What, in your opinion, purpose does the Bible serve?
What are your thoughts on the pros and cons of having a written, mass
distributed holy bible?

hmmm not sure

well theres so many interpertations of the bible that no 1 really knows
wat the bible is about...

fills space in the top drawer of many nightstands...
other than that who knows

I think the purpose is to give us some understanding of where we come
from and where were going in addition to giving us examples of how we
should live our lives on the daily basis. Just my 2 cents.

I agree revo, if you don't
have some guidelines for
your life, you are like
a ship without a rudder.

It's too bad some people
misuse it for their own
nefarious purposes.

A great historical index of what has happened the last couple thousand
years. Only thing is... how does a poor son of a carpenter who had no
job, no home and no real big family become the most famous man in
history?

Everything in that book led up to his life, death and resurrection.
What purpose does it serve? To the believer, everything. To the
non-believer, a good historical reference.

My opinion of course. lol

so far, I have a lot, shoulder shrugs and I don't know's. Then there
are those who think that the book offers some basic guidelings, examples
on how we should be living.

MNhiker stated that without this book we'd be like a ship without a
rudder. However, I don't agree with that, as I don't think we need a
book to know in our hearts and minds what 'right living' involves.

Ok, with what I've been given so far, can I ask, with respect, why would
the inspired word of God have been so complicated? If all that was
required was a few simple thinkg, rules, let's say the 10 commandments.
Than what purpose HAS the rest or does the rest actually serve?

Thanks Tricess, well said. I am a believer and the bible certainly means
everything to me. Revolution, I agree with what you said as well. Thank
you.

Redy, are you saying that you do not believe in the Bible? I know some
people don't and that is their choice.

You stated:
"I don't think we need a book to know in our hearts and minds what
'right living' involves."

This sounds to me like you don't believe in the Bible. Personally, I do
believe in it although I know that some people translate it's meaning
different ways. Hence where all the denominations have came from. I do
believe that we were created by God and I think that His book is
supposed to be our guidelines for living while on His earth. Some
people think they just die and come back as someone or something else.
Some people think that they came from monkeys. Some people think that
when you die someone just buries you and you get eat up by earth worms
and that's the end of it.
I prefer to believe that God has prepared a place for us when we leave
this earth. And without that book you have nothing to go on except what
other people convey to you as to what is right or wrong. JMO

TRS wrote:
“I prefer to believe that God has prepared a place for us when we leave
this earth. And without that book you have nothing to go on except what
other people convey to you as to what is right or wrong. JMO?”

Yes, ironically, I dislike the idea of that god has prepared a place for
use away from earth. To me, that idea is detrimental because it makes
out like earth is of secondary importance. A place to merely tolerate
whilst we wait for something better.

I believe that god is this universe, and so are we, therefore we are
directly part of god. I believe that when we die our physical body
returns to the physical part of the universe and our spirits returns to
the spiritual part of the universe. Therefore we have eternal life
without a need to view this life as ‘secondary’ or ‘inferior’ to the
next life. Every incarnation of life is equally valid, and it is life
that is important, not some eternal heaven place beyond this life.

As far as moral values are concerned, we don’t need a religion for moral
values. Highly moral atheist are living proof of this. I’ll give you
the words of Albert Einstein in answer to question about morals.

”A man's ethical behavior should be based effectually on sympathy,
education, and social ties; no religious basis is necessary. Man would
indeed be in a poor way if he had to be restrained by fear of punishment
and hope of reward after death.” - Albert Einstein

I love this quote and I strongly advocate it. I don’t think it can be
posted enough. I firmly believe as Einstein did that religions are not
required for moral values and that mankind would indeed be pathetic if
that were the case.

I already gave you this link to another post of mine in another thread,
but I’ll post it here again in case you missed it there.

http://www.justsayhi.com/topic/show/20021?page=4

TRS - Actually what I'm trying to find out is how much of the Bible do
we really need. After all, there is only untouchable, undeniable common
and consistent idea in any Christian religion and it is one word FAITH.

In another thread someone posted that the Bible was basically a
collectio of stories, designed to instruct us on how to live. In that
same thread, someone commented on the fact that we are born of or in
original sin. Again in that same thread it was stated by yet another,
that they believed that God was an intrinsic part of our nature,
inferring that we are all born with a knowledge of God.

So, when I read all the threads related to religion, I find many
differeing opinions of morals, values, judgements on how we should or
shouldn't live, what is sin, what is not and the ultimate, is the Bible
the word, inspired or not, of God or man?

