Should A Christian Have The Gumption To Question Anything In The Bible?

[peach174]

A talking snake?

C'mon, at least make it somewhat credible. Maybe a talking chimp or even a talking dog. But a snake of all animals.

Geez, did they really think we were that stupid as to believe that?

Most Christians question many things in the Bible and study many things in order to learn about it.
I don't know why the op thinks that they don't.
The serpent is a symbol of evil power and chaos from the underworld of ancient Egypt, Canaan, Mesopotamia and Greece.
You have to know and understand the ancient cultures of that time in order to understand that this was Satan the fallen angel.
It was Satan who was talking not a snake.

 

[Meriweather]

Constantine decided which books would be a part of the bible and which ones would not. Pulled off that little deal about 350AD. He also set the dates for Christmas and Easter and conveniently picked two pagan holidays which were already being celebrated. Very efficient don't you think?

No, it wasn't Constantine who decided the books of the Bible. Nor did he set the dates for Christmas and Easter. Those had been set much earlier than Constantine, were not based on pagan holidays, but on Jewish ones. Yup, verifiable, if one studies the history of Christian celebrations, not the history of pagan celebration--and then imagines Christian holidays must have deliberately used the same dates. Psst: I'm a huge fan of both Roman/Greek mythology and have also done the research on Christian holidays. I know of which I speak--from either/all perspectives.

 

[Campbell]

Constantine decided which books would be a part of the bible and which ones would not. Pulled off that little deal about 350AD. He also set the dates for Christmas and Easter and conveniently picked two pagan holidays which were already being celebrated. Very efficient don't you think?

No, it wasn't Constantine who decided the books of the Bible. Nor did he set the dates for Christmas and Easter. Those had been set much earlier than Constantine, were not based on pagan holidays, but on Jewish ones. Yup, verifiable, if one studies the history of Christian celebrations, not the history of pagan celebration--and then imagines Christian holidays must have deliberately used the same dates. Psst: I'm a huge fan of both Roman/Greek mythology and have also done the research on Christian holidays. I know of which I speak--from either/all perspectives.

Yeah Yeah.....what chaps my ass is holier than thou Christians who have never read anything other than a couple of favorite verses like John 3:16 and look upon their country pastor as an authority. The pastor decides on Tuesday which verse(s) his Sunday message will be based on then spends 45 minutes collecting his thoughts and most Christians don't know anything else about it except what he says. In other words what you have is an ancient book turned over to an idiot for interpretation. It Says What It Says!!

 

[Meriweather]

Yeah Yeah.....what chaps my ass is holier than thou Christians who have never read anything other than a couple of favorite verses like John 3:16 and look upon their country pastor as an authority. The pastor decides on Tuesday which verse(s) his Sunday message will be based on then spends 45 minutes collecting his thoughts and most Christians don't know anything else about it except what he says. In other words what you have is an ancient book turned over to an idiot for interpretation. It Says What It Says!!

I understand which is why I maintain that it is a huge mistake to approach the Bible with the attitude of, "Just me...and the Holy Spirit." The authors who wrote the books thousands of years ago came from a different culture and time and wrote to an audience immersed in that time and culture. To understand the Bible in the context in which it was written, it can't just be the individual and the Holy Spirit. Bible Study has to include studies of the culture, history, and languages of its time. We have to understand there was no separation of Church and State; there was no scientific method. Bible Study takes time, scholarship, and research.

However, within the Bible are many inspirational verses which can touch any life, any time, any culture, down through the ages. That might be part of what convinces people that if a person can read, a person can understand the Bible. Even so, people cannot correctly understand much of the Bible--both its truths and its limitations--without many weeks of additional study.

After the division in Christianity, I think the next greatest thing to rue over the consequences of the Protestant Reformation is that their insistence that people could read the Bible on their own without scholarly study, had people doing just this--and losing any faith they otherwise once might have built upon.

I truly do understand your frustration and anger. I feel a lot of it myself, even though it appears we are on quite opposite sides when it comes to matters of faith.

 

[Campbell]

Yeah Yeah.....what chaps my ass is holier than thou Christians who have never read anything other than a couple of favorite verses like John 3:16 and look upon their country pastor as an authority. The pastor decides on Tuesday which verse(s) his Sunday message will be based on then spends 45 minutes collecting his thoughts and most Christians don't know anything else about it except what he says. In other words what you have is an ancient book turned over to an idiot for interpretation. It Says What It Says!!

