Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!dimacs.rutgers.edu!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: jclark@sdcc6.ucsd.edu (John Clark) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Understanding the Bible (was Re: St Paul and Women) Message-ID: Date: 4 Jun 91 03:59:16 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: University of California, San Diego Lines: 44 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article cctr114@csc.canterbury.ac.nz writes: + +So you read the Bible like a fundamentalist, thats fine. + No I read the Bible as a historical document just as the Iliad is. There is some 'truth' to the history but there is much fable. There are mention of a group of people, the Diety of that people, and the Diety's command to them. I also read the Bible as a source for much culture in the west, since nearly 2 millenia have been devoted to it's study and most philosophical/societal problems and solutions have in someway been influenced by it in european society. I also don't feel a great need to believe its tenants on human life and the existence of a diety. However, if I went through various portions of the text and picked out the 'good' (being defined by me or those who agree with me) and left the bad (for those who disagree with me) does that make me 'Christian'. I believe that if one subscribes to the name one must take the Bible essentially as it stands for better or worse. To do otherwise says I've invented a new religion. When I read passages which essentially state that the Diety has commanded that all the inhabitants of a certain place be killed I do not interpret this as 'an exploration of the nature of Godliness', I take it to be just what it is, genocide. You may explain or rationalize such commands away but it still remains that the OT had a vengful diety. And further if there were only one place where such comands were issued I could agree that we could discount the one in view of the many places were the Diety commanded 'accept the others as brothers'. In the OT there may be few if any (I can't recall any off hand) commands to 'accept others'. The closest one sees of this is after the state of Israel and Judah are take into captivity, one sees a certain 'acceptence' of the other. I do beleive Christians have some number of texts which indicate brotherly love, however it would seem that some number are quick to take up the attitudes of the OT relative to 'others'. -- John Clark jclark@ucsd.edu