What Good is the Bible

[154]

The bible doesn't have self evident morality unless you think its moral to abandon your familys and follow you like Jesus said for the diciples to do or if you are against rape or child abuse the bible isn't the place to go for guidence unless you feel that its ok for bears to shred children to death for making fun of some bald headed guy or if you think its ok to carry off virgin girls after you've murdered their mothers and fathers, married sisters and brothers.

Imagine yourself in this possibility.

Because perhaps it's a certainty.

If Jesus Christ is who He said He is,
you will have your chance, face-to-face, to assert your own moral superiority to His.

 

[Sledge]

Who did Jesus Christ say he was? Was it Batman?

 

[tsig]

Imagine yourself in this possibility.

Because perhaps it's a certainty.

If Jesus Christ is who He said He is,
you will have your chance, face-to-face, to assert your own moral superiority to His.

Jesus never said he was god, that's a later addition.

If he was god, who was he talking to on the cross?

 

[SatanicSheep]

This is a classic misuse of the rule.
It is not the disgusting details of what you do to your girlfriend that the rule is about, but the fact that she enjoys it (or she wouldn't be your girlfriend).
So there it is, you please her, she pleases you (of course the details differ since you are opposite sexes).
The rule stands.

So the bible deals in vague generalities? Check.

Color me shocked.

P.S. Who said anything about it being disgusting?

 

[dio]

So the bible deals in vague generalities? Check.

Color me shocked.

It has been pointed out that the golden rule predates the bible.

P.S. Who said anything about it being disgusting?

I'm sorry, I thought you were referring to some sort of sexual interaction, which, with all the exchanges of bodily fluids that take place, is inherently disgusting to an uninvolved and unaroused onlooker.

 

[Craig4]

I think that's a dubious claim.

For example, our society seems much more cavalier about war than the Amish are.

Anabaptists like the Amish, Hutterites, Dukhabours &c cite the Bible to explain why they're refusing to take up arms against their fellow men.

Or are you including pacifism as 'immoral'?

No, what I'm saying is that you don't need the bible to justify those things. If you don't want to kill people just don't kill people. The problem with justifying pacifism with the Bible is that war can be justified with the Bible with equal validity. If you want to be against war just be against war.

You can justify the moral with the Bible, it's just that you don't need to.

 

[Craig4]

That's all you really had to say. It's really all you always say anyway. It's your constant assertion. It's your constant concern. It's certainly your advocated conclusion. Sounds like you're getting close to persuading yourself.

By this you mean?

Oh no, I've been convinced of its status as a fairy story for quite sometime. I'm really interested in why other people use it to justify things that are self evidently moral.

As for literature, it's just that, a story. Some if it has merit as fiction. However, if you ever meet someone who actually uses it to guide their activities, call the police.

 

[SatanicSheep]

It has been pointed out that the golden rule predates the bible.

Replace "bible" with Chinese mysticism or wherever you say it's from.

I'm sorry, I thought you were referring to some sort of sexual interaction, which, with all the exchanges of bodily fluids that take place, is inherently disgusting to an uninvolved and unaroused onlooker.

Apology accepted. I understand if voyuerism or erotica isn't your thing. Somethings that are right for some aren't right for everyone. Take that golden rule.

 

[GrandMasterFox]

First to the OP, kind of preaching to the choir don't you think?
You have basically just said "snap out of it".

Of course no one really takes morals from the bible. At best, you already have morals and project their origin from the bible.

This is why you have people that tell you that abortions are wrong according to the bible and people that tell you that abortions are correct according to the bible.

Heck, as mentioned in the other thread, apostasy is clearly commanded by god in the bible and yet some people make the mental gymnastics around it to say that it is forbidden by it somehow.

But just yelling "snap out of it" is meaningless.

I always thought the whole 'do unto others as you would have them do unto you' is a pretty darn good rule of thumb.

And I personally find it to be quite an abominable approach. Sure, it seems nice on the surface but there's actually a hidden meaning in there.

Consider this: If you are willing to die for your faith, and you are willing to do unto others as you would have them do unto you - what does that tell you?

Is it any wonder the verse of love thy neigbhour (leviticus 19) appears right before a list of massive executions for religious crimes (leviticus 20)?

The whole issue of loving your neigbour the same way you love yourself means that you get to judge them by the standards of your own twisted religious faith.

What are the only reasons The Bible should be read?
What are the reasons The Bible should not be read?

Simple. Same reasons you read harry potter or shakespear or any other book for that matter.

Same reasons you shouldn't read harry potter or shakespear or any other book for that matter.

Exactly, and this is why the bible mentions homosexuality maybe three times, yet evangelical Christians seem to think it's God's number 1 concern. You don't selfishness or excess showing up on too many ballot initiatives.

