The Faith & Religion mega Thread

Originally Posted by sundialsvcs Indeed – what, exactly, is meant by the word, "scripture?" When Paul wrote of it, did he know that one day his own letters would gain that status? Most likely, he was speaking of some other body of writings – yet never does he specifically indicate which writings he is referring to.

There's no mystery here. All New Testament writings use "The Scriptures" to refer to what we now call the Old Testament, specifically the Greek version of it known as the Septuagint. Any of Paul's original readers would have known what he meant by the term. And no, he did not have the faintest idea that his own writings would one day become scripture. We know this because, in 1 Corinthians 7, he actually distinguishes between what he knows comes from the Lord and what he regards as his own opinion. So it seems that words inspired by the Holy Spirit can be written down by someone who has no idea at the time that he is being thus inspired.

I suspect the same is true of the Old Testament. The prophets definitely believed themselves to be inspired ("Thus saith the Lord...") but I doubt if the careful historian who compiled Joshua-Kings did.

There are plenty of sites out there which will list many prophecies that didn't come true. A prophet foretold that a certain king would ascend the throne, but we know that that would-be king was killed in battle first. The Nile River didn't dry up. Egypt wasn't uninhabited for forty days. Damascus is still a thriving city, not a smoldering ash-heap. Jesus told several people that they would still be alive when He returned – but they aren't 2,000 years old. King David's line ended shortly after his death. Prophets assured victory but the Israelites got their asses kicked. The lists go on and on.

If you want to believe that a "prophecy" is true, then for you it will become so. Because you will choose and select those things which "fulfill it" for you, and the writings are intentionally vague. You read into them what you want to read.

So – "prophecies are what they are." Warts and all.

Why would you stick so much money into health care, when education brings health care?

Why people still read the Bible?

How many times has the "bibles" changed?

E.g: https://historycollection.com/18-way...ghout-history/
<=> https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_whispers

Originally Posted by igadoter Why people still read the Bible?

If you ban books in school, people are gonna read them! LL

How smart is the world? Combined? Smarter than 1 religion?

https://simple.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biblical_manuscript

Begin fond over each other's cool, right?

I don't think religion's working... Next.

I really like you jamison20000e. At least you not try to use pseudo-scientific arguments. Just needle in ass. So they is nice place for you in Hell. Dante described eight (seven) circles. You can't go to the first - it is meant for unbaptized children. To my memory one circle is for scientists. So you will be in good company: Aristotle, Plato, Democrite - and sure plenty others. Imagine yourself spending all day at university lectures. Which means that after thousand years you will be person of great knowledge. Little useless in Hell - but well it is theoretical knowledge

Originally Posted by igadoter Why people still read the Bible?

Because your faith is founded on it.

So you admit that people who don't share your fundamentalist JW religion can still be people of faith? That's a big step forward.

Originally Posted by business_kid Because your faith is founded on it.

Pint is if Bible is only kind or record of historical events - then for sure today historian would create much more interesting expositions of these times. Literature, movies.

All justified by history, archeology, linguistics. And written in much friendly way than Bible. Easy to understand. Let us make technical detailed description of Noah ark. Just the same story told. No need for Bible. Only for those who create that stories. Bible is difficult to read. Boring.

For telling stories we don't need Bible.

Originally Posted by igadoter Bible is difficult to read. Boring. For telling stories we don't need Bible.

The lens through which you must read the Bible is your whole life: everything you are or have learned. Read it like that and it will speak to you. I find the Bible to be a bit like Linux; whenever I pick it up, I learn something. But if you expect a plain, simple, theological textbook, you'll learn nothing and you'll just be wasting your time

Originally Posted by sundialsvcs There are plenty of sites out there which will list many prophecies that didn't come true. A prophet foretold that a certain king would ascend the throne, but we know that that would-be king was killed in battle first. The Nile River didn't dry up. Egypt wasn't uninhabited for forty days. Damascus is still a thriving city, not a smoldering ash-heap. Jesus told several people that they would still be alive when He returned – but they aren't 2,000 years old. King David's line ended shortly after his death. Prophets assured victory but the Israelites got their asses kicked. The lists go on and on.

There are two types of human prophecy - lucky, or wrong. Divine prophecies come true. The only scriptural (therefore Divine) prophecy you mentioned is in Matt 24:34, where Jesus said:

Truly I say to you that this generation will by no means pass away until all these things happen.

This refers to the destruction of Jerusalem, in 66/70 CE, and also to the last days. The 66/70CE events were fulfilled in graphic detail 33-37 years later, and many lived to see it. Please check your sources before you post. FWIW, 1.1 Million Jews died in Jerusalem in that time, with 97,000 taken captive, and older ones were all killed off, so I doubt if any were left. Besides, he gave that prophecy to his apostles (Matt 24:1-3), and they were all dead by 100CE.

We don't need psychological crutches for death (we die and none have proof otherwise.

Murder maybe: https://www.prisonexp.org/ &c...

I like to say: "If you live your Life in fear of Death, then you are already Dead."

One way or the other, you're going to wind up <<somewhere?>> soon enough, and if you do come back here you won't remember it. Therefore, go make the best possible use of the gift that you have been given, and don't fixate too much on what happens after that.

"The purpose of Life, if there actually is one, is neither Heaven nor Hell ... nor anything else."