To read the bible, or not to read the bible?

Originally posted by karoly aczel
Me. And even if there were a God who thought He knew me better, I'd slap him and say "did you know I was going to do that?"

Let's just say I'm all for passing out of karma and who knows who best,and reprecussions,etc.

Who best knows you ?

Me. And even if there were a God who thought He knew me better, I'd slap him and say "did you know I was going to do that?"

Let's just say I'm all for passing out of karma and who knows who best,and reprecussions,etc.

Well, basically it sounds like you're saying that you really don't know who knows you best.

You said "Try me."

Consider yourself tried and found a little bit wanting.

I would say that the who who knows each of us best is the Who whoever had the ability to endow us with consciousness.

Where ever consciousness came from had to have something to be able to give it. The effect could not be greater than the cause, I think.

So whoever is responsible for the existence of human consciousness probably is the same One who knows each one of us the best.

How could a being give what was not in the being to give ?
God knows you the best. I am sure of it.
He also loves you the best too.

He does look beyond your faults and sees your needs.

Originally posted by e4chris
I have become more Christian lately, I'm at the point of calling myself Christian. But I am bad at reading the bible. In the past a criticism I've had of Christians is over rating how much knowledge can be gleaned from it. Some seem to treat it like its the only book worth reading, or worse the only book of academic merit, its certainly not that.

For me I ...[text shortened]... e? - or are you supposed to base your faith on scripture?

I'm not sure, your thoughts?

Would there even be Christians without the Bible? I suppose the words could be passed down but how is it any different than writing them down?

I'm curious, how can you glibly dismiss the very foundation of your faith?

Originally posted by whodey
Would there even be Christians without the Bible? I suppose the words could be passed down but how is it any different than writing them down?

I'm curious, how can you glibly dismiss the very foundation of your faith?

Keep going...you will just remind him how all of the criticisms he heard about Christians are true.

Originally posted by SwissGambit
Keep going...you will just remind him how all of the criticisms he heard about Christians are true.

Then you tell me. If you claim to call yourself a Christian, then you claim to follow Christ. How can you do so if you have no idea what he said or stood for?

Originally posted by whodey
Then you tell me. If you claim to call yourself a Christian, then you claim to follow Christ. How can you do so if you have no idea what he said or stood for?

If I wanted to follow Jesus, I would want to know what he really said. I would read many different books about him. I wouldn't just accept one version and dismiss all others.

It stands to reason that a name that commands influence can be twisted to the aims of the devious. The only defense is to gain information from a variety of sources.

Finally, my loyalty would be to what the man stood for, if it is just and honorable. I'm not loyal to books.

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
Its imperative that you read the sacred text, without it, how will you form an evaluation of Gods personality. Paul makes it clear that for the Christian, the scriptures are like an anchor for our hope, a ship fitted out with provisions to help us in the ups and downs of life. It is not without good reason that the psalmist stated,

(Psalm 119:1 ...[text shortened]... ord is a lamp to my foot, And a light to my roadway

I encourage you to read the Bible e4chris

I think so too! I wonder though did Paul say that before or after it was written?

Originally posted by TheSurgeon
I would say that there is always value in reading the Bible as it contains a great deal of insight and wisdom. It provides a lot of the essential information needed to follow Christ's example and stay on the right path.

I would, however, add that your past criticism of some Christians over rating their Biblical knowledge has some merit. There is a da ...[text shortened]... spend time with God and it provides the forum for us to truly develop a relationship with Him.

Agree I hear a lot of christians putting a lot of time into bible study - I think its quite hard to study - if shakespear is difficult the bible is harder its deep philosophy written by very clever people - I don't hope to understand all of it.

To me if you want to see gods creation looking at a tree can get you there. And the reserection - plot christmas shopping on a graph and its close to proof. I don't need the Bible for either but I do respect it.

Originally posted by e4chris
Agree I hear a lot of christians putting a lot of time into bible study - I think its quite hard to study - if shakespear is difficult the bible is harder its deep philosophy written by very clever people - I don't hope to understand all of it.

