have simply invented your own religion, with its own elements, using a personal choice as to what is involved. It's simply the gospel according to Sheshbazzar.

No thanks.

Sheshbazzar

I lay no claim to having my "own personal gnostic belief system",
only that I have a gift that did not and does not originate from within myself, and that while possessing this gift bolsters my confidence in Yah through the reality of a particular category of hidden things that are appointed to be revealed in due time, its primary purpose is for the edification and the unification of the scattered flock.

I lay no claim that the gift, insight nor vision that I have, is in any way exclusively reserved unto myself, or restricted in any way, but is the heritage and the birthright of all who are willing to believe, and are willing to put their trust in the name of Yahweh, even to all, "whomsoever will receive it."

There are indeed testable criteria in certain matters that may be reviewed and commented upon by the children of Yahweh, upon whom His name is called, and even by the unbelievers upon whom His name is not called, howbeit neither the believers nor the unbelievers through reviews nor comments may add unto nor diminish as much as a hairbreadth from those things that are equal, established and eternal by the will of Yah.

It has been said of old time, "Seek and you shall find, Ask, and it shall be opened unto you." but whom from the heart, will seek that in which he believes not? or ask after that which in his heart, he believes not to exist?
-Sheshbazzar-

gregor2

Okaly dokaly

Oh, and my neighbor talks to his lawnmower.

Sheshbazzar

-DM-

Possible? Yes, of course. But is it probable that a perfect and omnipotent "God" would "inspire" "His word" in such a manner that it contained obvious problems, problems noticed even by honest believers? In my opinion, that is not at all likely.

Keep in mind that extraordinary claims are sometimes made about the Bible (e.g., that it is the perfect, infallible, inerrant, and plenary Word of a perfect and omnipotent God). Yet we don't usually say that a craftsman is "perfect" if his work is imperfect.

The Bible itself says that "God" purposefully gave out bad laws [EZ 20:25], that he sometimes deceives his own prophets [1KI 22:23, 2CH 18:22, JE 4:10, JE 20:7, EZ 14:9], that the scribes falsify the word [JE 8:8], that "God" deceives the wicked [2TH 2:11-12], etc.--thus even if the Bible were somehow inspired by "God," it could not be trusted, nor could "God" as revealed in the Bible be trusted.

-Don-

Sheshbazzar

And even today your opinions are being molded and shaped by the influence of that ancient Word that you are living in denial of:
Except that Word had been given, you would not be posting your thoughts in this forum, what you are denying, is even this day, making you into what you are, as it likewise makes me what I am.

hal'lel'-u-YAH; ke a'zee v'zeem'rath YAH, v'yah'hee-lee lee'SHUAH;
hal'lel'-u-YAH;

You shall lay down and sleep, to dust you shall return, your vain words shall be forgotten amongst men, but the Word which I have spoken, and which I have written, shall endure, and shall prevail. Sheshbazzar

Sheshbazzar

Inspired down to the very least "yod" and "tittle", inspired, for the purpose of molding these vessels made out of clay, if the text at any time or in any wise be altered, then that alteration is also inspired, with purpose, altering the size, shape, strength and usage, of these vessels made out of clay.
How foolish of men, who posture and say, "Reality does not touch me, I will not believe in reality, therefore its hands cannot mold me."
But Yah by His will and His power causes one word to be altered by one man, and through this ten thousands will unite together, or will turn upon and kill one another, and yet the ignorant will say, "His word is not inspired, He does not exist." while even their protests further evidence His existence, and that they have been been shaped and molded by His words to serve His purposes this day.
Yet when all has been accomplished a remnant shall remain, and this shall be their refrain; Hal'lel'-u-hu, Hal'lel'-u-YAH
-Sheshbazzar-

BSM

Sheshbazzar:

And this is relevant how?

~BSM

Sheshbazzar

THe subject of this thread is Biblical ignorance, with a digression into the subject of "inspiration" my reply is relevant to both subjects.
-Sheshbazzar-