Bible Gets A Reality Check

Bible Gets A Reality Check

cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com

The two-hour show has already stirred up a backlash among some believers. For example, the program airs archaeologists' assertions that:

The Bible's first books have been traced back to multiple authors writing over a span of centuries.


There's no evidence for the actual existence of patriarchs such as the biblical Abraham.


Some ancient adherents of Yahweh also worshiped his "wife," a fertility goddess named Asherah.


The Exodus appears to have involved just a small segment of the Jewish population rather than all Jews.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Interesting article. Science, it appears, keeps chipping away at the mysteries of the bible. Hopefully one day will have enough evidence to prove it true or false.

I didn't get a chance to check out the show that the article is referring to. Maybe I can catch a re-run. Anyone that watched it mind commenting on if it was worth seeing?

cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Originally posted by ExistenceUnknown


Interesting article. Science, it appears, keeps chipping away at the mysteries of the bible. Hopefully one day will have enough evidence to prove it true or false.

In a sense I don't think it matters whether it's "true" or not unless you are desperate to take every word literally. What matters surely is the core message? Even if you don't believe the 'history' of the Old Testament &c, much of Jesus' message was pretty good, which is the important bit surely?

I hope all the whinging Christians from the other threads read this post. Look at godless Merriman Weir defending your religion.

I think if science can somehow take this back so far it shows there's little or no historicity in the bible I don't think it will really matter to some Christians. The science that exists now that runs counter to biblical literalism is dismissed as 'the Devil's work'; just a ploy to test the believer. Why would more science be any different, particularly if it becomes more threatening?

I agree with the witch. *grins*

The Bible being literal is something mainly enagelical Christains believe - Most denominations have pretty much accepted that it is about the message and that science and history are not really compatible with the book known as the Bible.

I don't think it matters. The message should be about love and acceptance and being a good neighbour, not whether or not Moses parted the Red Sea.

Originally posted by ExistenceUnknown

Bible Gets A Reality Check

cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com

The two-hour show has already stirred up a backlash among some believers. For example, the program airs archaeologists' assertions that:

The Bible's first books have been traced back to multiple authors writing over a span of centuries.


There's no evidence for the actual existence of patriarchs such as the biblical Abraham.


Some ancient adherents of Yahweh also worshiped his "wife," a fertility goddess named Asherah.


The Exodus appears to have involved just a small segment of the Jewish population rather than all Jews.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Good post-never the the facts stand in the way of a good story.
I think most people nowadays accept that the bible is littered with factual inaccuracies,glaring discrepencies and blatant falsehoods.
I've often wondered if it is the core message people want to concentrate on ,then why not encompass 'all' of the bible's advice including the unhinged,sociopathic,homicidal instruction from the old testament?
Its a bit convenient (and hypocritical) just cherrypicking the nice bits isn't it?

[edit on 02/10/08 by karl 12]

Why is it that so many people feel compelled to "discredit" the Bible?

If you don't believe what it says, fine, but why go out of your way to "prove" to others that what they believe isn't true?

Seems kind of silly to me.

I don't see many threads trying to disprove any other religious texts.

As someone you can loosely refer to as a Christian, I can tell you, that it never ceases to amazing me how incredibly powerful the drive is to obfuscate the simple reality of Christianity.

"Love each other, and do unto others, as you would have done to you."

And from that simple message, we get thousands of rules and provisos; all quite arguably, 'contrived' by the well-meaning (or not) architects of the 'religious' hierarchy.

The problems with religion in this world have nothing to do with faith. They have to do with the faithful. Peace is mankind's natural heritage. All indications to the contrary seem to be 'inserted' by those who proclaim themselves 'closer' to God. Go figure.

[edit on 20-11-2008 by Maxmars]

Originally posted by ExistenceUnknown


Interesting article. Science, it appears, keeps chipping away at the mysteries of the bible. Hopefully one day will have enough evidence to prove it true or false.

I didn't get a chance to check out the show that the article is referring to. Maybe I can catch a re-run. Anyone that watched it mind commenting on if it was worth seeing?

cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

See this is the issue. As a Chrisitan, I don't puch much stake in the historical accuracy of the bible as much as I put in the wisdom one can get from it.

Many other Christians today believe that everything must be literally taken and that it must all be true or else it becomes invalidated. I think thats just setting yourself up for failure.

Personally, it doesn't matter to me if there was a Historical Jesus, or even if there was, that the books of new testament were all loosely based on the Q author and then taken from there.

What matters to me is the struggle that mankind has with the divine, or unconscious, or subjective realm, or whatever you want to call it, and that many people have got wisdom to share with others about this existential journey.

I applaud this program because as a Christian, the quicker we can marginalize the literalists the sooner we can have our faith back.



[edit on 20-11-2008 by HunkaHunka]

reply to post by ExistenceUnknown


I don't know what you're talking about, and it appears neither do you or the people on that show. It is well known that the first 5 books were written by many authors but put together by Moses. The book of Genesis has at least 10 authors, including Adam, Noah, GOD, Abraham, Jacob etc. They kept the records, probably on clay tablets and Moses put them all into one book, or the Torah, first 5 books of the Bible.