I understand which is why I maintain that it is a huge mistake to approach the Bible with the attitude of, "Just me...and the Holy Spirit." The authors who wrote the books thousands of years ago came from a different culture and time and wrote to an audience immersed in that time and culture. To understand the Bible in the context in which it was written, it can't just be the individual and the Holy Spirit. Bible Study has to include studies of the culture, history, and languages of its time. We have to understand there was no separation of Church and State; there was no scientific method. Bible Study takes time, scholarship, and research.

However, within the Bible are many inspirational verses which can touch any life, any time, any culture, down through the ages. That might be part of what convinces people that if a person can read, a person can understand the Bible. Even so, people cannot correctly understand much of the Bible--both its truths and its limitations--without many weeks of additional study.

After the division in Christianity, I think the next greatest thing to rue over the consequences of the Protestant Reformation is that their insistence that people could read the Bible on their own without scholarly study, had people doing just this--and losing any faith they otherwise once might have built upon.

I truly do understand your frustration and anger. I feel a lot of it myself, even though it appears we are on quite opposite sides when it comes to matters of faith.

Here's the kind of bullshit that turns me off...42 death penalty sins!! ARE YOU SHITTIN ME???

•Murder - Gen. 9:6; Ex. 21:12-14,20,23; Lev. 24:17,21; Num. 35:16-34; Deut. 19.
•Failing to circumcise - Gen. 17:14; Ex. 4:24,25.
•Eating leavened bread during feast of unleavened bread - Ex.
•2:15,19.
•Smiting Parents- Ex. 21:15.
•Kidnapping - Ex. 21:16; Deut. 24:7.
•Cursing Parents - Ex. 21:17; Lev. 20:9.
•Negligence with animals that kill - Ex. 21:28-32.
•Witchcraft - Ex. 22:18.
•Bestiality - Ex. 22:19; Lev. 18:23-29; 20:15,16.
•Idolatry - Ex. 22:20.
•Making holy anointing oil - Ex. 30:33.
•Putting holy anointing oil on strangers - Ex. 30:33.
•Making the holy perfume - Ex. 30:38.
•Defiling the Sabbath - Ex. 31:14.
•Working on the Sabbath - Ex. 35:2.
•Eating the flesh of the peace offerings in
•uncleanness - Lev. 7:20,21.
•Eating the fat of sacrifices - Lev. 7:25.
•Killing sacrifices other than at the door of the tabernacle - Lev. 17:1-9.
•Eating blood - Lev. 17:10-14.
•Incest - Lev. 18:6-29; 20:11-22.
•Eating sacrifices at the wrong time - Lev. 19:5-8.
•Consecration of children to idols - Lev. 20:1-5.
•Spiritualism - Lev. 20:6,27.
•Adultery - Lev. 20:10; Deut. 22:22-30.
•Sodomy/Homosexuality - Lev. 20:13.
•Relationship with a menstruous woman - Lev. 20:18.
•Whoredom - Lev. 21:9; Deut. 22:21,22.
•Sacrilege - Lev. 22:3.
•Refusing to fast on day of atonement - Lev. 23:29.
•Working on atonement - Lev. 23:30.
•Blasphemy - Lev. 24:11-16.
•Failure to keep the Passover - Num. 9:13.
•Presumptuous - Num. 15:30,31.
•Gathering firewood on the Sabbath - Num. 15:32,36.
•Failure to purify self before worship - Num. 19:13,20.
•False prophecy - Deut. 13:1-18; 18:20.
•Leading men away from God - Deut. 13:6-18.
•Stubbornness and rebelliousness - Deut. 21:18-23.
•Gluttony - Deut. 21:20-23.
•Drunkenness - Deut. 21:20-23.
•Backbiting - Deut. 17:2-7.
•False dreams and visions - Deut. 13:1-18.

 

[Meriweather]

Here's the kind of bullshit that turns me off...42 death penalty sins!!

