Why should we continue to study the Bible? That is not a question if you consider it the unalterable word of God. But for those who are uncertain, there is another powerful reason to pore over this sacred text.
Everything has changed since biblical times -- language, communication, dress, medicine, technology -- everything except human nature. We still cry as did David, dance as did Miriam, dream as did Jacob, suffer as did Job. Our marriages are troubled, families fractured, hopes thwarted. When his brothers are jealous of Joseph's special status and envious of his dreams, we understand. When Moses explodes in frustration against a people who will not follow the only path he knows will save them, we nod our heads in rueful recognition. This is not alien to us. As the Latin proverb has it, change the names and the story is about you.
Hagar is running away from Sarah, who is angry that she has the child Sarah has so far been denied. An angel asks Hagar where she has come from and where she is going. "I am running from my mistress Sarah" Hagar answers,
Why does she not tell the angel where she is going? When you are running from a burning building, it does not matter where you are headed; only what you are fleeing. Change the names, and the story is about you.
Esau swears to kill his brother Jacob. Why, after an estrangement lasting decades, does Esau fall on Jacob's neck and weep? Although they were not identical, they were twins. Living in an age without mirrors, people rarely if ever saw themselves. Suddenly Esau is confronted by a much older man than the boy who cheated him. He recognizes his own age, how many years have passed, and how futile the bitterness. Change the names.
Seeing the golden calf, Moses smashes the tablets God has carved as he descends from the mountain. After he ascends a second time, he carves a new set of tablets and when he returns to the people, his face shines. Why does it shine the second time and not the first? Because the second time he has carved the tablets, and we are changed not by what we are given, but by what we do.
The Bible is our story because it is the human story. In the Hebrew bible there are no perfect characters, no flawless people. In all their messy humanity people stride uncertainly through history, leaving a trail of light that illuminates our path as we follow in their faltering, aspirational footsteps.
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As for me, I find myself having a different outlook.
Even with twelve years of catholic school, a Jesuit college education and being a life long member of the catholic church, I came to realize after years of my own thinking, reading, research and discussion, that god did not give me the same gift of faith that he bestowed on many of the people here tonight.
Instead he gave me the gifts of skepticism, rational thinking and objectivity. I don't know why that is, but that's exactly what it is and for that I am thankful. I am who I am and I am comfortable in that knowledge.
I do not accept that man is born evil and into sin. The sin in the garden is a metaphor for evolution.
And since mankind is not born into sin, there is no need for a messiah. And no need for baptism to wash away that sin.
Rather then rely on fear and shame, we would be better off being more compassionate and loving.
Mankind is perfectly capable of living good lives, caring for one another and for nature without a personal, judgmental god and a book filled with contradictions that is taken as his word.
Although as an atheist I sincerely believe in treating others the way I want to be treated. This is without reward and without the expectation of getting something back. It just seems like common sense to go that direction.
Hey! you are plagiarizing Santa Claus!
Unless... You... NAH !
FOR INSTANCE - GOD IS JEALOUS
People today do not realize that there is a good (healthy) form of jealousy and and overly, undue , bad jealousy. I think we are all familiar with the unhealthy/undue/overly jealous.
For instance please consider this.
There is a family: husband, wife and child. They are all good and loving to each other. As parents they want what is best for their child. They teach the child good habits such as brushing teeth before bed, doing homework, going to bed before too late etc.. They also want her to have fun so you organize good, healthy recreation with friends/family.
However, she also has an uncle who also claims to "love" her and tells the child that she should love him more than he parents. So one weekend when babysitting he tells her how he would parent her: stay up as late as you want, eat as much candy, don't brush your teeth - OK, drugs - OK. basically she is free to decide for herself what is good/bad.
Now if that child develops love/respect/obedience to this uncle and disobeys her mom and dad.
Would these parents have jealousy over their child's love...? Is this jealousy good/righteous?
YES - this is a good, healthy and righteous jealous.
Loving parents= God
Uncle = Satan
Child = Mankind
"...when Abram was 99 years old, the Lord appeared to him again! He told him to change his name to Abraham, for he would be a father of many nations. As His covenant, the Lord told Abraham to circumcise every male of his people; not just his descendants, but also slaves bought from others. Anyone not circumcised would be cast out." (Gen. 17:1-14)
Why do you think God chose genital mutilation as the sign of his covenant? Why not a branding or a tattoo? Or do you think God was concerned about hygiene and the potential for urethral infections?
My friend, you are a shining example of someone willing to ignore evidence and promote an inexcusable doctrine.
Perhaps Huffpo could do us all a service and balance the quantity of pro-religion writing within by adding a "Free Thinking" section to this powerful blog. It would seem there is a smart, willing and interested audience.
know anything about the world or its workings. It bears the same relevance to today, as a book on astronomy written in 1100.
If we are the same as the characters in the bible, we are in a lot of trouble.
"There is grandeur in this view of life. Whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning, endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being evolved." - Charles Darwin
A life with out a God is not to be feared, but embraced. Its preciousness is not diminished by the fact that it has evolved into being.
It is more like life without reason if you want to exclude the Maker of all of the function there is in life forms.
Life is diminished because we have no direction without God which is also the very reason we would not even exist without His direction written into the elements able to perform as directed.
Prove it.
Anyone can make ridiculous claims. "Life is diminished because we have no direction without Jack and the Bean Stalk."
Do you not see how ridiculous your stance is? Your reasoning ability is the worst I've seen in quite some while.
"Life is diminished because we have no direction without God which is also the very reason we would not even exist without His direction written into the elements able to perform as directed."
Say what? Prove it.
Since when did life require a reason?
"Life is diminished because we have no direction without God which is also the very reason we would not even exist without His direction written into the elements able to perform as directed."
Prove it. You make a lot of outlandish claims and you haven't offered any evidence for any of them.
A collection of books demanding blind obedience to God doesn't feel like a human story to me. You have many biblical characters scrambling around trying their best to please this being. Most of the characters fail and are killed because they displeased this God.
Over 2000 years of us vs. them with a few pockets of poetry that doesn't fit the biblical theme. It's very difficult for me to understand those who hold the bible up and still scramble around trying to please this being. As if those lessons in the bible are meant to be repeated. Like some form of biblical drama.
"The Bible is our story because it is a human story."
Two key words here 'a' meaning one of many, and story, meaning tale, legend,or myth.
And this is a myth? Boy, this I've really gotta read.