Just like everything else pertaining to deities, religions, supernatural ideas, or any other matters relating to these realms, defining the Bible depends on who you ask to define it.
Some people consider the Bible to be "the inherent word of God."
Some people consider the Bible to be wholly or partially inspired by God.
Some people consider the Bible to be some mixture of God's word and other stuff usually described as symbolic stories. Much like supermarket ground beef, this mixture can vary greatly but it's usually about an 80/20 ratio of God's word to other stuff.
Some people see the Bible as a guidebook for living a good and righteous life.
Some people see the Bible as the foundation for modern society.
Some people simply assume that the Bible is one big written moral compass for humanity.
Some people, especially Catholics (the group that was raised with), are Jesus-centric and focus more on the New Testament than the slightly more barbarous and Judeo-centric Old Testament.
I could go on and on but the point of this introduction is clear; simply deciding what the Bible is can result in an endless, dizzying debate.
One of the goals of this blog is to try to figure out exactly what we're working with as we examine well known and not-so-well-known passages in the most popular book, and perhaps least understood book, of all time.
If you're like most people, and you've honestly read little to none of this tome, then follow along and contribute to this casual cruise through the "Good Book."
The Bible is the inherent AND inerrant Word and Will of God when it was originally given, revealed, to man. God had a purpose for everything He said: how He said it, where He said it, when He said it, why He said it, and to whom He said it. When we get back to that original God-breathed Word, it works with a mathematical exactness and a scientific precision. Apparent contradictions lie in either the translation, or in our understanding. For the most part, the Bible is not understood when read...
ReplyDeleteyour blog is an excellent example of that, tastefully done with a very humorous slant! :~)
Kathy,
ReplyDeleteObviously I categorically disagree with everything you wrote, but thanks for appreciating the humor.
To follow up, Kathy, I find this phrase in your comment to be particularly interesting: "For the most part, the Bible is not understood when read..."
ReplyDeleteIf this is the case, then why bother reading it or referencing it since it's so widely misunderstood?