Sorry, but 154 is actually correct on this one.
The issue with homosexuality isn't a big deal to christians, it's a big deal in politics. It's a "hot topic" currently which is why it is constantly being discussed. Same way slavery was a major issue once and not so much today.

Imagine yourself in this possibility.

Because perhaps it's a certainty.

Nope. It's not certainty. That's the first place where your silly pascal's wager is worthless.

Now if you want to say it's a possibility, then I'll point out that the jews will say it's a possibility you'll meet god and he will punish you for worshiping a false messiah.

That is why pascal's wager is moronic. It claims it is "safer" to believe than disbelieve, however, it doesn't tell you what the right belief is.
And you can't cover all faiths at the same time cause they contradict each other.

Of course it also assumes your god is a complete moron who doesn't realize you're faking it in the first place.

 

[UnrepentantSinner]

Really? What makes you think that?

I hardly think of homosexuals or homosexuality much at all until I come back to a place like this. If and when and where it's a point of consideration and discussion, I'll consider and discuss it. I'll respond, but I'm not, and we don't, initiate anything against gays. But you insist on portraying it otherwise.

You ever heard of American Family Radio? The devote a inordinate amount of airtime to teh gayz.

 

[Ron_Tomkins]

Saying "Do this because The Book says so" is a lot easier than "Do this because the emergent behavior of human societies has lead us to think this is the best course of action for our own health and self-interests and such like that; though it could change as these factors continue to evolve."

I do prefer how the latter sounds, though

 

[BobHaulk]

the bible is good for nothing,religion is useless and religious people are boring.

 

[Craig4]

What are the only reasons The Bible should be read?
What are the reasons The Bible should not be read?

Of what else have you and do you declare to be "of no moral value for someone living today"?
List them please.

The bible certainly provides some interesting insights into the lives of people in Mesopotamia and the Levant in Antiquity. It also provides a window into the views of Jews during Roman occupation. However as a guide to living it's of no importance.

I'd add the Quaran (with the Hadith and Suna), The book of Mormon and Shirley McLain's autobiography to the admittedly incomplete list of things of no moral value. I'll include the Talmud with the Bible which is already covered by the OP.

 

[Sledge]

the bible is good for nothing,religion is useless and religious people are boring.

Don't sugarcoat it, tell us what you really think.

 

[Skeeve]

There is only one thing I like about the bible.

Ezekiel 23:20

It is my favorite verse because I just cannot fathom why it is there. There is really nothing else like it in the bible.

When I tell people what is says, I'm called a liar. I've won money betting that it does say what it says. Nobody believes me.

I love Ezekiel 23:20!

 

[Craig4]

There is only one thing I like about the bible.

Ezekiel 23:20

It is my favorite verse because I just cannot fathom why it is there. There is really nothing else like it in the bible.

When I tell people what is says, I'm called a liar. I've won money betting that it does say what it says. Nobody believes me.

I love Ezekiel 23:20!

I like it. It doesn't have the antiquity Penthouse Letters feel of the Song of Solomon but I like it.

 

[154]

There is only one thing I like about the bible.

Ezekiel 23:20

It is my favorite verse because I just cannot fathom why it is there. There is really nothing else like it in the bible.

When I tell people what is says, I'm called a liar. I've won money betting that it does say what it says. Nobody believes me.

I love Ezekiel 23:20!

Please explain in detail for the class.

 

[nvidiot]

Wow.

Just...

Wow.

 

[Craig4]

Please explain in detail for the class.

I'm going to suggest that interested parties just go an read it for themselves. I believe quoting that Bible verse would violate the MA. I'm going to assume that literary porn is covered in the no profanity rule.

154, dude you really let your kids read a book with smut like that in it?

 

[Skeeve]

Please explain in detail for the class.

Only because I've had too much coffee this morning.

This is a vision recounted in Chapter 23 regarding two adulterous sisters, Oholah (Sumeria) and Oholibah (Jerusalem).

Oholah prostituted herself to Assyrians, and God delivered her unto them and they killed her.

Oholibah also loved the Assyrians, but became very lustful after the Chaldeans. She sent word that she had the hots for the Babylonians of Chaldea and invited them to her bed. She was very open about this prostitution and God turned away from her at this point (After watching quite a lot of the sexy parts). As she recalled the days of her prostitution in Egypt, she became more lustful in her actions. Because in her youth she..

lusted after her lovers, whose genitals were like those of donkeys and whose emission was like that of horses.
.

At this point God tells Oholibah that he's going to direct all her lovers against her for her lustful ways and idol worship. Blah, blah, blah.

Now I know this is a story in which Sumeria and Jerusalem are being punished for not obeying God, but why in the hell is that bolded, italicized and underlined sentence in the bible????