(March 3, 2018 at 8:06 pm)Banned Wrote:(March 3, 2018 at 1:44 pm)LadyForCamus Wrote: The word, “faith” means what it means, regardless of what the Bible says.
That's right, when we read the Bible we are to take it at face value according to the rules of language, and secondly we are to understand the tone of a meaning according to it's setting.
It's OK to read the Bible from the initial meaning of faith, but sooner or later that will be upgraded.
"Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God"
Something comes from the word of God which has the power to secure the connection to God, which isn't found elsewhere.
It is more than a belief in something, because the Bible encourages people to "add knowledge" to faith.
It wouldn't be wise to add knowledge to a belief, especially if that belief is off, because eventually the structure will collapse, which is what many church people experience.
The faith that is produced by the word of God is the living presence of God in the life, through the Spirit. It is a lving connection with God, and not just a whim.
Most believers read the Bible with the mindset that the book was written by God. Reading it without that mindset has a completely different result.
I had to memorize a Bible passage every day as a child and had to recite it at dinner. KJV, not that it's particularly relevant.
But about 10 years ago I started reading it with questions - analyzing it just as I would any other text. That's what tipped me over the edge into atheism.
So I was immersed in the "word of god" from the time I was in the womb. Funny that returning to it killed what little gullibility I had left. You would think,
if there was anything special about that book at all, that this would be impossible. Yet there are a lot of atheists out there who make the same claim - read the
Bible. Hmm.
You have to drink the kooky koolaid first and THEN read the bible. If you get detoxed, it won't work anymore.
"The family that prays together...is brainwashing their children."- Albert Einstein