What is the Bible

[tackattack]

This questions stems from ideas generated by The Atheist Experience youtube video I watched at Xyster's request.

What is the Bible? Is it the inerrant word of God? The living interpretation of God's will? An idol? What does the word Bible mean to you. I'll start off with my view and let other's add theres.


When I say the Bibe, I don't typically speak of versions or languages. I typically read many different translations to include the dead sea scrolls, apocrapha, torah, KJV etc. I consider the Bible the collected ideas of Christianity and Judaism, written by men, inspired by God, about God and Jesus' life. I give it no more weight than the building our church meets in, or MCSA study book. True I have a deeper emotional investment in it than the former book, but It's the message not the words that matter to me. The goal not the tool. The finish line not the race... etc.

[LEDO]

It is a collection of books that shows the evolution of a religion.

[downbeatplumb]

It is a mish mash of inconsistant thoughts, pulling in different directions written over a period of several thousand years by various mad men/philosphers /tyrants. All of which make it one of the most irritating and poorly written pieces of crap I've ever struggled through.
Honestly if it hadnt been such a central plank of the mad befleif systems it inspires I just would have bothered to finish it.
It is just CRAP.

[theVOID]

A barely coherent collection of stories derived from barbaric desert tribes living in bronze age Palestine that resembles both a primitive attempt to make sense of the universe and a large scale control mechanism.

It's the con-mans best friend.

[Bramblepath]

The correct answer would be the holy text of Christianity; the word of God, that the religion is based upon.

However, to me it is something that has no relevance today. It tries to claim many things that they had no evidence for, and basically makes a lot of stuff up. Consider Leviticus: it claims that if you see mildew, the house must be closed off for seven days before being examined by a priest. It also claims that shellfish are an abomination. My opinion of it is that it is dumbfounded and makes very little sense, and I find it astounding that people still use it as "evidence" and justification.

[Minimalist]

It is a collection of Semitic mythology continuously edited to suit the needs of the power structure most likely beginning around 500 BC. The earliest written version we have is a 3d century BC Greek account.

It is as reliable as a $2 watch.[/u]

[Laurens]

The Old Testament is a mixture of fairy stories, superstition, law, myth and an awful lot of blood sacrifice and merciless slaughter. Not to mention all the boring lists of begat and begot...

The New Testament is a selected group of texts, the earliest written a good few years after Jesus' death and not cannonized into a book until centuries after, when it was decided what was heretical and what wasn't. Also contains its fair share of myth and fairy stories hinged somewhat uneasily onto the Old Testament, if only because without the two being attached the prophecies wouldn't work out in Jesus' favour.

Basically a compelling work of fiction, that to my amazement people still insist upon taking literally.

[Violet]

A barely coherent collection of stories derived from barbaric desert tribes living in bronze age Palestine that resembles both a primitive attempt to make sense of the universe and a large scale control mechanism.

It's the con-mans best friend.

Not if said con man were attempting to sell to a rational audience. But then... what con-man would ever try to do that?

[Autumnlicious]

A barely coherent collection of stories derived from barbaric desert tribes living in bronze age Palestine that resembles both a primitive attempt to make sense of the universe and a large scale control mechanism.

It's the con-mans best friend.

Not if said con man were attempting to sell to a rational audience. But then... what con-man would ever try to do that?

An unsuccessful one.

[Violet]

A barely coherent collection of stories derived from barbaric desert tribes living in bronze age Palestine that resembles both a primitive attempt to make sense of the universe and a large scale control mechanism.

It's the con-mans best friend.

Not if said con man were attempting to sell to a rational audience. But then... what con-man would ever try to do that?

An unsuccessful one.

Usually true... but Piltdown Man and other such hoaxes can sometimes con intelligent people for a while. Of course... i have never seen a con-man manage it with a Bible 0.o Not suggesting it doesn't happen though (Arcanus for instance)... but that may not have been the result of him being conned