Christian Folk.. Sup With This?

[MrEgo]

"When a man strikes his male or female slave with a rod so hard that the slave dies under his hand, he shall be punished. If, however, the slave survives for a day or two, he is not to be punished, since the slave is his own property." Exodus 21:20-21

"It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." Mark 10:25


So I guess my question is.. do we take the Bible literally? Move this to off-topic or wherever if it doesn't belong here.

 

[HAL9000]

This thread will not go well.

 

[RocksteadyDotNet]

The bible is a fictional book written by uncivilzed idiots.

Why would you take it seriously? That's ridiculous.

 

[HAL9000]

The bible is a fictional book written by uncivilzed idiots.

Why would you take it seriously? That's ridiculous.

This. Always and every time this.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Surprise, surprise, the Bible is a mix of history and allegory.:whiste:

 

[Throckmorton]

Surprise, surprise, the Bible is a mix of history and allegory.:whiste:

This isn't history or allegory... these are prescriptive excerpts.

 

[wuliheron]

"When a man strikes his male or female slave with a rod so hard that the slave dies under his hand, he shall be punished. If, however, the slave survives for a day or two, he is not to be punished, since the slave is his own property." Exodus 21:20-21

"It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." Mark 10:25


So I guess my question is.. do we take the Bible literally? Move this to off-topic or wherever if it doesn't belong here.

Today slavery and beating people with sticks is illegal so its all academic but, of course, you take the Bible literally! It's your Christian duty to educate and convert these savages and if that means occasionally beating them or even accidentally killing one then that's what you do. Thank God you can at least still beat your kids or this country would be ruined by now.

 

[glenn1]

"When a man strikes his male or female slave with a rod so hard that the slave dies under his hand, he shall be punished. If, however, the slave survives for a day or two, he is not to be punished, since the slave is his own property." Exodus 21:20-21

"It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." Mark 10:25


So I guess my question is.. do we take the Bible literally? Move this to off-topic or wherever if it doesn't belong here.

I'm not a Bible literalist, but I don't think that one needs to be to answer this. Short answer is that Jesus has made some of the Old Testament laws unnecessary - if you're obeying Christ's guidance to "love others as you love yourself" that would sorta exclude you from beating your slave to death. Or if you prefer a more legalistic rationale, as per Romans 10:4....

For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God.

 

[Infohawk]

My understanding is that Christians see the Old Testament as background. Jesus came to Earth to and changed the game in the New Testament. So pointing out bad stuff in the Old Testament doesn't really accomplish anything.

As for the second quote it's mostly protestants that bend over backwards to make this mean something else. I think it's pretty clear Jesus was a hippie.

 

[glenn1]

"It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." Mark 10:25.

I noticed that I didn't speak to the second quote. This statement is made following Jesus's encounter with the rich young man in Matthew 19 (see link to it below). The young rich man who knew in his heart that his wealth was keeping him from having a fully realized relationship with God (notice how he asks about he "still lacks"). The disciples were amazed at what Jesus said about camels and needle eyes, because in those days the Jews thought that being rich was the sign of a person having favor with God. Instead, Jesus taught that being rich didn't mean that at all, instead that giving up what you have to serve others is what makes someone "rich," not money.

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+19&version=NIV

 

[Fear No Evil]

The bible is a fictional book written by uncivilzed idiots.

Why would you take it seriously? That's ridiculous.

Unless we're talking about Muslim's and the Quran.. then we can't make such generalizations.

 

[JSt0rm]

by slave the bible meant a 133mhz Pentium running windows 95

 

[1prophet]

Explanation of eye of the needle and camels.

When we consider the “eye of the needle”, we must remember the towers of the ancient Jewish and Arabian cities were often referred to as needles. All entered the cities through the main gates by day, open for traders and those bringing goods to market. At night, the main gates were closed to protect the city and entry was through a small door where several guards kept a close “eye” on activities. The “eye of the needle” referred to the entry door in or near a city tower.

Now, while this reference is larger than the eye of a sewing needle, it is still smaller than a standing camel. A traveler had to unload goods from the camel then coerce the beast through the door on its knees, or risk death and robbery outside the city. Getting the camel on its knees was not easy, although it was possible.
The correlation to a rich man comes in unloading all goods and possessions, or burdens associated with wealth. The unyielding burden represents areas in life not turned over to the Lord, which applies to many no matter our wealth. When we withhold what is the Lord’s, we find ourselves like a camel with no entrance to the city.

 

[1prophet]

Today slavery and beating people with sticks is illegal so its all academic but, of course, you take the Bible literally! It's your Christian duty to educate and convert these savages and if that means occasionally beating them or even accidentally killing one then that's what you do. Thank God you can at least still beat your kids or this country would be ruined by now.

Try that today and your kid can have you arrested.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

This isn't history or allegory... these are prescriptive excerpts.

Histories are not just an assemblage of facts, joe slept here and had a sheep, they are records of earlier peoples and their societies. I wonder why the anti Christian folks are so strident in their trolls.

 

[JSt0rm]

Histories are not just an assemblage of facts, joe slept here and had a sheep, they are records of earlier peoples and their societies. I wonder why the anti Christian folks are so strident in their trolls.

because we are really Satan sent to test your beliefs?

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

because we are really Satan sent to test your beliefs?

Naw, you're not that evil or intelligent for that matter.

 

[Steeplerot]

I wonder why the anti Christian folks are so strident in their trolls.

How are people anti-Christian? Are you Anti-Zeus? Anti-Sheba? Anti-Pan? No, you probably just dont believe in those particular human created fairies.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Example:

The bible is a fictional book written by uncivilzed idiots.

Why would you take it seriously? That's ridiculous.

How are people anti-Christian? Are you Anti-Zeus? Anti-Sheba? Anti-Pan? No, you probably just dont believe in those human created fairies.

While I do not believe in Zeus et al, I do not go out of my way to disparage another's beliefs unless they ask my thoughts on a religious matter.

 

[JSt0rm]

Example:




While I do not believe in Zeus et al, I do not go out of my way to disparage another's beliefs unless they ask my thoughts on a religious matter.

Do people who believe in Zeus shape public policy where you live?

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Do people who believe in Zeus shape public policy where you live?

Only a fool judges a religion by the people who practice it.

 

[JSt0rm]

Only a fool judges a religion by the people who practice it.

yes of course.

 

[Steeplerot]

Example:




While I do not believe in Zeus et al, I do not go out of my way to disparage another's beliefs unless they ask my thoughts on a religious matter.

Well, when the old moldy texts say some dumb stuff like how to beat your slaves or sell your wives people tend to be critical. Probably has something to do with folks buying into 2000 year old probably syphillis/mushrooom induced desert delusions in a vauge badly translated book.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Well, when the old moldy texts say some dumb stuff like how to beat your slaves or sell your wives people tend to be critical. Probably has something to do with folks buying into 2000 year old probably syphillis/mushrooom induced desert delusions in a vauge badly translated book.

I might mention the recent hooraw about Abraham Lincoln's views on slavery and black folk.

The point is, you have to read the Bible with some thought to context.

 

[BoberFett]

Do people who believe in Zeus shape public policy where you live?

No, but people who believe in Obama do, and they're almost as bad.