Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Far too many Christians have been told the Bible is the Word of God . . . when it is actually a political compilation of books designed to support the "precept and doctrines of men" long after Christ and His Apostles were dead. To believe it is God's word . . . one has to believe that through the centuries of human history plagued by the most brutish and savage ignorance . . . the men involved in compiling and maintaining the Bible were somehow Divinely guided to select only those that are infallible and inerrant. In opposition to this ridiculous view . . . I can only express my incredulity at the naivete' it takes to accept it. I cite an apropos quote by John Adams:
"What havoc has been made of books through every century of the Christian era? Where are fifty gospels, condemned as spurious by the papal bull of Pope Gelasius? Where are the forty wagon-loads of Hebrew manuscripts burned in France, by order of another pope, because suspected of heresy? Remember the 'index expurgatorius', the inquisition, the stake, the axe, the halter and the guillotine."
This ignores the many Gospels rejected during the first conclave to canonize the Bible. What possible rationale or reasoning can be used to maintain the fiction that it is the infallible and inerrant Word of God when it make no such claim for itself anywhere within its many books? In fact, it specifically tells us that Christ is the Living Word of God . . . not a bunch of books politically compiled by mere men. Discuss. (Whoppers . . . help me out here, my friend.)
Last edited by MysticPhD; 07-06-2013 at 06:19 PM..
Far too many Christians have been told the Bible is the Word of God . . . when it is actually a political compilation of books designed to support the "precept and doctrines of men" long after Christ and His Apostles were dead. To believe it is God's word . . . one has to believe that through the centuries of human history plagued by the most brutish and savage ignorance . . . the men involved in compiling and maintaining the Bible were somehow Divinely guided to select only those that are infallible and inerrant. In opposition to this ridiculous view . . .
That in blue is pretty much the issue.
If there is no divine guidance - there's nothing - because God initiates all contact with human beings.
If God does not divinely guide anyone - why should anyone listen to you... or me? You can create your own gospel and your own doctrine.
Far too many Christians have been told the Bible is the Word of God . . . when it is actually a political compilation of books designed to support the "precept and doctrines of men" long after Christ and His Apostles were dead. To believe it is God's word . . . one has to believe that through the centuries of human history plagued by the most brutish and savage ignorance . . . the men involved in compiling and maintaining the Bible were somehow Divinely guided to select only those that are infallible and inerrant. In opposition to this ridiculous view . . . I can only express my incredulity at the naivete' it takes to accept it. I cite an apropos quote by John Adams:
"What havoc has been made of books through every century of the Christian era? Where are fifty gospels, condemned as spurious by the papal bull of Pope Gelasius? Where are the forty wagon-loads of Hebrew manuscripts burned in France, by order of another pope, because suspected of heresy? Remember the 'index expurgatorius', the inquisition, the stake, the axe, the halter and the guillotine."
This ignores the many Gospels rejected during the first conclave to canonize the Bible. What possible rationale or reasoning can be used to maintain the fiction that it is the infallible and inerrant Word of God when it make no such claim for itself anywhere within its many books? In fact, it specifically tells us that Christ is the Living Word of God . . . not a bunch of books politically compiled by mere men. Discuss. (Whoppers . . . help me out here, my friend.)
Quote:
Originally Posted by DRob4JC
That in blue is pretty much the issue.
If there is no divine guidance - there's nothing - because God initiates all contact with human beings.
If God does not divinely guide anyone - why should anyone listen to you... or me? You can create your own gospel and your own doctrine.
I was afraid that it was something like that . . . Divine guidance is all-or-nothing . . . like magic. I am hopeful that there are knowledgeable people here (besides me . . . like Whoppers) who can help to fill in the gaps . . . the incredible blanket "pass". . . about its creation the Bible seems to get. It seems my screen name offends and reduces my credibility in my fellow Christian's eyes.
I was afraid that it was something like that . . . Divine guidance is all-or-nothing . . . like magic. I am hopeful that there are knowledgeable people here (besides me . . . like Whoppers) who can help to fill in the gaps . . . the incredible blanket "pass". . . about its creation the Bible seems to get. It seems my screen name offends and reduces my credibility in my fellow Christian's eyes.
No - your screen name has nothing to do with it.
You are fooling yourself if you believe you (or anyone) can know God on the basis of your own knowledge.
You know Mystic, maybe the religious folks have it right. The Divine Creator, LOVE, could have/maybe did away with most of the old books due to incorrect usage. Since the were so many, it wasn't working out. So subtract the books and highlight the errors...hence, the less books, the more glaring the errors....no?