•Murder - Gen. 9:6; Ex. 21:12-14,20,23; Lev. 24:17,21; Num. 35:16-34; Deut. 19.
•Failing to circumcise - Gen. 17:14; Ex. 4:24,25.
•Eating leavened bread during feast of unleavened bread - Ex.
•2:15,19.
•Smiting Parents- Ex. 21:15.
•Kidnapping - Ex. 21:16; Deut. 24:7.
•Cursing Parents - Ex. 21:17; Lev. 20:9.
•Negligence with animals that kill - Ex. 21:28-32.
•Witchcraft - Ex. 22:18.
•Bestiality - Ex. 22:19; Lev. 18:23-29; 20:15,16.
•Idolatry - Ex. 22:20.
•Making holy anointing oil - Ex. 30:33.
•Putting holy anointing oil on strangers - Ex. 30:33.
•Making the holy perfume - Ex. 30:38.
•Defiling the Sabbath - Ex. 31:14.
•Working on the Sabbath - Ex. 35:2.
•Eating the flesh of the peace offerings in
•uncleanness - Lev. 7:20,21.
•Eating the fat of sacrifices - Lev. 7:25.
•Killing sacrifices other than at the door of the tabernacle - Lev. 17:1-9.
•Eating blood - Lev. 17:10-14.
•Incest - Lev. 18:6-29; 20:11-22.
•Eating sacrifices at the wrong time - Lev. 19:5-8.
•Consecration of children to idols - Lev. 20:1-5.
•Spiritualism - Lev. 20:6,27.
•Adultery - Lev. 20:10; Deut. 22:22-30.
•Sodomy/Homosexuality - Lev. 20:13.
•Relationship with a menstruous woman - Lev. 20:18.
•Whoredom - Lev. 21:9; Deut. 22:21,22.
•Sacrilege - Lev. 22:3.
•Refusing to fast on day of atonement - Lev. 23:29.
•Working on atonement - Lev. 23:30.
•Blasphemy - Lev. 24:11-16.
•Failure to keep the Passover - Num. 9:13.
•Presumptuous - Num. 15:30,31.
•Gathering firewood on the Sabbath - Num. 15:32,36.
•Failure to purify self before worship - Num. 19:13,20.
•False prophecy - Deut. 13:1-18; 18:20.
•Leading men away from God - Deut. 13:6-18.
•Stubbornness and rebelliousness - Deut. 21:18-23.
•Gluttony - Deut. 21:20-23.
•Drunkenness - Deut. 21:20-23.
•Backbiting - Deut. 17:2-7.
•False dreams and visions - Deut. 13:1-18.

This is why it is vital to read about the history and culture of the Jewish people. I am not a Jew, but here is what I have been told, followed up by personal research: Today we read the Old Testament Law books and imagine death by the thousands. At the time it appears to be a more a situation where the penalty set forth was an indication of the importance of obeying the law.

From what has survived documented history, and the Talmud itself, the penalty seems to have been intended as a deterrent. You see, the Talmud writes that if any court executes even one person in a seventy year time span (a generation), the people are to refer to that court as a bloody court.

 

[Campbell]

Here's the kind of bullshit that turns me off...42 death penalty sins!!

