Do you take the Bible literally?

[MidgeD79]

This is a very interesting thread and the responses have really made me stop and think about what I believe in the bible. Unless we are able to read the languages (Hebrew, Greek etc), everything in it is an interpretation.
The Apostles Creed
I believe in God the Father Almighty
Maker of Heaven and Earth
And in Jesus Christ our Lord
Who was born of the Virgin Mary
Suffered under Pontius Pilate
Was crucified, died and was buried
On the third day he rose up from the dead
Ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty
I believe in the Holy Spirit
the holy catholic*church
the communion of saints
and life everlasting
AMEN
*universal
The Bible has shown me - through stories, biographies and letters - how the things that I believe in may have happened.

 

[binny]

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.

I believe that too.

I think that the Bible is Gods word, given to man by God and that it is a guide for how to live.

 

[Tinkerdreams]

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.

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.

In Genisis it states "The Earth was void". Meaning that there was nothing on the Earth but it was here.

 

[Andy B]

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

Mabye hundreds might be a slight exageration but not written when Jesus was around.

[edit] Dating
Estimates for the dates when the canonical Gospel accounts were written vary significantly; and the evidence for any of the dates is scanty. Because the earliest surviving complete copies of the Gospels date to the 4th century and because only fragments and quotations exist before that, scholars use higher criticism to propose likely ranges of dates for the original gospel autographs. Scholars variously assess the consensus or majority view as follows:

Mark: c. 68–73,[6] c 65-70[1]
Matthew: c. 70–100.[6] c 80-85.[1] Some conservative scholars argue for a pre-70 date, particularly those that do not accept Mark as the first gospel written.
Luke: c. 80–100, with most arguing for somewhere around 85,[6], c 80-85[1]
John: c 90-100,[1] c. 90–110,[7] The majority view is that it was written in stages, so there was no one date of composition.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospel#Dating)

http://www.tempemasjid.com/maurice/10sources.htm

 

[jimmiej]

Mabye hundreds might be a slight exageration but not written when Jesus was around.

[edit] Dating
Estimates for the dates when the canonical Gospel accounts were written vary significantly; and the evidence for any of the dates is scanty. Because the earliest surviving complete copies of the Gospels date to the 4th century and because only fragments and quotations exist before that, scholars use higher criticism to propose likely ranges of dates for the original gospel autographs. Scholars variously assess the consensus or majority view as follows:

Mark: c. 68–73,[6] c 65-70[1]
Matthew: c. 70–100.[6] c 80-85.[1] Some conservative scholars argue for a pre-70 date, particularly those that do not accept Mark as the first gospel written.
Luke: c. 80–100, with most arguing for somewhere around 85,[6], c 80-85[1]
John: c 90-100,[1] c. 90–110,[7] The majority view is that it was written in stages, so there was no one date of composition.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospel#Dating)

http://www.tempemasjid.com/maurice/10sources.htm

Remember also that Jesus lived until ~30 AD. The beginning of the Church was several years after that (Acts). Paul wrote his letters several years after that. That makes the timing of the NT more acceptable, imho.

 

[jenny105]

I believe in God and I believe in Jesus. There are some parts of the Bible I believe to be true but other parts I believe are the greatest fiction ever written. I don't mean to offend anyone but I don't believe every single word in it is true.

 

[boredtotears]

I believe that too.

I think that the Bible is Gods word, given to man by God and that it is a guide for how to live.

Yep, me to!

 

[ICF]

I think the Bible is man's attempt to put the word of God on paper.

In general I think the majority of it is likely true....from the writer's point of view.

While I can fully believe there was an Adam / Eve, Noah and the like....I think their stories are more parables then anything else.

I can't really believe that Adam & Eve populated the entire world...hello....only 1 woman and all the kids were male?

I also can't believe that it would have been possible to get 2 of every animal in an ark...even with Gods help that would have been one really big ark or 99% of all animals around now weren't around back then.

