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Divine Inspiration
September 28, 2012 at 11:18 am
To the ones shining the light of Christ:
How would you describe the Bible in terms of inspiration? I've met all sorts of Christians that cover the full spectrum from 100%-word-for-word God-inspired to (only recently actually) it's the words of men therefore only what Jesus said counts.
I can't remember how much you resident Christians here acknowledge that the Bible has been modified and added to, or if you acknowledge that at all. Either way, where do you draw the line of where it was inspired? God giving fallible humans a revelation full stop, god giving fallible humans a revelation and guiding them to write what they wrote full stop, god giving fallible humans a rvelation and guiding them to write what they wrote and guiding them to assemble the NT full stop etc etc?
"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it" ~ Aristotle
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RE: Divine Inspiration
September 28, 2012 at 5:04 pm
We are responsiable for all that we understand the bible to contain, and are charged with learning more. If we are in error in understanding or in practice then the same grace that washes us clean when we willfully sin also cleans us when we make a mistake in our understanding or worship. So what is left is our reasons we follow the bible and what is written. Our adhearance and comperhension of the infalliable word of God or some interpertation of it is not the issue. what is: Is why we follow and seek to understand that makes our efforts just.
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RE: Divine Inspiration
September 28, 2012 at 5:44 pm
(This post was last modified: September 28, 2012 at 5:46 pm by Darkstar.)
(September 28, 2012 at 5:04 pm)Drich Wrote: We are responsiable for all that we understand the bible to contain, and are charged with learning more. If we are in error in understanding or in practice then the same grace that washes us clean when we willfully sin also cleans us when we make a mistake in our understanding or worship. So what is left is our reasons we follow the bible and what is written. Our adhearance and comperhension of the infalliable word of God or some interpertation of it is not the issue. what is: Is why we follow and seek to understand that makes our efforts just. (bold mine)
What I don't understand is what mistakes are forgiven? If god really did exist, then the atheists would be in error, but they would not be forgiven, according to most sources. We seek to understand the world by science and reason, and if we 'err' into believing that god does not exist, how is this different from choosing the wrong religion, or practicing religion incorrectly?
John Adams Wrote:The Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion.
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RE: Divine Inspiration
September 28, 2012 at 5:58 pm
(September 28, 2012 at 5:04 pm)Drich Wrote: We are responsiable for all that we understand the bible to contain, and are charged with learning more. If we are in error in understanding or in practice then the same grace that washes us clean when we willfully sin also cleans us when we make a mistake in our understanding or worship. So what is left is our reasons we follow the bible and what is written. Our adhearance and comperhension of the infalliable word of God or some interpertation of it is not the issue. what is: Is why we follow and seek to understand that makes our efforts just.
Utter bullshit. Sounds like a snake oil sales pitch.
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RE: Divine Inspiration
September 28, 2012 at 6:03 pm
Except snake oil actually exists.
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RE: Divine Inspiration
September 28, 2012 at 6:09 pm
(September 28, 2012 at 6:03 pm)Minimalist Wrote: Except snake oil actually exists.
Yup. Have a piece of it next to me right now actually. Got it from Lush. Does wonder for my itchy scalp.
When I was young, there was a god with infinite power protecting me. Is there anyone else who felt that way? And was sure about it? but the first time I fell in love, I was thrown down - or maybe I broke free - and I bade farewell to God and became human. Now I don't have God's protection, and I walk on the ground without wings, but I don't regret this hardship. I want to live as a person. -Arina Tanemura
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RE: Divine Inspiration
September 28, 2012 at 9:59 pm
(September 28, 2012 at 5:04 pm)Drich Wrote: We are responsiable for all that we understand the bible to contain, and are charged with learning more. If we are in error in understanding or in practice then the same grace that washes us clean when we willfully sin also cleans us when we make a mistake in our understanding or worship. So what is left is our reasons we follow the bible and what is written. Our adhearance and comperhension of the infalliable word of God or some interpertation of it is not the issue. what is: Is why we follow and seek to understand that makes our efforts just.
Ok, so translating this to an answer to my question, it would be that the Bible is dripping with divine inspiration?
