Sent in by Curious George
The scriptures are completely "arbitrary", which is best understood as "meaningless".
That is exactly like metaphor, the bible, metaphorically written, becomes exactly what a person wants to "make it mean". Thus, it is "arbitrary", and can mean as many things as there are people on this planet. Now, one could argue that it's cool to have a word or even a canon mean anything a person wants to interpret it to mean, but then... that means the bible is meaningless as providing an objective direction for a people to follow.
In other words, there can be no "True Christian", because everyone can make the claim using their own interpretation of the bible... no one can define "morality", because the bible is completely "interpretable"... and the second some moron suggests it isn't "interpretable", that it is, word for word, written by the "hand of God", then it becomes "conflicted", because of the thousands of "conflicts" found in the bible...Two people looking at a billboard picture may have two entirely different perspectives of that picture. The same holds for characters on a page..
Until words have equal meaning for people, then they are arbitrary, and "meaningless".
I quite well understand the bible verses, and how they conflict... God per the Christian is loving, yet wades in blood, is jealous, and created "hell" before creating earth on the sixth day according to the bible, suggesting the Christian God deliberately created the earth for the purpose of sending people to eternal torment "forever"... knowingly, willingly, and deliberately
The problem with theology, is that it's intent isn’t' to provide answers to questions... it's intent to to provide unanswerable "questions"... and further, to suggest that "everyone" should take these questions and spend their lives seeking answers to these "particular" questions..
I'd suggest that there is not a single person who has "the" correct understanding of "any" verse of the bible... because, the entire bible is "arbitrary", written with metaphor, mythology, and numerous other literary devices, that can be interpreted as one wants, according to their whims.
I can take a verse and interpret it as a metaphor and "spin" it in the direction of "good", but the exact "same" verse, I could "spin" in a manner that creates suffering.
That is exactly the "point"... because, Christianity has "no" ability to give "concrete" meaning to its words in a book, it can be used for "anything" a person wants to use it for.
And, whenever a so called Christian shows up, to suggest "they" have the "right" interpretation, it only shows their "lack of education" in the matter...The point, isn't that a verse "can be" interpreted for "good"... the point is, it can be interpreted to mean "anything", and is therefore, "useless" as a definitive "guide" for "anything".
The word supernatural, as defined as that which escapes the Natural, is absurd...The pondering of the word itself is done with the natural mind...The word "supernatural", is a suggestion that there "exists" more than "nature", yet Nature is required in order to present the concept of "supernatural"... thus, the term is hopelessly absurd... it must "reject" the very thing that gives it "meaning"... Nature...A theologian would likely suggest, that studying questions with words like "supernatural" in them, is noble, just, and the way to live a good life...A philosopher would likely suggest, as I would, that studying questions with words that have no "meaning", are "arbitrary" (can mean anything a person wants them to mean), or are quite "absurd"... is a "waste of time"... the only gain that can be made in studying such "questions" is to finally realize that such questions are invalid, and can not "ever" lead to a single "Truth" or "Answer"...I find life valuable, and my time is better spent "learning" what I can... not believing in what I can't know.
23 comments:
Exactly, Thanks George
Wow, you talk to yourself? It was written by U!
I think this is a guest post Corey. And beautifully put too. With the number of translations from Babylonian to Hebrew to Greek to Latin to Jacobean English, it's difficult to be completely certain what meaning the original writers were trying to convey.
"because of the thousands of "conflicts" found in the bible...Two people looking at a billboard picture may have two entirely different perspectives of that picture. The same holds for characters on a page.."
Thousands of Conflicts?...you need to document these.
Yes, two people looking at something may have different perspectives of it....this is because of man's sin.... No matter what the object is every sinful, limited human will see it in a different way..."written with metaphor, mythology, and numerous other literary devices, that can be interpreted as one wants, according to their whims."
I rest my case.
"I can take a verse and interpret it as a metaphor and "spin" it in the direction of "good", but the exact "same" verse, I could "spin" in a manner that creates suffering."
This is what Atheist do in order to pervent themselves from having to worship a higher being who creates all things including themselves.
"That is exactly the "point"... because, Christianity has "no" ability to give "concrete" meaning to its words in a book, it can be used for "anything" a person wants to use it for."
Untrue, If this whas the case nothing at all could be correctly understood.
the authors wrote it in the language they understood and spoke and wrote.
The problem with interpretation is people TRY to interpret it in ignorance.
1 Corinthians 2:14 "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."
What needs to happen for someone to understand the Scriptures correctly is HUMBLE yourself to God First. The proud will never understand Scripture, no matter how much you beat yourselves up trying.
You need to conform your life to Scripture, not conform Scripture to your life....Start with this.....
For some reason, the term self-righteous bigot comes to mind...hmmm
For some reason, the words, "I have no idea what I'm talking about because I'm wrong" come to mind for you Steven. Why is that?
