A question about God & the Bible?

[Nomilynn]

I have some differing opinions to what you just said, in that I believe children are taught right from wrong, but they are born "good" and with no real influence would have "proper" morals. Does that make sense? However, I also know that is really a supjective issue because who is to say what is "proper" and what isn't.

I believe Jesus was born of immaculate conception and that he was a real man that walked the earth. I also think that we don't really know what He was like, as everything written about Him in the bible was written by someone else, and se we get someone else's opinion. I believe that the Bible is a story, written by LOTS of different people, and has been interpreted/translated so many times that it can only be interperted. I think the point of the bible is for everyone to find what they need to have a relationship with their God. Have you ever been feeling yucky, opened the bible to a random page, and found the "perfect" words to help you out? I think it happens all the time, and my belief is that people search for answers and "create" them to suit their needs. I know I do it - I don't think it's a bad thing

[guster girl]

back to ol' www.m-w.com for me. Here's deist/deism: a movement or system of thought advocating natural religion, emphasizing morality, and in the 18th century denying the interference of the Creator with the laws of the universe

I don't know if that describes me or not, but, i'm looking it up on the internet.....

[micki76]

Originally posted by Edwina's Secretary
Deist....Thomas Jefferson was a deist....believed in the existence of God but not in organized religion....(very few of the founding fathers were practicing Christians....why I'm always baffled when people say the US was founded as a Christian nation.)

Wow! Here's a great expanation of Deism. Thank you Sara! That's the closest I've ever come to finding a definition of what I am!

[guster girl]

Those are some good definitions/quotes. Thanks for the link, micki. The ones I went to weren't that simple. I guess I'm still not sure if it's the label for me, because it still seems that there are things you have to believe in order to be a deist, and, i already was confused by some of the beliefs on the sites i visited. ha ha, it's never ending!

[shutterbug0303]

Just curious....what are some of the conflicts you see in the Bible?

I am a practicing Christian. After growing up in a Methodist church from the moment I was born, being baptized, and living the "good life", I only recently (well when I was 15...21 now...) found the true meaning of the word "Christian". I believe that Christianity is the acceptance of Jesus Christ into your heart and allowing the Holy Spirit to help guide your life; having a personal relationship with Christ. Just believing in Jesus/God is not being a Christian...even Satan believes in Jesus/God, but I wouldn't classify him as one (lol funny to think...Satan a "Christian"...) Anyway, I didn't mean to "preach from a soap box"! hehe Sorry. Just wanted to let you know where I stand. I am just curious as to what conflicts you find in the Bible. I promise not to preach again......maybe your questions will help me grow in my faith (and can give me something to talk about with my middle school Sunday School class).

[Karen]

Micki - I'd say you are a monotheist - one who believes in one God. Deist is close, too. Pantheist would be someone who believes in many gods.

[Nomilynn]

Originally posted by shutterbug0303
Just curious....what are some of the conflicts you see in the Bible?

I believe that Christianity is the acceptance of Jesus Christ into your heart and allowing the Holy Spirit to help guide your life; having a personal relationship with Christ.

To address your first question - what do you mean by conflicts? I don't know that I find conflicts in the bible so much as I feel conflicted in my own beliefs versus an organized Christian faith/religion.

And I like your definition, and I agree. In that sense, I am a Christian, but I'm not "practising" as I don't go to church. I also wouldn't categorize myself as belonging to a specific denomination.

[shutterbug0303]

Originally posted by shutterbug0303
Just curious....what are some of the conflicts you see in the Bible?

Sorry...I was having a hard time with wording...uumm...what "concerns"/"questions"/"disagreements" do you find? Did that help clarify? I am going by the orginal post

Posted by Micki - "I don't believe in everything the bible says."

Just curious as to what parts...