You seem to be using circular reasoning to justify why it doesn't matter if the Bible contains errors by fallible humans. You're saying the Bible that was written by men says in it that the god described by men will forgive those that make errors. This is what I mean by divine inspiration and how much you're willing to believe it contains it. If we imagine that divine inspiration from a perfect being must be that--perfect in every sense of the word--then I don't think it can be said that God extended his hand to partake even in the writing process but stopped somewhere before then, possibly in just giving revelations.
"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it" ~ Aristotle
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RE: Divine Inspiration
September 28, 2012 at 10:04 pm
(This post was last modified: September 28, 2012 at 10:05 pm by Mystic.)
If some of the bible is unreliable, then we don't know what part of the bible to trust
If we don't know what in the bible to trust, then the whole of the bible ceases to be trustable.
If the whole of the bible ceases to be trustable, it makes no sense to trust any of it.
Therefore it's illogical to trust in any part of the bible.
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RE: Divine Inspiration
September 29, 2012 at 12:25 am
(This post was last modified: September 29, 2012 at 12:34 am by Drich.)
(September 28, 2012 at 5:44 pm)Darkstar Wrote: What I don't understand is what mistakes are forgiven? Mistakes in the worship of God.
Quote: If god really did exist, then the atheists would be in error, but they would not be forgiven, according to most sources. We seek to understand the world by science and reason, and if we 'err' into believing that god does not exist, how is this different from choosing the wrong religion, or practicing religion incorrectly?
Even if all sin was forgiven all wrongs forgiven by believers or non believers one obstical still remains. In that We must choose God. an Atheist by defination can not choose God.
So even if your sins were completely wiped out your choice to serve science and celibrate the greatness of man still would disqualify you from eternal life with God. in this aspect 'science' becomes a false god.
(September 28, 2012 at 9:59 pm)FallentoReason Wrote: (September 28, 2012 at 5:04 pm)Drich Wrote: We are responsiable for all that we understand the bible to contain, and are charged with learning more. If we are in error in understanding or in practice then the same grace that washes us clean when we willfully sin also cleans us when we make a mistake in our understanding or worship. So what is left is our reasons we follow the bible and what is written. Our adhearance and comperhension of the infalliable word of God or some interpertation of it is not the issue. what is: Is why we follow and seek to understand that makes our efforts just.
Ok, so translating this to an answer to my question, it would be that the Bible is dripping with divine inspiration?
You seem to be using circular reasoning to justify why it doesn't matter if the Bible contains errors by fallible humans. You're saying the Bible that was written by men says in it that the god described by men will forgive those that make errors. This is what I mean by divine inspiration and how much you're willing to believe it contains it. If we imagine that divine inspiration from a perfect being must be that--perfect in every sense of the word--then I don't think it can be said that God extended his hand to partake even in the writing process but stopped somewhere before then, possibly in just giving revelations. For those of you who are slow to reason and comperhend:
The Bible is the inspired word of God and is complete. that said 'we' are not required to understand all of it nor are we held to what we can not comperhend or reconsile. we are only responsiable to what we have been entrusted with. whatever little peice of God's word you have been given the capasity to understand over the course of your life, that is what God will hold you accountable to.
(September 28, 2012 at 10:04 pm)MysticKnight Wrote: If some of the bible is unreliable, then we don't know what part of the bible to trust
If we don't know what in the bible to trust, then the whole of the bible ceases to be trustable.
If the whole of the bible ceases to be trustable, it makes no sense to trust any of it.
Therefore it's illogical to trust in any part of the bible.
why do you not know what part of the bible to trust?
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RE: Divine Inspiration
September 29, 2012 at 12:35 am
(September 29, 2012 at 12:25 am)Drich Wrote: For those of you who are slow to reason and comperhend:
The Bible is the inspired word of God and is complete.
Therin lies the problem; only christians think this. If it were true, you would have a strong argument. Alas, the evidence strongly suggests that it isn't. There is nothing in the bible that could not have come from the mind of someone of that era, from archaic scientific beliefs (flat earth, etc.) to archaic morals (slavery, rape, child abuse, and the killing of non-believers are all perfectly okay).
John Adams Wrote:The Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion.
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