•Murder - Gen. 9:6; Ex. 21:12-14,20,23; Lev. 24:17,21; Num. 35:16-34; Deut. 19.
•Failing to circumcise - Gen. 17:14; Ex. 4:24,25.
•Eating leavened bread during feast of unleavened bread - Ex.
•2:15,19.
•Smiting Parents- Ex. 21:15.
•Kidnapping - Ex. 21:16; Deut. 24:7.
•Cursing Parents - Ex. 21:17; Lev. 20:9.
•Negligence with animals that kill - Ex. 21:28-32.
•Witchcraft - Ex. 22:18.
•Bestiality - Ex. 22:19; Lev. 18:23-29; 20:15,16.
•Idolatry - Ex. 22:20.
•Making holy anointing oil - Ex. 30:33.
•Putting holy anointing oil on strangers - Ex. 30:33.
•Making the holy perfume - Ex. 30:38.
•Defiling the Sabbath - Ex. 31:14.
•Working on the Sabbath - Ex. 35:2.
•Eating the flesh of the peace offerings in
•uncleanness - Lev. 7:20,21.
•Eating the fat of sacrifices - Lev. 7:25.
•Killing sacrifices other than at the door of the tabernacle - Lev. 17:1-9.
•Eating blood - Lev. 17:10-14.
•Incest - Lev. 18:6-29; 20:11-22.
•Eating sacrifices at the wrong time - Lev. 19:5-8.
•Consecration of children to idols - Lev. 20:1-5.
•Spiritualism - Lev. 20:6,27.
•Adultery - Lev. 20:10; Deut. 22:22-30.
•Sodomy/Homosexuality - Lev. 20:13.
•Relationship with a menstruous woman - Lev. 20:18.
•Whoredom - Lev. 21:9; Deut. 22:21,22.
•Sacrilege - Lev. 22:3.
•Refusing to fast on day of atonement - Lev. 23:29.
•Working on atonement - Lev. 23:30.
•Blasphemy - Lev. 24:11-16.
•Failure to keep the Passover - Num. 9:13.
•Presumptuous - Num. 15:30,31.
•Gathering firewood on the Sabbath - Num. 15:32,36.
•Failure to purify self before worship - Num. 19:13,20.
•False prophecy - Deut. 13:1-18; 18:20.
•Leading men away from God - Deut. 13:6-18.
•Stubbornness and rebelliousness - Deut. 21:18-23.
•Gluttony - Deut. 21:20-23.
•Drunkenness - Deut. 21:20-23.
•Backbiting - Deut. 17:2-7.
•False dreams and visions - Deut. 13:1-18.

This is why it is vital to read about the history and culture of the Jewish people. I am not a Jew, but here is what I have been told, followed up by personal research: Today we read the Old Testament Law books and imagine death by the thousands. At the time it appears to be a more a situation where the penalty set forth was an indication of the importance of obeying the law.

From what has survived documented history, and the Talmud itself, the penalty seems to have been intended as a deterrent. You see, the Talmud writes that if any court executes even one person in a seventy year time span (a generation), the people are to refer to that court as a bloody court.

Foolishness like that hurts doesn't it?

 

[Meriweather]

Foolishness like that hurts doesn't it?

Foolishness like what? That an ancient book of law lists the death penalty but seldom carried out the death penalty? Or that modern law assigns a penalty of life in prison, meaning a person usually only serves about twenty years? Sure, we can read law books, but do we truly understand how those laws were carried out, any better than we understand how laws that are on the books are carried out today? Did you know that in Kansas there is still a law on the books prohibiting serving cherry pie a la mode on the Lord's Day?

 

[Campbell]

Foolishness like that hurts doesn't it?

Foolishness like what? That an ancient book of law lists the death penalty but seldom carried out the death penalty? Or that modern law assigns a penalty of life in prison, meaning a person usually only serves about twenty years? Sure, we can read law books, but do we truly understand how those laws were carried out, any better than we understand how laws that are on the books are carried out today? Did you know that in Kansas there is still a law on the books prohibiting serving cherry pie a la mode on the Lord's Day?

You folks just don't get it. Why is god a man and not some unusual entity with the power over everything. That's it sport's fans....that trash was written by men for control over others. Why was in necessary to have slaves?

Leviticus 25:44-46
Both thy bondmen, and thy bondmaids, which thou shalt have, [shall be] of the heathen that are round about you; of them shall ye buy bondmen and bondmaids.

Exodus 21:21-22
And if a man smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and he die under his hand; he shall be surely punished.

Exodus 21:16
And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.


Ephesians 6:5
Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;

Colossians 4:1
Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.


1 Peter 2:18
Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the forward.

Titus 2:9-10
Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again.

Now....why did women have to be subservient to men?

Ephesians 5:22-24
Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

1 Peter 3:1
Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands

1 Timothy 2:11-12 Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.


Ephesians 5:22
Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

Genesis 3:16
Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire [shall be] to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

Colossians 3:18
Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.

Are you beginning to get it???

 

[ninja007]

Matthew 16:
17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

That's not Matthew, you idiot, it's Mark and it's a section of Mark that was added centuries later by an unknown author, presumably to give it a better ending because the earliest manuscripts of Mark that we have end very abruptly. Our earliest manuscripts end Mark at 16:8 where it reads "8 Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid." and that's it....it ends. It is not until centuries later that verses 9-19 begin to show up.

For a guy who claims to have memorized the New Testament chapter and verse I guess you didn't memorize that one nor did you spend much time learning about it.

