Ever notice that people who quote the Bible.... (debate, atheists, verse)

[BunniRabbi]

I originally started reading the Bible as a way of arguing against it. Over time, I've become quite religious, but I've never embraced Christianity or scripture as a whole.

I advise strong Biblical literacy in Christians as a way of making them more liberal, as that's the usual result. I advise it in those who like to argue from an atheist or liberal perspective as well. To be fair though, I also try to get liberals and atheists to study Philosophy of Science and Epistemology, just to take a bit of the swagger out of them as well.

In both cases though, it is important to approach this sort of thing as an attempt to educate, rather then defeat a person ideologically. Likewise, it helps to keep yourself ready to abandon ideas you hold dear in the name of learning. That can be abrasive, but such is growth, eh?

Send me a message if you want a list of Bible quotes that disagree with standard conservative Christian stances.

[catman]

Originally Posted by BunniRabbi

I advise strong Biblical literacy in Christians as a way of making them more liberal, as that's the usual result.

It is? I have not found that to be true. In any case, Bible verses can be found to supposrt almost any viewpoint, liberal or conservative.

[Ilene Wright]

Originally Posted by BunniRabbi

I advise strong Biblical literacy in Christians as a way of making them more liberal, as that's the usual result.

Really? That's not been my experience AT ALL, but maybe you didn't grow up with a bunch of radical bible-thumping, make it say what you want it to say, fundamentalist nutjobs. Ok, not All of them were nutjobs, but their view of the Bible and what it was actually saying was highly subjective and just wrong, imo. I believe the Bible to be a spiritual guide book, not to be taken literally in most instances (such as obvious symbolism) and is not where the actual "word" of God is to be found. That is found written in our hearts, it even says that in the bible. But I won't quote scripture.

Originally Posted by catman

It is? I have not found that to be true. In any case, Bible verses can be found to supposrt almost any viewpoint, liberal or conservative.

True dat catman.

[eddie gein]

Originally Posted by stillkit

In any case, few verses from the Bible will actually stand alone. They have to be considered in context to find the real meanings.

Ah, I love the old "taken out of context" bit.

Exactly what is "context"?

Is it the several verses around a particular verse that may or may not constitute a story or parable?

Is it the chapter in which the verse is located?

Is it a number of chapters or the whole biblical book in which which the verse is located?

Is it the books that a particular biblical author wrote, or a series of books which are concerned with the same subject matter (ie-the gospels).?

Is it the entire canon (new testament or old testament)?

Is it the whole bible?

Is it whatever you want it to be when a skeptic (or a believer of another doctrinal approach) cites a verse that is contradictory to your particular stance on an issue?

[TKramar]

Is it the time in which it was said?

[Tricky D]

Anywayz, quoting the Bible doesn't prove a thing; parrots quote their human owners all the time and they have no clue what they're saying.

[stillkit]

Originally Posted by eddie gein

Ah, I love the old "taken out of context" bit.

Exactly what is "context"?

Is it the several verses around a particular verse that may or may not constitute a story or parable?

Yes.

Is it the chapter in which the verse is located?

Yes.

Is it a number of chapters or the whole biblical book in which which the verse is located?

The number of chapters? No. Who wrote the book and to whom? Yes.

Is it the books that a particular biblical author wrote, or a series of books which are concerned with the same subject matter (ie-the gospels).?

Yes and no.

Is it the entire canon (new testament or old testament)?

Absolutely.

Is it the whole bible?

Of course. You wouldn't pick a couple of quotations out of "War and Peace" as evidence you understand the whole book would you?

Is it whatever you want it to be when a skeptic (or a believer of another doctrinal approach) cites a verse that is contradictory to your particular stance on an issue?

Nope.

[stillkit]

Originally Posted by Tricky D

Anywayz, quoting the Bible doesn't prove a thing; parrots quote their human owners all the time and they have no clue what they're saying.

It certainly doesn't mean anything to those who don't believe the Bible is the revealed word of God.

[stillkit]

Originally Posted by TKramar

Is it the time in which it was said?

Partly. Time and circumstance does matter.

For instance, what God said to Moses on the mount may, or may not, be applicable to future generations and to understand what He said requires one to separate that which is Hebrew-specific from that that which is not.

That's not to say that the instructions He gave the Israelites in the desert never has any meaning to us now, but it does mean we have to understand the difference which time and circumstance gives it.

[Asheville Native]

I see the verse spouting to be merely regurgitating nonsense based on a keyword search in their memory. It exhibits zero intelligence and the absence of any thought process.