If you want to remain a Christian, do NOT study the Bible. I was such a happy little Christian until (out of love for Christ) I started studying everything in and about the Bible. Learning who wrote it and when was the beginning of the end. It's a human abomination once you start thinking about it.
@Ted cox Dear Ted, don't be discouraged. No matter how they attempt to change scripture they cannot pollute the pure truth found in scripture because we have the author of those scriptures IN us (The Holy Spirit). It's only those who rely on the teachings and the wisdom of men who fall into deception based on changes made to scripture.
@Ted cox Same thing happened to me. I studied the history behind the Bible and Christianity and was forced to face the stark fact that it's no more true than any other human invention.
@Jeff Dean Pure truth? As Bart Ehrman would say: It helps if we'd have the originals but there are NO originals. The gospels were NOT written by any eyewitness. To top it off the last 11 verses of chapter of mark were added because they were never in any of the first copies. The book is a myth. It makes claims with no factual support. It is a myth.
@1981andybt I believe there is truth in the Bible, I agree it has been tampered with, added to, and that there are no "originals" per se. I still believe there were original writings of the Apostles and much of their content did make it into the New Testament. It's ironic that, try as they might, those who added to and changed text to add their own doctrines failed miserably! That's the Holy Spirit at work Brother. Thankfully, we HAVE the Holy Spirit and do not need that "any man teach us" and have no need for any Apostle to "write unto us" for we are "taught of God" to "love one another" and that's all that really matters.Have fun debating the authenticity of scripture it's a pointless and egocentric debate that the Apostles stated those who engage in are "proud, knowing nothing."
@Jeff Dean You are right about what matters but many portray the book to be the "inerrant, perfect word of God" which it surely is not. Just the fact that it has been added is enough to mistrust it. Perhaps an apostle wrote something but there is no evidence of that. It seems for now that the gospels were never written by any disciple or any eyewitness and in my opinion, is very bogus. You get your view of "apostle" or "Holy Spirit" from this same book that seems very bogus. It has some useful verses but many more damaging than useful.
@1981andybt I'd have to agree that it is incredibly naive and even deceptive to call the Bible "the inerrant word of God." It's not even the Word of God. The Word of God is "the spirit of truth."
@Jeff Dean You are right in a way and at least more open minded than some who think this is the "perfect inerrant word", but the book has long ways to go in factual support to be considered true as in absolute truth. I lean towards it being more damaging than beneficial. If there is a thing you call "spirit", I am skeptical of it being anything close to what this book portrays it to be. Only my opinion.
@Jeff Dean There are three facts you are unaware of or ignoring: 1) God allows false Bibles to exist and send false messages to people.2) God allows evil to triumph so as preserve free will.3) The people who believed in the false verisions believed them sincerely and felt they were just as divinely inspired as you. That means that the Bible you adher to could be a fabrication of the wrong side winning, and what ever that divine inspiration is that you feel could be false.It is good that you are looking to your own logic and moral compass (whatever it may be) to figure out what is right and what is wrong. But you are on the road to atheism.
@TC Coltharp God doesn't just allow false religion, he has sent them a "strong delusion" so that they would believe a lie.That has NOTHING to do with Bible reading. IN fact the walk of Christ has NOTHING to do with Bible reading. They could take every Bible away and it wouldn't change my walk in the least.
10:45 I have often wondered, why is the woman brought forward alone for committing adultery? Doesn't it take two to commit adultery? Where was the guy?
I would like to pick your brain. I am a convert to Judaism and have wondered about why as a child was taught, in the evangelical church, that Jesus is g-d when it doesn’t seem like th earliest Christians did.
Powerful stuff I got a degree in history many years ago and I love Burt's approach neded more than ever as so many critics of Religion are basing their criticism on pure ignorance of the Bible
