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go-ask-mom · Mar 15, 2007, 03:24 PM

Yes its true, here lately I've bounced around wondering if a "questioning attitude" is the right thing to have. I WANT to believe, but I have so many questions and not enough answers. Some of the most religious people don't have the answers and some have answers that don't make sense. [Did any of that make sense? Lol! ] I guess some things are difficult to grasp, in a logical, thinking way... and here's the first one:

The Bible... ok, the Bible took some 1500 YEARS to write and more than 40 men participated... So, why am I to believe that they remembered things acurately, historically, with no agenda's of their own?

How were things remembered over a course of HUNDREDS of years?? We've all sat in a group circle with less than 10 people, and when you "pass something on" to the next... it doesn't even take 10 MINUTES and the original statement is so convaluded and not in its original context... so how did they do it back then? 1500 YEARS and 40 MEN!

nindzha · Mar 15, 2007, 03:29 PM

My opinion is that the mayority of Bible is "made up" through gossips etc.
But I think that the point, message is genuine.

Nosnosna · Mar 15, 2007, 03:33 PM

The old oral traditions are absolutely amazing... the art of story-telling is lost in the modern world. The people entrusted to pass along the stories of a culture were very good at what they did, and would truly remember things word for word, across generations. When Grimm's Fairy Tales were collected, different people, separated by hundreds of miles and a dozen generations would have exactly the same stories, with exactly the same words.

It's a lost art form, which is very sad.

Fr_Chuck · Mar 15, 2007, 03:59 PM

First remember the bible is not ONE book but a series of books. The new testment written after Christs death and Pauls during his series of travels.

Part of the old testment of course was written by and though the history of the people.

The bible as we know it, was put together as a book or (scripture) much latter in history.

The bigger question if you want to question is why certain writtings were left out and others put in.
But before writing, the telling of the family history, and the telling of the story of your people was much more importatnt than it is today.

go-ask-mom · Mar 15, 2007, 06:04 PM

Thanks for all of your thoughts on this... Its just something that puzzles me to no end.

I get confused sometimes and worried about even questioning the things I do... I don't know why it started, well, yes I do, but that's another story I don't have time for right now. Like I said, its not that I don't believe but yet sometimes I can't quite buy ALL of it... I'm not sure what to think at times.

Thanks for responses and hopefully more reply on their thoughts! :)

Fr_Chuck · Mar 15, 2007, 07:01 PM

But in the end, it has to be a issue of faith. Because it is based on the idea that Jesus lived and died and rose from the dead, so believing that the history can be true over a several thousand year period is really not a faith issue. The real issue is Jesus, born of a virgin, healing, changing water to wine, and raising people from the dead. With all of that said, does the fact that the inspired word was keep though many generations really is easy to accept. It is all a matter of faith, and that human teachings and mans mental thinking serves no value when it comes to explaining anything, it is beyond the rules and laws of science,

ordinaryguy · Mar 15, 2007, 07:24 PM

Originally Posted by go-ask-mom

Yes its true, here lately I've bounced around wondering if a "questioning attitude" is the right thing to have. I WANT to believe, but I have so many questions and not enough answers.

Far better to have no answers to good questions than to have all the answers to irrelevant questions. Belief is overrated, I think. Faith and trust will see you through life's crises far better than being certain in your beliefs.

manimuth · Mar 15, 2007, 07:35 PM

Don't get caught up in the details, goaskmom. Yes, the books that make up the Bible are all written by man, which comes with its own set of issues. But, like nindzha said, remember the big picture.
Is your belief and faith completely based on words in the Bible?
You've heard of the saying "Those who believe need no proof and no amount of proof is enough for those who don't believe." Belief and faith comes with a sense of God that you find in your own soul, how you can see God all around you, the strength you get from Him, and all those intangible things. So, pay attention to what your soul tells you.

Will144 · Mar 17, 2007, 09:38 PM

Originally Posted by ordinaryguy

Far better to have no answers to good questions than to have all the answers to irrelevant questions. Belief is overrated, I think. Faith and trust will see you through life's crises far better than being certain in your beliefs.

