Is the bible without error?

[DoubtingThomas]

Many people would say absolutely!
My response to that is: How is that possible? Historically religion was used as a control mechanism for the government, so how can we be sure that the government leaders at the time a particular translation did not require the translation to insinuate a specific meaning? For example- The bible claims the Israelites were slaves in Egypt yet history tells us that they were not; they were first allies with Egypt protecting the area between the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. This only changed when a Pharaoh decided the Israelites were to powerful and decided to use them as paid labor – yes paid labor which means they were not slaves.

 

[Dream]

For example- The bible claims the Israelites were slaves in Egypt yet history tells us that they were not; they were first allies with Egypt protecting the area between the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. This only changed when a Pharaoh decided the Israelites were to powerful and decided to use them as paid labor – yes paid labor which means they were not slaves.

I saw something like that on TV. Indentured service is slavery.

 

[Nick the Pilot]

The Bible has been intentionally altered for political purposes.

 

[Selaphiel]

Absolutely not. The idea that the bible is free of errors is a product of a view of the Bible that is heretical. Too many people treat the Bible as the Christians revelation, but strictly speaking that is a rather serious heresy. Jesus Christ is the Christian revelation, the Bible is mankind's reflection on certain events.
As a student of theology I find it hard to take the doctrine of infallible scripture seriously. We know that it can not be the case, there are plenty of errors and false authorship (like the pastoral epistles) and there are plenty of myths we know can not have taken place (Like a literal 6 day creation or a world wide flood).
That does not mean that there is no truth in the Bible, but if you are looking for historical or scientific truth you're doing injustice to both those disciplines and the Bible itself.

 

[Bandit]

and there are plenty of myths we know can not have taken place (Like a literal 6 day creation or a world wide flood).

I am curious, how do we know for a fact that there has never been and could never be a world flood?
Has someone actually counted all the gallons of water? has anyone been inside the earth to prove how much water in underground streams and caverns is gushed inside? In the polar regions of melting ice?
I mean, considering that we do know the planet is at least 2/3 water and 1/3 land, it does not appear impossible to me to have a temporal world flood considering the turbulence and how quickly water will rise after just a few days of hard rain. Of course that does not mean every tippy tippy top top of all mountains needs to be covered. I would see it more like a modern vertical spinning washing machine with water going everywhere for days, not so much that all of the land needed to be covered during one single period as in a titanic sinking.

I suppose what gets me is the demand for something factual that is not there either way. For all we know, it could have been done in 6 literal days of explosions and then left to evolve on its own for billions of years, -of course before we, know it all philosophers and snotty nosed scientists came along to say exactly how it is, while disagreeing with each other on exactly how it is.

Oh, I know this is a very old and boring thing and I could really care less how it factually is. More curious about the conclusions and not so much the arrival of them, because I am certain that no mortal is ever going to figure these things out.

 

[Bandit]

Is the bible without error?

From my one point of view and considering that anyone can make the bible mean anything they want it to mean, and most people edit it by adding to, deleting and ignoring what they don't want, including those from the beginning who messeed with it and by dumping the writings they did not want,...

my simple answer to that question would be...It doesn't matter. So, Take what you want and discard the parts you don't want. That is what most of us do anyway.

Perhaps a better way to present the question would be, is the bible the only writings that have truth? Is it the only writings that could be inspired by something greater than human error?
I would venture to say with ease, No.

 

[Bandit]

The Bible has been intentionally altered for political purposes.

Sadly, I must agree that some of has been.

 

[Amica]

Peace--
I respect the Holy Bible and believe that it was Revelation from God Almighty. But, considering all that Jews and Christians have been through throughout the centuries (wars, opression), I believe that it is possible for the Holy Bible to had been altered.
For instance, in the time of the Roman Church's rule, Christians were forbidden from interpreting the Bible individually (except the priesthood) and many were punished with jailtime if they are found to possess the Bible at home. One must ask then, why? If the Church had nothing to hide, why ordinary Christian was not allowed to study the Bible as it was. Also, the Vatican literature admits that certain Bible passages have been deleted, altered or made up in the past.
I believe that there is truth to the Bible, but how much authentic teachings have come to us, I am not sure.

 

[DoubtingThomas]

I am curious, how do we know for a fact that there has never been and could never be a world flood?.

Many societies all over the world have a "Great Flood" story which leads one to believe that there was some kind of major catastrophy but I agree tehre is no real way to tell if it was as horrific as the bible claims.

For all we know, it could have been done in 6 literal days of explosions and then left to evolve on its own for billions of years,

The church and school I grew up in taught that god did indeed create the world in 6 literal days. I had never even heard of evolution until my senior year of highschool when I went to a public school.

Oh, I know this is a very old and boring thing and I could really care less how it factually is. More curious about the conclusions and not so much the arrival of them, because I am certain that no mortal is ever going to figure these things out ,

I agree that we will probably never figure out what really happened, in the end we must each decide what we belive to be correct and be able to discuss our view points to some degree.

