Reading the Bible is Not Necessary for Christians

[Crakhobarbie]

I'm not a right winger.

If I'm mistaken, I certainly apologize.
What are your political leanings for future reference?

 

[Fearandloathing]

Phew, so glad it isn't "necessary".


"Hear" some priest or pastor give HIS or HER interpretation you mean. Sheesh.


Ummmmmm, you mean I might interpret the Bible differently than they do and therefore I have false "pride"? Say what?


I read comic books.

Read correctly The Road Runner is a classic tale of good vs evil, played out in a 'desert" without water or available sustenance, a biblical theme if there ever was one.

Wily is man, starving (without spiritual guidance), the bird represents possessions or wealth representing an inappropriate idol inappropriately sought after by "man". The salvation only comes AFTER the coyote has destroyed his own environment and even then the bird gets away.

I've never given a sermon on Wiley Coyote, but I have spoken of Mathew 11:28 a chapter which I have used to liberate a few souls from the bonds of alcoholism. "come to me all of you who are tired and weary and I shall give you peace." Those words get HEARD!

However I have never referred to anything as the "word of god" as it's the word of an unknown author who wasn't even likely AT the events described.

That did and doesn't prevent those words from leading a few souls through the living hell of addiction.......................

To be honest, I'm an atheist.

 

[Fearandloathing]

AI Overview

Paul has significantly more to say in the Bible than Jesus. Paul's writings, primarily his letters to various churches, make up a substantial portion of the New Testament, whereas Jesus's words are primarily recorded in the Gospels.
------------------------------------------------
---Most modern day "saved" evangelical Christians are really Paulists or Leviticists, and in point of fact, when they read or have the teachings of Christ's gospels read to them, they seem to react with hostility, saying that the teachings of Jesus are "too woke".

Specifically they say it's too woke for their King.

Paul was insane.

Paul was never there, he never met Jesus and hijacked the teachings because he was literate where most of the apostles were not.

There is a branch of the faith that erases all of Paul's contribution. And holy books batman, does THAT EVER change the result. Preach on Mathew and you are forced to give a sermon of love and forgiveness. Similarly with Mark, John is a love story!

Anything Paulian is rife with revenge, anger an attitude.

I was popular in my last church (Modern Baptists) because I shunned ALL of Paul, rejected his rejections and taught the love of the gospel through apostles who where there. I have always been lead by the words of James, Jesus brother, who wrote "Let not many of you become teachers,my brothers..."

"We all stumble in many ways...

And "..let him know that he who turns a sinner from error of his ways will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins"

 

[Fearandloathing]

The truth is many of the most radicalized Trump supporters have Bible verses memorized but it won't do anything for their souls.

It is classic in the Christian world for the 'believer" to feel he has his ticket to the biggest of the big leagues and all he has to do is show up at church and pray.

In practice, Christianity is impossible to follow.

That's why so many priests....

Well never mind

 

[Daisy]

To be honest, I'm an atheist.

And?

 

[LittleNipper]

It is classic in the Christian world for the 'believer" to feel he has his ticket to the biggest of the big leagues and all he has to do is show up at church and pray.

In practice, Christianity is impossible to follow.

The truth of Christianity is that GOD shows to man what HE expects each of us to do in order to satisfy HIS perfection. And then HE proceeds to demonstrate through HIS Word that we are incapable of accomplishing that task. Yes, it is impossible for fallen man (Adam sinned and did what he wanted) to ever please GOD. And so many soul is dead and when his body died he will be forever separated from GOD our Creator. But wait, GOD knew from HIS beginning exactly what HE intended to do. HE would pay that penalty HIMSELF for all our transgression and all we need to do is place our faith in the MESSIAH who came to shed HIS life on our behalf. So GOD HIMSELF set aside HIS GLORY and assumed a human form through incarnation, and was born a lowly servant and dwelt among man totally demeaning HIMSELF. And yet HIS love was so great that HE accomplished what no created being could or would do. HE became our permanent SACRIFICE, and now all anyone needs to do is look to CHRIST JESUS and ask for HIS forgiveness and accept HIS payment for us, and the HOLY SPIRIT will come and indwell that individual. And that individual will become an adopted child of GOD through CHRIST ---- the FATHER's eternal counterpart along with the HOLY SPIRIT which forms the GODHEAD. Once adopted, we are forever HIS CHILD. So YOU are without any excuse but your own abstinence/self-will.

 

[Metanoia]

Little Nipper…..by the criteria that you have outlined there is an untold number of Christians, including yourself, that have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit….which means having been given all truth. That means that you must know the truth about the Trinity and that you know the truth. Can this knowledge be publically shared ? Also, do you now know the true meaning of all the parables ?

 

[LittleNipper]

Little Nipper…..by the criteria that you have outlined there is an untold number of Christians, including yourself, that have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit….which means having been given all truth. That means that you must know the truth about the Trinity and that you know the truth. Can this knowledge be publically shared ? Also, do you now know the true meaning of all the parables ?

One can have access to all truth, but one can never have all the truth. CHRIST, the FATHER and the HOLY SPIRIT have ALL the truth by their very nature of being GOD. Where JESUS explains them --- I understand. I also understand that not every story JESUS presented was a parable in that some were actually a revelation of factual events.

 

[Metanoia]

One can have access to all truth,

‘Can’ implies possibility and what is necessary is finding the key to realizing that process. I am suggesting that very few have reached this level. Otherwise these constant disagreements over the understanding of scripture would not exist. Back to the parables…..we are told in the Bible that it is only given to a few to understand them….Matthew 13:10….

 

[LittleNipper]

‘Can’ implies possibility and what is necessary is finding the key to realizing that process. I am suggesting that very few have reached this level. Otherwise these constant disagreements over the understanding of scripture would not exist. Back to the parables…..we are told in the Bible that it is only given to a few to understand them….Matthew 13:10….

