How do you know Genesis was meant to be understood from a modern POV?

[gluadys]

I am not a member of any church and have never been a church-goer because I have yet to find a church that 1. has sound doctrine and 2. isn’t self-centered and self-serving.

But any church that I would ever go to would obey the Bible- meaning women would be silent and covered in church.

If the latter qualification is important to you, I suggest your perfect church is spelled m-o-s-q-u-e.

I expect you would not have found your perfect church even in the first century. The church at Corinth would certainly not have qualified.

 

[theIdi0t]

What I have said is that Scripture is meant for all people in all time. It was not meant solely for its immediate audience.

But is scripture meant for people to distort it's purpose? Literalism is not an approach of the past, it arises from modern Christian thought, in circles where believers discarded God as an experience, in favor of God as an object, there by limiting god, and killing him all at once. Literalism arose from believers wanting to keep up with the Joneses in the emergence of the scientific way of thinking.

Literalism attempts to rewrite the truth of why, found in myth, with a Godless how, and attempts to interpret scripture that arose from deep reflection into reality, into interpretation so removed from it.

When people speak to me of God as an object, they are trying to tell me that "a colorless green idea has wings". To read scripture properly you should engage it on the experience it is describing, and if you assume that the early readers of Genesis, found purpose and meaning in how they came into existence, I'd have to wonder why Yahweh did not perish like the sky Gods.

God is found in why we exist, and not in how.

Literalism allows a believer to read Isaiah, and ignore his message of renewal, and social justice, in favor of "hey, Isaiah was killed to tell us the world was round." Literalism allows one to say the opening book of Genesis, which tells us about our own fallen nature, about the God of order, and purpose, is about talking snakes and lions who ate nothing but carrots.

 

[crawfish]

I am not a member of any church and have never been a church-goer because I have yet to find a church that 1. has sound doctrine and 2. isn’t self-centered and self-serving.

But any church that I would ever go to would obey the Bible- meaning women would be silent and covered in church.

Wow. I think that says it all.

I hope you and God are happy up in heaven, all by yourselves.

 

[flaja]

So essentially you've worked out your entire Christian edifice solo.

Meaning that my doctrine has been little influenced by the teachings of man. My source of guidance is God, not some church preacher.

 

[flaja]

flaja, this commandment has relevance to people now and for all time, as long as envy exists. But people in the Western world haven't had manservants, maidservants, slaves, oxes or donkeys for quite a while now. Whilst the spirit of the message is relevant for everyone, the details aren't. Do you know why? Because the commandments were meant to be primarily understood by the ancient Israelites whom it was first written for!

Then I suppose the Gospel of Christ was also written primarily for the ancient Israelites and has little bearing on todays world.

 

[flaja]

Of course the bible can and does deal with modern issues. The point is HOW does it deal with modern issues.

Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

The same now as then. Jesus Christ is unchanging. The Bible is not relative to the times.

 

[flaja]

But is scripture meant for people to distort it's purpose? Literalism is not an approach of the past,

So when God told Noah to build an ark because the entire world was going to flood, Noah didn't literally build an ark?

And when Jesus told the Jews, "I am the way, the truth and the light, no man cometh unto the Father but me," the Jews didn't take Him literally?

 

[flaja]

Wow. I think that says it all.

I hope you and God are happy up in heaven, all by yourselves.

So now I am not a Christian because I choose to not associate with hypocrites?

 

[Mallon]

 

[Assyrian]

Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

The same now as then. Jesus Christ is unchanging. The Bible is not relative to the times.

Is Jesus Christ the same yesterday today and forever, and still loves to meet people where they are at and communicate with them in simple terms they can understand? If he met inner city kids would he talk to them about the problems of poverty, council flats and sink schools, bullying, gangs and drugs?


Or is Jesus Christ the same yesterday today and forever and would only communicate to the inner city kids with stories about Middle Eastern farmers fishing and fig trees?

 

[crawfish]

So now I am not a Christian because I choose to not associate with hypocrites?

You misunderstand me yet again.

I'm saying you're the ONLY ONE.

 

[theIdi0t]

So when God told Noah to build an ark because the entire world was going to flood, Noah didn't literally build an ark??

