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If you don't believe the entire Bible is divinely inspired and is completely trustworthy in totality, why do you believe any of it at all? It makes absolutely no sense to pick only the parts you like and brush the parts you don't like under the carpet and pretend that they don't exist. That is the most intellectually dishonest behavior I have ever seen. It's either all or nothing.
Originally posted by @dj2beckerMy experience was a gradual one - that is to finally accept the whole Bible as trustworthy.
If you don't believe the entire Bible is divinely inspired and is completely trustworthy in totality, why do you believe any of it at all? It makes absolutely no sense to pick only the parts you like and brush the parts you don't like under the carpet and pretend that they don't exist. That is the most intellectually dishonest behavior I have ever seen. It's either all or nothing.
That was just my experience of growing in faith, honestly.
I only mention it because I suspect it would be the experience of at least some others.
Originally posted by @dj2beckerWhy would someone need to trust a book which has changed over the centuries. For me, Jesus has the words of eternal life. For some others being a bible scholar is important. Everyone has their own focus.
If you don't believe the entire Bible is divinely inspired and is completely trustworthy in totality, why do you believe any of it at all? It makes absolutely no sense to pick only the parts you like and brush the parts you don't like under the carpet and pretend that they don't exist. That is the most intellectually dishonest behavior I have ever seen. It's either all or nothing.
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Originally posted by @rajk999If the Bible has in fact changed over the centuries how do you know that the words of Jesus haven't changed as well?
Why would someone need to trust a book which has changed over the centuries. For me, Jesus has the words of eternal life. For some others being a bible scholar is important. Everyone has their own focus.
Originally posted by @dj2beckerThe words of Jesus did not change. The Bible did.
If the Bible has in fact changed over the centuries how do you know that the words of Jesus haven't changed as well?
Originally posted by @dj2beckerBooks were removed from the Bible over the centuries. Im not talking about words changing.
The words of Jesus are in the Bible. How do you know which words changed and that the words of Jesus didn't change if other parts did?
Are you interested in being a bible scholar or eternal life?
Originally posted by @dj2beckerIt makes absolutely no sense to pick only the parts you like and brush the parts you don't like under the carpet and pretend that they don't exist. That is the most intellectually dishonest behavior I have ever seen.
If you don't believe the entire Bible is divinely inspired and is completely trustworthy in totality, why do you believe any of it at all? It makes absolutely no sense to pick only the parts you like and brush the parts you don't like under the carpet and pretend that they don't exist. That is the most intellectually dishonest behavior I have ever seen. It's either all or nothing.
Actually the "most intellectually dishonest behavior" comes from those who assert that they DON'T pick and choose what parts they believe.
The Bible is what it is. The Bible is steeped in metaphor, is widely open to interpretation and contains inconsistencies, discrepancies and outright contradictions. As such, there is no alternative to picking and choosing what parts to believe.
Originally posted by @dj2beckerI don’t carry a strong opinion on this topic but I do remember you describing your all or nothing experiences in a Christian cult and I therefore find myself very surprised to see you propsosing the same cultish philosophy in your approach to the bible.
If you don't believe the entire Bible is divinely inspired and is completely trustworthy in totality, why do you believe any of it at all? It makes absolutely no sense to pick only the parts you like and brush the parts you don't like under the carpet and pretend that they don't exist. That is the most intellectually dishonest behavior I have ever seen. It's either all or nothing.
3 edits
-Removed-There is or was a gambling machine in Vegas, into which one fed quarters that made a pile that was gradually pushed forward until its forward edge fell into a trough that returned a number of quarters to the bettor. It illustrates the concept of tipping point, along with demonstrating a psychological explanation for the addictive power of gambling. Denial and release, until the resource runs out.
It sounds like you are asking, broadly, if there was a tipping point in his scrutiny of the Bible, beyond which, when crossed, Sonship had then become a Christian. It suggests also to me the notion that the tipping point can occur before accepting the whole Bible as trustworthy on the basis of that scrutiny. It seems to me that the acceptance of the whole Bible as trustworthy, without continued scrutiny being needed, would be a "signal moment" of becoming a Christian.( Not necessarily the only signal moment.)