Also, being a "non-practicing" Christian is becoming very common...I was one this summer. There are so many conflicts within the church (it is a body of people who make mistakes) that is makes being there hard at times. Church is a touchy situation when it comes to the Christian faith....Church is really meant for Christian to "refuel" in a sense and be surrounded by other people with the same beliefs. Unfortunately, that is becoming harder to do in a lot of churches, so many find themselves not going at all and having small groups get together in order to help keep in check and be accountable for each other I did that for a long time after I left my church; led my own Bible study!

[micki76]

Originally posted by shutterbug0303
Just curious....what are some of the conflicts you see in the Bible?

I am a practicing Christian. After growing up in a Methodist church from the moment I was born, being baptized, and living the "good life", I only recently (well when I was 15...21 now...) found the true meaning of the word "Christian". I believe that Christianity is the acceptance of Jesus Christ into your heart and allowing the Holy Spirit to help guide your life; having a personal relationship with Christ. Just believing in Jesus/God is not being a Christian...even Satan believes in Jesus/God, but I wouldn't classify him as one (lol funny to think...Satan a "Christian"...) Anyway, I didn't mean to "preach from a soap box"! hehe Sorry. Just wanted to let you know where I stand. I am just curious as to what conflicts you find in the Bible. I promise not to preach again......maybe your questions will help me grow in my faith (and can give me something to talk about with my middle school Sunday School class).

I don't see any conflicts in the Bible. I simply believe it was written by mortal men, with no divine intervention. Same thing with the Quran.

IMO Christ was a man. Only a man, not the son of God.

I see the Bible as an historical account. A summation of history by men of the times. I believe in the history that it contains, but not the mystical aspect.

BTW - I want to thank and congratulate everyone who’s commented so far. This has been a wonderful discussion.

[Nomilynn]

Originally posted by shutterbug0303
Sorry...I was having a hard time with wording...uumm...what "concerns"/"questions"/"disagreements" do you find? Did that help clarify? I am going by the orginal post

Posted by Micki - "I don't believe in everything the bible says."

Just curious as to what parts...

Ok this makes sense I don't believe that the bible should/can be taken literally. I can't comment on the Quaran because I don't know anything about it. Basically, I believe that the bible is a work of history, or even a story. It was first written in Hebrew (I think), and, in translation things HAVE to be interpreted. For example, in Hebrew there are no spaces, and all letters were capitals. Look at this example:

GODISNOWHERE

it can say "God is now here" and it says "God is no where" So who made the decision to say He is here? Also, there aren't always English translations for some Hebrew words, and so people had to make the "best choice" even though it's not exact.

Also, because the written record was written in a different time and life, it just isn't practical to apply it to our lives in a literal sense. For example, there is a verse in the bible that says never strike your wife with a whip bigger than your wrist (this is a horrible paraphrase but it works in this context). In our day and age, domestic abuse isn't acceptable - period! So we have to adapt the bible to work with the change in society, and I think it can be done as long as we take the underlying messages like "love thy neighbour" etc etc.

Does that answer your questions at all? I hope it makes sense!

[guineapiglover4ever]

Originally posted by micki76
Now, my question is this. What am I? I’m not a Christian, because I don’t believe in the bible and so many things that Christians believe in. Christians won't accept my views on this issue, and Atheists will disagree that there is a God at all. Is there a term/name for what I am and believe in?

I'm feeling very confused by my feelings, but very steadfast in them. I believe that there is a God, and that some things are definitely not right in his/her eyes, but I think the bible and much of what it contains is simply the writings of mortal men.

okay you are a creation of God read genesis
well we beleive that ounce you are saved (ask jesus to come in your heart) you are saved forever and go to heaven. but if you lie doent mean you are not still saved you must ask jesus to forgive you. jesus died on the cross for our sins so we may be forgiven (watch the passion of the crist). people such a disipoles wrote the bible. there is an all might god.
you may have heard or god, jesus, and the holy spirit 3 diffrent god's but they arent. they are one person well think of a 3 leave clover god is one leaf and jesus is an other and the holy spirit is the third, it's all connected on the clover so it is one.