 

[Laura]

I think the Bible is an interesting literary work, but I'm not a Christian any more, so I don't really believe in any of it.

When I was a Christian, I was specifically a Catholic. As such, I was never taught that the Bible was always literal. I was taught, for example, that Genesis is an allegory, a story to get people to understand that God created everything, not that it is a story of exactly how it was done.

 

[famofsix]

i believe the Bible to be 100% true but our interpretation of it can be 100% false....I believe that to truly understand the Bible that a person needs to ask God for wisdom in understanding it. I also believe that many "stories or parables" were written for us to understand a greater moral so in the literal sense those are the things that less black and white. I thing it is extreemly important to understand the culture of the time the Bible was written and the fact that we have lost original translation due to our own language and culture. That's why we need God's wisdom to understand what God is teaching us. I see the Bible as a personal tool to guide me through life and I do believe 100% that God wants a true relationship with us and He gave us the Bible to help us get closer to Him and Know Him. I also believe He gave us the Holy Spirit to guide our spirit.

 

[RickinNYC]

I believe the Bible as the Word of God as told through man and man, over the centuries, has embellished and misinterpreted the Word to suit his own needs as appropriate to the time in which he was living. It is a series of allegories to teach lessons and to provide guidance.

 

[corndog]

Literally take it where? To the store? To church? To the library?

 

[tonilea]

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.

Ditto.

 

[BriarfoxinWA]

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

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

Totally agree. Books have been included or removed from the bible to support political and social situations in the time that it was compiled. While I believe, I don't take every story literally.

 

[Nik's Mom]

I voted "other". I believe in God, and I am a very spiritual person. I do read the bible and I am involved in bible study. But I do believe that some of the bible is made up to help explain things. While there are many things that historians have been able to support, there are some things that they cannot. For example, I do not believe in Adam and Eve.

I do feel that the bible is an important book and I can learn a lot through it's stories. I feel that I am becoming a better person by reading and learning about the bible.

 

[chalee94]

Mabye hundreds might be a slight exageration but not written when Jesus was around.

1) no one is arguing that the NT was written "while Jesus was around."

2) in the circumstances you're discussing, yes, it's a large exaggeration to go from even the 60-70 year dating of the liberal scholars you quote to "hundreds of years."

the letters of paul were definitely written while there were still a lot of living eyewitnesses to Jesus' life, and paul - in several cases - refers to the words of Jesus as if his readers would be familiar with them. even that 60-70 year dating doesn't square with the evidence...

 

[jimmiej]

This is a very interesting thread and the responses have really made me stop and think about what I believe in the bible. Unless we are able to read the languages (Hebrew, Greek etc), everything in it is an interpretation.

That's where commentaries are useful. The writers have studied the original languages to determine the intended meaning.

 

[clgwli]

No. I am Christian and was never taught to take it word for word. I find it rather scary to think that ones entire religious belief rests on the men who interpreted it over the centuries. Yes they know their stuff but they are humans and can make mistakes. It has a lot of great stories to follow but to take it word for word is a dangerous thing in my opinion.

 

[jimmiej]

No. I am Christian and was never taught to take it word for word. I find it rather scary to think that ones entire religious belief rests on the men who interpreted it over the centuries. Yes they know their stuff but they are humans and can make mistakes. It has a lot of great stories to follow but to take it word for word is a dangerous thing in my opinion.

Many Christians (including me) believe the Bible is divinely inspired, therefore without human error. If God created the universe as the Bible teaches, surely He's powerful enough to make sure His Word is exactly as He intended.

What other source(s) do you use to determine your Christian beliefs?

 

[DISUNC]

I do take some parts literally, 10 Commandments, The Lords Prayer, The Resurection. (The BIGGIES )
But for the most part No. Books are missing, it has been interpeted thru many languages dozens of different times...etc. Even the birth of Christ has 2 different versions in the Bible.