Now here is where those who are agnostic, or athiest come up against the
hypocratic fence. These are, among many others, the kind of illogical
thoughts that induce some others to refer to those of the Christian
'faith' ignorant. Because they can not understand how one can believe
so many conflicting things, defend them with no logic, and then attempt
to live, to judge others, by some standards to which there is no
consistancy of thought or logic.

So why this book. If God wanted to set down rules, isn't there a much
easier way. The Ten Commandments was a good start, why did it need to
go further? Word of mouth about a man called Jesus, cool, why didn't
Jesus, who is supposed to be God in the flesh, give us something more
specific than a bunch of stories told and retold, produced far from
first hand,reproduced. Why not give us something far more valuable -
something to maintain faith and not maintain argument, theoretical
discourse.

I guess what bothers me and I dare say other non-Christians is not the
Faith, but the value that is placed in a book that has offered nothing
but dogmatic responce, has been the source for oppression, repression,
depression, confusion, division of otherwise good and like minded
people.

So what does this book ADD OR DETRACT from the Christian Faith, from all
society as a whole? That is what I'm asking.

Red wrote..

So what does this book ADD OR DETRACT from the Christian Faith, from all
society as a whole? That is what I'm asking.

****************************************************************

Is it not the book that today's Christianity hides in?

Seems every turn of the page someone is quoting scripture, to justify
some point or another they are making in their argument about being one
God, and the only God, or behaviours, decisions, "this 2000 year old
book says, so therefore it is"...

and yet no-one who professes to be Christian seems to be able to answer
your queries...

As someone who has read the bible, and other religious texts attached to
other religions, they appear to be the 'manual' for living..in a modern
world, yet were written thousands of years ago..

As an outsider to these faiths, it seems any twist or turn, any
interpretation of this book, can be used as justification for
anything,..

I feel the bible detracts from society as a whole, and as is
demonstrated so often in life, people who are fearful of change will
cling to what they know, and almost agressively deny any lateral or
opposing thoughts or ideas..

Stay locked in their small world, their 'safe' world.

What has the bible done for me? Which bible... Roman Cathaloc...King
James...Giedon? There must be several hundred thousand versions of that
book. Which one is right?

What purpose does it serve for me...
Absolutly nothing. I read it not. I follow it not. It is a book
written in the languages of man. Subjected to the interpretations of
man. Edited by men.

You can't eat it. You can't burn it cause its a HOLY book.

better to ask what has teh bible done for you in your life.

I get my comfort from the true book of god... That whis is all things.
When god breats I breath. Where god goes I no not know since I am in
him but I am not him.

I would say it gives a guide line to how you live your life. Nobody has
to follow any of its rules, unless, you do something grossly immoral.

For example, from Adam till Moses, there was no "Law". There was no
"dietary requirements", no list of "Thou Shalt", "Thou Shall NOT". Nope,
it was very simple. Live peacefully, respectfully, and in grace. Eat
what you want. As often as you want.

At the moment of salvation from slavery, the Jews worshipped the golden
calf and so earned the punishment of the Law. The Law, harsh, and
demanding, has a deeper meaningfulness to it that reveals a great deal
of wisdom. It also demands punishment, but, more importantly, it
demanded consideration of mitigating factors, and scaled punishment to
the offense. Brilliant, generations beyond any other civilization at the
time. The Law ONLY APPLIED TO THE JEWS - the gentiles were still living
in their grace as did Abraham. No rules, Life's Good. Party On!

The Law was in force until the Messiah arrived. When Jesus arrived the
Law was finished. Back to the "Noah Days" of law.

In summary: The lesson is: Live by grace, give grace, receive grace.
Fukc up and you'll be punished in a manner relative to your fukc up.
Once the punishment is over, back to grace.

What could be simpler?

the bible is a law book, deviate from its teachings and this will
happen, follow the teachings and that will happen. the old testament is
examples of different societies and thier rise and fall as it
corresponds to bible law. and were next.

as for the different versions, the differnces are for the most part in
wording things differently. when the chips are down, i rely on the kjv,
but i use many different versions in my studies.

mike do you really think Gods laws change? for example, how could the
food we are designed to run on change?

I think the size of the Bible makes a difference, too. I have this very
large Bible which I used to take to church. I think it made my pastor
feel intimidated because my Bible was bigger than his. I liked the large
print. But just yesterday at the nursing home one of the resdients had a
Bible with super giant print. So now I know there is small print, large
print, giant print and super giant print. I got a normal Bible now with
large print. Some Bibles are very old and have some really beautiful
pictures in them.

One of the LPNs at the nursing home found that the Bible makes a good
door stop. Another LPN seen it in the door and was horrified. The one
that seen it in the door and horrified was an Aquarius. She has the same
first name as my ex and is an Aquarius like me. That totally horrified
me.