 |
Holy books, Batman!
© Lisavan
|
It has been referred to as “holy scripture,” even as the “Word of God.” If true, that would make reading the Bible the highest priority of everyone on Earth.
A person who denies the Bible’s claim of being a message to mankind from God is challenging the belief system of literally millions of people over 19 centuries, who based their every decision on what they read in the Bible.
They are also challenging the truthfulness – or at least the sanity – of the Bible’s 40 or so writers. Those men made the claim, in dozens of passages, that the words they wrote down originated with God. If that is untrue, then they cannot be described as good but misguided men – they were liars, or at the very least delusional, and nothing they wrote should be trusted. Anyone who can prove that would owe it to mankind to shout it from the rooftops.
What do you actually know about the Bible? Where did it come from? How did it get to the position of prominence it held for so many centuries? Is it right or wrong that it should now take a back seat to modern scientific, moral, and philosophical thinking?
If you are a church-goer, or thinking of becoming one, what is your chosen church’s opinion about the Bible? Should that matter to you?
This week, a survey went out to churches all around Phoenix, Arizona. Why not forward the link for this page to someone in a position of authority at a church near you, and have them either post their replies as comments, or email me their answers. Here are the questions:
- Does your church hold the complete Bible to be inspired by God?
- If some parts yes and some parts no, which is which, and on what do you base that?
- Has God inspired other writings? If so, what is your test to determine what is from God and what isn’t?
- Is one version of the Bible (in English) more or less trustworthy than another?
- If you can, please sum up the 5 or so main teachings of your church.
- Does your church have teachings which are based on something other than the Bible, and if so, what?
- What if any direction does your church give to members on political questions, such as who to vote for, what bills to vote for, or against?
- What if any direction does your church give on:
- Creation versus evolution?
- Killing (or dying) for one’s country?
- The role of women in Society?
- Marriage, divorce, and sex outside marriage?
- Abortion, stem cell research, or other medical issues?
- Homosexuality?
I’ll be posting more on this subject as replies come in.
Please leave a polite comment. To be notified when I post a new column, click on Subscribe at the top of the page.
Read my previous article
Check out my website
Read my blog
Friend me on Facebook
Follow me on Twitter
Email me at bill.underwood@mail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment