Is the bible greatly misunderstood?

[Aelbica]

But in many ways great literature isn't supposed to be clear and straight to the point. If it was than it wouldn't be so easily applicable to so many people's lives over thousands of years.

You're crediting these people with far too much.
It's incredibly poorly written already, adding on the implication that they secretly mean something else and are using metaphors and stuff is simply beyond credibility.
It simply isn't consistent with the level of talent contained in the writing.

These were uneducated people having a go at writing. And you expect me to believe they were using complex metaphors and shit?
ESPECIALLY in an age where Interpreting religion differently was grounds to get you killed? They mean EXACTLY what they said.

It's simply hilarious that anyone suspects otherwise.

All in all, it's really the same level of analysis that goes for the Epic of Gilgamesh (I personally know professors of ancient Meditteranean/Near Eastern studies.) People interpret the theological meanings differently because they believe it as still scripture.

People in the ancient world were, more or less, as smart as we are today. The only difference is the level of information they had access to. Also saying that people weren't using complex metaphors then is akin to saying that indiginous cultures don't do the same with their oral traditions; which is untrue as well when you look into the past century or so of anthropological analysis.

I'm not Christian, but I think it's important to recognize the level of secular analysis of these texts, and texts and the concept of "text," in general before you make what really are rash judgments.

[Hetalian Indie Rio de Janeiro]

People think it has any relevance or baring on reality.
That's a pretty big misunderstanding.

Wow such edge so much cut.

Please do it more.

Gallup + doge is kawaii

[Ostroeuropa]

People think it has any relevance or baring on reality.
That's a pretty big misunderstanding.

Wow such edge so much cut.

Hardly edgy.
Most of the rest of us on NS have realized a while back that the whole religion thing is a pile of shit. If anything it's boringly predictable.
Kind of like your post here, really.

[Wilgrove]

Paganism will return in place of the Abrahamic religions. *nods*

hi wil! I hardly ever see you post anymore.

how many people in your troup?

it may be time to drop the "submission to the will of god" religions. they don't work as well as they did when all we cared about was our own tribe.

I'm still around, I've just been spending about 99.9% of my time in the pony thread in A&F.

Honestly I think after the Abrahamic Faith becomes a minority religion, Atheism/Agnostic will take its place.

[Asigna]

These were uneducated people having a go at writing.

They are highly educated. They are politically cunning, know lots about philosophy and not the average regional priest you see everyday. They finished school and now engage in political but non secular matters in helping the world and the region around our own country. They are reliable. Economically, they give good advises but none of the politics here would bother to listen to them.

[West Afrika]

I think it is a metaphor.

I mean come on, walking on water.

[Gallup]

Wow such edge so much cut.

Hardly edgy.
Most of the rest of us on NS have realized a while back that the whole religion thing is a pile of shit. If anything it's boringly predictable.
Kind of like your post here, really.

So you were enlightened? If so, are you euphoric?

[*LOGIC INTENSIFIES*]

Sorry, those were some Circlejerk jokes I had to do. A tip of the fedora to you.

[Ostroeuropa]

You're crediting these people with far too much.
It's incredibly poorly written already, adding on the implication that they secretly mean something else and are using metaphors and stuff is simply beyond credibility.
It simply isn't consistent with the level of talent contained in the writing.

These were uneducated people having a go at writing. And you expect me to believe they were using complex metaphors and shit?
ESPECIALLY in an age where Interpreting religion differently was grounds to get you killed? They mean EXACTLY what they said.

It's simply hilarious that anyone suspects otherwise.

All in all, it's really the same level of analysis that goes for the Epic of Gilgamesh (I personally know professors of ancient Meditteranean/Near Eastern studies.) People interpret the theological meanings differently because they believe it as still scripture.

People in the ancient world were, more or less, as smart as we are today. The only difference is the level of information they had access to. Also saying that people weren't using complex metaphors then is akin to saying that indiginous cultures don't do the same with their oral traditions; which is untrue as well when you look into the past century or so of anthropological analysis.

I'm not Christian, but I think it's important to recognize the level of secular analysis of these texts, and texts and the concept of "text," in general before you make what really are rash judgments.

The thing is, we have proper diets now.
They kinda didn't back then.
Do you know what malnourishment in early and mid development does to your intelligence?
Couple that with the fact that water was practically toxic so they essentially drank lots of alcohol which deadens braincells...
So yeh. They really were stupider than we are today. AND they had access to less information.
And that's before you even bother factoring in the evolutionary evidence that our brains are still developing.

It makes it all the more hilarious that religion spreads during the period where malnourishment is commonplace, and now we actually have food it's kinda falling backward.

[Aelbica]

Wow such edge so much cut.

Hardly edgy.
Most of the rest of us on NS have realized a while back that the whole religion thing is a pile of shit. If anything it's boringly predictable.
Kind of like your post here, really.