I'm sorry, but everyone is better off to have good answers to all questions, whether good or bad questions. I

I know why you wonder how can we trust the bible and how can we make sure it hasn't been changed, etc, etc.

Think about it. If you create something, let's say you build a computer. Don't you have the power to control whether you want your computer to have a 256mb RAM or a 1GB RAM?

Same thing with God; God controls everything. The bible is perfect

2 Peter 1:20-21

"20Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. 21For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."

Whenever you ask a questions. If they don't quote the bible to give you an answer, do not take it as a true statement. I don't mean to offend anyone, but you should only seek God's opinion not men's. Therefore, whenever you ask a question, and people don't quote the bible, don't take their answer for it. For many people interpret things in the way which is more convinient to them:)

Wangdoodle · Mar 18, 2007, 03:33 PM

Whenever you ask a questions. If they don't quote the bible to give you an answer, do not take it as a true statement. I don't mean to offend anyone, but you should only seek God's opinion not men's. Therefore, whenever you ask a question, and people don't quote the bible, don't take their answer for it. For many people interpret things in the way which is more convinient to them:)[/QUOTE]

That sounds like great advice. However, there may be many different interpretations of the Scripture you are quoting. How do you know you have the correct understanding? Also, how do you even know the book that the verse is from is inspired? Each individual book in the Bible does not say it is the word of God. The canon of the Bible was officially determined at the Council of Carthage in 397. As St. Augustine says, “I would put no faith in the Gospels unless the authority of the Catholic Church directed me to do so.” I accept the teaching authority of the Catholic Church. I do think we should go to the bible for answers concerning faith and morals.

Will144 · Mar 19, 2007, 10:42 PM

Who gave the authority to the Catholic church to change the gospel? Even though they tried, they did not succeed. They have their own bible but God clearly said

Rev 22:18

"I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. 19And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book."

It doesn't matter what st augustine said or what the Catholic church says, it only matters what God said. And the catholic church or any church has no authority to change anything. Even though the Catholic Church came up with their own bible. They added books to the bible and changed the commandments around. God clearly said "do not add, do not take away" so it's up to you to decide whether you are in the Catholic church's side or Gods side.

Wangdoodle · Mar 20, 2007, 03:43 PM

Originally Posted by Will144

who gave the authority to the Catholic church to change the gospel? Even though they tried, they did not succeed. They have their own bible but God clearly said

Rev 22:18

"I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. 19And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book."

It doesn't matter what st augustine said or what the Catholic church says, it only matters what God said. And the catholic church or any church has no authority to change anything. Even though the Catholic Church came up with their own bible. They added books to the bible and changed the commandments around. God clearly said "do not add, do not take away" so it's up to you to decide wether you are in the Catholic church's side or Gods side.

Witch books were added? The Bible (Old and New Testaments together) exists because of the Catholic Church. There would be no need to add books. The Catholic Church declared what was The Word of God and what wasn’t. Those books that are The Word of God are in the canon of Bible. The canon was declared closed in the year 397. When were books added after that?

Alpha_Male81 · Mar 20, 2007, 05:58 PM

HOW DARE YOU QUESTION THE FAITH! Relax man, its OK to question, I too have many questions, and I have a feeling your young like me. Not too many young people these days care about religion, be proud that you do. Regards to the Bible, I think the NT is accurate, if not, then genuine and serves the same point about Jesus. As for the OT and its readings, like Noahs Ark, and if things happened just like they did, is questionable though they say they have found his ark's landing site. As long as there are people out there that care about faith, there are people that strive for wisdom

Will144 · Mar 21, 2007, 10:02 AM

Originally Posted by Wangdoodle

Witch books were added? The Bible (Old and New Testaments together) exists because of the Catholic Church. There would be no need to add books. The Catholic Church declared what was The Word of God and what wasn’t. Those books that are The Word of God are in the canon of Bible. The canon was declared closed in the year 397. When were books added after that?

Catholic church have their own bible. They changed the original 10 commandments into the "Catholic Formula" Changed the 4th commandment into the third. One of the most famous commandments is "you shall have no other Gods before me" the Cathethism says "You shall have no strange Gods before me" why strange? Because Catholic church love idols. And are the major Idolaters.