 

[wisdom seeker]

I believe that the Bible contains errors since it was written by human beings and all of us are fallible.

On the flip side I also believe that the basic teachings of the Bible are sound and translate generationally. Those are the teachings that I believe are God-given.

In my research on different religions I have found that a version of the "Golden Rule" appears in nearly every faith. This is one of the things that convinced me that there is more then 1 way to worship and connect with God. I also believe that the Bible does not have to be entirely correct for God to be entirely real in one's life.

 

[Will be]

So much for the Goddess, in the thing. Male dominated religion, how sweet.

God is not in any book. Tell that to the fish.

No, you won't get it.

 

[DoubtingThomas]

So much for the Goddess, in the thing. Male dominated religion, how sweet.

God is not in any book. Tell that to the fish.

No, you won't get it.

LOL I read this post to my wife and she knew who posted it.

Male dominated religion is definately male created. many "pagan" religions pay homage to both female and male spernatural beings. Personally I think that doing so helps keep life in balance and things in perspective. Perhaps if we men werent so power hungry we would all be worshiping male/female supernatural beings. Which in turn would lead to women being treated as equals- as they should be.

 

[Bandit]

Many societies all over the world have a "Great Flood" story which leads one to believe that there was some kind of major catastrophy but I agree tehre is no real way to tell if it was as horrific as the bible claims.

I look at it like this, I have no reason not to believe it but I also have no reason to believe it. One other aspect that I have no problem with is this, If the world/people started from one man and one woman which I believe is true, then it is not that difficult for me to see how it could start again from eight. If water did come gushing down that fast and that long it would have swept anything that floats out to sea without much remains of anything as proof. Of the three floods I have been in, the last one made everything in my backyard disappear and buried under water within 48 hours and I was rowing a fishing boat up to my steps. It was a different type of flooding than described in Gen. as it came up slowly with little movement or current. In less than two days all I saw was boats and rafts going up & down the main street rescuing people. It took about a week for it to go back down.

The church and school I grew up in taught that god did indeed create the world in 6 literal days. I had never even heard of evolution until my senior year of highschool when I went to a public school.

Oh yes. Good old church school. My parents sent me to one for a year. I insisted on going back to public school the following year and I did. I think 6 literal days or a 24 hour period for an ear of corn to grow is a bit over the top. I would not have been happy if I had not graduated from my public school.

I agree that we will probably never figure out what really happened, in the end we must each decide what we belive to be correct and be able to discuss our view points to some degree.

Me too and I view discussing as you have done, quite different from debating. Thus my pleasure.

Eccl 3:11 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.

 

[Nick the Pilot]

How many people here think all women in the world today are cursed only because they are women, like the Bible says?

 

[arthra]

I think the Bible is inspired and contains truth but it is not a science text .. also it does reflect prevailing norms of the society in which it was revealed.. If you look closely though women still have a strong role in the Bible such as Miriam, Judith and others. There is also I believe a progressive revelation from over three thousand years and a record of revelations over time so it is part of the spiritual treasury of humanity.

- Art

 

[Will be]

How many people here think all women in the world today are cursed only because they are women, like the Bible says?

Let me have a baby first and I'll tell ya, or show ya. Damn, missed again! No clue.

 

[path_of_one]

My position is more or less the same as Selaphiel's.

To treat the Bible like a history or science text degrades it as mythology, and cheapens it. The purpose of myth is not accuracy, so I fail to see why accuracy should be a concern.

I think all the work on the "science" of 6-day creation and whatnot is a big waste of time and detracts from the real purpose of myth, which is to initiate someone into the mystery of God and the deep meanings that myth has for our lives.

I can read mythology from all over the world and find a lot of truth in terms of spirituality and advice for living.

 

[path_of_one]

Let me have a baby first and I'll tell ya, or show ya. Damn, missed again! No clue.

It always struck me that whether one sees pregnancy and childbirth as curse or as blessing depends on our own choice. Just because something is painful, doesn't mean it is bad.

 

[Will be]

It always struck me that whether one sees pregnancy and childbirth as curse or as blessing depends on our own choice. Just because something is painful, doesn't mean it is bad.

Push!

Push!

Wait a minute, I'm a guy. Uh oh. Too late. It's a boy!

Adam is a nice name, for a girl or boy, it'd be a first. Whoah, that was easy.

 

[Bandit]

How many people here think all women in the world today are cursed only because they are women, like the Bible says?

Does it actually say it that way? or is that just how you read it? I think it says something like the ground is cursed to the man and there would be sorrow in childbearing to the woman.

I must admit that life is at times a struggle and not always easy, a very hard & difficult, uphill struggle. I tend to look at things both ways, a blessing and a curse at the same time. A curse that I have to bleed on my hands, callous my feet & sweat like a piggy due to thorns, weeds, rocks and thistles but a blessing from the work when the harvest is ripe. Kind of like the contrast of both rain and sunshine have their attributes, assets and undesirables.