Our server costs ~$56 per month to run. Please consider donating or becoming a Patron to help keep the site running. Help us gain new members by following us on Twitter and liking our page on Facebook!
Current time: November 14, 2024, 10:10 pm

Thread Rating:
  • 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Why do people believe that Beowulf is fiction?
#1
Why do people believe that Beowulf is fiction?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beowulf

It doesn't say anywhere that it is fiction. There is no "all persons fictitious" disclaimer at the beginning

How come no one ever raises the possibility that it actually recorded events that happened for real? After all, people believe far weirder accounts of the supernatural and paranormal.

We know that JK Rowling wrote Harry Potter as fiction but we don't know who wrote Beowulf so we don't know why they did it.

Beowulf is also far more plausible than the Bible or other holy books if you believe that they are not meant to be read as literal but contain metaphors. Many books and poems refer to dragons for example. Grendel has a mother so is more biologically plausible than a supernatural creature. We know that the culture depicted in Beowulf actually existed.

As far as I can tell the only reason wooists don't believe it actually happened is because unlike the Bible, someone hasn't told them this.
Reply
#2
RE: Why do people believe that Beowulf is fiction?
There are creationists who believe Beowulf is non-fiction and the hero fought dinosaurs.
I'm not anti-Christian. I'm anti-stupid.
Reply
#3
RE: Why do people believe that Beowulf is fiction?
Angelina Jolie's tail was real, that's a fact.
Reply
#4
RE: Why do people believe that Beowulf is fiction?
(June 4, 2018 at 9:32 am)Mister Agenda Wrote: There are creationists who believe Beowulf is non-fiction and the hero fought dinosaurs.

Wow, I never knew that. Now that you mention that I can imagine young earth creationists looking through history and culture for anything to back up their beliefs in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

(June 4, 2018 at 9:40 am)Gawdzilla Sama Wrote: Angelina Jolie's tail was real, that's a fact.

What I noticed was how she could morph into any bodily form yet still chose to wear a pair of high heels to make herself look taller.
Reply
#5
RE: Why do people believe that Beowulf is fiction?
(June 4, 2018 at 9:42 am)Mathilda Wrote:
(June 4, 2018 at 9:32 am)Mister Agenda Wrote: There are creationists who believe Beowulf is non-fiction and the hero fought dinosaurs.

Wow, I never knew that. Now that you mention that I can imagine young earth creationists looking through history and culture for anything to back up their beliefs in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

Those that can read, anyway.  Levitate
Reply
#6
RE: Why do people believe that Beowulf is fiction?
I knew this was a Mathilda thread just from the title. I'm on mobile, so it doesn't say who the threads author is unless you click on the thread lol.
"Of course, everyone will claim they respect someone who tries to speak the truth, but in reality, this is a rare quality. Most respect those who speak truths they agree with, and their respect for the speaking only extends as far as their realm of personal agreement. It is less common, almost to the point of becoming a saintly virtue, that someone truly respects and loves the truth seeker, even when their conclusions differ wildly." 

-walsh
Reply
#7
RE: Why do people believe that Beowulf is fiction?
(June 4, 2018 at 9:28 am)Mathilda Wrote: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beowulf

It doesn't say anywhere that it is fiction. There is no "all persons fictitious" disclaimer at the beginning

How come no one ever raises the possibility that it actually recorded events that happened for real? After all, people believe far weirder accounts of the supernatural and paranormal.

We know that JK Rowling wrote Harry Potter as fiction but we don't know who wrote Beowulf so we don't know why they did it.

Beowulf is also far more plausible than the Bible or other holy books if you believe that they are not meant to be read as literal but contain metaphors. Many books and poems refer to dragons for example. Grendel has a mother so is more biologically plausible than a supernatural creature. We know that the culture depicted in Beowulf actually existed.

As far as I can tell the only reason wooists don't believe it actually happened is because unlike the Bible, someone hasn't told them this.


Because people who are stupid and ignorant enough to think Bible is non-fiction tend not to have had the education or cosmopolitan curiosity to have read Beowulf?
Reply
#8
RE: Why do people believe that Beowulf is fiction?
There are Sea Serpents and a Dragon, and Grendel was one of those bipedal dinos with disproportionately small arms (easier to pull off if you're wrestling one). If Bobby Jindal had his way, this would be taught in Louisiana public schools.
I'm not anti-Christian. I'm anti-stupid.
Reply
#9
RE: Why do people believe that Beowulf is fiction?
How can you not get this?  Beowulf is fiction because Jesus didn't write it. C'mon.

Boru
‘I can’t be having with this.’ - Esmeralda Weatherwax
Reply
#10
RE: Why do people believe that Beowulf is fiction?
(June 4, 2018 at 12:16 pm)BrianSoddingBoru4 Wrote: How can you not get this?  Beowulf is fiction because Jesus didn't write it. C'mon.

Boru

You mean "God didn't write it and pass it along to Jesus to give to us in a non-oral format so that there wouldn't be any danger of miscommunication of the literal Word of God."  Right?
Reply



Possibly Related Threads...
Thread Author Replies Views Last Post
  If you had to pick between people who pimp prostitutes vs religious people Woah0 22 2614 August 28, 2022 at 5:51 pm
Last Post: Rev. Rye
  why do people still have faith in god even after seeing their land turned into dust? zempo 8 1719 June 20, 2021 at 8:16 am
Last Post: onlinebiker
  Why do you not believe in the concept of a God? johndoe122931 110 11488 June 19, 2021 at 12:21 pm
Last Post: Mermaid
  "Why is it reasonable to believe in prisons, but not in the hell?" FlatAssembler 124 10899 February 19, 2021 at 12:11 pm
Last Post: The Grand Nudger
Lightbulb Here is why you should believe in God. R00tKiT 112 16974 April 11, 2020 at 5:03 pm
Last Post: The Valkyrie
  Here’s Why You SHOULDN’T Believe In God BrianSoddingBoru4 46 5658 April 5, 2020 at 8:03 am
Last Post: The Valkyrie
  Why don't some people understand lack of belief? Der/die AtheistIn 125 25496 April 20, 2018 at 7:15 am
Last Post: Edwardo Piet
  What makes people believe in religion? LetThereBeNoGod 11 3484 February 21, 2017 at 2:39 pm
Last Post: Mr Greene
  The reason why religious people think we eat babies rado84 59 7822 December 3, 2016 at 2:13 am
Last Post: Amarok
  Why I don't believe in religion Na11 21 6685 November 30, 2016 at 8:49 am
Last Post: Little Rik



Users browsing this thread: 2 Guest(s)