And since when have the NS forums been the pinnacle of human intelligence?

[Nervium]

It's somewhere located in the book of psalms. This interpretation was only sourced from a group of Jesuits i know who told me that.

Alright. I'd like to read that some day.

But how about the pope and the cardinals etc? Why give so much power and authority to them and why give to someone, who lives in Italy and Rome, which is situated on the lands of the Roman Empire, which used to be very much anti-Christian, anti-God and anti-Israel.

Constantine. Eh, Constantine, and Constantine.

[Vazdania]

THE BIBLE IS A METAPHOR.

At least in my opinion.

It has been a wonder to me if many people have greatly misinterpreted the words of the bible especially about the concepts. Over the time i had experienced with Jesuits, read countless of bible studies and had heard from our religion class, and after mixing it all together excluding the mainstream bible interpretations heard at mass, particular things are misinterpreted mostly by church traditions.

The concept of afterlife - The kingdom of god, as it is said is a state in which a person becomes self fulfilled but in a good way and this fulfillment can only be attained after doing good actions to one another. In this state, we find true self satisfaction and true happiness but however, this "kingdom" is rather not a place but rather a state of true happiness that exists in this physical world.

Hell on the other hand is a state of a separation from this happiness and the state of evil reigning truly over your life depriving you from the true happiness in which you really need. The "fires of hell" rather is the anger that, rage and hatred that exists in a person. This "fire of hell", if it exists in one person will likely make another person suffer and is rooted because of sin. If there was no sin, then there is nothing to be angry about.

The story of creation - In my opinion forgive me all creationist), the story of the creation of the world is rather not a fact, rather a story of what caused man to have such a crap-sack lifestyle in the first place. The true essence of the creation story is that god created that world (in reality, it was created through the big bang) and that man was called to do good by god as soon as they were created but man, whom in turn, tempted by the serpent (which is a metaphor for selfish desires and evil of men), wanted to be more than god so he ate the fruit of knowledge (this is a metaphor for science, in which now we are trying to use to exalt ourselves as men glorious over the earth and at the same time trying to deny god's existence with it). So man, whom tried to be independent from god's arms in the search for the path of god hood seeked their own way which is 'human'. And inside that human nature is suffering. Something humanity would not have seen if they chose to follow god's way. Man chose the way of his self through sin. That sin, is an action which defies god. Treason to god on layman's terms or an act of human rebellion.

7 deadly sins The 7 deadly sins do not immediately lead to condemnation rather, they are the sins that are "deadly" because they can cause greater trouble. (E.G. Lust is not a sin that can bring you to hell but rather it can distort your perception of life by letting you see people as objects of desire ultimately making you treat a person as if he/she were a sex doll that has no dignity and purpose other than to give you those lovely sensations and anger is not a sin in itself rather it can lead you to do even deadly things like wrath flipping you out of control making you kill somebody else).

Homosexuality The bible does not condemn homosexuals in itself (we all know that). They condemn "homosexual acts". While these homosexual acts remain vaguely described, these acts are in fact the meaningless sex that happens between two gays or lesbians that has no biological purpose whatsoever rather than to bring pleasure. But aside from the sex, anything else is okay. That will not stop homosexuals from loving with one another as a couple because that love is a good thing. All love is good. But Homosexuals are called to love yet called to be purely out of the domain of sex, something very hard to do. There is either a clean and healthy homosexual relationship in which, is clean and has no sex and just pure love or the other "dirty" one in which, there is sex. But because the early church did not know what the homosexual acts mean, they decided to ban all kinds of homosexual activity whether be it love or mere sex denouncing them all as 'Sodomy' just to be sure.

The 10 commandments One of the ten commandments mention "do not use the lord's name in vain". This is not literal, rather, the fact that certain people claim to be "holier than thou" using god's name to condemn someone who is actually more innocent or using god's name to put someone down. Or using god's name for evil purposes (Al Qaeda, who seeks world domination by using god's name as a pretense to killing someone for the sake of their own twisted agendas) is using a real demonstration of how god's name can be used in vain.

In the past we recall the pope being a dictator of Europe rather than a mere head of the church and the catholic church stealing money from the people while telling the people "that god demanded the money".

What happens after death - The revelation reveals if one has lived a meaningful life then one will be one with a place that "has no sorrow nor pain nor sadness but happiness". Could it be that one will transcend into a state of utter perfection where one can no longer do any mistakes? By saying so, the only way it is possible is the soul of that person to become one with god. By being one with god, who is all good and happy, that is heaven. Who knows? That is my perception on the words of the bible.


That will be about it of my perceptions of the bible. What do you think about this? It all makes sense for me.

It's not a Metaphor.....There are Metaphors in it, but much of the time its literal.

