This is perhaps the biggest struggle in my mind as I approach Christianity. I've heard many things about the strength of the written word and the peace the Bible brings them but I cannot agree with everything in it nor can I be sure that these words written by men truly reflect the heart of God. Of course, it's not easy for me to bring this up in casual conversation so I hope that y'all's responses can maybe offer me some perspective? Please understand that I mean no offense at all by this question.
There's something in the bible that someone quoted to me when trying to convert me to their Christian faith. That all of nature is proof of god. And there is therefore no excuse to not believe in natures god.
I can go along with that if someone believes in a creator that made everything. Nature would be a bible of its own in that sense.
When it comes to a god by the book as many Christians I know are believers in that's something else. A god didn't literally write the bible. Men who claimed to be inspired to take notes or transcribe what they heard what they called god say wrote the bible.
Then there's the very obvious part. Or at least for me. The god that is in the bible said he made humans in his image. And yet, he has the same personality as people. He's jealous. He's vein. He's possessive. He's vengeful. He kills. He judges. He is insecure. He is self-absorbed. And he's mean. If he was a human he'd be the greatest serial killer of all time. Drowning the world of people he made to be exactly as they are because they disappoint is mean. He saved 8 people. To what? Repopulate? How?
Why did he plant that tree that let people he knew would eat its fruit? How did his arch enemy enter the garden disguised as a snake? When god is all knowing and in all places all the time? It was a set up right?
And how are people damned for being intelligent? How could the first one's obey right and avoid wrong without having the requisite knowledge of right and wrong? Until they ate that fruit that imparted knowledge?
Would you punish a newborn baby for doing the wrong thing after you told them a rule to do the right thing?
I think the bible is human ego and pride. The ultimate political handbook for societal control based on a paradigm that manufactures fascism as an invisible force. Jesus saved the world from sin. And yet the believer in him can still sin?
He said, be perfect as I am perfect. But you're born guilty of sin and imperfect? And have to struggle all the days of your life to be approved? Forgiven? Redeemed? From what?
Christians seek salvation. I get that. But I wonder if they realize according to the first book they're asking to be saved from the wrath of the god they worship in two forms. The father and the son. Who came to rework everything the father did in the beginning.
I hope if there is a god that it is separate from the one man created and describes in the bible. Because he's like the worst person but with all the power in the universe to make the rules and enforce the rules he makes. Whether they make sense or not.
