The Bible or a Friend?

Messy

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please explain.
Well the Bible is just a book, so a person is more precious, but if for instance the Bible says don't marry an unbeliever but he's a great friend I'm not gonna say: sorry Lord but I'm not gonna listen to what the Bible says because I like him.
 
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MiniEmu

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That depends on why I need to give one up for the other. Also are we talking about just the Bible, but not our faith, or the Bible as in all the guidance it provides regarding our faith? I'm not sure I can give a straight answer without this scenario having some flesh on its bones.
 
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EazyMack

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God's Word is written in the Bible, but can also be conveyed by other methods.

God wouldn't tell us to choose the Bible itself over a person. We are supposed to be a body of believers, not a bunch of isolated individuals.

But we certainly need to know His Word, for our own sakes. Whether we get that from the Bible, or from those who've read the Bible*. In other words, it is more important to know what the Bible says, then to just simply have the Bible.

*For the record, we should absolutely read and study the Bible for ourselves, so we can discern whether what we are taught by other humans is trustworthy.
 
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"Body of believers"? I don't think so. Over here in the world's most secular place, it's very hard to come by a girl who reads a Bible, studies it, knows what it contains and how to handle it, and has faith. I choose the Bible over persons. No actual friendship between me and some local girl who would fulfill those qualities has yet ever blossomed. Instead of putting all my energy on studying areas of theology that have very little priority and on trying to get as many friends as possible, I choose to devote myself to the Bible and related literature and reference-books:
God wouldn't tell us to choose the Bible itself over a person. We are supposed to be a body of believers, not a bunch of isolated individuals.

But we certainly need to know His Word, for our own sakes. Whether we get that from the Bible, or from those who've read the Bible*. In other words, it is more important to know what the Bible says, then to just simply have the Bible.




Random person? I thought You were asking if there are any who are/would be ready to give up a friend instead of giving up the Bible? I'm such a person who would rather give up a friendship or potential friendship or partner. And no, a friend is not a "random person":
I was starting to think that many/most Christians value the church building and bible more than some random person.
 
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High Fidelity

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Friends don't have a multitude of copies that can be easily and inexpensively obtained. That said, I'm not sure I understand what you're really asking.

Yeah, not sure either.

If I had to throw one in to a volcano or something, well, Bibles can be replaced and I have 8 on my desk alone lol.
 
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SnowyMacie

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I think it would depend on what exactly you mean by "The Bible." Is it the book itself or the message within the book? Depending on which one, would cause the answer to be completely different. If it was choose the life of a friend or choose to save the destruction of The Bible, the physical book, I would choose friend without so much as a second thought. Bibles are probably about $20, I'd guess, I haven't shopped for a new one in a while. Human life is priceless. While there is something sacred about every Bible because it has contains the messages foundational to our faith, the Bible places humanity above itself in that sense. The Torah is mentioned in the scripture, and it's clear from that the message within that is more valuable than the scroll itself.

The message within scripture is a different story. To deny the message in scripture, is to deny Christ. What I mean by the denying the message of scripture, is denying the whole of it, the story and what that means for all of us. I'm not saying that lying to your friend about their new haircut is the same as reject Jesus. Obviously, all sin separates us from God and therefore all equal, but if you read scripture, some things are clearly more important to God than others by either clearly stating "what they did is a greater sin", being seen as more heinous with wording or simply the number of times it's mentioned at all. Anyway, I'm digressing.
 
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Being serious about the Bible, including publishing a book, is more like $20,000. If I argue with a friend about money, from whom I get money and where I put I don't let friends win who argue that I should give up the Bible, even if it hurts their feelings. They should know not to argue with me about such things in the first place and they do. I don't "waste" on anything else, I'm pretty frugal:
I think it would depend on what exactly you mean by "The Bible." Is it the book itself or the message within the book? Depending on which one, would cause the answer to be completely different. If it was choose the life of a friend or choose to save the destruction of The Bible, the physical book, I would choose friend without so much as a second thought. Bibles are probably about $20, I'd guess, I haven't shopped for a new one in a while.
 
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SnowyMacie

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Being serious about the Bible, including publishing a book, is more like $20,000. If I argue with a friend about money, from whom I get money and where I put I don't let friends win who argue that I should give up the Bible, even if it hurts their feelings. They should know not to argue with me about such things in the first place and they do. I don't "waste" on anything else, I'm pretty frugal:

What Bible cost $20,000? (that you can actually buy). My university has a Bible that is probably worth that, but it's locked in a display case.
 
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Without attempting to fill every hole in Your library within this category, a decent library with everything You need for research is around $10,000 or at least close to when You include related things - and no that doesn't include every possible source text. Publishing a book is $8,880 incl. marketing when it's done in both print and digital format at the same time. That's for one book:
What Bible cost $20,000? (that you can actually buy). My university has a Bible that is probably worth that, but it's locked in a display case.
 
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SnowyMacie

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Without attempting to fill every hole in Your library within this category, a decent library with everything You need for research is around $10,000 or at least close to when You include related things - and no that doesn't include every possible source text. Publishing a book is $8,880 incl. marketing when it's done in both print and digital format at the same time. That's for one book:

Again, please show me a copy of the Bible that cost that much to buy.
 
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Do You want me to list my entire library within this area? Everything related to the Bible somehow:
Again, please show me a copy of the Bible that cost that much to buy.
 
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SnowyMacie

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Do You want me to list my entire library within this area? Everything related to the Bible somehow:

I think you and I are talking about two completely different things. I'm not talking about a theological research library, I'm talking about one average copy of The Bible that you can buy at any bookstore.
 
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I think I answered what the OP wanted to know, most members didn't. And what are those who don't research doing? Can't do much with a plain Bible (unless You read Hebrew of course and it's the complete Hebrew Bible incl. Sirach):
I think you and I are talking about two completely different things. I'm not talking about a theological research library, I'm talking about one average copy of The Bible that you can buy at any bookstore.
 
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