[Asigna]

it may be time to drop the "submission to the will of god" religions. they don't work as well as they did when all we cared about was our own tribe.

Better to reign in the adversity of the hell (being evil on earth) than to serve in the tiredness of heaven (self fulfillment acquired by a meaningful existence through action serving another person).

Serving god is not literal, by helping another person in a good way, you are already serving someone you consider invisible. God is a concept.

[Vazdania]

Paganism will return in place of the Abrahamic religions. *nods*

hi wil! I hardly ever see you post anymore.

how many people in your troup?

it may be time to drop the "submission to the will of god" religions. they don't work as well as they did when all we cared about was our own tribe.

[Gallup]

Hardly edgy.
Most of the rest of us on NS have realized a while back that the whole religion thing is a pile of shit. If anything it's boringly predictable.
Kind of like your post here, really.

And since when have the NS forums been the pinnacle of human intelligence?

Since it was occupied by angsty privileged teens who want to rebel against the two big evils: Fundies and Gender.

[Magna Libero]

Alright. I'd like to read that some day.

But how about the pope and the cardinals etc? Why give so much power and authority to them and why give to someone, who lives in Italy and Rome, which is situated on the lands of the Roman Empire, which used to be very much anti-Christian, anti-God and anti-Israel.

Constantine. Eh, Constantine, and Constantine.

So, it's not in the Bible.

[Nervium]

Constantine. Eh, Constantine, and Constantine.

So, it's not in the Bible.

Nope.

Much popes pre-Constatine tended to get fried, thrown to the lions, and other jolly good Roman entertainment. (as did a lot of Christians)

[British Prussia]

Constantine. Eh, Constantine, and Constantine.

So, it's not in the Bible.

Divine right of emperors.
Or because the Emperor said so...

[Ostroeuropa]

Hardly edgy.
Most of the rest of us on NS have realized a while back that the whole religion thing is a pile of shit. If anything it's boringly predictable.
Kind of like your post here, really.

And since when have the NS forums been the pinnacle of human intelligence?

Did I claim it was?
I'm simply pointing out that I'm not being edgy here.

And since when have the NS forums been the pinnacle of human intelligence?

Since it was occupied by angsty privileged teens who want to rebel against the two big evils: Fundies and Gender.

I can't tell if this is directed at me or not.
If it is, i'll point out a few things.
1. I'm not a teen.
2. I'm hardly privileged.
3. Fundies aren't one of the top two evils. Not even close.
4. You seem pretty mad about this.

[Farnhamia]

Constantine. Eh, Constantine, and Constantine.

So, it's not in the Bible.

Matthew 16:18, "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Peter was the first Bishop of Rome, the founder and the foundation of Christ's Church. All his successors have the same blessing.

[Herskerstad]

I wonder what else will illuminate itself in this revelation. Perhaps Jesus just had himself metaphorically crucified so that one would not in the sense of idioms perish, but have eternal life in a hyperbole-based way.

[Gallup]

And since when have the NS forums been the pinnacle of human intelligence?

Did I claim it was?
I'm simply pointing out that I'm not being edgy here.

Since it was occupied by angsty privileged teens who want to rebel against the two big evils: Fundies and Gender.

I can't tell if this is directed at me or not.
If it is, i'll point out a few things.
1. I'm not a teen.
2. I'm hardly privileged.
3. Fundies aren't one of the top two evils. Not even close.
4. You seem pretty mad about this.

It's not. It's directed at the militant atheists and "gender doesn't reals" people on NSG.

[British Prussia]

And since when have the NS forums been the pinnacle of human intelligence?

Since it was occupied by angsty privileged teens who want to rebel against the two big evils: Fundies and Gender.

Hey, don't stereotype. I've been a conservative since I was a baby

[Nervium]

I wonder what else will illuminate itself in this revelation. Perhaps Jesus just had himself metaphorically crucified so that one would not in the sense of idioms perish, but have eternal life in a hyperbole-based way.

Muslims believe that.

That he wasn't crucified that is.


Maybe some Christian denominations believe something similar, idk, what.

[Ostroeuropa]

Did I claim it was?
I'm simply pointing out that I'm not being edgy here.



I can't tell if this is directed at me or not.
If it is, i'll point out a few things.
1. I'm not a teen.
2. I'm hardly privileged.
3. Fundies aren't one of the top two evils. Not even close.
4. You seem pretty mad about this.

It's not. It's directed at the militant atheists and "gender doesn't reals" people on NSG.

I'm both of those things. So basically you have no argument against those people and just insult them. I'm sure theres some kind of term for that...
I wouldn't bring up the gender thing, by the way. It won't end well.

[Gallup]

Since it was occupied by angsty privileged teens who want to rebel against the two big evils: Fundies and Gender.

Hey, don't stereotype. I've been a conservative since I was a baby

Hey, not everybody.