RE: Identifying the word of god
August 19, 2014 at 11:03 am
(This post was last modified: August 19, 2014 at 11:13 am by jughead.)
(August 17, 2014 at 1:24 pm)robvalue Wrote: I have a question for the religious. In simple terms, how can you spot the difference between a text that is the word of god, and one that just says it is but was written by men?
To paint a picture and to produce a non-biased answer:
Imagine you have all your current knowledge and experience about any and all holy books wiped from your mind.
Then you are presented with two books. The names aren't important, let's just call them A and B. It has been guaranteed to you somehow that one of these really is the dictated word of god. The other is an elaborate fake, a book written by men to mimic the style of the true book.
Both books contain their accounts of what god is, what its laws are, various stories, and proclaim that they are the one and only true word of god. They both seem about as convincing as each other after a read through.
My question is, how do you decide which one is actually the word of god, and which one is the fake? What is your criteria?
When I was in the church we did it by faith and by the priests telling us so. They discounted most of the OT since it was more radical. If you had hard questions with the NT then it came under the 'mystery of god' and faith took over. If you don't question and just believe then everything is fine.
(August 18, 2014 at 3:34 pm)ShaMan Wrote: When is it [god], and when is it our own preferences?
I have a few Christian friends. One in particular has an annoying habit of believing that whenever things are going as he wants that god is with him and whenever things are going against him that the devil is responsible. An example would be when he lost his wallet. He said that the 'enemy' was trying to rob his joy, and that satan didn't want him to be able to go on a road-trip, and so his wallet containing his license, credit cards and cash was stolen to prevent him from going. Well, well, well... he found his 'stolen' wallet exactly where HE left it and took the trip, and wouldn't you know it, god was once again 'with' him. Oh yeah, the trip was for a Christian rally concert where the admission for receiving god's goodness and teaching was available at the low, low price of $95 per person for a 4 hour event.
Seems to me like satan wanted him to go after all
That is how it is with some people. Humans are predisposed to creating gods. Throughout history they have made thousands of gods to explain a life that is unexplainable. They also believe that other people may have a more direct communication with the gods. Hence the holy priests became the middleman to god and the gatekeeper to everlasting life.
For a fun read check out how you could buy your way into heaven back in the day...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indulgence
see: Late medieval abuses