I'm 81 years old. I was baptized in a Baptist church in 1957. I memorized the new testament chapter and verse while I was in my twenties. Forgive me for misquoting Matthew, Mark, Luke or John.

Speaking of that....did you know that many Muslims memorize the entire Quran? The Quran is perhaps the only book, religious or secular, that has been memorized completely by millions of people.

13"Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14"For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it. (Matthew 7:13-15)

 

[Campbell]

Matthew 16:
17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

That's not Matthew, you idiot, it's Mark and it's a section of Mark that was added centuries later by an unknown author, presumably to give it a better ending because the earliest manuscripts of Mark that we have end very abruptly. Our earliest manuscripts end Mark at 16:8 where it reads "8 Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid." and that's it....it ends. It is not until centuries later that verses 9-19 begin to show up.

For a guy who claims to have memorized the New Testament chapter and verse I guess you didn't memorize that one nor did you spend much time learning about it.

I'm 81 years old. I was baptized in a Baptist church in 1957. I memorized the new testament chapter and verse while I was in my twenties. Forgive me for misquoting Matthew, Mark, Luke or John.

Speaking of that....did you know that many Muslims memorize the entire Quran? The Quran is perhaps the only book, religious or secular, that has been memorized completely by millions of people.

13"Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14"For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it. (Matthew 7:13-15)

Matthew 7:21-23

21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Revelation 21:

8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

 

[Meriweather]

You folks just don't get it. Why is god a man and not some unusual entity with the power over everything. That's it sport's fans....that trash was written by men for control over others. Why was in necessary to have slaves?

Are you beginning to get it???

I understand that you feel the purpose of the Bible was/is to control others. I don't agree that is its purpose. The Bible provides me with something else entirely. As much as we like to think that the Bible is for everyone, maybe that simply isn't so any more that books on fishing or quantum physics are for everyone.

 

[Campbell]

You folks just don't get it. Why is god a man and not some unusual entity with the power over everything. That's it sport's fans....that trash was written by men for control over others. Why was in necessary to have slaves?

Are you beginning to get it???

I understand that you feel the purpose of the Bible was/is to control others. I don't agree that is its purpose. The Bible provides me with something else entirely. As much as we like to think that the Bible is for everyone, maybe that simply isn't so any more that books on fishing or quantum physics are for everyone.

What it provides YOU

My point exactly......it has something for everyone if you will just give them some of your money:

 

[Iceweasel]

I mean there are hundreds of verses which really cause my eyebrows to rise and my lips to tighten. These are a few which really require a lot of faith:

John 2
…9When the headwaiter tasted the water which had become wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter called the bridegroom, 10and said to him, "Every man serves the good wine first, and when the people have drunk freely, then he serves the poorer wine; but you have kept the good wine until now."
(Anyone who is familiar with winemaking knows the chemical processes and aging which are required to produce decent wine much less fine wine.)


Methinks most people who say they do are stretching the truth a little. You know....like the folks who wrote the stuff.

Or, the the New Testaments authors were making a point that flies right over the heads of English speaking people of today. It is my understanding that some non-Catholic denominations actually use this story to "show" Catholics that Mary was never meant to be honored.

It bothers you that aging is required to produce a fine wine. But did you know that new wine (and an abundance of it for everyone) was to be the sign of the Messianic age? Did you note how the beginning chapters of John's gospel parallels the story of creation, with Jesus being introduced as the New Adam; Mary as the woman (or Eve)?

Did you pick up on the story behind the story?

Sounds like incest to me. Mary was his mother. Sure, people can twist stories, that doesn't prove anything except how creative humans are and what they will say to support their beliefs. Or do in the Catholics case but at least they aren't killing people anymore.

 

[Iceweasel]

I understand that you feel the purpose of the Bible was/is to control others. I don't agree that is its purpose. The Bible provides me with something else entirely. As much as we like to think that the Bible is for everyone, maybe that simply isn't so any more that books on fishing or quantum physics are for everyone.

Churches were/are about control so I'd agree the problem isn't the bible itself. I suspect some of the authors had no idea their words would be taken so seriously someday.

 

[Campbell]

I understand that you feel the purpose of the Bible was/is to control others. I don't agree that is its purpose. The Bible provides me with something else entirely. As much as we like to think that the Bible is for everyone, maybe that simply isn't so any more that books on fishing or quantum physics are for everyone.

