Bible Discussion Thread

Further thoughts on a proper perspective of scripture.

When viewing things from a different culture; some things are unique to the historical context, while others can be reflected in what we may call a "third world" nation today. Such an agricultural; agrarian lifestyle where someone would even care about coveting a donkey of a neighbor as a temptation may seem foreign. Coveting a neighbor's Ferrari or his wife certainly is a common thread where the 10th Commandment is violated even today. In looking at the New Testament in Corinthians there was a sort of "love feast" in the early church ( 1 Cor. 11:17-34) which was a major meal which isn't done today at least as a formal ceremonial occasion. When we look at the brutality of war; conquest and slavery from the scriptures many are appalled and indeed these are tough verses. Nonetheless in nations with conflict today much of these things occur.

Going back to what I said in the last few posts; we can look at other religions from a worldly standpoint as to the elaborate display of artistic forms; rituals; dance etc. and totally ignore the brutality that existed in most if not all pagan societies involving ritual child sacrifice; and all sorts of sexual deviation and murders to satiate the "gods". An atheist of course probably can see clearer than an agnostic; monuments from Greece and now replicated throughout the Western world of an obelisk represent a "phallic male" symbol with other things clearly the female reproductive organs. The fact that God used Israel to wipe out these pagan nations to the world may seem like it didn't happen until historical evidence proves otherwise. We see a similar sudden end to such "cultures" in the Americas as well. Of course we see different stories of a worldwide flood in every major nation's history as well as Creation stories and those of the giants of the earth. The world I suppose sees these as "coincidences" or puts scripture as just another fairy tale.