Bible For Dummies
/*Please read the entire post before commenting. Also I only want valid comments so none of the “Your gay” bullshit from some anonymous person. Registration is free people! Also I did not re read this after I typed it up at all which is what I always do. I write on pure emotion and don’t like changing things mostly because this blog is for me more than anyone else. Ok so on to the actual post.*/
The bible is a book for idiots. I can’t understand how so many people can live by a stupid book. It’s just a book people!
Theists show how the bible can answer any question or problem in life and that atheists or agnostics are left with a shaky platform in many areas. Take the creation of the universe itself for example. Although we have many theories, the big bang being an important one; we still don’t know how it was actually formed. Planets actually need to be within a certain threshold to sustain life. Many things need to be just right; temperature, atmosphere, water, gravity, etc. If you throw any of those off then human kind will be eradicated. So this makes it really hard for scientists to say how it was all dumb luck that everything synced up perfectly. This also makes it really easy for theists but the easy answer is rarely the correct one.
The debate over the existence of god will never end; people will still believe what they want anyway. I just can’t believe in a book that exaggerates everything. Many miracles were performed in the book but nothing of the sort happens today. Granted people refer to someone surviving a severe car accident a miracle but its just science. I still have not seen a sea part or water become wine. I heard about a group of Christians who believed that the Tsunami in Asia was an act of god trying to eradicate the people of the region. That’s just plain silly. Genesis 6 describes a great flood which was to remove all the violence and corruption on earth. Noah was to be saved because he “walked with god”. Where is this great flood in places like Washington DC or Los Angeles where corruption runs rampant?
Do not take this post as a bash on religion. I am for religion all though I am not religious myself. Religion to me is someone who goes to church every Sunday. It gives people something to live for. Also it promotes positive thoughts and ideas (mostly). I am glad when churches help the homeless and things of that nature. I am more concerned with the zealots out there. I’m talking about the people who are against other religions. The Christians who believe Muslims are evil or the Muslims who believe the Christians are evil. Neither is true. People do not usually pick their religion; they are usually thrust upon by the environment in which you live. If you were raised in a Catholic household with strict Catholic parents than odds are you will be Catholic. So if this is true how can people look down on those who are raised in an environment where Buddhism or Judaism is the majority?
People who tend to be highly religious generally make less money then those who go without religion. Is this a coincidence or does being religious keep you from achieving financially? I don’t think it’s either one. I think that people with little need religion to get them through life. Take the poorest of the poor in Iraq for example. They are devout Muslims because it makes things easier. They aren’t worried about worldly possessions because they believe that they will be compensated in the after life. This is a technique often used by people in power. Saddam, before his going into the underground was building the world’s biggest mosque. I actually have pictures of the structure and have driven past it many times. Saddam did this to appease the people. Instead of giving people fair living conditions or any sort of power and control he just fed them religion. He tried to keep his people from becoming educated. It’s just like a magic trick when the magician has you staring at the left hand when the right is doing the REAL “trick”.
It really boggles my mind how people can live and die for one stupid book. I prefer to live my life by my own rules and not by ones I read somewhere. Later.
26 Responses to “Bible For Dummies”
Like anything worth discussing, yes Religion can be abused / misused; including extremism / fanaticism of any sort.
Additionally, yes - Religion (all types(?)) requires some sort of faith; i.e. - belief in something you may not be able to touch. And, assuming your faith is based in Christianity (although a similar statement will apply to just about all belief systems), the Bible is much more than just a book. It is “God breathed”, literally inspired by God.
(And God said he would not use flooding again, so DC is safe from that … which is good, because I live WAY too close to DC)
Please don’t direct your feelings about the extremists to all of us. I don’t believe I fall into the Dummy category, and I do make a fair living :). I also believe in God, go to church regularly (Methodist, FWIW), and am currently reading the Bible cover-to-cover (and am finding it a rewarding experience!). Sincerely,
/TJ
NIFPS - I highly recommend The Case for Christ to you, or anyone else, wrestling with religious issues/questions.
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A religious person who is educated about their religion would know the history and have explored different points of view, regardless of which they agree with. I think you’ll get the same results talking to anyone about something they know little about.
How I see it, it all boils down to respect: either you respect another person’s opinion, and that their opinion may differ from yours, or you don’t. People will believe different things from one another and it’s okay to debate about who is right and who is wrong and to have different opinions about everything; it’s how you handle it that says something about you.
