21 replies to this topic

[Magicjax]

I see a trend in Christianity. When something is suggested or proven to contradicts something in the bible. Eventually the people that believe in the bible find a way to either change the bible or find a way to change the interpretation of the bible to fit the new findings.

Most think it's silly when some have changed the story of the age of the earth by suggesting that man and dinasours walked side by side in earth. That they lived at the same time and that dinasours aren't really from millions if years ago but from just a few thousand years. Like I said, Im sure most Christians don't really believe this. But I see a growing number that are starting to actually claim this statement as fact.

At first it was denied by Christians that evolution really occurs. But now some Christians are basically say that it does happen but god planned it that way on purpose. I'm sure some of you will come back by saying that both can be true. But if you go back in recent years. I'd say as early as 20 years back. Not many would make that claim. You'd either say evolution occurs or that it's completely false. There was no in between. But today there is a middle ground. A way of combining the belief with the finding has been worked out some more feel okay to say god created evolution. But this is a new concept that has been adapted.

I'll bet soon those people that are anti-gay for religious reasons will find some way to say they misinterpreted the bible and that it's ok. Because its more accepted in society today and religion will have to adjust. By the way. I'm not suggesting all Christians are bigots about gays. But we all know there are many out there that are).

If we ever find alien life I have a feeling a belief will surface  that it was created by gods cousin or brother. I know that seems silly but I do see how Christians tend to alter their beliefs when something contradicts what their religion teaches them and becomes more accepted by society.  Makes me wonder how long it'll take before its realized that nothing in this book exists anymore that hasn't been changed.

So I'm curious as to what the next thing will be that's altered to new scientific findings and social norms.

Edited by Magicjax, 06 March 2012 - 10:20 PM.

[and then]

Magicjax, on 06 March 2012 - 10:14 PM, said:

I see a trend in Christianity. When something is suggested or proven to contradicts something in the bible. Eventually the people that believe in the bible find a way to either change the bible or find a way to change the interpretation of the bible to fit the new findings.

Most think it's silly when some have changed the story of the age of the earth by suggesting that man and dinasours walked side by side in earth. That they lived at the same time and that dinasours aren't really from millions if years ago but from just a few thousand years. Like I said, Im sure most Christians don't really believe this. But I see a growing number that are starting to actually claim this statement as fact.

At first it was denied by Christians that evolution really occurs. But now some Christians are basically say that it does happen but god planned it that way on purpose. I'm sure some of you will come back by saying that both can be true. But if you go back in recent years. I'd say as early as 20 years back. Not many would make that claim. You'd either say evolution occurs or that it's completely false. There was no in between. But today there is a middle ground. A way of combining the belief with the finding has been worked out some more feel okay to say god created evolution. But this is a new concept that has been adapted.

I'll bet soon those people that are anti-gay for religious reasons will find some way to say they misinterpreted the bible and that it's ok. Because its more accepted in society today and religion will have to adjust. By the way. I'm not suggesting all Christians are bigots about gays. But we all know there are many out there that are).

If we ever find alien life I have a feeling a belief will surface  that it was created by gods cousin or brother. I know that seems silly but I do see how Christians tend to alter their beliefs when something contradicts what their religion teaches them and becomes more accepted by society.  Makes me wonder how long it'll take before its realized that nothing in this book exists anymore that hasn't been changed.

So I'm curious as to what the next thing will be that's altered to new scientific findings and social norms.

Magic you've discovered the secret!  Christians are actually humans who want to be accepted like everyone else and find ways to accommodate the ideas of the population at large while remaining true to their faith in an eternal creator.  Maybe the next change will be secularists trying to explain how the hell all those people just disappeared.  Now that's going to be fun to watch...except I won't be here  

[Sir Wearer of Hats]

I think we're going to see more "faction focused" Bibles, case in point my King James Catholic Bible has books and sections within books that my brother's "New Jerusalem" Bible doesn't. So the Catholics are going to have a Catholic Bible, the Anglican Bible, the Mormon Bible and so on and so forth are going to get more and more radically different.  

However, I can also see the reverse happening - a collation of a "single and official" Bible, basically a "Nicea II" happening, a conclave where the theological validity of previously expunged books are discussed at length and a Bible that perhaps has new Gospels (Judas? Barnabas? More Pauline letters? Petrine Letters? The Apocalypse according to Paul as well as the Johnian Revelation?) as well as older books either removed (as the CoE doesn't include Eccelsiasticus or Song of Songs iirc while the Catholics do) or added to (the expanded Book of Daniel for example - one Christian iteration of the Bible doesn't include the "Daniel versus the dragon" episode).


