The Bible. A problem with interpretation.

Discussion in 'Religion & Philosophy' started by robini123, Nov 21, 2019.

  1. robini123

    robini123 Well-Known Member

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    If morality is universal to all humanity, then why is it that all Christians do not agree upon what is or is not moral? If you say it is because the Bible is open to interpretation, then how do you know that your interpretation is the correct interpretation? If you cannot know whether your interpretation of Biblical text is correct, then how can you know that you are following the will of god or just your own self interests? Do you see a problem with having to interpret, as interpretation leads to a variety of conclusions that cannot all be correct? It is possible none are correct.
     
  2. Kokomojojo

    Kokomojojo Well-Known Member

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    morality is universal to all humanity, all of humanity has some kind of right/wrong scale. Where that scale lands is another story
     
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  3. ARDY

    ARDY Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    YES

    imo the most common thing is for people to conclude that what they think’ is self apparently true. And it IS self apparently true to THEM. Unfortunately, lots of other people have different and conflicting truths that are self apparently true to them, the fact that something is self apparently true fior you is not necessarily so convincing for others.... including your ancestors, or even fellow adherents.
     
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  4. DennisTate

    DennisTate Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Many, many, many, many Christians will disagree with me but after thirty years of studying these accounts I have concluded that the Being of Light of near death experience fame who reviews lives with people who have a brush with death is Jesus - Yeshua in His resurrected form...........

    This conclusion of mine has transformed the way that I look at both the Jewish as well as the Christian scriptures....

    A shocker for you though if you are a Christian.... Jesus does NOT KNOW the exact time of his future Second Coming! That is mentioned after the seventeen minute mark in this lecture by a Christian near death experiencer.... who was quoting.....

    Mat 24:36 "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only."

    and....

    Mark 13:32 "But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father."


     
    Last edited: Nov 22, 2019
  5. Distraff

    Distraff Well-Known Member

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    Because they have their own opinions on what the bible means. People have different opinions on stuff.

    Well you will have to argue your case and show that your interpretation is correct.

    Some parts of the bible are more obvious than others. I'm pretty sure you can still be a pretty decent Christian even if you misinterpreted a couple things in the bible.

    Well, when you read any book you do have to do some amount of interpretation.

    Yes. Its possible nobody interpreted the bible 100% correctly. Many some only got it 99.9% right.
     
  6. robini123

    robini123 Well-Known Member

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    Whether we label it as interpretation or opinion the fact remains that Christians claim that morality is universal yet there is not universal agreement within Christianity as to what is moral and what is immoral.

    I never claimed that my interpretation is correct so I must prove nothing.
     
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  7. Robert E Allen

    Robert E Allen Banned

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    Well seeing as how the bible talks about how evil humans are even at their very best. A person is best served by interpreting very little and sticking to the things the bible clearly states, if a person spent their time dealing with the things that are clear they'd have a lifes worth of work to do and not have to worry about the things that are less clear.

    This is a red herring and we don't need to argue if it's fire engine red or blood red.
     
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  8. Daniel Light

    Daniel Light Well-Known Member

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    Honestly, if the Bible were at all important to an omnipotent God, it would have appeared on every table in every language on the day it was written.

    Hell, a middle-aged British house wife was able to get her book to every country , written in every language in under two months. But an omnipotent God takes over 1500 years to get the same distribution? Maybe God just thinks Harry Potter is more important.
     
  9. Robert E Allen

    Robert E Allen Banned

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    So your argument agsinst the bible is timing as it relates to technology?
     
  10. Daniel Light

    Daniel Light Well-Known Member

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    No, as it relates to omnipotent beings.
     
  11. One Mind

    One Mind Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Hell I thought christians all knew the 10 commandents. Dont lie nor steal nor kill and leave the wives of others alone.

    Why complicate basic morality?

    Dont do to others what you dont want others to do to you. Follow that simple rule and there is all the morality you need.

    It is universal that people dont want others to steal their stuff , bonk their mates, lie, or kill .
     
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  12. Robert E Allen

    Robert E Allen Banned

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    hmm you seem to have forgotten a couple.. two really big ones that give all the others meaning
     
  13. btthegreat

    btthegreat Well-Known Member

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    I think you are assuming that because it purports to be inspired by God, that it follows God cannot want this Bible to be without a broad scope of moral guidance and interpretation. including ones He does not necessarily adopt. That he cannot want the multiple choice of answers to see differing stages of moral or analytical analysis among his flock as both a measuring stick and a learning curve.
     
