Why do so many Christians follow the Bible?

You are very interesting, indeed.

I look at the Bible as a reference text. Much like the tomes you explore in your graduate work.

Having grown up in a very large extended family that worships the Bible, it was difficult to point out facts like King James editing the text. Or the Apostles political motivations for writing the New Testament. Of course, let's not forget Pilot himself recognizing the political opportunity to offer an execution during Passover. A brutal one at that.

Ours is a difficult road to believe, yet question the text provided. Particularly when it is inconsistent and sometimes contradictory.

I would invite you to also explore religious history beyond the Christian/Judean threads.

A very good book to get you thinking is Jerusalem, City of Mirrors. A tome that explores the conflict of major religions claiming the same rock as sacred ground. There are other interesting things to explore.

For example, the crucifixion itself was actually a fertility ritual. Women in their menstrual cycle would go into the fields to make them more fertile. As men began to be more dominant, they also took on the role by having themselves staked into the field and a cut below the rib (think about Adam's rib) was made so that they bled onto the field. In a way Jesus was both Son of the Father and Mother to his followers by being crucified.

I guess the final thought is to consider the fear that religious people have when something they view as sacred gets challenged. The anger reaction turns to an attack on our character.

If you have the bandwidth, I would invite you to explore religion and philosophy more in your studies.

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A real Christian knows that the Bible is the text source. If you don't know what that is I'll explain it to you.

The source is the reference where information is drawn. The information is gathered and understood in order to compile a mindset and behavior towards the objective criteria where one must use to formulate various functions.

In Christianity, the Bible is the text source. So it is the text which guides one who calls them self a Christian who performs according to the criteria it establishes.

There MIGHT be some who call themselves Christian who 'worship' the Bible. But within the Bible there are certain things which says that there is not to be placed any gods before God.

The Bible is a text, not a God, therefore a logically thinking Christian will not worship the Bible, and neither will one who has known God through the Spirit of God.

Yes, you are missing a great deal. You are doing what is called, "Throwing the baby out with the bathwater."

You see one thing, and then dismiss it as error. In the Bible is the basis and the recorded history of what a Christian is by the oldest text available.

So you are basically screwing yourself for no good reason.

I think you have a valid argument. At least you don't sound like a retard when you state your case. I will admit when I saw the heading of your question I was a bit skeptical.

Like you, I don't believe the Bible to be infallible. I believe the writings are from inspired men of God, but eventually those writings fell into the hands of uninspired men and that is where we get the Bible as we know it. I believe it still holds many important lessons concerning the life of our Savior, but at the same time has lost many of the plain and precious truths. Heck if you look at the New Testament alone, only one of the four gospels was written by an Apostle and then we only have the writings of but a handful of the 12. Many of them are letters to a group of Saints (1st century Christians were referred to as Saints) that have corresponding for some time before the letter that is in the Bible. 1 Corinthians is actually Paul's second letter to the Saints at Corinth. They wrote Paul, he answered, they wrote back, the Paul wrote his second letter and that is what we are reading. So we are, in a way, walking into the middle of a conversation.

However I do believe that the study of the Bible is very important to our education about God our Father, and His Son Jesus Christ. You can still find truth in the scriptures.

The Catholic Church is the authentic witness for Christ in the world, just as it has been, since the very beginning.

Anyone who claims to believe the Bible alone, doesn't have a prayer without the authentic witness of the only Church that actually lived the authentic faith ... the Catholic Church ... the same Church that also wrote down many of the pertinent details for posterity, and called it "the Bible".

The entire new testament was complete by about 70 AD, except for the Book of Revelation, which was complete by the end of the 1st century.

Here's what you are missing.

1. 2 Tim 3:14-17

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

If that means nothing to you, then why not also dismiss John 3:16?

2. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

There is a huge problem when you begin to pick and choose which Bible verses are ok to you. Christ becomes what you make Him, and the Bible is very clear not to take or add anything to what has been written.

Rev. 22:19

And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

If you reject this, but claim to be a Christian, you are a walking contradiction.

I believe that the Bible is holy because it contains God's messages to mankind. I know that sometimes the scribes who copied the scriptures made mistakes or purposely altered the text, but the translation is accurate. And I agree with you about the other Gospels not being included in the Bible. I try to read all the holy teachings by Christians whenever I can get them. I believe they are all equally important.

The Bible teaches its own inspiration. 2nd Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

Second, in Deuteronomy. 13:1 - 5 and 18:20 - 22 Israel is given criteria for distinguishing God's message and messenger from false prophecies and prophets. One mark of a divine message is total and absolute truthfulness. A valid parallel can be made between the prophet and the Bible. The prophet's word was usually oral, although it might be recorded and included in a book; the writers of Scripture communicated God's word in written form. Both were instruments of divine communication, and in both cases the human element was an essential ingredient. Example Deuteronomy 13:4 You shall walk after the LORD your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice; you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him.

Also God IS His word. John 1:1 to 3 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

Now then, let me quote you. "a divine message of peace, tolerance, self-sacrifice, and an end to ritualistic brutality, but reject the written "interpretations" of the misogynistic, opportunistic priest/politicians who followed?" Where pray tell did you get all this information about Jesus if it was not from the Bible? Your remarks are ridiculous

I am sorry - but have you met every priest and politician? No? Didn't think so.

Way to call all the priests and politicians for the past 2000 years misogynistic, GENERALIZE MUCH?

I don't accept the Bible either - however it's not because of the priests and politicians after Christ.

Without the people who wrote the books in the Bible - you would know nothing about him.

Yes, you ARE missing alot!!! If you don't believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God, you are not a Christian in any way. What about the book of Revelation?

"The Revelation OF JESUS CHRIST, which God gave Him to show His servants--things which must shortly take place. And HE SENT AND SIGNIFIED IT BY HIS ANGEL TO HIS SERVANT JOHN, WHO BORE WITNESS TO THE WORD OF GOD AND TO THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST, TO ALL THINGS THAT HE SAW. BLESSED IS HE WHO READS AND THOSE WHO HEAR THE WORDS OF THIS PROPHECY, AND KEEP THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE WRITTEN IN IT; FOR THE TIME IS NEAR."

Rev.1:1-3

"WRITE THE THINGS WHICH YOU HAVE SEEN, AND THE THNGS WHICH ARE, AND THE THINGS WHICH WILL TAKE PLACE AFTER THIS." Rev.1:19

How in the world do you even know about Jesus Christ, if you never read the Bible, or heard things from it?

You talk a lot of garbage!