The Bible

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But no one can avoid sin. We're all sinners no matter how much we try. Though if realise something in our lives is sinful, we should aim to remove it from our lives.

And would you consider gay sex to be sinful? Come on, stop beating around the bush!

Reply 41

Wookie42

Original post by Addzter

And it's this picking and choosing of which messages to follow that makes Christianity such a stupid religion, in my opinion. Instead of basing their lives around their religion, (most) Christians base their religion around their lives.

Maybe you're just a troll after all...

Reply 42

Benammieh

Original post by RK

Is there anything in particular that you struggle with?

Everything really. What I struggle with most is the how the bible came into existance, who printed it and the fact it has been translated so many times so how do we not know it has been completely altered.

Reply 43

TSR Community Staff

Original post by Benammieh

I'm not an expert in that field, but I'll tell you what I know, which I hope is accurrate :smile:

The original Bible was mostly written in Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek.

The original Old Testament Hebrew Bible began to be translated in to Greek around the 3rd Century BC whilst much of the New Testament was originally written directly in Greek.

Many modern translations have been made over the years but some of the most modern ones have had some of the most rigorously careful translations. The widely used New International Version (NIV) used very old texts in Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic - perhaps some very much unchanged since the originals and involved hundreds of experts check over everything that was translated to ensure it was accurrate. I believe they would also have used many of the variations on texts that we have to compare them and see what was the most common words used amongst the oldest texts we have.

You might be surprised by just how old some of the texts that we have are - some are well over 2000 years old and the number of partial texts we have is huge - but not surprising given how important the texts were to people throughout history - they would want to preserve them for future generations.

The discovery of the dead sea scrolls around 50-60 years ago was a massive aid in for looking at the accuracy of the Old Testament. Apparently our oldest Hebrew texts were about 1000 years old before their discover, but the dead sea scrolls contain Hebrew texts from 2200 years ago - so from around the time that the Greek translations were being written - that show a great deal of symmetry with versions known to come from 1000 years ago.

But accuracy is important and it's important to think carefully about how a translation of the Bible was written. I think the NIV is a good English translation to use as I believe it's had the benefit of the dead sea scrolls and most of our other ancient copies of the texts as well as the minds of hundreds of people to ensure it's as accurate as possible in most parts for an English translation.

I would say however, that it is good to not stick to a single translation as it's impossible for any translation to be 100% accurate and different versions will allow you to get a greater sense of what is meant should you wish to delve deep in to a passages meaning.

But for every day reading, a single or maybe two different translations should be enough :smile:

Reply 44

joey11223

Original post by Addzter

And would you consider gay sex to be sinful? Come on, stop beating around the bush!

I assume the OT doesn't apply any more (it's the general response to negative verses) but I am surprised if God changes his mind so easily when in the form of Jesus Christ. It is supposed to be God's word, and he seems quite clear..

Lev 18:22 “‘Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestable.

18: 29 “‘Everyone who does any of these detestable things—such persons must be cut off from their people.

20: 13 “‘If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads."

Not for me to question YHWH of course, as it is often said the morality of a God cannot be comprehended by man. We cannot apply our own understand and secular morality to such a being, what seems wrong to us, by well not be to such a supreme being.

Reply 45

Srxjer

One might want to think: if multiple authors had written and edited the Torah - according to the Documentary Hypothesis - had thought, constructed, edited and compared their texts; this is pretty good evidence that they were thinking when they wrote it.

And if they were indeed thinking about what they were writing, what makes the Bible more divinely inspired than say, science papers, legal documents and fiction novels?

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 46

User414413

Original post by DJkG.1

Dunno. Don't? :dontknow:

And be subjected to eternal hell fire, sure why not. To be fair, I have read in it's original language and it's a bit repetitive with all the constant praises to God, gets boring after a while although some parts interesting.

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 47

thunder_chunky

Original post by jaydoh

Can you read the Bible and stay religiously neutral?

I mean, from what I have read I have found it an interesting read, from a philosophical and literary standpoint. But can you read it and be immeresed in religious idealogy and not really be influenced one way or another?

If not why not? And if so, are you undergoing some sort of voluntrary indoctrination almost? Same rules apply for any other religious text, I'm just putting into context for myself.

I'm going to read it now, from cover to cover, as an adult conscious of making my own decisions in regards to religion, and see how it affects me. I don't mean I am going to suddenly "become religious", I don't believe that you can suddenly force yourself to be religious or not.

Surely to be influenced heavily after reading the bible just once makes you somewhat easily swayed.
I don't think it's that possible.
To have truth faith and understanding, you must not only read the bible many times (and keep doing so) but also have a very open mind in terms of other faiths.

And to answer you question, yes you can in my opinion read it without being affected in terms of beliefs.

Reply 48

KingofSpades

Original post by Addzter

Those who engage in homosexual activity, all of whom are homosexual, none of whom are straight.

Those who engage in homosexual activity= Those who are attracted to the same sex??!!?

don't worry, your logic is on par with the average TSRian, in that you muddle definitions to your favour

Reply 49

Leon Trotsky

Original post by KingofSpades

Those who engage in homosexual activity= Those who are attracted to the same sex??!!?

don't worry, your logic is on par with the average TSRian, in that you muddle definitions to your favour

OK.

Reply 50

OMGWTFBBQ

Original post by Addzter

And would you consider gay sex to be sinful? Come on, stop beating around the bush!

How unfortunately phrased!

Reply 51

Leon Trotsky

Original post by OMGWTFBBQ

How unfortunately phrased!

Is that an innuendo?

Reply 52

DiZZeeKiD

The Bible can be summed up in this sentence "try not to be a prick".

Reply 53

Callipygian

I know someone who is really interested in history + philosophy - they are not religious but perhaps they are "culturaly christian". They got a lot of funny looks while reading the quran on an aeroplane last year... :p:

They were reading it mainly for an insight into the philosophy/history.

Reply 54

OMGWTFBBQ

Original post by Addzter

Is that an innuendo?

Indeed it is, my good fellow. :colondollar:

Reply 55

username244734

I've just started reading the Bible actually. I find it really interesting, but not convincing (atheistic views comin' through there :rolleyes:

). It hasn't changed my view point in the slightest, even though I've tried to read it with an 'open mind'.

Reply 56

Leon Trotsky

Original post by OMGWTFBBQ

Indeed it is, my good fellow. :colondollar:

Nice. For lesbo sex, I assume?

Reply 57

Wookie42

Original post by thunder_chunky

Excuse me, but what the hell? Being a Christian isn't about being a Bible nerd and knowing every single passage off by heart to impress your other Bible nerd friends, nor is it about having a huge openness to other faiths. Knowing the Bible well is a good thing, and so is being able to understand other faiths, but by no means is it essential to be a 'good' Christian - not that good Christians exist, but that's not the point.