That’s after 3 years of Christian school and 6 of Catholic school and the accompanying religion classes and required mass attendance and participation, in- depth study of Judaism, Islam, and a little bit of Hinduism and Buddhism, and being raised in a family that follows Native American traditions. I’ve read the whole Bible, and I’m Pagan.
I agree with you in some areas. I believe in God and I go to a catholic church regularly. However, I I do not exactly subscribe to most of the ideas in the bible. I believe that people should have a personal relationship with god, but I do not necessarily need organized religion. It is wierd, because I have been going to church every week for my whole life. NOw that I am on my own I continue to go, but I do not belive in the power of the church, and in many ways I look down on the church for being so judgemental and driving people away. For many people, religion is just another way for them to real superior like the “choosen” people. I guess the reason I still go to church because I believe that it is good to examine your life and try to life up to moral expectations. To me that is the most important thing about being religious.
Right now I am in a class for exploring the bible. I attribute most of the “miracles” of the bible to the mental illness. I mean, if everyone was marrying their close reletives, with that kind of incest there had to be some major mental illness running rampant. In which case people seeing God or experiences miracles could be nothing more than hallucinations or delusions.
Respectfully,
Libby
It is not the Bible that is a problem, but all those that try to interpret it to their own liking. How many zillions of books are there to “explain” the Bible? How many diverse sects are there - all based on 1 book.
I’m not religeous but it’s very obvious - just like in politics and everything else - people will believe what they want. If what exists doesn’t meet their fancy they will create it. Not a “bad Bible” - just bad people!
http://wheresyourbrain.blogspot.com/
I think religion is a highly personal matter, and only you can decide how you want to live with your religion. I believe in God, but I don’t believe that God would be so hateful as to choose only a fraction, however large, of the population as worthy of saving and leaving everyone else to damnation. I believe that God comes to different cultures in a way they can understand and that the bottom line is we all believe in the same God.
Live your life as you see fit. At the end of the day, it’s your choice. I choose to be a good person and follow the basic commandments: love thy neighbour, etc. One of my favourite verses in the Bible is one that can move outside of religion to every aspect of life: “Judge not, lest ye be judged.”
As for interpretting the Bible, boy, I have an ex-husband who thinks he is “divinely inspired” and can interpret it the way it suits him best. He even found a verse that he said gave him the right to commit marital rape. That’s why he’s an ex husband.
I’ve always said, the Bible is the first and most original work of fiction ever written and re-written ever. That’s right - FICTION.
You are correct: you do not bash religion in this post; you call me an idiot.
Thank you for your opinion.
The Big Bang happened. So did evoloution. Jesus and Mary and Joe and Tom…total bewshit. Muhammad and Allah were a spin-off of the Bible; Bible v2 or 3. All them sons of bitches are lost souls in search of power, peace, land, pussy… the wise men had alterior motives.
The only fellas that deserve props are the buhddist monks. They argue that what they practice isn’t religion.. it’s a lifestyle (not a lifestyle like the gay fags or anything, just a Way of Life.) They accept every other group, they don’t fight, they’re non-violent, they don’t even have sex. However, they do smoke weed!
Seth,
You’re a brave man for posting your thoughts on this topic. I agree with you. I also agree with another commenter that it is not the Bible that is the problem, it’s the frickin people who use the Bible in such rediculous ways.
Hey Melinda, sorry to hear about your situation although it appears to be resolved but you’re ex husband is exactly the type of person I am targeting; religious zealots who live by some book.
Funky Fresh Freddy: I am in agreement with you but the Koran most likely came first considering the region. Everything started in the Middle East and Africa and I don’t mean just religion. The first humans were from Africa. Does this make us all African Americans? LOL Maybe I should put that down on my college app. Oh and yea Buddhists are cool because they really don’t have a religion. They pray to them selves. I don’t know if they are right but at least wars aren’t fought over it.
Phil, yeah at first I hesitated because last time I posted about religion I had people rate me 1s on Blog Explosion. I am still trying to recover my score.
I was going to do this post in a different format and now I wish that I had. I was going to describe how religion might look to aliens. The third party POV is always dramatically different.
I respect your honesty. I also find it amusing that some of these people will come on to YOUR blog and tell you what is right and wrong. hah You have a good night, Seth.
