Can you still take the Bible seriously?

Well, I have been reading the Bible my entire life, and I believe in the Bible. You cannot take one verse and isolate it and preach a sermon on one isolated verse. Like any book or any other teaching, you need to read the entire chapter or the entire book to fully understand the teaching. I am sure that the teachings of the Koran or the teachings of Buddha do not make sense if you isolate one particular sentence. You would need to read and study the entire Koran and you would need to read and study the entire teachings of Buddha. Please read the Bible!

The answer's hermeneutics...

The framework of thinking you bring to the bible largely determines what you get out of it.

Those who already think that the bible is an integrated consistent whole will have means of reconciling and handling all the texts.

In fact it's a given condtion in some approaches that no understanding of a passage should contradict another passage. Which can't do other than produce a harmonious result. There *are* no inconsistencies by this method!

(That the same could be done with any book is not generally noticed.)

But there are lots of approaches (I have a whole book just reviewing those that have been applied to the OT in different times and places)

So while some will find it possible to see the bible as inerrant and inspired, I can't any more, the way I was taught to.

Realising there wasn't one way it had been read through history was part of the enlightenment.

Seeing how differently commentators and preachers had handled difficult verses was another.

The bible needs taking seriously historically, culturally, and because so many people still believe it. But the assumptions made about it and the selective reading of it are frequently frightening.

The Bible is actually interesting if you find the right Pastor or Rabbi to give you his interpretation of it.

The Chaplain who met with my husband and I before we were married respected our nonreligious perspective but he said he was going to use the bible to make some points and he did. He was funny, entertaining, made some good points and did it all without being pushy about it. I much enjoy discussing the Bible with someone who knows what they are talking about. There aren't many of them around though.

Yes. In order to get to know the Lord personally, you need to read up on the Bible. The Bible is his very word. The Bible are guide lines to a happy life on earth.

I take the Bible very seriously, in fact more now than ever. The problem is you are trying to understand spiritual things with the understanding of the carnal mind. It can't be done nor can anyone explain it to you. First you must believe God exists and ask for Him to accept you into His family and then the Holy Spirit will open your eyes to understanding.

Respected brother in humanity,

You can no longer take the Bible seriously for it is not the word of God. The original gospel was the truth, the one that God sent to Jesus, but it has been lost forever.

That is the reason that God sent another messenger to re-guide humanity to God's way. God sent Muhammad (may the Peace and Blessing of God be upon him) with the Qur'an.

The Qur'an has been preserved in its original form, because it has been memorized by people since it was revealed. Currently there are MILLIONS of people in the world that have the Qur'an memorized, so if you took all these people who memorized the Qur'an from all over the world, they would all recite the same Qur'an.

of course i can. because i study and meditate on it daily. I'll take God's word over mans word any day.

Ex. 21:7--the LAW in the section served to protect the purchased bride. If she were not acceptable to her new master, he would let her be redeemed, that is, her freedom might be purchased by another.

that was the Jewish law then. just because it was apart of there legal system then does not mean that God approved it. now tell me, can you find any scripture were God approved slavery?

Lev 25:44--Foreign slaves could be bough, sold, and inherited like other property. This does not mean approves slavery. He made laws to ameliorate the practices of that time.

again, please tell me a scriprute where God approved of slavery?

Ex: 35:2--do you even know what day the Sabbath is? according to the JEWISH law?

Lev: 19:27--Beards were standard among Isrealite men. Shaving was a sign of mourning.

Mark 11:12--again you have no clue about what you're talking about. The next day would be Monday, and Mark devotes only eight ...wait what does this have to do with figs?

Matt 10:36 The disappointment of many christians throughout the ages, it has often been those closest to them who have rejected them and their message, even to the point of betrayal. The Lord Himself experienced these feelings with the betrayal of Judas and the denial of Peter.

you have NO clue about what you're talking. next time...i suggest you do your research before you make yourself look stupid. you must study in order to understand you're homework. that goes for others you just read the "cover" of the book.

I take it very seriously - it remains a force for harm in the world as too many people believe it is the word of god and an acceptable code for living.

You gotta love a good religious conundrum. This from a man of peace, purportedly.

What else is truth and absolute? Everything else is full what if's and why etc:

God is truth, His Word is truth and absolute Period