[kirklancaster]

[QUOTE=Kyle;7321668]

"I understand this is a difficult topic to discuss because at the end of the day I have decided to read the bible only to pick it apart and absorb the (in my opinion) mythology surrounding it."

I've no problem here Kyle - in fact I welcome it, because if you're reading, you're informed, and don't spout irrelevant bollox like some, even if you're contesting my viewpoint.

"Personally I will always have difficulty understanding how some parts of the bible can be readily accepted and others thrown away as conjecture when it's all there in a book which the writers have given no indication of which bits are to be taken literally and which have just come from imagination. It's just so ambiguous I can completely understand how there are so many denominations which take whatever meaning they want from the scriptures and use it to further their agenda."

The Bible was written by many writers over a period thought to be a thousand years. During that time, various 'ruling bodies' have edited the original text to suit their own purpose. These range from the Roman's after Constantine's conversion to Christianity in 312 AD, to the latest alterations in the 2011 New International Version of the Bible (NIV), and then there may have been much text - the meaning of which has been 'lost in translation'.

I'm not too worried about any 'selective editing' though Kyle because I believe the 'essence' to be still basically intact, it's the text which has been removed and destroyed over the years which I'm pissed about - think what might have been there.

I don't even think there are many instances in the Bible which involve imagination - just attempts by relatively primitive man to convey in his own language real experiences which fell beyond the parameters of his knowledge and vocabulary.

"Some like Joseph Smith just completely add extra books and scripture on top of that and before we know it we have huge pockets of America that follow the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints."

With no offense intended to people of Mormon and Islamic persuasion, there is no independent corroboration of the 'divine' revelations which Joseph Smith - like the 'Prophet' Mohammed - claimed. We have only their word themselves that what happened actually happened.

Smith experienced his 'visions', when completely alone - first in a secluded wood in 1820 and later - again alone - when visited by an angel he called 'Moroni' in 1823.

Mohammed experienced a vision of the archangel Gabriel, who proclaimed him a prophet of God. whilst meditating in a cave outside of Mecca completely alone.

There is a lot more evidence which casts serious doubt as to the claims of both Smith, but especially Mohammed, but that's another story.

Suffice it to say that I examined these religions (among others) a long time ago and rejected them in favour of Jesus Christ for whom there is overwhelming evidence that he lived and died on the cross and very persuasive evidence from numerous contemporary sources that he resurrected. As incredible as it may seem to 'modern man' there is also what I regard as compelling forensic evidence to substantiate Christ's resurrection, but that also is another story.

"To me, and certainly from what I've seen so far this is just completely jumbled up bad code which means hee haw to me and doesn't give me a clear understanding of what on earth I should be doing. That doesn't sound to me like a Very clever God but that's just my impressions so far."

I'm being deadly sincere now Kyle; I can't blame you for being confused. I know from years of reading (worse now since the advent of the internet) that as soon as you read one 'authority' who makes claims as being 'Gospel' and feel swayed, you read another 'authority' who debunks the first authority and makes polar opposite claims as being 'Gospel'. It takes a hell of a lot of following up, cross referencing and digesting and analysing before you can reach any sort of conclusion which you feel satisfied by - if ever.

I'm not trying to 'convert' anyone and the subject is far too complex for me to comprehensively relate even my tiny knowledge for me to try to convince.

All that I am saying is that I am a normal, ordinary Yorkshire man born to working class parents of no religious persuasion, and I do not 'leap in' to anything without satisfying myself that it makes sense to do so. I experienced a 'catalyst' which convinced me that there was more to this (otherwise futile) existence than procreating and getting pissed, and I set off in search of answers.

Keep reading Kyle, you might surprise yourself and find some answers to questions you haven't even asked out loud.