If the Bible is not literally/historically "true", then why is it special?

Ron Gurley said:

POST #33: "there were no witnesses inside the empty tomb itself, and there is no description of exactly what went on inside in the Gospels"

Read closer. Peter + John went inside and saw the burial wraps and shroud. They were separated and folded. If someone stole the body, they would have taken the entire "mummified" Jesus.

Mark 15:46
Joseph bought a linen cloth, took Him down, wrapped Him in the linen cloth (mummified) and laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out in the rock; and he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb.

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leftrightleftrightleft said:

This is primarily directed at non-literalists.

I was listening to an online sermon on Noah's flood. The pastor avoided talking about the historicity of the flood (likely to avoid conflict among his congregation). The resulting sermon was essentially an interpretation and application of the story to our lives using a narrative in which the historical truth or falsity of the narrative was irrelevant.

I found myself thinking, "You know, the pastor could be preaching on any myth or work of fiction and still draw similar interpretations, applications, moral insights, philosophical insights, and other tips which are helpful for our lives."

I felt like I was back in a high school English class where we were discussing and interpreting Greek myths or How To Kill A Mockingbird. You can find lots of great life lessons, moral insights and other tips in many works of fiction or pseudo-fiction.

For example, a pastor could use the story of Noah to emphasize the virtue of faith. He could also use Harry Potter's relationship with Dumbledore to emphasize the virtue of faith. The message could be the same. The historical truth of the narrative is irrelevant.

So, for Biblical non-literalists, what makes the Bible special? Similar life lessons and messages can be found in other fictional or pseudo-fictional narratives and stories.

If a pastor took a non-Biblical work of fiction and used it to drive home a "biblical truth" would that be acceptable?

This is especially more pertinent because certain aspects of the Bible contain morally unsavoury parts (i.e. God-sanctioned mass-murder and rape in Num 31:16-18) whereas certain works of fiction contain really important moral lessons (i.e. How To Kill A Mockingbird on racism).

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Ron Gurley said:

POST #33: "there were no witnesses inside the empty tomb itself, and there is no description of exactly what went on inside in the Gospels"

Click to expand...

Ron Gurley said:

Mark 16:5
Entering the tomb, they (women) saw a young man sitting at the right, wearing a white robe (ANGEL?); and they were amazed.

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leftrightleftrightleft said:

This is primarily directed at non-literalists.

I was listening to an online sermon on Noah's flood. The pastor avoided talking about the historicity of the flood (likely to avoid conflict among his congregation). The resulting sermon was essentially an interpretation and application of the story to our lives using a narrative in which the historical truth or falsity of the narrative was irrelevant.

I found myself thinking, "You know, the pastor could be preaching on any myth or work of fiction and still draw similar interpretations, applications, moral insights, philosophical insights, and other tips which are helpful for our lives."

I felt like I was back in a high school English class where we were discussing and interpreting Greek myths or How To Kill A Mockingbird. You can find lots of great life lessons, moral insights and other tips in many works of fiction or pseudo-fiction.

For example, a pastor could use the story of Noah to emphasize the virtue of faith. He could also use Harry Potter's relationship with Dumbledore to emphasize the virtue of faith. The message could be the same. The historical truth of the narrative is irrelevant.

So, for Biblical non-literalists, what makes the Bible special? Similar life lessons and messages can be found in other fictional or pseudo-fictional narratives and stories.

If a pastor took a non-Biblical work of fiction and used it to drive home a "biblical truth" would that be acceptable?

This is especially more pertinent because certain aspects of the Bible contain morally unsavoury parts (i.e. God-sanctioned mass-murder and rape in Num 31:16-18) whereas certain works of fiction contain really important moral lessons (i.e. How To Kill A Mockingbird on racism).

Click to expand...

leftrightleftrightleft said:

This is primarily directed at non-literalists.

I was listening to an online sermon on Noah's flood. The pastor avoided talking about the historicity of the flood (likely to avoid conflict among his congregation). The resulting sermon was essentially an interpretation and application of the story to our lives using a narrative in which the historical truth or falsity of the narrative was irrelevant.

I found myself thinking, "You know, the pastor could be preaching on any myth or work of fiction and still draw similar interpretations, applications, moral insights, philosophical insights, and other tips which are helpful for our lives."

I felt like I was back in a high school English class where we were discussing and interpreting Greek myths or How To Kill A Mockingbird. You can find lots of great life lessons, moral insights and other tips in many works of fiction or pseudo-fiction.

For example, a pastor could use the story of Noah to emphasize the virtue of faith. He could also use Harry Potter's relationship with Dumbledore to emphasize the virtue of faith. The message could be the same. The historical truth of the narrative is irrelevant.

So, for Biblical non-literalists, what makes the Bible special? Similar life lessons and messages can be found in other fictional or pseudo-fictional narratives and stories.

If a pastor took a non-Biblical work of fiction and used it to drive home a "biblical truth" would that be acceptable?

This is especially more pertinent because certain aspects of the Bible contain morally unsavoury parts (i.e. God-sanctioned mass-murder and rape in Num 31:16-18) whereas certain works of fiction contain really important moral lessons (i.e. How To Kill A Mockingbird on racism).

Click to expand...