The show appears to be another one of those lets bash the Bible shows that gets nothing correct. It seems there is a lot of attacks on God and Christians and their beliefs these days... AS FORETOLD BY JESUS IN MATTHEW 24. Not bad for a 2000 year old prophecy.

Originally posted by theindependentjournal
reply to post by ExistenceUnknown

 

I don't know what you're talking about, and it appears neither do you or the people on that show. It is well known that the first 5 books were written by many authors but put together by Moses. The book of Genesis has at least 10 authors, including Adam, Noah, GOD, Abraham, Jacob etc. They kept the records, probably on clay tablets and Moses put them all into one book, or the Torah, first 5 books of the Bible.

Actually the first several chapters of Genesis were a synopsis of the Sumerian myths which came before. The Sumerian creation myths are much more involved, and therefore the origins of life were summarized in the first several chapters.

For more information check out this book of Sumerian Poetry. It's great. It's called The Harps that Once...

Originally posted by nyk537
Why is it that so many people feel compelled to "discredit" the Bible?

I believe it's due to people feeling compelled to use the Bible to "discredit" other's views.

If you don't believe what it says, fine, but why go out of your way to "prove" to others that what they believe isn't true?

Can't the same be asked about any Christian trying to convert others?

Seems kind of silly to me.

Now you see how we feel

I don't see many threads trying to disprove any other religious texts.

Do me a favor a search "Muhammad," "Quran," "Islam," on here.

Originally posted by nyk537
Why is it that so many people feel compelled to "discredit" the Bible?

Probably because of many things.

1. Bible literalists. They really get in my way. As a Christian, most of the wisdom in the book is allegory, and it's beautiful.

2. FunnyMentalists who attempt to cram their beliefs into others lives. Most of these are Christians who do that in the West, although Islam will have it's time if they ever try to press their morals into law.

As a Christian, I long for the day when the Bible is either lost, burned, or discredited. Most Christians don't really read the bible and follow Christs teaching anyway, the simply regurgitate what their pastors tell them.

reply to post by HunkaHunka


I think you're on the money there. For some reason the churches of the world seem ill-at-ease when questions of this nature arise. Yet they would have been just fine if they hadn't insisted from the onset that they would 'spoon feed' people with nonsense they made up, or revised to suit their whim.

Star for you.

If the lessons in the Bible makes a person feel good about themselves and uses it as a guide for their life, who are these people to try and disprove it?

The majority who live their life by the Bible are nice, honest law abiding citizens who help others when they can. Of course, just like in other groups, you will have your extremists who take it to far.

Whether it actually happened shouldn't matter, the message is something that everyone could use in their life. Even atheist could get something out of it if they would concentrate on the core message and forget the about the story.

If people looked at it that way then they would see that it is indeed "The Greatest Story Ever Told".

Originally posted by nyk537
Why is it that so many people feel compelled to "discredit" the Bible?

If you don't believe what it says, fine, but why go out of your way to "prove" to others that what they believe isn't true?

I don't know ask to the Jehovah Witnesses or the Morman's who come to my house uninvited week after week to tell me that I am damned if I don't follow the Christian way. Last time i checked no one else tried to convert me into there Non Christian beliefs. That's what is annoying, that I am made to feel like I am going to hell if I don't believe in someone else's God, even though I respect the religion and what it teaches I have no desire to be in it or I would.

I think some of you are missing the point of the article. If you read it, its not about discrediting the Bible. Its more about trying to prove the history behind the bible. If anything it is attacking those who think that the bible is a complete fallacy, based on nothing but peoples whims. The article is not questioning the core message of the bible as some of you put it.

reply to post by ExistenceUnknown


Interesting article and sure to raise some anger among believers, after all no new for those that has spend their time researching on the issue of how real the second book of fable stories of the Jews" the bible" really is.

While I find the bible and interesting book of historical facts mix with fantasy and lore I will never take it very seriously for historical research only as is greatly lacking.

Still you have to give it to Christianity to pull one of the biggest scam in the world history as a fact.

In the article in the OP it states that Abraham might not exist. That kind of puts the screws to the Muslims too, not just Christians. I guess the next fatwa will include the clowns in this study too!
Zindo

What I don't get is why christians don't welcome this kind of thing more often. I mean this is real scientific study being conducted on the bible. If Christians are so sure the bible is true and correct why not welcome this background check? Another thing I don't get is how some of you christians will quote the bible LITERALLY to prove your points and then when its questioned the only response I see is "Isn't it the message of the bible thats really important"

[edit on 20-11-2008 by ExistenceUnknown]

Originally posted by ZindoDoone
In the article in the OP it states that Abraham might not exist.

Interesting that they shared Abraham, but deviated in their own believes when Islam was created and like Jesus to Christians, they had to have their own personal Messiah in Mohammad.