toldailytopic: Why (or why not) are you convinced that the Bible is the word of God.

[Stripe]

did you mean to say that it was just the default position for you in the post where you claimed that Christianity is the default position?

I was thinking it's definitely the default position with me, but it should also be the default position in a theology forum. :idunno:

 

[PyramidHead]

I was thinking it's definitely the default position with me, but it should also be the default position in a theology forum. :idunno:

i was simply pointing out there was no way to know you meant this, rather than the default position for everyone, when you typed what i quoted

sorry for any misunderstanding

 

[Krsto]

exactly my point: it is a product of want, which occasionally becomes a product of need.

well my reference to the "fundamental difference" between us and the world around us was a reference to early homo sapiens and the world around them, wondering why the whole world seemed to act on instinct but yet we seem able to do otherwise.

Well it's a good thing God is something one would want. If he were something no one would want then I'm not sure anyone would want to be alive.

As for men not acting on instinct, my wife would beg to differ. :chuckle:

 

[GuySmiley]

(but not clappy),

:chuckle:

 

[Lighthouse]

Bet that caused some concern to a few here. :shocked:

However the topic is whether the Bible is the word of God, not some earlier ancient scriptures.

What it does show is that different theologians and Christian scholars have their own opinions and that is what ultimately becomes part of whatever Bible is believed to be correct.
Word of God, really?
:think:

well, you used the NLT which can be shown to be erroneous in its usage of the word jealous in 1 Corinthians 13:4 just by looking at earlier translations, or even the original languages. Not to mention it is clearly contradicting itself in light of Exodus 20:5.

unless i'm mistaken, God never wrote a thing in His life

the Ten Commandments, on stone tablets, with His finger, twice.

Exodus 31:18, 34:1, 28, Deuteronomy 4:13

Not sure how this relates to the topic at hand but phileo is used only twice from 1 Cor. to 1 Jn., the rest are agape, as is usual in the NT.

Agape is only the root word. And just like in English words from root words do not mean exactly the same as the root word. Agape is the word in one of the verses, it is only the root of the word in the other verse.

 

[Stripe]

the Ten Commandments, on stone tablets, with His finger, twice.

On some pagan king's wall.

In some dirt.

...

 

[alwight]

well, you used the NLT which can be shown to be erroneous in its usage of the word jealous in 1 Corinthians 13:4 just by looking at earlier translations, or even the original languages. Not to mention it is clearly contradicting itself in light of Exodus 20:5.

The specific Bible was not in the OP (was it?). Which one(s) is/are the actual word of God in your opinion, not the one with unicorns in it presumably?

 

[freelight]

Creative Intelligence......

Creative Intelligence......

~*~*~

The Bible is a compile of religious writings, expressing different dimensions and qualities of human belief, symbols and relationships, the culture of divine inspiration, meanings and values esteemed at various time-periods, reflecting the knowledge of those times and conditioned thru the individuals and community involved, in which the knowledge was passed down.

It will only have meaning or significance to one who accepts it as 'inspired' somehow, or if it shares common universal truths and principles that all peoples can relate to and affirm as being 'true' in concept and experience. The voice of truth speaks thru many mediums, yet its primal language is One. - therefore it may have many dialects, forms, expressions....these within many of the worlds religious traditions.

I'm convinced only of what truth is, here, now, eternally. If 'God' has spoken and continues to speak thru certain ancient writings and modern channels,...I shall open to hear such as well,...as revelation is progressive, and truth is a living dynamic of informing reality.

I'm convinced there is light, wisdom, truth in the Bible, yet such is only pertinent as it relates to the present, as the voice of the Spirit speaking now and in every moment, to the hearing 'ear'. I also draw from other world scriptures in their own lingual forms and contexts, as they relate the same universal truths (in different garb). Light is not limited to only one frequency or vibrational level of expression. See the Rainbow

God's word (logos) is everywhere expressing as everything that appears, it is not something limited to paper and ink. The entire cosmos is the canvas of 'God', the invisible and visible, all that is be-ing and be-coming. There is only One Spirit-energy, all-pervading consciousness, one essential substratum wherein everything originates, arises and dissolves back into. Just 'this'. 'This' is all there is. In this context,....all is God's word, his expression of logos everywhere....the play of Creation. You and I, the whole universe,....is the compliment of 'God'.



pj

 

[Lighthouse]

The specific Bible was not in the OP (was it?). Which one(s) is/are the actual word of God in your opinion, not the one with unicorns in it presumably?

