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good thoughts -- let me add my thoughts
you see anywhere writings from a limited perspective.
when the Old Testament was compiled, it was constructed from scattered stories gathered from oral folk tales -- the oldest arose from dim memories (Gardden of Eden, Flood, Tower of Babel, Abraham, etc.) where it would appear that they came from a seed of actual events and perceptions. The narrative becomes a bit more exact as it goes along (Joseph and Moses arising from circumstances, maybe not so much actual personages) The King David narratives, though, seem somewhat facutal because they do not portray this man in a goodlight -- and Solomon and Abasalom and others -- you see violence in attaining the kingship and oppressive rulers (Rehoboam said "Solomon chastised you with whips; I will chastise you with scorpions." -- that says a lot.
others are stories and admonitions.
of course NT had a similar construction in the Gospels, where events a sayings were compiled into whole documents after the destruction of Jerusalem. Only the Epistles are bascially "actualities", if you will.
And yet, as with OT, there is a seed of actuality giving rise to the stories. what is the problem is the conclusions reached by subsequent Christian generatoins.
and, as you say, there are gems of guidance there.
only poroblem is religionists want to emphasize other things of no use to people and leave th gems in the pig pen.
posted by
Xeno-x
on December 22, 2007 at 11:56 AM
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Interesting, FreeManWalking
I'll have to ponder a bit more on some of that.
posted by
TAPS.
on April 28, 2007 at 7:36 AM
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Re: Ahhhhh....
Oddly my ambivalence has returned. Could be due to my hangover or seeing "my" girl out with other people last night...and said hello like I was one of her insurance clients
posted by
FreeManWalking
on April 28, 2007 at 7:11 AM
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Ahhhhh....
I see... hmmm...
posted by
Transcendental_Child
on April 28, 2007 at 5:45 AM
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religious tomes are attempts at discovering god
in this vein, they all are incomplete because they are the view of god at that moment in time and history and reflect their surroundings.
much found there is not eternal verity.
and yet the Eternal Truths abound throughout all such tomes.
to truly discover god and true religion, we must be honest about any of these religious writings, admit what is myth and accept what is Eternal and Universal Truth.
in that manner we go on to discover god.
scripture is being continually written, in all our lives today. it didn't stop with Revelation (that postscript warning against adding to was probably written by those who canonized it, being the last).
we all know the Eternal Verities.
posted by
Xeno-x
on February 6, 2007 at 7:48 AM
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Hang in there! You are on the right track! The Bible is truth and
the truth will set free, you and all us who believe! Blessings!
faholo
posted by
faholo
on January 22, 2007 at 10:35 PM
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Thanks Justi. Feel free to edit out any parts you want. I think this
is a pretty good argument against those who diparage all things religous.
posted by
FreeManWalking
on January 21, 2007 at 6:05 AM
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Free Man Walking
I wish I had not found you - I like your work. Up to the last paragraph I believe this is the best description of the Bible I have heard in all my 70 years on this little round ball. The last paragraph is totally audacious. You obviously have never experienced a real and true miracle. Be blessed.
posted by
Justi
on January 20, 2007 at 5:35 PM
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