Do you take the Bible literally?

[dumboiu]

Or do you see it more as an interpretation?

 

[MoniqueU]

No, not at all. In fact I won't even read it, the passages I have heard over my life are enough for me. They don't inspire or comfort me. I put it right up there with Shakesphere in terms of enjoyment or a way to live my life. No offense to anyone.

 

[zippitydoo]

I personally do not take the bible literally. To me it is just a story I do not find comfort in it. I know a few people that take the bible very seriously. They live their lives by the code of the bible. Has anyone seen the new Bill Maher documentary called Religlous I think that is how it is spelled. In the movie he asks people how they interpret the Bible. They all basically said that the Bible is the way of life for everyone.

 

[jimmiej]

Yes & no. I believe the Bible is the Word of God, is infallible, & without error. I believe Adam & Eve really existed. I believe Jesus died & rose again to redeem people from their sins.

I do not neccesarily believe the universe was created in six 24-hour days. Could have been, & I would have no trouble accepting that. However, there is Scripture that leads me to believe God's definition of time is unlike ours.

I believe the parables Jesus used were to make a point only.

For the sake of your poll, I voted yes.

 

[Took]

No, not at all. In fact I won't even read it, the passages I have heard over my life are enough for me. They don't inspire or comfort me. I put it right up there with Shakesphere in terms of enjoyment or a way to live my life. No offense to anyone.

I don't "take" the Bible one way or another, either. It's a series of myths that make folks feel good and that provide rules to live by. Afraid I don't see it as anything more.

 

[Buckalew11]

Yes & no. I believe the Bible is the Word of God, is infallible, & without error. I believe Adam & Eve really existed. I believe Jesus died & rose again to redeem people from their sins.

I do not neccesarily believe the universe was created in six 24-hour days. Could have been, & I would have no trouble accepting that. However, there is Scripture that leads me to believe God's definition of time is unlike ours.

I believe the parables Jesus used were to make a point only.

For the sake of your poll, I voted yes.

Except for the voting "yes". I'm voting "other' because where scripture says, for example, "It was like..." and things like the parables, and the time it took for creation(maybe a 24 hour period, maybe not because, like jimmiej said, scripture). But I do believe Adam and Eve, Moses, Abraham, Noah etc. I am one of those people who take God and His Word very seriously. I take prophecy seriously too.

 

[KikiFan]

I interpret the Bible metaphysically.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I interpret it as legend. The source of the legend is what intrigues me.

 

[bicker]

I view the Bible as stories crafted by men to support a specific perspective, often, though not always, admirable. Therefore, some if it is useful, some of it useless, and a lot of it is in between.

 

[aprilgail2]

I don't "take" the Bible one way or another, either. It's a series of myths that make folks feel good and that provide rules to live by. Afraid I don't see it as anything more.

 

[Talking Hands]

I believe the Bible is the word of God. Was there Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, etc. Yes. Did Jesus come to earth as a baby, live and then die to be the perfect sacrifice and grant me a relationship with God through Him. Absolutely. Every word is true, but there are different styles used for different purposes. Parables to me are very much like fables or morality stories.

 

[Andy B]

The Bible is not one piece of work, even some of the later books such as the gospels were written up to several hundreds of years after Jesus' life.

Also it has been subject to traslations, interpretations, political intrigue and selective editing.

Adam and Eve no, an allegory to me. Jesus yes.

 

[bicker]

Indeed, some of the earlier books were discarded after their content was deemed inconsistent with the direction that the church wanted to pursue.

 

[smfritz03]

I believe the Bible is the word of God. I also believe that when you pray and ask for God's wisdom when reading the Bible, He will show you what He intended that message to mean for you.

 

[Tiggernut_jadie]

I don't "take" the Bible one way or another, either. It's a series of myths that make folks feel good and that provide rules to live by. Afraid I don't see it as anything more.

I view the Bible as stories crafted by men to support a specific perspective, often, though not always, admirable. Therefore, some if it is useful, some of it useless, and a lot of it is in between.

Double

 

[happygirl]

That's a hard question to answer for me. I believe It is in some ways. I think that scribes the ones that actually wrote the bible, I think they took liberties with it. They add to some events and took away from other events.

With that said I totally believe that Jesus is God only son and that Jesus died on the cross for everyone sins.

 

[Keli]

I believe that every single word in the Bible is true. Every word.
But, as others have pointed out, especially when it comes to time, we may not get it right.
I believe that God does not exist in linear time as we do. I believe that is something that God created for man and his time here on earth. I believe that after judgement day and our lives on this earth cease to exist in the way they do now, that time will be done away with and we will exist, immortal, dwelling outside of time, with Christ, in heaven.

 

[jimmiej]

The Bible is not one piece of work, even some of the later books such as the gospels were written up to several hundreds of years after Jesus' life.

Also it has been subject to traslations, interpretations, political intrigue and selective editing.

Adam and Eve no, an allegory to me. Jesus yes.

What specific books were written 100's of years after Jesus?

 

[golfgal]

We had this debate in a mom's group I used to attend. One woman was passionately defending the literal stance and that in their church that was the only belief. Taking the Bible literally meant that the world is 6000 years old. We have written history OLDER then that, what about everything that happened before that???? Her only defense was that she believes it because her pastor told her it was true . That is a little scary to me.

I believe the Bible is true but when It says things like "it rained for 40 days and 40 nights" I take that to be "it rained for a long time".

 

[Tuffcookie]

Buckalew wrote: Except for the voting "yes". I'm voting "other' because where scripture says, for example, "It was like..." and things like the parables, and the time it took for creation(maybe a 24 hour period, maybe not because, like jimmiej said, scripture). But I do believe Adam and Eve, Moses, Abraham, Noah etc. I am one of those people who take God and His Word very seriously. I take prophecy seriously too.

What she said.

TC