Dear Seth,
Your transparency and honesty is something that I greatly respect, admire, and cherish. Especially in this day and age where so much is superficial and about putting up a façade and trying to be something that they are not. There is something beautiful in someone who is open and willing enough to let their guard down enough to be vulnerable with the truths’ of what they perceive. And I would have to say you speak a lot of truth in what you wrote. Something I sense from what you are writing is a hunger…a hunger for the Truth. Because from what I can sense, perhaps you see a lot of hypocrisy in Christians and such, and wonder how Christianity can possibly be different from any other religions and how could anyone assert such a claim that Christianity is Truth and all other religions are wrong. Well, first off, the fact that you pursue something ‘higher’ than yourself and the reason that you feel a longing inside you, an unquenched desire, hunger, thirst within yourself is perhaps just one very evident sign that there is something greater. And likely you will read that and want to discard the fact that you are searching for something more, yet at the same time there is something in you saying “yeah, I am searching for something more…I don’t know what but I am searching.” You are a very bright man, and you are seeking many resources and searching for evidence of things not seen. See…for me, I grew up in a Christian home all my life. I went to church every Sunday, etc. etc. etc., HOWEVER, it was not until I was a senior in High School that I finally acknowledged that I was lost and was searching for something more. I had seen a transformation in my older sister, that I could not explain…things that used to annoy her no longer did…she just had this aura of peace and joy about herself that was overwhelming…but beautiful. As much as I would try to find fault in her and think it was some superficial joy…I couldn’t!!! She was being so real! And she TRULY was happy!!! I couldn’t put my hand on what it was. Then she wrote me this big long letter about how I needed Christ and that Christ alone would set me free. I read it and just set it aside as “whatever”, yeah a lot of verbiage but nothing of value to me, cause I didn’t understand it at the time. But I couldn’t deny that ever increasing hunger within myself. That and knowing my best friend who was saved when she was 8 (and just seeing her as so uniquely beautifully different and optimistic towards life and things and so passionate), made me realize that there was something I lacked. It WAS Jesus as my personal savior. And I don’t blow smoke. I speak straight. What is the evidence of things not seen? Faith. There is a song about Christianity which is what I believe sets it truly apart from EVERY other religion and belief system. The song lyrics say “You will know Christians by their love.” You see – with religions where their belief system is really in the abstract, how can anyone possibly assert that theirs is right or wrong when all their “truth” lies in the subjective realm. However, with Christ – He came to earth. God came to earth to reveal Himself to us and to redeem us. And those who have ears may they hear and those who have eyes may they see and be set free! Your heart is searching, I can sense it in my Spirit that you are genuinely seeking, and I am praying for you! Not because of some legalistic thing, not because of some technicality, not calling out into the absence or just walls and ceiling – but calling to God – who IS real and is living and active and is transforming lives today through the blood of Christ Jesus “THE way and THE truth and THE Life.” I can’t explain how it is that Christ transforms us – and I couldn’t understand what the love of Christ is it until I began to experience His transforming power in my own life. When you meet someone who TRULY exudes the love of Christ – it is undeniable, you will sense something different about them. It’s some sort of transparency…some sort of purity…some sort of radiance and hope that flows through them. The proof is in the pudding. The problem with the church (among other things), is that we have a lot of churchgoing nonbelievers. I myself was a churchgoing nonbeliever for 18 ½ years. I knew who Jesus was and all the stories about Him but the thing was I didn’t KNOW Him, in an intensely personal and unique relationship. But by God’s grace I now walk and grow in His truth, and I can honestly tell you…my life has not been the same. It has not been an external superficial transformation – it is one that has transformed and continues to transform me from the inside out. I now walk in the freedom of Truth and the hope that comes from Christ. And knowing Christ in an intimate way and beginning to really walk with Him daily, the more I passionately fall in love with Him…I never knew that something that once seemed so ‘intangible’ could become so real, but the word of God is living and active! See the thing is – we can read the word of God and get some nice little stories and good moral principals. But WHOA it is something SOOO much more. I used to think that of it, until I became saved and I now see deep revelations that I am like “WHOA BABY!” It blows my mind completely and transforms my way of thinking!! It’s funny cause I go now and read passages that I read 100 times before and now I get something totally DEEPER and powerful than when I read it all the other times. The thing about God’s word is, we can read it, on a fleshly level and the words can go into our mind, basically in one ear and out the other type deal. But so long as the bible is kept in the mind, we will never grasp its true intended power. See the thing about the bible is – the words are God’s words, and God knows us better than we know ourselves…and so His word is able to penetrate past the mind and is able to enter into the Spirit of a man – to stir him up and make him realize his utter need and dependency on God. We were made to need God. We were created to search for God, and ultimately until we are reconciled with Him, we will be unfulfilled and searching for something more. But I tell you, from my personal testimony. He is what He claims to be. :o) And He will never let you down. He is the one with whom we can close our eyes and fall into His arms and faithfully He will catch us every time. Faith is the evidence of things not seen! Seek and you will find, Seth. The Truth is there, waiting for you to embrace it! Pursue it with all diligence and do not settle until it has been found and until all have found it! Blessings to you! You have a passion and a hunger and an ability to articulate your thoughts in a powerful way! These are just among your countless gifts and talents! I’m open for discussion! I don’t promise I will have all the answers, but we can search for sources that can answer them. All I can tell you Seth, is my life without Christ – I was searching. And my life with Christ – I have never been filled with such passion, desire to learn, hunger for knowledge, wisdom and understanding as I am now! I have been saved for almost 2 years now, but already Christ has turned my life around!