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  14. The Wyrd of Gawd

    The Wyrd of Gawd Well-Known Member

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    The Bible is basically an ancient ethnocentric Middle Eastern Jewish fairy tale with the central message that Jews belong at the top of the heap and everyone else is garbage. Pick a story.
     
  15. it's just me

    it's just me Well-Known Member

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    There is a standard way of interpreting the Bible, if you really want to know. But I don't think you do.
     
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  16. yardmeat

    yardmeat Well-Known Member

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    It is an interesting question, but I'd add another caveat: if morality is universal, why did so much of it change between the OT and the NT? You can't be a Bible-believing Christian and claim that things like slavery and infanticide and killing people for believing the wrong thing are universally wrong. And if you can't draw the line there, then you probably can't come up with any universal moral position at all beyond "Obey whatever God happens to say at the time; there are no universal morals beyond obedience."
     
  17. yardmeat

    yardmeat Well-Known Member

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    You stated elsewhere that you don't claim to believe in morals and values. Which is it?
     
  18. Paul7

    Paul7 Well-Known Member

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    So why do Gentiles primarily make up the church in the end? Because the Jews rejected Him. Why the Great Commission aimed at non-Jews?

    Matt. 21:42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: “‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?
     
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  19. Paul7

    Paul7 Well-Known Member

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    God didn't command slavery, He did humanize a human institution. The anti-slavery movement came from the Judeo-Christian West and noplace else.

    You mean abortion?

    He did purify Israel, the chosen vehicle for the Messiah. God never commanded other nations be killed, Muslim-style, solely because they believed in a different God.

    Which of the OT Ten Commandments do you think don't apply now?
     
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  20. tecoyah

    tecoyah Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    That would depend on which translation of which edit from which version of which denomination decides which doctrine to interpret by which church leader after he decides which part he wants to be considered by which portion of his flock.
     
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  21. Margot2

    Margot2 Banned

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    Jesus never preached to the Gentiles.. The Great Commission is after the crucifixion. Matthew 28:16-20

    Mark and Luke Matthew is called by his other name, Levi.
     
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  22. The Wyrd of Gawd

    The Wyrd of Gawd Well-Known Member

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    Those Gentiles were superstitious idiots obeying the claims of BS con men who used the fairy tale to gain power, status, and wealth yakking about how a magic Jew was going to give them eternal life for believing in him. They have been selling that lie for 2,000 years. I have never bought it. And you haven't either. You might claim to believe but you haven't done what the imaginary Jesus said that you can do if you have faith. So throw in the towel or go do what the Jesus character said you can do if you have faith. And if you can do what he said you can do you will be the first person in history to have ever done it.

    Do it right now or admit that you don't have faith in the Jesus character.
     
  23. The Wyrd of Gawd

    The Wyrd of Gawd Well-Known Member

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    Do you see anyone observing the 7th Commandment?

    Exodus 34:23-24 = https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=exodus34:23-24&version=CEV;TLB;ERV;NLT;VOICE
     
  24. yardmeat

    yardmeat Well-Known Member

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    According to the Bible, upon several occasions he did.

    Saying you can beat your slaves as long as they live for 2 days because they are your property isn't "humanizing." Humanizing the institution would mean getting rid of it entirely.

    This nonsense again? Look, yes, there were Christian abolitionists . . . who were primarily opposed by Christian slave apologists . . . the later of which had more scriptural support.

    No, I mean infanticide. Which what I said. As in killing infant children by sword and spearpoint.

    Slavery, infanticide, and outlawing freedom of religion are not "purification" to anyone by a homicidal lunatic.

    Even if the killing were limited to the nation of Israel . . . that would still be bat **** insane and would still be a complete refutation of universal morality.

    There was far, far more to the OT laws than just the 10 Commandments, but even the 10 Commandments are suitably insane. The 10 Commandments outlawed freedom of religion and freedom of speech on pain of death, adultery was likewise illegal and punishable by death, and the 10 Commandments praises the concept of a man being punished for the sins of his father, which we now rightfully regard as lunacy.
     
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  25. The Wyrd of Gawd

    The Wyrd of Gawd Well-Known Member

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    I agree with most of your points but you really should learn what the real Ten Commandments are.
     

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