OK, this is mostly for SpyroRipGuy, but anyone else who has input can jump in. In another post, SpyroRipGuy stated that the Bible was full of contradictions. I have read through the entire Bible, and have read most of it many times, and as of yet, I don't have anything I disagree with, or anything that contradicts itself. Sure, there's stuff I don't understand; who can fully understand God's word except God? Still, I don't see contradictions.

SpyroRipGuy, if you're up to it, please let me know what you see as contradictions. If possible, throw out a chapter and verse(s); if not, I can find stuff fairly well. This is not intended to be an attack on you (or anyone else, of any other religion) in the least, and I will make sure that my comments keep this as a discussion and not a debate or fight; I'm just curious to know what turns you off reading the Bible.

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Mike Chase
mike_intel@hotmail.com
My Home

Mike, maybe I should stay out of this, but I read the post you're referring to and I don't think Spyroripguy was inferring that he is turned off by reading the bible, just that HE has found contradiction. My father was a minister all my life (you should have witnessed the ruckus when I, a protestant married a catholic; finally eloped and married in Vegas). My dad passed 2 years ago my younger brother gave up his job and took over the congregation. I don't say that to establish credentials for myself, only to say that I am a believer and I, personally, leave biblical interpretation and opinion up to the reader and out of conversation.

I hope you understand where I'm coming from here. Your entry was well worded and not challenging; and this is not a challenge of any sort to you or anyone. Just my interpretation of what I read. I'll keep an eye on the thread. I'm interested in reading what others along with Spyroripguy has to say.

God Bless America!

Billy G

[This message has been edited by Billy G (edited September 17, 2001).]

My apologies to all for bad wording. I rephrase that to simply ask what contradictions people have found.

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Mike Chase
mike_intel@hotmail.com
My Home

Mike, I think much of the problem comes from the way that each person interpets what is in the Bible. My dad was an ordained Methodist Minster and I even entertained thoughts of following him. I was a Philosophy major with a religous studies minor in college. While all Christian demonations use the same Bible many come to different conclusions about what is actually in it. My feeling as always been that if what you take from your faith makes you a better person and does bring harm to others then it matters little as to your own beliefs and how they may differ from mine.

I will say that I was rather appalled at the Rev Jerry Falwell and the statements he made on the 700 club this week. He used this terrible tragedy to further his right wing agenda going as far as blaming gays, lesbins, right to lifers and the ACLU for what happend. He laid direct blame on the terrorists, but said that because of these groups God had in effect let us down in this time of crises. Not sure of your religious backround, but this is not the time for this kind of talk. My faith is not shaken, if anything is now stronger then ever before.

Dave, buddy, pal, friend....I totally 100% agree with you on Falwell, Robertson and their 700 Club idiots who made those statements the other day! When I heard all of that, man, was I FUMING! How dare they push thier idiotic right wing gibberish on a religious show in such a time here in America....I think they owe the American people a HUGE apology for saying those things in such a national show and so openly and dividing some of this nation even further, instead of trying to bring some sense and comfort to us all and to help others worship and grieve in a peaceful way. Made me lose any respect I may of had for any of them....just sad and blatantly preposterous! What's next, I wonder?

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Anita Bonita

Yeah, come on, SpyroRipGuy! I'm curious to see what kind of "contradictions" you come up with!
My guess is, maybe the religion you were raised in and/or practice doesn't quite agree with what the Bible says! Would be NO surprise to me!

Religion is such a tough topic as is the word of God.

My Dad was an Italian-Catholic, my Mom was a Japanese Shinto-Buddhist. Growing up, most of our neighbors were Jewish or Catholic. So, I figured out at a very young age that interpretation of God's word can be confusing. Especially when confronted with so much religion!!

I believe in God, although I don't know God's name. I leave the reading of the Bible and other religious writings to those who can find comfort and faith within.

It does make me upset when these ministers of faith use their pulpits and their intepretations of the "word" to turn us against each other. What you reported about the 700 club made me remember Matthew Shepard, the young man who was tortured and killed because he was gay. That minister that protested at his funeral really hurt that family.

[This message has been edited by Kat (edited September 17, 2001).]

Religion is a very touchy topic. There are so many diffent denominations, religions, belief systems and spiritual paths and people feel strongly about this issue, whether their own faith or sometimes how they (or their religion) feel about other peoples paths. Here you can feel strongly about what you believe and expound on it freely BUT attacking another persons belief system or the person is stepping out of bounds. This folder was well underway by the time I saw it because I was involved with our local candelight vigil..Now I am watching with much concern because it did mention an individual in the initial posting, but until this person was called out and their beliefs speculated on and then attacked based on that speculation I just let it roll. But that was uncalled for!
This is a controvesial subject, if you are going to discuss it please stick to discussing ideas and do not attack anyone or prolestyze. This is not the time, this is not the place. Please respect each other. and play nice


[This message has been edited by Shannon West (edited September 17, 2001).]

Dear Kat,
You said, "I believe in God, although I don't know God's name." Maybe I can help you out with that. The answer can be found in the Bible, the most widely published and distributed book in the history of mankind. You can find a copy in every single nation on earth, in almost every language. This has only come to pass through God's power, because many have tried to stop God's Word from being available to all. But the Bible has survived, and flourished, because God wants all men to come to know him.
As for His name, some translations have all but removed the precious name from the scriptures, inserting in place of it the word "LORD" in capital letters where the name used to be. But in the original Hebrew language, which the "Old Testament" was written in, God's name, "JEHOVAH" appears almost 7,000 times! And, in fact, most translations today still use that name in just a few places, such as Exodus 6:3 and Psalm 83:18, which reads, "...that men may know that you, WHOSE NAME IS JEHOVAH, you alone are the Most High over all the earth."
Hope this helps you. As far as the events that we see unfolding lately, they are just a continuation of events that Jesus spoke of as making up the sign of "the last days". (See Matthew chapter 24, Luke chapter 21, and also 2 Timothy 3:1-5).
Luke 21:26 describes the panic many would feel as they saw such events, "men become faint out of fear and expectation of the things coming upon the inhabited earth", but verse 28 shows that those who put their trust in Jehovah God would have no reason to fear. It says, "But as these things start to occur, raise yourselves erect and lift your heads up, because your deliverance is getting near."
Through a sincere, honest-hearted study of the Bible, anyone can come to have the same assurance, because God "does not desire any to be destroyed, but desires all to attain to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9)

Shannon a clarifaction please, you said that you because concerned when an actual persons name came up. The only named here was that of the Rev. Falwell. He made his statements in a public forum with the clear intent of creating a reaction. Since this is public forum of sorts do we not have the same right to respond in disagreement?

Kat: I am a bit like you, I was raised as a Methodist as I said I was a preachers kid, but over the years have sort of done what many in India have done and included beliefs from other docturnes into my own belief system. The study of so many religions has shown me 1) that they all have something to offer and 2) while they may seem radically different on the surface, it is amazing how much we have in common.

Again basic philosophy for me is if it makes you a better person and BRINGS NO HARM TO OTHERS, I think that what ever religion a person may practice is great.