-Removed-There are two endpoints in this subject.
(A) One where everything is wrong,
(C) one where everything is right.
and (B) everything in between.
(A) is too far. Of course there are correct things there. Somewhere.
(C) is an easy solution. Everything is correct. No need to interpret. No thinking necessary. If it says so, then it is so. Final.
(B) is the big problem. Some is right, some is wrong. Then who decides what is right and what is wrong.
And here is the answer of the question: Why are there so many christian denominations?
Answer: Because people cannot agree what is right and what is wrong.
There are so many discussions where christian people aren't agreeing, even call eachother names, even in this Spiritual Forum. It is easy to understand that christianity isn't one, and one only, religion. A lot of them mutually exclusive. Fights are common among christians.
Stop for a while. And think. What is it to be a christian. Who decides what is right and what is wrong. Why not unite in these issues? Why not have one christian religion?
Who is up for that?
-Removed-REALLY.
Indigenous to the Middle East apple trees were non-existent. But among all the countless plants and trees in the Garden, one could see solely one single apple tree.
After G-d created Adam and Eve, these protohumans had no concept of “good” and “evil” and had lack of morality, they were living in the Garden like happy gods. It was cool in the Garden, even the animals had an eternally sweet time in eternal peace with no bloodshed. The lions were eating kinoa and the crocs juicy avocados. Any changes? No, Sir. Pure sunshine, although moonshine was a rare bird. Everybody was drinking just plain water. Pure and crystal clear water alright, but even that was inferior even to that awful thingy they enjoy up north in Canada, the Crown Royal.
And suddenly one day G-d deceived the protohumans into making them believe that the Apple was poisonous, whilst the one of a kind wise sneaky snake convinced ole Eve of the truth: Snakey told her the darn fruity was not poisonous, adding she would simply gain knowledge of good and evil if she ate it and that’s all.
Naturally born curious, girl pushes eager to excel boy –was the apple tasty? Go figure. They ain’t kick the bucket and everything was OK for a while, but then G-d drove loco and cursed Snakey and boy and girl and the ground and all, and on the spot Adam and Eve pictured what “becoming into full humanity” means: they ended up in an animal status with the sense of morality.
In fact, to sum it up:
G-d told Adam and Eve that the fruit was poisonous, which is literally a lie. They kept up living alright.
Snake told them the truth: Adam and Eve did not die on the spot because of that apple, and also they developed a sense of morality for the very first time.
And G-d knew that Eve was curious and Adam almost as bright and meticulous as Mr. George W. Bush, or even as the 45th American president, therefore it would be more good for the whole humanity and morally better to treat the kids right. G-d could tell them beforehand what exactly would happen, and then let them choose according to their free will. This only would be fair.
However I admit that Eve as a hardcore lass would probably go for it anyway and Adam would run after her, as is the case the last billion years –some insist that the right number is 6,000, oh well. So here we would be again dead in the water, staring directly them blurry eyes of that antelope chewing crocodile who ain’t veggie anymore.
😵
-Removed-The main problem isn't with clarity over parable vs. not a parable; the main issue is with Christians that certain aspects of the bible just don't fit with modern sensibilities. The creation account is one of the biggest examples, with some educated Christians feeling a need to defend the inaccuracy of the bible with "it's not literal".
I've debated Christian women who vehemently deny female submission to men, with all sorts of verbal contortions about allegories and such. In fact, I've seen Christians pretty much imply the entire OT is allegorical; that women were never really commanded to be stoned for premarital sex, but that it's merely to show how bad such actions are.
http://religionnews.com/2017/07/12/notable-christians-whove-had-a-change-of-heart-on-lgbt-issues/
More and more Christians are coming out against gay discrimination. There are even gay Christians (like the gay Christian musician in the article). In order to reconcile their faith, they either have to:
a) Minimize the anti-gay quotes (like by squarely focusing on the "love" parts)
b) Say those parts aren't literal
The anti-literal movement isn't a surprise, given that the bible dates back well over 3,000 years. In order to excuse belief in ancient texts with ancient beliefs, anti-literal views are a major requirement for many Christians.
Originally posted by @ghost-of-a-dukeName one. Good luck.
Excluding the errors and rampant contradictions.....