Thanks for your comment Ellie, it really helped prove my point. You are either brainwashed or on drugs. You have not presented any facts; you simply said that I should have “faith”. Faith is the biggest cop out there is. It’s like if you can’t explain something just have faith. Idiots. How about doing some scientific research and finding out what is really going on. No, no that’s way too hard and too complicated, let’s just believe in a book of unknown exact origin written by people we don’t know who expect us to believe that God spok to them. Where is God now?
Actually speaking aloud: “Speak bitch!”
Nothing…
Your pseudo intellectual bullshit made me laugh. The world would be much better off if you were dead. How’s that for honesty?
Hey Seth
That’s a bit cruel. I will never understand how people find Jesus and find the answers to their problem but if it works for them; and they want to be deluded, ain’t nothing I can do about it.
It’s when they begin to tell the rest of us how to think that they become dangerous. Save your anger for the bigger battles that are in front of us.
With a president who answers to a higher father, and Condi and all them, it’s going to be difficult. You’re articulate, passionate and raise good points.
Use the anger for the battles we’re going to face for at least the next four years.
Pia
courtingdestiny.com
Just a thought on your conclusion on the wealth of religious versus non-religious people.
From a religious perspective, non-religious people would make more because when it comes down to it material possessions are all they have to live for.
Religious people might keep their job and career in perspective and just do it as a means to an end, being able to spend time loving their family and neighbors.
That’s an alternative to your conclusion.
Seth, I’ve got to disagree with you on one point–as in religion being just for Sundays (or Fridays or Saturdays for that matter). Truly religious people live their religions EVERY day. They use it as a guideline for their lives, to make them better human beings. And I am saying that as an agnostic Jewish woman who’s NEVER been religious, but has trememdous respect for those whose religious beliefs bring them comfort and happiness–my devoutly Catholic in-laws, for example.
The ones we really have to worry about are those who feel their beliefs give them the right to dictate what others may believe or do. And a lot of those people are the types who violate most of the Ten Commandements all week long, then go to church or synagogue or temple on the Sabbath and act holy, and look down at those of us who are not “believers”.
A lot of what you said is right on. But dismissing people with faith as “idiots” is pretty nasty. A lot of people need something to hold onto. Most of us do, at some time or another–if you haven’t had a time in your life that you haven’t you’ve been very lucky.If religion can help people through the hard things without causing harm to themselves or their fellow human beings, I’m all for it.
Elizabeth
Seth, you are right on. These people are deluded morons. Religion and faith are handicaps for people who either don’t have the faith in themselves or are too weak to rely on themselves. Religion was created by cavemen who couldn’t explain why the grass was green and the sky was blue. “God did it!”
Fucking morons. Weak willed yellow bellied morons. And that person that said God does exist - how the hell would she know that? Blind date? What the fuck is wrong with these people. Good job calling them out Seth. And I’m blogrolling you. Ciao.
Great, so somebody else actually said it (although I would not actually say dummies or I might hurt their fellings). I say the bible is written by peoples and is subject to human mistakes, and how many time has it been successfully edited or censored so now we are really not using the bible as it used to be. Also I think the bible is old and some concepts on it may give way to more modern thinking. I think it should not be used like a definitive basis of truth like some people seem to think it is.
Wish you well on your campaign, I was in Enduring Freedom campaign.
Hey, is it just me, or were you trying to say that following a book (written by whomever, inspired by whatever) was the idiot thing to do?
