Here is a list of the 1o worst Bible passages: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/religion/6120373/Top-10-worst-Bible-passages.html
This is just another example of how Christians pick and choose which "Word of God" to follow. Thank Zeus that most of them have the common sense to use selective reading skills.
www.holybible.com
ReplyDeleteNow that's scary shit.
Every one of those passages was taken out of context. When you take any written text out of its literary, cultural, or historical context, it can lose or gain meaning at the will of the interpreter. These passages only prove that the person who found them has no knowledge in how to interpret ancient documents.
ReplyDeleteHow is that first one, 1 Tim2:12, out of context. Do we need to read all of Timothy, all of that testament, all of the bible?
ReplyDelete"I do not permit..." Paul is not saying "God does not permit..." or "The Church does not permit..." Paul is saying that he does not permit. Also, in the original text "man" refers to husband, and in that time and culture women were held at lower class then their husbands. I'm not saying this should be how it is now, it only means that was how it was back then and in that culture. You cannot take this out of historically and culturally context.
ReplyDeletePaul, if it's the Word of God, then "I do not permit" means "[God] does not permit", doesn't it? Also, historical and cultural context only works with works of art created by humankind. A Word of God, which is what the Bible is supposed to be, cannot fail outside of its context, because its context isn't supposed to change. As God can't change.
ReplyDeleteSo Paul is basically giving guidance to Tim on running the "church", but he isn't speaking for the church? That's kind of a stretch.
ReplyDeleteYes, the Bible is the Word of God, but it has to be read in the light of literary criticism. You cannot take a passage out of it's context and expect it to always retain its original meaning, and the original meaning of the Bible is the Truth of God.
ReplyDeleteSaint Paul is writing, in his words, a letter to Timothy. He is writing in a time and culture that is totally different from today, and has completely different views on women and marriage.
Paul, while I think you're making the same point that I'm about to, the point stands that the average literalist reads the writings of St. Paul AS the word of God (and with complete disregard for their historical/cultural context). In my experience, St. Paul's writings against homosexuality are quoted second only to Leviticus and are followed with "See? It says so in the Bible! God doesn't like homosexuality."
ReplyDeleteI personally refuse to see any of St. Paul's writings as proof of anything intended by God or even Jesus. Those writings are the opinion of one man who, as I recall, had never even met Jesus. How he got to be considered some kind of authority on How Things Should Be is beyond me.
That's not true either. St. Paul's letters were purposely made part of the canon of Scripture by the early Church councils, so his writings are inspired by the Holy Spirit. But his writings, as I again state, cannot be taken out of the context in which they were written.
ReplyDeleteAlso, God doesn't like homosexuality, the verb. Love the sinner hate the sin. Homosexual acts, same as sex outside of marriage, is a disorder to the original intention of sex.
Aside from what St. Paul said, i'm pretty sure there is a passage elsewhere that says homosexuals should be put to death.
ReplyDeleteSomething along the line of, 'but if a man lies with another man as he would a woman, then he shall be put to death.'
Something like that, so how can it be taken out of context?
Okay, I will once again say, you can't take passages out of their historical and cultural context. First, please specify the passage you're referring to. Second, try and look at who's writing it, who their writing too, the reason their writing it, and the culture in which all this takes place.
ReplyDeleteThe Bible never tries to convince anyone about its authenticity. I don't try to convince people I'm real, neither does God. If people don't believe God is real its up to them. The truth will be revealed to all eventually. People think God is a robot and he is not permitted to make choices or statements that "man" doesn't agree with. If we as human beings have rules for our children that they think are unfare, Who is God that he cannot do the same. If God says something you don't like why don't you go kick him off his throne... or do the next best thing just imagine he doesn't exist.
ReplyDeleteGreat suggestion Kori. I will continue to lead my life as if God does not exist. If you come across any evidence to suggest the contrary, please let me know. By the way, while you're at it, consider these questions:
ReplyDeleteIf our universe simply reflected the action of pure naturalistic laws rather than the intentions of God, how would it differ from the universe we have today?
In other words, what conceivable observation about the universe could convince you that God does not exist?
In my experience, those who take the Bible literally are unable to answer the first question and refuse to answer the second.
I love how everything is "out of context"... unless some right wing bible thumping Republican politician is quoting the bible at some Tea Party rally to move some political agenda- then the bible is the unfallible word of God.
ReplyDeleteIts annoying when chrisitna say well that was then, it was permissible to have slaves and kill other people that served different gods, etc...but if god was indeed the author of the bible he would have used the bible as the first of its kind to tell us that slavery was wrong-it would have be ahead of its time! But no of course this wasn't the case, and yes the bible is the most violent book of all time and rivals the quran in violent sciptures, and has a degrading view of humans as being sinful and inherrently evil because of a magical piece of fruit eaten by two people who were deceived by a reptile..and the notion of human sacrifice as redemption is gross-god would not need to sacrifice himself to himself (or his son depending on your interpretation) in order to change his rules....modern christianity is a disusting cult
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