I was afraid that it was something like that . . . Divine guidance is all-or-nothing . . . like magic. I am hopeful that there are knowledgeable people here (besides me . . . like Whoppers) who can help to fill in the gaps . . . the incredible blanket "pass". . . about its creation the Bible seems to get. It seems my screen name offends and reduces my credibility in my fellow Christian's eyes.
Whoppers is a skeptic. Doesn't even believe in God.
Location: NYC based - Used to Live in Philly - Transplant from Miami
2,307 posts, read 2,768,377 times
Reputation: 2610
This is a very good question. Growing up in Church, one day I had that question. I got so scared of the notion that some of the books were eliminated to make the Bible coherent. I asked my Sunday School teacher and pastor, and they told me that person who omitted certain books not to be in the Bible were guided by Holy Spirit. That's all.
If somebody has more explanation on this aside of the Holy Spirit, I am waiting...
This is a very good question. Growing up in Church, one day I had that question. I got so scared of the notion that some of the books were eliminated to make the Bible coherent. I asked my Sunday School teacher and pastor, and they told me that person who omitted certain books not to be in the Bible were guided by Holy Spirit. That's all.
If somebody has more explanation on this aside of the Holy Spirit, I am waiting...
"Every book of the Hebrew Bible, in fact, is represented apart from Esther."
The sad part about man is he is always changing things. Even our history books in each new publication a different version of the same story is told. I have found that to be true of the KJV as a child of my teens I memorized John 3:16. Imagine my surprise to see the scripture in a newer publication and the words were some what changed or out of the order in which I had first memorized them, back in 1970. New KJV publication of 1992 different from a publication say of 1965.
I do believe the Bible was written by man through the Holy Spirit of God as it is stated in 2 Timothy. To know that is to know through my experience of having the overwhelming feeling of the Holy Spirit move through me, guiding my thoughts, my decisions and yes, telling me one time to "Trust" Him. Almost 1 year later I asked God to forgive me, because it was then with all the key elements that came into my life at once I knew there was only one way it could have all come together the way that it did.
No longer a Doubting Thomas I go and it has been that way for me in my life since Sept. 3 1985.
For others I do not know what to say to them. To know God and to see man then there comes a time of understanding that with each of us there is something greater and the rest is just semantics and methodology that we use only to test ourselves. We are not yet pleased...
The Bible was written by people who felt the Greatness from within and reached to understand beyond that of human sight. It was they who were open minded to the countless possibilities that all things are possible and a feeling that strong can only come from some one much greater than they themselves could ever imagine, God. So it was through the feeling of the Holy Spirit's guidance, they sat down and wrote the words they felt inspired to write.
Yet with each publication, we are not yet pleased....
God never changes, man does. To know God, is to know the Bible and how it has come to be.
Far too many Christians have been told the Bible is the Word of God . . . when it is actually a political compilation of books designed to support the "precept and doctrines of men" long after Christ and His Apostles were dead. To believe it is God's word . . . one has to believe that through the centuries of human history plagued by the most brutish and savage ignorance . . . the men involved in compiling and maintaining the Bible were somehow Divinely guided to select only those that are infallible and inerrant. In opposition to this ridiculous view . . . I can only express my incredulity at the naivete' it takes to accept it. I cite an apropos quote by John Adams:
"What havoc has been made of books through every century of the Christian era? Where are fifty gospels, condemned as spurious by the papal bull of Pope Gelasius? Where are the forty wagon-loads of Hebrew manuscripts burned in France, by order of another pope, because suspected of heresy? Remember the 'index expurgatorius', the inquisition, the stake, the axe, the halter and the guillotine."
This ignores the many Gospels rejected during the first conclave to canonize the Bible. What possible rationale or reasoning can be used to maintain the fiction that it is the infallible and inerrant Word of God when it make no such claim for itself anywhere within its many books? In fact, it specifically tells us that Christ is the Living Word of God . . . not a bunch of books politically compiled by mere men. Discuss. (Whoppers . . . help me out here, my friend.)
When it makes no claim for itself? https://net.bible.org/#!bible/2+Timothy+3
3:16 Every scripture 23 is inspired by God 24 and useful for teaching, for reproof, 25 for correction, and for training in righteousness, 3:17 that the person dedicated to God 26 may be capable 27 and equipped for every good work.
You know without going through and digging up old documents that John Adams wrote, my first impression of what you have quoted, is that John didn't have a problem with the Bible, but with how man handled the book through the ages. Or maybe it's just me that has that problem.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
)
