Besides the "miracles" and the like it does not sound like a load of bullshit, and if so was the matter it gives people a good message not a bad one (can't find the right words). The only reason I can think of why someone would dislike the bible other than "miracles" and the like, is just because it would be a reason for them to be "good". The lack thereof would mean they can do whatever they want thus fitting their needs.



[This message has been edited by Deoz (edited 03-01-2006).]

If you remove every reference to the supernatural, and every instance of god being a selfish, racist, and just generally an asshole, you're left with what, 25% of the bible?

You touched on the whole point of why some people don't like the bible. It is a full of BS.

A man having a conversation with a burning bush, a VIRGIN who was pregnant (virgin my ass, nobody knows that she didnt have sex or get date raped in her home), the world was create in 7 days, Noah's Arc...etc. So sure flood's are real, but boats that hold every animal is not feasible. How did he collect all the animals from around the world? How come they didn't eat each other?



Anyways, the point is that while the Bible is trying to deliver good messages, it loses it ground with people when it starts saying that you should believe in a God which has never been recorded in history as proven real.

If they weren't "shoveling the shit" as one of my professor's often says in class, I don't think many people would have a problem with it.

It just that people who do believe that everything in the book is real, and may take things literally, start going around with their non-sense trying to change the way people live. This annoys people, anytime someone attempts to tell you the way you should be living, because in their opinion it is the wrong way if it is not their way.

So while they stories are nice, so is Battlestar Galactica and Star Wars. It doesn't mean people who like the stories should start thinking Jedi and Cyclons are real, and worship them.

Chicken Soup for the Soul tells really heart felt stories too. But these books, including the bible, should not be used to teach real highschool science classes, and history.

They belong in culural anthropology, religious studies, mythology, and maybe other places such as "classic studies".

It is of my opinion that the Bible is best interpreted as a guide to living well, rather than an accuracte account of creation and history.

Notice the consistent usage of parables and analogies throughout the Bible and consider that perhaps it's original intention was to create a social doctrine that prevented disorder and chaos.

The Code of Hammurabi was implimented to create civil obedience and order. It was enforced by arguably fair and just punishments. While this method of consequence worked quite well, it was not perfect. Crimes were still committed in spite of one's law because in order to be punished the criminal must first be caught.

The Bible, however, proposes the idea of an omnipotent deity whom no person can hide their sins from. This system of constant supervision, in combination with laws and etc. created an arguably better and safer world.

Of course one could also argue that the Bible ironically did the exact opposite, in that fundamentalists began to over-analyze and extrapolate too much from it, which thus spawned the crusades, holy wars, imperialism and etc.

-ex

I do believe that the original authors of the bible, whoever that may be, intended it to show morals and such, it had some good teachings afterall. But the fact that people teach the Bible as the one and only truth makes others not like it. In my opinion, the Bible is a compilation of some entertaining stories and ideas.

So how come no sex before you get married?

And what about all those people who say that god spoke to them through bible or something... How do you explain that?

The true actual Bible was probably never released by the Vatican, and this one is filled with tales that fitted well with the shape the Church probably wanted it to have. I think it's best to view all of it not as it is written, but think about the things in another way.

I see things more like: the garden of eden represents a passage from the animal pre-human state to the rational human, and the Babel tower as when mankind transformed and divided it along the world creating cultures, etc.

quote:Originally posted by ohhi:

So how come no sex before you get married?

I think that is self explanatory.

To anyone who didn't understand what I was trying to say before I was talking about the philosophy. I think that if more people tried to take advice ( not shure what to say) there would be less problems/issues in their life. Of course though many people would not like to live a dull life and would want to live life "to the fullest" so I guess this is one of the many reasons people disapprove of the bible and the like.

[This message has been edited by Deoz (edited 03-18-2006).]

Justified killing? What's that all about?

quote:Originally posted by Deoz:

I think that is self explanatory.

?