If what I say were not true, you two would not have any reason to take offence. The Bible was written to make a person feel as tho they are in some way better than a person whom does not hold a belief in invisible beings.
I have seen a tree in my back yard and it is made of pure gold, it's leaves shed pure gold leaves and I take them to the bank and get huge amounts of money for them.
You will tell me I'm lying and there is no such thing, but I have faith that it exists, but you of little faith, do not believe me, so you have a problem, you are a nonbeliever, you are a worthless infidel and you are going to burn forever in the foundry that melts my gold.
See how an obvious lie can be turned into a belief?
No you cannot, because you have elevated yourself to self-righteous bigot, which in all actuality without your own knowing it, you've demoted your own self to a level of imbecile. Don't fret, there's millions just like you, out there.
There's millions out there doing the right thing, and believing in something that is true in God! If you don't believe it, fine. I've done everything I could to convince you otherwise, but one day you'll see. You'll find out there is a God.
Who said you? No, it is written in a book over 2000 years ago by ignorant dopehead men.
Besides,if I'm dead or you're dead there is no more day. Days only happen on earth, so that proves your bible is all a lie.
No. Day happens on other planets too! Also, 1,000 yrs is one day in heaven. My book was written by men, inspired by God. Your scientistic beliefs are written by man and his self righteous un proven beliefs.
"For some reason, the term self-righteous bigot comes to mind...hmmm"
No, I openly admit that i'm not righteous...I am a sinner, who is forgiven...God is the only righteous one.
Your conscious bothers you.
"you've demoted your own self to a level of imbecile."
Ive humbled myself to someone Larger than us.
It does require faith. Something you also do unknowingly everyday to small simple things. You have faith in your electric company to provide electric to your house, Your vehicle to continue operating safely, your grocery store not to contaminate your food, your alarm clock to go off, those aliens you believe in...ect.
You too have alot of faith in many things....So, its really not silly at all, especially when there is so much evidence to support our faith. You just have to take the time to look at it all.
"If what I say were not true, you two would not have any reason to take offence."
I'm not offended....You don't need to worry about me, it's not me you offend. Your decision for eternity it entirly your choice.
Not according to you, but according to a bunch of dopehead sheep herders that wrote on papyrus over 2000 years ago.
And yet in 2007, people like you still believe in that nonsense because, you've been threatened with a burning hell if you do not believe. Believe in Jesus or he'll send you to hell. What compassioniate love that jesus, eh?
"Not according to you, but according to a bunch of dopehead sheep herders that wrote on papyrus over 2000 years ago."
Again, you assume they were dopeheaded...you cannot document this.
All writers of this time wrote on stone or papyrus....whats your point? Do you not believe in any historic writings??
"And yet in 2007, people like you still believe in that nonsense because"
And in 2007 ignorant, selfish beings like yourself continue to reject eternal life that is freely given...
But not according to you, but the dumb dopehead sheephearders of 2000 years ago.
Do you think they would say that they were dopeheads?
Then you would question what you're trying to pretend that you believe.
Im assuming your admitting you have no evidence? So then, this is your unprofessional opinion. All of your writings are based on your supposing they were doped up which you have Zero proof.
"Then you would question what you're trying to pretend that you believe."
There is no pretending involved. I know what I believe and why I believe it...this is why you continue to get a relentless Biblical beating.
Also, can you explain why you deleted all of those previous posts? You keep ignoring this question.
So you would prefer to believe that ghosts and spirits and angels exist without any proof what so ever, before you would prefer to believe that people used drugs thousands years ago. So you think drug use is new in the middle east. Drug use has been accepted for thousands of years in the middle east, marijuana used to be legal in the USA in the 1920's get real will ya?
I'm sure there were drug use in almost all ages; however this does not mean that everyone used them. Even like today there are more drug users than ever...does that mean everyone is using them?...of course not.
So, do you have proof for the claim that the Biblical authors used drugs or not? Again, this is your supposing....
You hold a Burden of Proof...You made a claim, now show the evidence Steven.... Now, you get real.
As soon as you show me proof that the bible is the inspired word from a god, you go first, ok?
Ahhh....You take the easy way out...typical of Atheists.
God had to have revealed the Bible. Man could not have made-up the Bible, even if given the opportunity. Man would not write a book that is Self Condemning ....makes sense Huh?
It says the bible god condemns, not the people who wrote the bible..sheesh
Wow...Ok Barney style,
IF.....IF man created the Bible than he would be making a book that condemns himself....
Proud, Ignorant, Sinful man wouldn't do this.
Instead man would make a book approving of doing whatever he desires, no matter how sinful it is.
"Instead man would make a book approving of doing whatever he desires, no matter how sinful it is."
Apparently you've never read the bible at all, because this is exactly what it does.
I'm beginning to think you're just plain ignorant.
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