I liked your post. I agreed with most of it. I look forward to reading more, so I’ll bookmark your blog. Stay safe soldier. Peace be upon you.
Religion is responsible for most of the killing of innocent human beings.
Remember the Crusades, the Inquisition, the Reformation?
Just a little food for thought…. is it possible that those people that “make less money” find less need for items because they have an inner peace that isn’t found by others covering up their needs with money….
or you could look at it at this thought as well, are those with less not willing to sacrifice their self for the better of a dollar and live by their rules/ even if they choose to select their rules from a book.
Just a thought
Fuck those who don’t want money. Money is not everything but it’s real! I can really touch it, really feel it, and really spend it. Oh and guess what? The things I can spend it on I can touch as well. The existence and power of the dollar can not be disputed but God can.
The Bible IS true from cover to cover and you will find this out in time. God bless you and protect you.
The bible is a fascinating book, but it was not until Plato that “absolute truth” was popularized and then later, taken (by some Christians) and applied to the bible.
A guy named Kugel wrote a book “The bible as it was”. It is jewish in nature, but looking past that the book helps provide a foundation for understanding the “book of books” that make the bible.
If all people understood that the adam and eve story is about the birth of consciousness or that loaves and fishes story is meant to explain how a pot-luck works then it completely changes the perspective.
Seth,
wow, thanks for sharing. I must say that I’m pretty sure I disagree with you on just about everything you said in that post, everything from the Bible to religion to not-editing yourself (I think editing allows more personality to come through- but thats just my opinion and you seem to have a lot natural talent that doesn’t need much editing). I respect your honestly and your ability for articulate self-expression.
First, I love the Bible and I can’t live without it. And I really appreciate your thoughts on it. I don’t think anything you said in your first couple paragraphs is incorrect. I think you are simply giving your observations and your logical conclusions from those observations. However, I don’t think your observations are based on the Bible so much, but the dummies you’ve observed using the book. I agree that people shouldn’t expect the Bible to solve every problem or question in life. It is just as vague on a question like “What time does the train leave” as “How much can I drink until I become a bad person” Contrary to what some people think, the Bible DOES NOT answer either question!
I don’t think anyone should call themselves a “Christian” until they can do what Jesus did or are trying to do what Jesus did. They would show more respect and humility because obviously no one can do what Jesus did.
My definition of “Christian” is someone trying to be like Jesus Christ.
Seth, I’ve read The Case for Christ (as recommended by one of your readers) It gives some detailed history about some of the questions people have. But you know your history- and I wouldn’t be surprised if you already read the book and based this post on it. If by knowing the process of how the cannon of scripture was formed, then you would change your mind about everything- then read it,
but you won’t be able to see how the believers today who do try to be like Jesus are affecting the environment around them.
Instead, I recommend “The Supernatural Power of a Transformed Mind” by Bill Johnson. Or you can check out his church’s podcast, just search Bill Johnson or Bethel Church in Redding, Ca, USA.
I take your post as a call to action to step it up a bit. Christians need to be more like Christ, and less like “christians”
I do disagree with you on religion though. You like it. You seem to appreciate it for being some sort of hope in a hopeless world. But its a false hope. This may sound like it contradicts what I just said, but I feel that the biggest threat to Christianity isn’t atheism, its religion.
I equate religion with tradition, and tradition rarely leads to progress (I think it may be the opposite of progress). Which is why so many Christians have a hard time with progress and change. And why people label anything anti-religious as “progressive”
I think all of religion’s critics are right when they list all the disasters in history caused by religion, I won’t defend the crusades or other religious wars because I don’t believe Christianity should be religion.
This isn’t my idea, Jesus Christ in the Bible had no patience for religion. It didn’t matter who you were or what you’ve done, he made time for those who came to him. But the only times he got angry or frustrated was with the religious leaders of the day.
I don’t know why he would be any more condoning of religious leaders today.
Most Christians are more concerned about how much drink a person has or how much sex is on TV, then how religious their church as become and if they might be acting judgmental or legalistic. The Bible IS VERY specific on those questions!
don’t get me wrong, I am a Christian, I go to church, and I read the Bible, but I believe its the Holy Spirit that separates Christianity from other religions. (another discussion altogether)
I’ll be looking forward to your response Seth, let me know if my random thoughts are appreciated or in vain. (Feel free to slam me like Ellie, It will help me work on taking all criticism as constructive)
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