ok, we all know that the bible is incomplete. Scholars picked and chose which sriptures to put in this book we call the "bible". So I have a "Q" about this. If scripture was actuly from GOD, why was any of it left out? If it is GOD'S word, shouldn't it all be put in? Probly a silly Q, but I'm curious on others ideas on this.
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Re: GOD'S WORDS LOST?
04/18<Scholars picked and chose which sriptures to put in this book>
Well, some of them were probably scholars. It was a council of bishops of the early church who assembled the "canon", those books that they considered worthy of inclusion in the Bible. Unfortunately, not all of them were scholars. Many were able politicians more interested in cementing and augmenting their personal power in the church than in serious discussion of thorny problems in theology. It was more often a case of "pick a side and fight like hell for it." As with most theological problems in those days, the issues were decided less by reasoned argument and more by which bishop had brought the most monks armed with the heaviest clubs. That's right, theological debate was often reduced to brawling in the streets and busting heads at these conferences.
This, unfortunately is typical of most "discussion" in today's media. Look at Sean Hannity or Bill O'Reilly. Their whole debate technique consists of shouting down the opposition with personal slurs, dogmatic sloganeering and scoffing at anything they can't be bothered to understand. When everyone starts from the position that "I'm right and anyone who disagrees with me is a fool and/or a traitor", there is going to be very little light and a great deal of heat---guaranteed.
The greatest problem with this is that the idiots who tune in regularly usually feel convinced that what they have seen is enlightening political debate. Maybe if Hannity and O'Reilly had actual clubs to whack their opponents with, the flowing blood would disabuse the viewers of their illusion. Nah, they'd probably just decide that their side had won the debate.
That's why I didn't watch Fox News even back when I had cable.
With love,
Bob -
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Re: GOD'S WORDS LOST?
04/18ok, I suppose I should have said ["earthly man" picked and chose ....] (I stand corrected)
I'm sure it was quite a debate to see from the mouse hole! LOL I am also sure that God/dess was shanking the holy head, and throwing up the hands saying "what the F**k"? hummm... if my earthly father told me to tell my brother to take out the garbage, wash the car, and to feed the dog, and I only told him to to feed the dog, thinking the rest wasn't important .... and omitting the rest.... wouldn't that be a major "oops! ? So if God/dess said to tell us more than what was in our "bibles" .... again oops? Could be that although the ones doing the selecting may have thought it wasn't important to pass on to us at the time ... but maybe the omitted was important?
Once I bought a desk in a box. You know they come in peices and you have to put it together. I skimmed over the directions, and figured I didn't really need the one screw, so just skipped over that one. It became apparent later that in order for the whole thing to stay together, and not be wobbly, that screw WAS needed and I had to go back and put it in, other wise it would have fell apart in time.
So consequintly, maybe the omitted scriputre , although not understood then, may they have been a needed part? That is if this was truely God/dess' words and not the "prophet's" wishes.
again just a Q and wanting feedback on this thought.
Trish -
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Re: GOD'S WORDS LOST?
04/19Yes, there were a number of very interesting books left out of the Biblical canon. The ones that I have looked at, however, I have failed to find much value in. Possibly this is a tragic misunderstanding on my part, yet I feel that I should stick to the books that I can get benefit from. To tell the truth, there has been enough distortion of the scriptures we already have to occupy several lifetimes trying to get at the hidden truth in the canon by itself. Other books will have to wait for time and opportunity to take them up and give them careful study. Another consideration is simply that the received texts have enough study resources available already prepared to make it much easier to get at what they actually say. There are very few concordances or interlinear editions available for the Nag Hammadi library, valuable as such aids would be.
So, I concentrate on the subject matter that is readily available and comes with many valuable study aids (along with quite a lot of utterly useless garbage). I do look into other sources on occasion, but I'm not really equipped to make much sense of them so I don't spend a lot of time there.
With love,
Bob -
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Re: GOD'S WORDS LOST?