Churches were/are about control so I'd agree the problem isn't the bible itself. I suspect some of the authors had no idea their words would be taken so seriously someday.

The bible is a book which if taken seriously by most of us would be the downfall of civilized mankind. Ancient fairy tales should be limited to fiction and responsible adults could handle the rest.

 

[Andylusion]

Matthew 16:
17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

That's not Matthew, you idiot, it's Mark and it's a section of Mark that was added centuries later by an unknown author, presumably to give it a better ending because the earliest manuscripts of Mark that we have end very abruptly. Our earliest manuscripts end Mark at 16:8 where it reads "8 Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid." and that's it....it ends. It is not until centuries later that verses 9-19 begin to show up.

For a guy who claims to have memorized the New Testament chapter and verse I guess you didn't memorize that one nor did you spend much time learning about it.

I'm 81 years old. I was baptized in a Baptist church in 1957. I memorized the new testament chapter and verse while I was in my twenties. Forgive me for misquoting Matthew, Mark, Luke or John.

Speaking of that....did you know that many Muslims memorize the entire Quran? The Quran is perhaps the only book, religious or secular, that has been memorized completely by millions of people.

I would doubt that.

The underground Christian church in China, routinely had to memorize their Bibles because the authorities would confiscate and destroy them. Things are more liberal now, but at the time, people would memorize every thing they could before the authorities found their Bibles.

So no doubt, the Qur'an is well memorized, I doubt it's more than those who memorize Christian text.

It seems like that because in our worthless western culture, tons of fake people claim to be 'christian', and yet likely have never even carried a bible to church, let alone, memorized portions of it.

But that's not true throughout the rest of the world.

 

[Meriweather]

What it provides YOU

Yes. What the Bible/religious faith provides me/has provided me. It appears the Bible is like a gold mine. Some strike it rich, others go away empty.

My point exactly......it has something for everyone if you will just give them some of your money:

The Catholic Church is the largest charitable organization in the world, and other churches are not slackers in the amount of their donations either.

Even though this is so, any church, being human has most likely, at some point, misused funds under its care. Most churches take care to make sure these times are the rare exception, not the rule.

The real charity scams people need to be aware of are the "Sound alikes." For example, Make a Wish Foundation is a wonderful, reputable charity for children. The sound alike, "Kids Wish" is more of a scam, where it was reported that less that three percent of the donations made it into cash donations for children.

 

[Meriweather]

The bible is a book which if taken seriously by most of us would be the downfall of civilized mankind. Ancient fairy tales should be limited to fiction and responsible adults could handle the rest.

Are there truths in fairy tales? Do they teach a lesson?

What is it you wish to be considered a fairy tale? The Bible stories? Or God?

 

[Campbell]

Matthew 16:
17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

That's not Matthew, you idiot, it's Mark and it's a section of Mark that was added centuries later by an unknown author, presumably to give it a better ending because the earliest manuscripts of Mark that we have end very abruptly. Our earliest manuscripts end Mark at 16:8 where it reads "8 Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid." and that's it....it ends. It is not until centuries later that verses 9-19 begin to show up.

For a guy who claims to have memorized the New Testament chapter and verse I guess you didn't memorize that one nor did you spend much time learning about it.

I'm 81 years old. I was baptized in a Baptist church in 1957. I memorized the new testament chapter and verse while I was in my twenties. Forgive me for misquoting Matthew, Mark, Luke or John.

Speaking of that....did you know that many Muslims memorize the entire Quran? The Quran is perhaps the only book, religious or secular, that has been memorized completely by millions of people.

I would doubt that.

The underground Christian church in China, routinely had to memorize their Bibles because the authorities would confiscate and destroy them. Things are more liberal now, but at the time, people would memorize every thing they could before the authorities found their Bibles.

So no doubt, the Qur'an is well memorized, I doubt it's more than those who memorize Christian text.

It seems like that because in our worthless western culture, tons of fake people claim to be 'christian', and yet likely have never even carried a bible to church, let alone, memorized portions of it.

But that's not true throughout the rest of the world.

You're being very naïve. Most people who claim to be Christians can not remember or quote more than three verses from the bible. Shucks...Don Trump couldn't come up with one.