God didn't tell Noah to do anything, the story of Noah's ark is a poem (it's even written as a poem!) telling us God remembers. The ancient mythology used the theme of floods quite often, particularly in relation to cities, in remarkably similar ways for similar reasons, of washing away all that was once corrupt to preserve what is untainted, to start anew. The story of Noah is not a story of a particular event thousands of years ago, it's the story of existence, which themes surround our every day, you can find it repeated in the imagery of Revelation where God wipes the tears of our suffering eyes.

And when Jesus told the Jews, "I am the way, the truth and the light, no man cometh unto the Father but me," the Jews didn't take Him literally?

Ah, a good saying to clarify my point, mythical language does not equal false hood, in fact mythical language has been more so the foundation of truth, than all other things. The language of experience is always myth, so when we encounter Christ, as the way, and the Truth and the life, as the truth of our every day, we encounter him through myth, as an embodiment of the truth the way, and the life.

 

[gluadys]

Meaning that my doctrine has been little influenced by the teachings of man. My source of guidance is God, not some church preacher.

Meaning your doctrine has been influenced by only one man: yourself.

 

[gluadys]

Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

The same now as then. Jesus Christ is unchanging. The Bible is not relative to the times.

The Bible is not Jesus.

 

[gluadys]

sorry, dble post

 

[gluadys]

So now I am not a Christian because I choose to not associate with hypocrites?

I won't judge your faith, but the arrogance you display here is far more hypocritical than anything you will find in most churches.

No church is free of hypocrites. The wheat and the tares grow together until the harvest. That's the reality we live in. But there is no excuse for not living in it. To be called to Christ is to be called into his church.

 

[artybloke]

In all likelihood Moses acted as the compiler/editor of various written and oral records, not all of which would have been produced by the Israelites.

There was a compiler of the Torah, sometimes round about the time of the return from exile. But it certainly wasn't Moses. Moses didn't write a thing in the Bible.

The Bible is not relative to the times.

So you worship the Bible then?

 

[crawfish]

I won't judge your faith, but the arrogance you display here is far more hypocritical than anything you will find in most churches.

No church is free of hypocrites. The wheat and the tares grow together until the harvest. That's the reality we live in. But there is no excuse for not living in it. To be called to Christ is to be called into his church.

I like your post better than my sarcastic one.

flaja, here are some verses you should consider:

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.

The early Christians fellowshipped with hypocrites. The apostles fellowshipped with hypocrites. Even Jesus fellowshipped with hypocrites, choosing to transform them rather than to spurn them.

Be on your guard, because Satan can (and will) use arrogance and self-righteousness to prevent you from doing God's will, even to work unknowingly against Christ's church. Christ uses humility and submission to do His greatest works.

 

[daniel777]

The Bible is not Jesus.

define "Bible"

The early Christians fellowshipped with hypocrites. The apostles fellowshipped with hypocrites. Even Jesus fellowshipped with hypocrites, choosing to transform them rather than to spurn them.

Be on your guard, because Satan can (and will) use arrogance and self-righteousness to prevent you from doing God's will, even to work unknowingly against Christ's church. Christ uses humility and submission to do His greatest works.

....expel the immoral BROTHER... (and we do this because we love them)....love is more than emotion, it's sacrifice.

....Jesus never got mad a hypocrites.....is this what you're saying?

patience is very good, but sometimes people need a good blasting. but you're right it shouldn't originate from pride. it should originate from love. Americans today have a very meek view of love....as well as justice, holiness, ect.

Meaning your doctrine has been influenced by only one man: yourself.

you could say that about anyone.

The story of Noah is not a story of a particular event thousands of years ago, it's the story of existence, which themes surround our every day, you can find it repeated in the imagery of Revelation where God wipes the tears of our suffering eyes.

It couldn't be both? you don't believe in hell do you?

 

[gluadys]

Meaning your doctrine has been influenced by only one man: yourself.

you could say that about anyone.

No I could not. I don't know how much of the thread you have read, but this was said to a poster who stated:

I am not a member of any church and have never been a church-goer because I have yet to find a church that 1. has sound doctrine and 2. isn’t self-centered and self-serving.

and again

So essentially you've worked out your entire Christian edifice solo.

Meaning that my doctrine has been little influenced by the teachings of man. My source of guidance is God, not some church preacher.

My response has to be taken in that context.