The HOLY SPIRIT doesn't reveal anything to those that are not children of GOD. Disagreements arise between those that are saved and those which are not.

 

[Metanoia]

The HOLY SPIRIT doesn't reveal anything to those that are not children of GOD. Disagreements arise between those that are saved and those which are not.

It all depends on how you define ‘children of God’…..IMO God can give his Spirit to whomever He chooses…

 

[Daisy]

It all depends on how you define ‘children of God’…..IMO God can give his Spirit to whomever He chooses…

Exactly...Jesus compared the holy spirit to the wind...

"The wind blows where it wants to, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from and where it is going. So it is with everyone who has been born from the spirit.” John 3:8

Then in John 6:44 Jesus says that God draws persons to Him...no doubt through His holy spirit/active force, we are drawn...

 

[devildavid]

All religious texts are books of mythology. Reading mythology can help us to understand human nature in all its contradictions and hypocrisy. That is all we can get from human writings.

 

[Metanoia]

Disagreements arise between those that are saved and those which are not.

Look up the meaning of ‘indoctrinate’. Some would say that disagreements arise between those who have been indoctrinated and those who have not been indoctrinated……and furthermore it could be condensed to the enslaved vs the free. It is hard not to think of the atrocities forced on Native Americans in the name of God….

 

[Lisa]

It would help for Christians to read their own Bibles. A lot of them apparently don't know what Jesus taught.

Most of them dont obey the teachings of Jesus anyhow, so why would they bother to read the bible? It appears by their own actions they cherry pick passages to support their own opinions most of the time, instead of following the commands of Jesus, so the bible is nothing more than 1200 pages of possible excuses to choose from while they try to hide their bigotry behind social toleration of religion and the religious legal protections of the 1st Amendment.

For then vast majority of Christians, if they were legally required to live their life by the teachings of the man who they claim to be the son of god and their chosen personal savior, they would claim to be victims of pernicious religious persecution.

 

[Metanoia]

All religious texts are books of mythology. Reading mythology can help us to understand human nature in all its contradictions and hypocrisy. That is all we can get from human writings.

That is partially true….but there is an upside of human writings. They can provide us with favorite quotes that ring true to us. Someone has found a way of expressing something that we could not properly give words to….an awakening of truth you might say….

 

[devildavid]

That is partially true….but there is an upside of human writings. They can provide us with favorite quotes that ring true to us. Someone has found a way of expressing something that we could not properly give words to….an awakening of truth you might say….

They provide quotes for people to use to act morally superior to others. Human writings reveal human nature and are used by humans to show off their supposed superior character. They reveal the skin deep nature of most human beings who use them.

 

[Metanoia]

I thought to myself that everyone is quotable. To this end I looked up Donald Trump wondering what could be chosen for his tombstone or Presidential library. Nothing really resonated for me but that’s just me. I thought possibly that Trump supporters could provide a favorite quote ?

 

[Metanoia]

They provide quotes for people to use to act morally superior to others. Human writings reveal human nature and are used by humans to show off their supposed superior character. They reveal the skin deep nature of most human beings who use them.

Hahaha…..can I quote you on that ?……or would that be revealing my skin deep nature ?

 

[LittleNipper]

Look up the meaning of ‘indoctrinate’. Some would say that disagreements arise between those who have been indoctrinated and those who have not been indoctrinated……and furthermore it could be condensed to the enslaved vs the free. It is hard not to think of the atrocities forced on Native Americans in the name of God….

There were certainly errors of judgment ---- see the following: https://www.californiasar.org/2024/03/96-christian-indians-killed-at-the-gnadenhutten-massacre-2/ However, everything cannot be blanketly laid at the feet of one group or another. Terrible thinks have happened in the name of GOD, but that doesn't mean that everyone who claims to be a Christian is, or that a lot of what happened was not the result of greedy people seeking to grab land from others.

 

[Exquisitor]

The truth is many of the most radicalized Trump supporters have Bible verses memorized but it won't do anything for their souls.

"That's all fine and dandy Stephen, but you're my disciple, I can't give you preferential treatment."

 

[Exquisitor]

The HOLY SPIRIT doesn't reveal anything to those that are not children of GOD. Disagreements arise between those that are saved and those which are not.

Meh, they're all children of God, just not of your sect and probably not wanting to get juggly about it with you.

The atheists form a sect, they all believe together, they all take the same lot, scientists if you prefer.

Ignorance, they are ignorant that the Lord is seated in the heart.

No, the sinner's prayer and getting saved is like winning the lottery, now you are a rich person, you have to start behaving so you don't get sued.

 

[Stealers Wheel]

Which is the #1 mistake many make...if I've said it once, I've said it 50 times...the only way to determine the true meaning of a scripture is to consider each and every scripture on that topic/subject...if not, you come up with a lie...

So, someone who has limited access to scriptures or or is otherwise illiterate, well, they're just screwed, right? WTG, God!

Rather, I suggest the scriptures are like a roadmap, and everyone wants to get to Point Bravo. However, not everyone will take from the map the same information. Perhaps one person is riding a bicycle, another has a four-wheel drive vehicle, while still another has an airplane. They can all get to the goal, but each has their own path.

I believe the scriptures to be a spiritual conduit through which God can and does reveal his will for each individual willing to be open to it. It is not a license to use the scriptures to control other people.

 

[Daisy]

They can all get to the goal, but each has their own path.

Can they?

 

[Stealers Wheel]

Can they?

Do you believe this means the paths for Peter, Stephen the martyr, and the woman at the well were all the same? They should have put away their own thoughts and simply followed in lock-step with someone else?