[micki76]

Originally posted by guineapiglover4ever
okay you are a creation of God read genesis
well we beleive that ounce you are saved (ask jesus to come in your heart) you are saved forever and go to heaven. but if you lie doent mean you are not still saved you must ask jesus to forgive you. jesus died on the cross for our sins so we may be forgiven (watch the passion of the crist). people such a disipoles wrote the bible. there is an all might god.
you may have heard or god, jesus, and the holy spirit 3 diffrent god's but they arent. they are one person well think of a 3 leave clover god is one leaf and jesus is an other and the holy spirit is the third, it's all connected on the clover so it is one.

Yes I understand your concept, I just don't believe in it.

[smokey the elder]

It sounds like you are closest to a Unitarian. They believe that God exists, and Jesus was a man. Beyond that and their general tolerance, I know very little about them.

I'm a scientist. One of the paradoxes of science is recognizing there are things that cannot now, nor may ever be able to be, measured. This includes the concept of infinity. I'm thinking of that concept a lot, and how religions are human attempts to quantify the Infinite. It really goes back to our trible ancesters, (IMO).

The wonders of creation stand for themselves as evidence that *Someone* is running the show!

[guster girl]

I know for me, personally, I believe in God, just not a lot of what organized religion deems sinful. First of all, I could go to church and ask for forgiveness every day for the rest of my life. But, I'd still go out and swear and drink and practice premarital sex, and, not have a problem with homosexual people. Sorry for being so graphic, and, I'm not saying that I'm an alcoholic or that I sleep with multiple people. But, in my opinion, because I'm not sorry for some of the sins I commit (according to organized religion anyway), I can't consider myself a true Christian. that's my issues with religion. I believe in being a good, honest person. I believe in doing what you can to not hurt others, I believe in doing what you can to help others. I just can't see going to hell because I practiced premarital sex with a man I was in love with. If I can find one church or religion that I can agree 100% with, I'll be all over it. I'll be in the church of that religion, reading the books of that religion, practicing that religion...every day. But, only if I can do it 100%. I can't see calling myself anything if I don't believe everything it teaches. That's my reasons.

[jcsperson]

Put me down as a Chrignostic.

Genesis is a metaphor for creation. A literal reading of it seems hopeless in the face of scientific evidence. If we are the makings of some higher being and we invented the metaphor, then why can't Genesis be a metaphorical expression of the creation of the universe, only in days rather than billions of years? I am an English teacher and feel if someone takes Genesis literally and misses its metaphorical and allegorical aspects, then they don't really understand it.

As for the rest, Christ's message was one of peace and harmony. The Commandments seem pretty clear and in line with the teachings of other religions. I really admire a lot of the teachings of Judaism.

I don't go to church nor do I label myself as anything in particular. I don't understand how or why people get bogged down in denominational minutia.

This joke has always amused me about that:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I was walking across a bridge one day, and I saw a man standing on the edge, about to jump off. I immediately ran over and said "Stop! Don't do it!"

"Why shouldn't I?" he said.

I said, "Well, there's so much to live for!"

"Like what?"

"Well ... are you religious or atheist?"

"Religious."

"Me too! Are you Christian or Jewish?"

"Christian."

"Me too! Are you Catholic or Protestant?"

"Protestant."

"Me too! Are you Episcopalian or Baptist?"

"Baptist."

"Wow! Me too! Are you Baptist Church of God or Baptist Church of the Lord?"

"Baptist Church of God."

"Me too! Are you Original Baptist Church of God, or are you Reformed Baptist Church of God?"

"Reformed Baptist Church of God."

"Me too! Are you Reformed Baptist Church of God, reformation of 1879, or Reformed Baptist Church of God, reformation of 1915?"

"Reformed Baptist Church of God, reformation of 1915!"

To which I said, "Die, you heretic scumbag!" and pushed him off the bridge.