Ideally, I'd like to see the second rather then the first, lets all sing from the same songbook hmm Christians?

[and then]

Wearer of Hats, on 07 March 2012 - 12:02 AM, said:

I think we're going to see more "faction focused" Bibles, case in point my King James Catholic Bible has books and sections within books that my brother's "New Jerusalem" Bible doesn't. So the Catholics are going to have a Catholic Bible, the Anglican Bible, the Mormon Bible and so on and so forth are going to get more and more radically different.  

However, I can also see the reverse happening - a collation of a "single and official" Bible, basically a "Nicea II" happening, a conclave where the theological validity of previously expunged books are discussed at length and a Bible that perhaps has new Gospels (Judas? Barnabas? More Pauline letters? Petrine Letters? The Apocalypse according to Paul as well as the Johnian Revelation?) as well as older books either removed (as the CoE doesn't include Eccelsiasticus or Song of Songs iirc while the Catholics do) or added to (the expanded Book of Daniel for example - one Christian iteration of the Bible doesn't include the "Daniel versus the dragon" episode).


Ideally, I'd like to see the second rather then the first, lets all sing from the same songbook hmm Christians?

I'm in complete agreement provided the veracity if the texts can be documented.  I'm no scholar by any means and am a creature of my limited education where biblical text is concerned.  I look askance at the "newer" gospels because they were not included at Nicea but the older I get, the more I wonder if important records could have been left out.  And if these records contradict the original gospels, then what?  My faith in Christ is unshakable but I would like to have the best understanding possible of what the future holds...

[Rlyeh]

I wonder if in thousands of years there will be another collection of books added on to the Bible. Like Jesus came out, and now happily married to John.

[Leonardo]

Magicjax, on 06 March 2012 - 10:14 PM, said:

So I'm curious as to what the next thing will be that's altered to new scientific findings and social norms.

My bet would be a global trend away from literalism regarding the biblical theme of 'tribulation'. No longer will there be a consideration of a "physical return of Christ to usher in His Kingdom", but the narrative will be reduced to yet more allegory and metaphor for a change in our psychology and 'spirituality'.

This will alleviate the recurring need for various Christian factions to promote an "end of days" scenario, as promised in their scripture.

Edited by Leonardo, 07 March 2012 - 09:45 AM.

[Beckys_Mom]

I dunno if anyone will ever change the bible  ..

IF however in due time  changes are made,  it might not change too much on how people still feel

Maybe a new religion  will form  to make changes?  Could be.. who knows

[karmakazi]

The amount of time that has passed since the writing of the new testament hasn't been very long in the scope of human existance (unless you think the world is only 6000 years old which I don't).  It's only been about 1600 years since the council of nicaea compiled the currently accepted bible and yet there's been a lot of change in the understanding of the book... and a lot of change and branches to Christianity in such a short time.

For me the bible is a paradox... it could all be historical fact, it could all be a fairytale, it could all be mistranslated, or have been written down wrong in the first place, or everyone along the way could have misunderstood what was being said.  Likely, it's some combination of all of the above.  After all, books like Ruth sound more like recorded history but other books sound more like metaphor... like Genesis.

I've picked that book apart repeatedly, I even began learning some of the Hebrew characters to better understand it, and one of the first things I learned was that the first letter of the alphabet - beth - can be interpereted a few different ways (as can all of the letters) and one possible way put forth was that instead of saying "in the beginning" it may have been meant "in the house of god" IE the earth or this solar system or even this universe, not actually indicating a timeframe.  But we can't know for sure as we were not there when it was written.  I know that many accept the book as a whole as the inspired word of god but I am skeptical, especially because of the council of nicaea.  We don't know what books were rejected and destroyed, though we have some clue thanks to the discoveries of the dead sea scrolls and the nag hammadi texts.  

Changing what it says or change its interperetation only further clouds the issue, but what is a greater issue for me is not knowing how many times in the past the text may have been changed and that we don't know what it originally said anyway.

What will be changed next?  Maybe the understanding of the bible will be changed to match what Eric Von Daniken has said and it will be accepted by all as proof of ancient astronauts.  I'm sure it would take quite a while but... present something as fact enough times and eventually people start to believe it.

Edited by karmakazi, 07 March 2012 - 03:11 PM.