To me if you want to see gods creation looking at a tree can get you there. And the reserection - plot christmas ...[text shortened]... ping on a graph and its close to proof. I don't need the Bible for either but I do respect it.

How can christmas shopping be a proof of resurrection? Christmas has become a device for shifting all the tat in China to western landfill via our credit cards.

Originally posted by e4chris
I have become more Christian lately, I'm at the point of calling myself Christian. But I am bad at reading the bible. In the past a criticism I've had of Christians is over rating how much knowledge can be gleaned from it. Some seem to treat it like its the only book worth reading, or worse the only book of academic merit, its certainly not that.

For me I ...[text shortened]... e? - or are you supposed to base your faith on scripture?

I'm not sure, your thoughts?

I tried to read the old testament once...I'll never get those hours back!
As for whether you should read it...why should you!? Why should anyone!?

If some sort of god or gods exist or existed then I say that for all notions of thing sourced either from scriptures, tribal elders, within, and so on... that they are all grossly deficient in their approximation to it.

The god associated with the Bible does not exist

Originally posted by Kepler
How can christmas shopping be a proof of resurrection? Christmas has become a device for shifting all the tat in China to western landfill via our credit cards.

You might not believe in Jesus but is it not true he steels your credit card each year and drags you round the shops? even though you don't believe?

if thats not magic i don't know what is!

Originally posted by e4chris
You might not believe in Jesus but is it not true he steels your credit card each year and drags you round the shops? even though you don't believe?

if thats not magic i don't know what is!

Jesus encourages profligate spending? Why? Where does it say in the bible that spending too much around 25th December is a good idea? And, no, he certainly doesn't steal my credit card and drag me round the shops. I refuse to buy into the rampant commercialism of christmas I'm afraid.

Originally posted by Kepler
Jesus encourages profligate spending? Why? Where does it say in the bible that spending too much around 25th December is a good idea? And, no, he certainly doesn't steal my credit card and drag me round the shops. I refuse to buy into the rampant commercialism of christmas I'm afraid.

Bah Humbug!

Originally posted by TheSurgeon
I would say that there is always value in reading the Bible as it contains a great deal of insight and wisdom. It provides a lot of the essential information needed to follow Christ's example and stay on the right path.

I would, however, add that your past criticism of some Christians over rating their Biblical knowledge has some merit. There is a da ...[text shortened]... spend time with God and it provides the forum for us to truly develop a relationship with Him.

Best post in months.

I think I should shut up for a week and just read TheSurgeon's contributions.

Originally posted by sonship

since he's returned from his sabbatical he's been a sassy little s.o.b. almost like he's adopted a new personality to go with his new name.......why the new name jaywill?

Your thought that I have any attempt here to be the new improved jaywill is imaginary.

I expected most posters simply to say "There he goes again under a different ...[text shortened]...

I do play chess here with relatives of my family.
I think I should play you too.

Your thought that I have any attempt here to be the new improved jaywill is imaginary.

i didnt claim that, im not sure why you would draw that conclusion. i said that you seemed to be more patient when you had the jaywill tag. you seem a bit grumpy these days.

no need to explain your change of names. i didnt suggest that there was anything machiavellian about it. observing that it seemed to coincide with slight change in the way you post.

i dont mind you getting all sassy, we all do from time to time. i was just making the observation.

im always up for a game of chess.

Originally posted by sonship
[quote]
you know nothing of his life. you have no idea what will make him happy. maybe the guy is suicidal and depressed, desperately seeking something to take away the pain, the arrogance to think you can advise people on what will make them happy is not is not that far removed from the dodgy evangelists who tell naive sick people they are going to cure t ...[text shortened]... e who is master of human difficulties of every imaginable kind.

Christ untangles KNOTS.

Spend time with Jesus and not come away happy ?
You [b]DO think we're fooling around, don't you[/b]

again you make comments that suggest being a christian makes people happy. this is just not true, are christians any happier than any other religion?? are they happier than atheists??? the answer is no. fact.


im not sure where you are going with the rest of the post. you seem to be re-wording that jesus is good in various different ways. as ive said before i dont really have a problem with jesus. i share many of his morals. its his dad that seems like an idiot.