[silver_pilate]

Ok...I never said that you were trying to start a religious debate. I simply re-stated what you brought up....this is not a religious debate.

WARNING>>>WARNING>>>

The following is a religious opinion held by the author...if such offends you...please stop reading at this point.




I'll say it flat out....I don't agree with your religious views.

However, like Jim said, I suggest you study the Bible and draw your own conclusions. I know that this discussions is leading to a statement that the Bible has been re-written by every person to come along and that the original message has been long since lost. I will concede that the scenario holds true to some extent as it would in every form of written history. However, scholars have been very careful to attempt to preserve the original message brought forth by the scriptures. Scholars have examined all available documents in order to pull together the most congruent and perservering themes and accounts, and they place a great deal of emphasis on documents such as the Dead Sea scrolls which date anywhere from the third century B.C. to just a few decades after the life of Christ. Documents such as these have had little chance to be altered by myriads of history buffs who try and put their own slant on things.

Also, as far as the Bible is concerned, I consider it to be a book inspired by God. By no means is it a comprehensive collection of religious literature, but rather, it is a collection of writings which best summarizes the message of the gospel and which scholars as a whole place the most credibility to as far as author and content.

There are some who argue the validity of various translations. Some hold fast to the King James version...that it is the only "true" translation and that the NIV is from the devil. My opinion on that is this: as long as you're not reading Satan's New Hades version of the Bible, God can work through His Word reguardless of translation. I leave the bickering to those who would waste their time over useless argument. It's God's Word. He will make sure his message gets across to the reader. It's the Spirit who reveals truth, not the translation.

Anyway...I really don't know why I went there...but you expressed your opinions, and I felt a need to express and defend my opinions in the context of my previous statement.

Hope I didn't hurt any feelings out there, and if I did...well, you really need to grow thicker skin .

--nathan