[dalia]

Magicjax, on 06 March 2012 - 10:14 PM, said:

I see a trend in Christianity. When something is suggested or proven to contradicts something in the bible. Eventually the people that believe in the bible find a way to either change the bible or find a way to change the interpretation of the bible to fit the new findings.

Most think it's silly when some have changed the story of the age of the earth by suggesting that man and dinasours walked side by side in earth. That they lived at the same time and that dinasours aren't really from millions if years ago but from just a few thousand years. Like I said, Im sure most Christians don't really believe this. But I see a growing number that are starting to actually claim this statement as fact.

At first it was denied by Christians that evolution really occurs. But now some Christians are basically say that it does happen but god planned it that way on purpose. I'm sure some of you will come back by saying that both can be true. But if you go back in recent years. I'd say as early as 20 years back. Not many would make that claim. You'd either say evolution occurs or that it's completely false. There was no in between. But today there is a middle ground. A way of combining the belief with the finding has been worked out some more feel okay to say god created evolution. But this is a new concept that has been adapted.

I'll bet soon those people that are anti-gay for religious reasons will find some way to say they misinterpreted the bible and that it's ok. Because its more accepted in society today and religion will have to adjust. By the way. I'm not suggesting all Christians are bigots about gays. But we all know there are many out there that are).

If we ever find alien life I have a feeling a belief will surface  that it was created by gods cousin or brother. I know that seems silly but I do see how Christians tend to alter their beliefs when something contradicts what their religion teaches them and becomes more accepted by society.  Makes me wonder how long it'll take before its realized that nothing in this book exists anymore that hasn't been changed.

So I'm curious as to what the next thing will be that's altered to new scientific findings and social norms.

Oh Yea! Another post to bash Christians.

What do you care what Christians have to say about their Bible?  Get a life!

[Beckys_Mom]

dalia, on 07 March 2012 - 05:15 PM, said:

Oh Yea! Another post to bash Christians.

What do you care what Christians have to say about their Bible?  Get a life!

Actually  I think your post  in ref to the OP was  unfair.. He is not out to bash anyone .. He feels that Christians will  change in due time..  His post is fair and most honest..     It is very easy to read  part of something and peg it  instantly as bashing.. But  read it word for word and gain an understanding,  can differ..  The only one to really bash anyone was you telling him to get a life ...So I found that unfair.. Sorry..

For all we know he could be right.. so many Christian  do  actually be more accepting and change.. So he has not said anything wrong there at all

[Magicjax]

dalia, on 07 March 2012 - 05:15 PM, said:

Oh Yea! Another post to bash Christians.

What do you care what Christians have to say about their Bible?  Get a life!

You could say I'm "bashing" the bible if you consider pointing out the obvious. Not people but the book itself. It's not hard to do. Most of the work is done for me.

Edited by Magicjax, 07 March 2012 - 07:27 PM.

[rashore]

I like Wearer of Hats option 2 I think it would be great if the holy bible were reworked to be the holy library... And include all the holy writings that have previously been excluded or have been re-discovered.

[J. K.]

The King James Bible has changed since 1611 simply because the English language itself has changed.  Additionally, there have been several paraphrased versions which greatly diluted the message, as well as changes like removing any reference to a masculine deity.  I don't foresee major changes occurring, given that our ability to store and reproduce information is superior to what it was in times past.  What I do see changing is the way that society (at least in the U.S.) views Christianity in general; Christians are being more and more vilified, so the Bible will be towed along to flounder in the wake.

[Sir Wearer of Hats]

Leonardo, on 07 March 2012 - 09:44 AM, said:

My bet would be a global trend away from literalism regarding the biblical theme of 'tribulation'. No longer will there be a consideration of a "physical return of Christ to usher in His Kingdom", but the narrative will be reduced to yet more allegory and metaphor for a change in our psychology and 'spirituality'.

An interesting concept, it could be like us struggling against our inner-daemons, overcoming our baser natures to becoming more Christ-like.
I like it.

[FurthurBB]

dalia, on 07 March 2012 - 05:15 PM, said:

Oh Yea! Another post to bash Christians.

What do you care what Christians have to say about their Bible?  Get a life!

Wow!  Understanding beliefs is important for understanding human nature.  Christian beliefs have been a dominate force in the social evolution of people on this planet.  The OP did not say anything bad about christians or christianity in their post and it was a legitimate line of questioning.  Why are you freaking out?  Do you have problems with paranoia?