Lerner
I do not know how mny kinds of Christians you have known. Over here in the USA there are many for whom the bibkle is the one and only authority.
If an issue does not directly fit into scripture an interpretation is cobbled together
G'day Steve
I should say... I
also take to the bible (having faith in) as the Authority . In my previous post, I was sort of agreeing with BH's OP to some extent, in the vein that there
are 'some' people out there who maybe... as you put it...
cobble together some thought-up idea to fit their personal narrative
... which could be a most obvious of a contradiction, if going against something that is
widely accepted among the rational public - including other Christians, who would
also not agree with the
cobbled together interpretation either
.
It does depend on what's being said. The earliest example of an interpretation I recall, about 30 years ago, and haven't forgotten since: was when I was sitting in our vehicle on a lovely Sunday afternoon listening to the radio. There was an interesting sermon from an American radio programme which got my attention. According to this preacher, he explained the dividing waters where the planets. The concept here, is that ALL the planets in our solar system, at one time, had water or oceans in all of them.Can't remember everything else, but I recall another sermon from the same radio station, where the host mentioned tracing the bloodline of David which goes right through Europe and to Queen Elizabeth....
... (Not that I was quite a believer back then, but it was interesting to me nevertheless... more so, something to listen to, admittedly because it was entertaining. I'm thinking if I should try and look them up for the curiosity, and if they still exist, I would wonder if they or anyone of that congregation of listeners, still believe in the dividing waters explanation they gave back then)
Abortion is a good example. The Christian pro lifers say abortion is against god's will.
Well yes, naturally, that is the understanding of the scriptures to certain believers - 'Life is sacred.' There are various influencial aspects to this, which are written in the texts that convinces those, as to why 'abortion is against God's will' :
Thall shalt not kill (murder) - taking an innocent life (viewing in this regard, for conveniency)
Jeremiah 1:5
Before I formed you, I knew you, and before you were born I constructed you: I appointed you a prophet to the nations
God was
against the abominations of nations that sacrificed babies to Molok, Baal etc. & etc.. (hence the destruction of those nations and peoples).
American Christian slave owners justified slavery of blacks based on interpretation of the Mark Of Ham.
By making things fit, distorting the scrptures for this type of "justification" is
abhorrent to many Christians. Slaves (mainly bond-servants) were treated better under the Hebrews because that was commanded by God. Even under the Romans, although still harsh - you could
still earn your freedom and
become a Roman citizen, (although I think there was
limited rights to getting into political positions, their children
however, would get those full rights). Compare that with the many centuries later of Black Slavery who were thought to be sub-human just in the
last couple of centuries.
The problem with Christianity is there is no consistent morality in the bible.
Its not the bible thats not consistent, its people as humans, who don't really follow what Jesus teaches. Even the old atheist debates, where atheists use to tell us this too!! Asking theists: "Didn't Jesus say you shouldn't judge others..?" or "Shouldn't you give the shirt off your back to the poor like Jesus commanded... ?"
You see, it seems a lot of atheists seems to understand this, and rightly highlight people, who are calling themselves Christian, who are NOT actually doing what Jesus & Christianity teaches...
... but oddly enough at the same time - when self-claimed Christians are doing the
opposite to what Jesus teaches, atheists will then make arguments (for the sake of debating), claiming Christianity is "evil" because Christians are apparently "following" their faith, according to the letter.
answersingenesis.org
)