04/28There is the whole first Book of the Bible. I really didnt need to know all of those names. I read it out loud, just so that I could say I wrapped my tongue and brain around them. I still just dont know about the Bible. Both New and Old testament seem so different. I realize they are, but even the nuance of how one should believe has changed.
I dont know, I need to believe in something, or what is life worth? A belief gives one hope, promise, something to live for. I simply, in my heart, cannot believe in one God. I do believe in one God with all of me. But with the way everyone is acting, there has to be more. I have to believe in a Goddess as well. Long before Christianity, there were Gods. I have also noticed, that some real religions of today, were spread by those who could fight and were stronger. So now who is to say? I still look around and read and study. Maybe I am just needing something right now. Something to grab onto. But it isnt in me, to grab ahold of Christianity. I cannot grab ahold of something that has been twisted for someone else's gain.
So how to believe in anything? -
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Unsu...
Re: GOD'S WORDS LOST?
05/04<I cannot grab ahold of something that has been twisted for someone else's gain.
So how to believe in anything? >
The truth is in their for those that seek it. You either recognize the word of God when you hear it or you don't. Not everyone is meant to be saved.
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Re: GOD'S WORDS LOST?
05/10You face a problem that is common to a lot of humans. Let me tell you a story to illustrate my view of the matter.
Once many years ago, a coworker with me came to me with questions.
"Bob," he said, "you're some kind of preacher, aren't you?"
"Well, not exactly. I am a priest, but I try not to preach too much. Why?"
"Tell me, what should I believe?"
Now this was a horrifying question for me. How could I take the responsibility for being this man's personal conscience?
So I said, "I would prefer to start with where we are now? Tell me what you believe now and we will talk about it from there."
"But that's just it. I don't know what to believe. That's why I'm asking you."
"I'm sorry, buddy, I can't decide that for you. It's up to you to decide what you believe and build on that."
Well, he was terribly unhappy with that answer. But I can't help that. I can't tell anyone what to believe. I can tell them what I believe and let them make up their own minds if it makes sense to them or if I'm full of shit. Or both. No one has any right to tell anyone else what to believe and anyone who expects to be told what they should believe is abdicating his/her responsibility as a human being to know his/her own mind and examine it for himself.
You have a much better chance of a meaningful relationship with God/Goddess/All That Is if you start by deciding what you believe now and work on making it clearer, cleaner, brighter and more hopeful. The one thing that is forbidden to Christians, Wiccans, Muslims, Hindus, Taoists, Voudonsi or any other people of whatever faith is to despair. Despair is the opposite of faith. Despair is the death of faith. Fortunately, the reverse is also true. Faith is the death of despair. And in the game of life, despair means defeat. How can we benefit from life if we are unable to enjoy and appreciate it? True there are those who are in such horrid circumstances that they have little to enjoy in life. It is the first duty of such people to rise above their circumstances and to change those circumstances and to free themselves from where they have been so that they can find something to believe in. Anything we can believe in is better than having no confidence in anything at all. If all else fails, we must have some confidence in ourselves at least, so that we can make a life worth living whatever our circumstances. The bottom line is that it's up to us to help ourselves out of the muck and mire. God will help but only when we decide it's worth our effort.
Remember, anyone can believe WITH you, but no one can believe FOR you.
So worship the God of the Bible, if that is the image of God that resonates with you. Worship the God of the Quran if that is where you find meaning. Follow after the peace of the Buddha if that's your choice. Just remember not to settle for anything because it's the prevailing fashion among your neighbors. If you worship your neighbors, you lose yourself.
And it occurs to me at last that there's the key thought. Believe whatever gives you to yourself. Reject whatever asks you to abandon yourself and give in to despair of life. That way is death. Only what gives you life and joy is of any value to you, just as it is for any other human being, whatever his or her beliefs.
There is no human being without the "being" of humanity.
And I'd better stop, since I notice that I'm rambling.
With love,
Bob
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