[Mr 5 0]

Originally posted by bigwhitecobra :

I really dodn't want to give off the wrong impression. I do believe in God and that he sent His son to die for our sins. I just believe there is another way to worship Him. I have a hard time believing anything that a human hand has written. The Bible is a good book, a fabulous way to live your life, but is it the word of God? I have a hard time believing that. Considering the fact that there are books of the Bible that the Catholic church decided to omit because it took away from what they wanted the masses to know. I wish I could remember the names of the books. I'll go look for them.

If one claims to believe in God and Jesus, how can you dismiss the bible as nothing more than a 'good book' with some nice ideas about how to live? As a Christian, that posture makes no sense to me. It's exactly what atheists and agnostics say. Not the company I would want to be in while proclaiming to believe in God and Christ as Savior. We only know about God's works and the life of Jesus through the bible. There is only a small secular historical record concerning Jesus and it's skimply, at that. The bible is our lifeline to God's plan for us and the life, death and resurrection of Jesus as well. I find it interesting that while we take history about the great names and deeds of the ancient past almost without question, so many find the bible, one of the greatest books ever written that has survived many attempts to ban it, destroy it and condemn it for two thousand years, 'questionable' because it was written by human beings. Of course, even it it had been given to us by some supernatural act, that would now be dismissed as a lie, too, I suppose. Made up by those crazy Christian zealots of old.

You ask: is it the Word of God? My reply is: Yes. Inspired by God and written by men. The Gospels are a first-hand account of the life of Christ and the rest of the New Testament contains reams of valuable instruction as to how a Christian should live. Even the allegorical Book of Revelation is instructive and gives us a hint of things to come. To claim a solid belief in God and Christ and then just assume that the bible is a lie, as the non-believers do, is absurd, in my opinion. Where do you think your knowledge of God and Christ came from? Parents, church teaching? Fine. Where did that originate from? The Bible.

The question of the Catholic Church adding and subtracting Books in the bible is well known and one reason why there was a split between the 'Protestant' and Catholic church centuries ago. As a fundamentalist Christian, I cannot speak to Catholic doctrine or history except that I reject most of what I know of it, including the manipulation of scripture in centuries past. Still, I maintain that an omnipotent God would not allow eveil men to change or subtract from His Word. He is the power, not some church 'leader' no matter how big his hat is. On that basis, I accept the bible as the inerrent Word of God. Others are free to differ, as they do and will. Apparently you are one. So be it. Your choice.

My statement was meant to just open a discussion about the topic in a civil manor. No more, no less. If anyone took offense, sorry, and in the same breath, grow up. How can you learn if you won't talk about it?

I can only speak for myself. I replied in a civil manner and did not take offense at the question. It's not a new one, by the way. I'm quite grown up and willing to talk so I'll assume your comments here are not directed at me.

People are free to believe whatever they want to believe. They are free to think what they want to think. But with that should come a sense of responsibility by the church to educate the people so that they can be better informed. You'd be surprised at what the Bible will teach you, even if you don't trust it, like me.

Really? If you don't' trust' the bible I wonder why you bother reading it at all. It's either the Word of God or a pack of lies. Pick one - but calling it a 'good book' is like calling Jesus a 'nice man' with a few 'good ideas'. Insulting to both.

I just believe what my heart tells me. Right or wrong. As long as you follow your heart you can never go wrong.

Not according to Jesus: "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies" -Matt. 15:19.