22 Feb 22
@josephw saidTruth, as defined as the truth required for eternal life in the Kingdom of God is from Jesus Christ. The more bibles that get printed the further people go from the truth. It sure sounds like you are leaning to bible worship, and this talk of ark of covenant and ten commandments says you live in the past.
Tell that to the unrepentant thief on the cross next to Jesus.
The written word has and was always been the center piece of truth throughout the ages. Consider the Ten Commandments in the ark in the temple.
True, copies of the scriptures were expensive and hard to come by, so memorization was used.
Today, with over 5 billion copies in print one would have a difficult time making excuses for not knowing the truth.
The New Covenant is Jesus Christ and His teachings. God has written his laws in the hearts of men. People do not need the bible. Bible scholars need the bible, but people know the truth that leads to eternal life.
@rajk999 saidJesus dealt with those who do what you do, ignore the text for what they desire it to mean.
Jesus separated himself from scripture in case you did not know. Here is some examples
Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: (Matthew 5:33-34 KJV)
Count how many times Jesus said ...[text shortened]... nd the day you accept that your doctrine will be correct. Right now your doctrine is church garbage.
Matthew Matthew 15
English Standard Version
Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.” He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is given to God,” he need not honor his father.’ So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God. You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said:
“‘This people honors me with their lips,
but their heart is far from me;
in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”
@divegeester saidOf course one can cherry-pick the Bible. No one’s stopping you. What’s problematic is cherry-picking the Bible and laying claim to being a Christian. If you accept the ethical precepts and reject the divinity of Jesus, for example, certainly the mainstream of Christianity is going say you’re not a Christian. If you don’t care whether people call you a Christian, then by all means, mix and match the bits you like from the Bible, the Koran, the Upanishads, Bertrand Russell, the Sunday comix, whatever.
Ok so I didn’t get a coherent answer from anyone to my question “how do we know the Bible is all true and accurate?” So let’s try this one…
I’m accused (as are others) of cherry picking the Bible, and I do.
For example:
I like and am influenced by the sermon on the Mount, less so by Revelation’s ramblings about flying winged lions, multi headed creatures with horn ...[text shortened]... h blood or accounts of people being burned alive forever.
Who’s got an issue with this, and why?
@moonbus saidYou must pick the correct cherries...
Of course one can cherry-pick the Bible. No one’s stopping you. What’s problematic is cherry-picking the Bible and laying claim to being a Christian. If you accept the ethical precepts and reject the divinity of Jesus, for example, certainly the mainstream of Christianity is going say you’re not a Christian. If you don’t care whether people call you a Christian, then by all m ...[text shortened]... ts you like from the Bible, the Koran, the Upanishads, Bertrand Russell, the Sunday comix, whatever.
@josephw saidThank you for that bite-size piece of pseudo-intellectual nothingness.
A text without a context is a pretext.
A fundamental exegetical practice.
Anything to say regarding the OP or are you just going to dodge and dodge and dodge, as you did with the “is everything in the bible true thread” and as you were doing with the “eternal suffering” topic?
22 Feb 22
@josephw saidAddress the OP?
That's what a cherry picker would say, so they can support their presuppositions without regard for context.
Even to the extent of adding to and taking away from the words of scripture.
For example, it is now illegal to preach from Romans chapter 1 in Canada. Unanimously voted into law.
Can you imagine that?
@bigdogg saidExactly. In fact it’s obvious when the mind is forced to pause and reflect.
I don't see how it's possible NOT to cherry pick a book (a collection of books, really) as large as the Bible.
Anyone who claims not to is basically saying that all the begats are just as important as the beatitudes. That Jesus saving the adulterer from stoning is no more inspirational than Lot's daughters getting him drunk and sleeping with him. I don't buy it.
I was brought up being told that the Bible is the complete, inerrant, infallible Word of God. Early on in my Christian experience I just accepted the cosy and somewhat reassuring message. However upon looking into it, the claim is not expressly made nor in fact substantiated anywhere in the bible nor in any other text.
It’s a made up claim and Christians have accepted because it’s cosy and reassuring. It also promotes a level of abdication of thought and dilutes the spiritual connection with God, who says..
“I will write the law on their hearts”
@divegeester saidIt’s a made up claim and Christians have accepted because it’s cosy and reassuring.
Exactly. In fact it’s obvious when the mind is forced to pause and reflect.
I was brought up being told that the Bible is the complete, inerrant, infallible Word of God. Early on in my Christian experience I just accepted the cosy and somewhat reassuring message. However upon looking into it, the claim is not expressly made nor in fact substantiated anywhere in the bi ...[text shortened]... and dilutes the spiritual connection with God, who says..
“I will write the law on their hearts”
"It"?? Not just. The entire religion is a made-up claim that some people find cozy and reassuring. There was no resurrection, there is no afterdeath, no heaven and no lake of fire. The whole thing is made up. People die and stay dead. If your life is going to have any meaning and purpose, it's now, not later.
The journey is not the goal. There is no goal. There is just the journey.
It's not what it is. It becomes what you make it. What are you waiting for? Get going !
22 Feb 22
@divegeester saidThe only thing honest is you reject scripture except for those parts you can make say whatever you want them to say. You don't go to scripture for the truth; you alter it to make the truth you want.
This is just flannel KellyJay.
Address the OP head on, be objective and be ruthlessly honest.
22 Feb 22
@bigdogg saidI don't see how you can say that. It's chapter and verse. All one needs do is pick a verse and use it to support a presupposition - that's "cherry picking".
I don't see how it's possible NOT to cherry pick a book (a collection of books, really) as large as the Bible.
Anyone who claims not to is basically saying that all the begats are just as important as the beatitudes. That Jesus saving the adulterer from stoning is no more inspirational than Lot's daughters getting him drunk and sleeping with him. I don't buy it.
That's what cherry picking means. The concept is too simple to understand for anyone to ignore.