In Reply to: Re: Gee... posted by Spectator on February 06, 2010 at 18:45:19:
I'd define it as following their interpretation of scripture blindly and dogmatically, judging everybody else by "their" yardstick.
Reminds me of John 9:41...If ye were blind, ye should have no sin:but now ye say, we see, therefore your sin remaineth...
I would never say that I am "seeing" understanding all the parts of the Bible...neither would I say that I am without sin or have been without sin...to the contrary...I have to cling extremely to the grace and mercies of Jesus Christ and God....however the Bible says, that if we would/could judge ourselves,...we wouldn't...(properly)...so what then becomes the yardstick please???...Some other man's teachings...another fallible, limited, deathbound human being??
I take Christ's teachings and you're welcome to engage me as much as my time permits in the oh so huge and big contradictions...please post them...yes, some are on the sceptics websites...so what...I know enough websites...where people were/are busy to explain that, as much as they can...it's such a lame excuse.It's what some say: it's rather that sinful man contradicts what is written in the Bible...so may be you venture out and see why you and others don't accept certain teachings..WHY??
Taking everything in Scripture literally.
When possible yes...the context also indicates whether or not something is to be taken literal...some might have a literal meaning plus serving some spiritual analogy, which one might be able to read into...but should may be not be dogmatic about.In any way it's a yardstick for myself...but also one for...who my real friends and brothers are and who aren't but just keeping (wanting to) their mask.
And taking it literally is a mixed bag, of course, as the Bible as we know it is highly contradictory.
Like I said please post them the contradictions and let's see what can be solved...it used to intrigue me at one point of my life post TF (even while in TF), but soon that lost it's grip, learning, that there are very good scholars, who did come up with sufficient explanations and my,...the Bible is not an ordinary book of man...therefore you keep at it, trying to get the puzzle together as much as possible...I am reading it since 35 years and still feel like a beginner...great book...what do you say???
It also has been prone to mistranslations and misinterpretations like the one from King James
Come on...that is not such a big problem you can countercheck with other versions, you can master Greek if necessary or ask those who do...where is really the problem?The problem is, that for some that serves as an excuse, as a way out of taking that word serious!!!
who was mainly interested in keeping his authority at a premium, and his subjects subject to him, and who pressured his translators with that bias in mind.
Although I quoted the KJV-version above and we were used in TF reading it...and it has some "majestic" beauty to it...still it's also my view, that it is not the best version available and this means being in favour of "positiv" Bible-"criticism (discernment/judging)"...learning a bit more about the publication-struggles of that time or the limited amount of Greek originals at that time...going back to the original Greek -- bypassing the vulgata so to speak-- Greek being then "en vogue" again, scholastically....but all that is written in the KJV is plenty...way enough to cause a reformation...because the Bible...the Word got to the people.
So are you saying you see?...you understand???...we have to watch out for that...because we can wind up like the Pharisees, to whom John 9:41 was directed...and pls. if you really don't understand something, why don't you google, until you get the variety...the scale of interpretations and also learn about the most probable interpretation...and even if we fail to understand some portions, then that gives cause to pray and "wonder" a bit...I also need the fear of God...