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To: ProudGenXLibertarian
How can the bible be possibly literally true?? When its based on the words of a man, who did not write it. You mean to honestly tell me the writers of the bible did not bend or change words or stories to encompass what they felt was right or wrong??

The words and books of the Bible, as we know it (Old and New Testaments) were each written for different purposes: some of it is written as historical fact, geneology, proverbs, allegory, prophecy (i.e., Daniel, Ezekiel, Revelation), song (i.e., Psalms), guidance for living (i.e., James, Ephesians), guidance to churches (Corinthians), etc. Different people wrote different portions, but all were moved by the Holy Spirit what to write, how to write, through individual perceptions and understandings (David, a king, wrote from a different perspective and for a different reason than did Luke, a doctor; Daniel, a prophet, wrote, also, from a different perspective and reason than did Paul, a Pharisee, Roman citizen, prior persecutor of the Christians, and one who never saw Jesus while He was alive). As we, individually, make up the Church, and bring our individuality and unique views to others for understanding, so, too, does this occur in the Bible. The differences, for example, between the four Gospels (Matt., Mark, Luke, and John), exist because four men focused on different areas of the same story (as many people viewing an accident see different things because each person is unique and sees the world from different vantage points). The "discrepancies" between the Gospels do not make one less or more accurate. They occur because one writer focused on something different, a different impression made upon and perceived by the writer, adding to the richness of the written Word.

Notwithstanding the fact that the original text was not written in English, human beings had to translate, and did so with great effort (and, I am sure some errors in translation), the Bible remains a living text, bringing different insight to each reader. (One individual can read a text one year which, if read again several years later, yields a different, perhaps, deeper meaning and understanding.)

There is, however, a central theme, or thread, throughout both Old and New Testaments: Looking toward a Savior for the world and Christ's deity. Everything written must be accepted by faith as the true Word of God. Just as not accepting the Bible as the true Word of God takes faith to disbelieve.

287 posted on 12/27/2001 6:57:26 AM PST by nicmarlo
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To: nicmarlo
"There is, however, a central theme, or thread, throughout both Old and New Testaments: Looking toward a Savior for the world and Christ's deity. Everything written must be accepted by faith as the true Word of God. Just as not accepting the Bible as the true Word of God takes faith to disbelieve" Yes but you are missing a key element here. If the bible is the inspired word of God, then how come so many denominations of his living church have such different teachings?? For example, why are there so many different versions of the same book?? Why does one denomination teach that dancing is a sin while others dont?? Why do protestant ministers marry but catholic priests may not?? I mean there are some fundamental differences between denominations of the Christian religion. As an Episcopalian, We are taught that homosexuals will not go to hell, as long as they have lived good lives. We tend to have a more liberal version of christianity than most. Baptists are taught that these people are condemned the second they behave in a sexual manner with each other. They tend to have a more conservative view of christianity. Im not saying either is right nor wrong, but I think that if the Bible were literally true, there could not possibly be such differences.
311 posted on 12/29/2001 12:07:13 AM PST by ProudGenXLibertarian
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