What do you think a unicorn is? Do you know the actual definition?

 

[Nick M]

A Muslim could just as pointlessly insist that the Qu'ran being true is the default position. What does it mean to what you actually think? Nothing.

And as he said, that is problem. We will show how it makes no sense very easy. And you can't do the same with God's Bible.

 

[Nick M]

The Bible records many events the likes of which are unknown except through it's own pages. What is sensible about resurrections?

What is sensible is that it would take a miracle. So the anonymous testimony, and not testimony written by the individual is no different than an AP news story. The difference is, you don't want it to be true.

Many things in history have no archaeological evidence. None, zip, zero. But that doesn't mean it didn't happen. Thankfully, rock lasts a really long time, and many things in the Bible do work out, as far back as the Exodus.

 

[alwight]

What do you think a unicorn is? Do you know the actual definition?

Yes, for most people it's a mythical one horned horse.

Bible usage however rather requires some degree of spin to be deployed since people in the middle ages stupidly really did believe in many mythical beasts.

I believe that rhinoceros and aurochs are therefore theological unicorns, correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Granite]

You're quite right, which is why Christians are told:

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: -- 1 Peter 3:15

That's nice till you guys decide not to throw pearls before swine...

 

[Lighthouse]

Yes, for most people it's a mythical one horned horse.

Bible usage however rather requires some degree of spin to be deployed since people in the middle ages stupidly really did believe in many mythical beasts.

I believe that rhinoceros and aurochs are therefore theological unicorns, correct me if I'm wrong.

I don't know what an auroch is. But the definition of unicorn is a one horned animal. And there are many animals with one horn. Even some naturally two horned animals will give birth to single horned offspring.

 

[alwight]

I don't know what an auroch is.

Wiki?:idea:

But the definition of unicorn is a one horned animal.

Don't be daft how could there be a correct definition for something that we all agree does not really exist outside mythology and possibly the KJV.
As I say a unicorn is for most people a mythical horse with one horn.

And there are many animals with one horn. Even some naturally two horned animals will give birth to single horned offspring.

Or a two horned auroch drawn in profile by early man on a cave wall?
BTW giving birth to a horned anything must be painful?

 

[Lighthouse]

Wiki?:idea:

Actually I used Google.

Don't be daft how could there be a correct definition for something that we all agree does not really exist outside mythology and possibly the KJV.
As I say a unicorn is for most people a mythical horse with one horn.

It actually means "one horned." And there are animals with single horns. It is not necessary that it refers to the mythical creature.

Or a two horned auroch drawn in profile by early man on a cave wall?

Seeing as how they were speaking of an animal that was present I doubt they were referring to a cave painting.

BTW giving birth to a horned anything must be painful?

I'm fairly certain the horns are not present at birth.

 

[alwight]

Seeing as how they were speaking of an animal that was present I doubt they were referring to a cave painting.

Also cave paintings would seem date back to well before when Adam was supposed to have existed by some.

I'm fairly certain the horns are not present at birth.

God thinks of everything.

 

[Ktoyou]

It doesn't make sense, contradicts itself, isn't true, and causes extremely bad things to happen.:idunno:

I will nor argue with you about the other parts, 'causes extremely bad things to happen.:idunno:' How so?

 

[Persephone66]

It doesn't make much sense. The people that brand it a the absolute truth seem a bit loony.

 

[Krsto]

i wonder the same thing, at times.
if the Bible is as clear cut as some say it is, then why do the people who tell me it's clear cut and i can take it or leave it for eternal hellfire constantly argue about what this 'clear cut' book of salvation means??

Good point. That's why it's a good idea to think of the eternality of the hellfire as refering to the fire (think furnace) as being eternal (at least as long as people are being born and die and tossed into it for destruction - which fits the def. of the Greek word for eternal) rather than think of the one who gets tossed into it as consciously experiencing it for all eternity which interpretation interestingly enough is based on one verse in the most clear-cut and plain-as-the-nose-on-your-face book in the bible . . . Revelation!