Getting to the Nitty Gritty

[naomi24]

Christians - why do you believe dogma that history proves is man-made?

[Theland]

History will prove it is man made if you are dogmatic, take up a position, and then only search for the evidence that supports your view.
It is often difficult to be completely objective without allowing our own prejudices to colour our verdicts. I think.

[naomi24]

Hello Theland, do you deny that a council of men decided, several hundred years after the event, that Jesus and god are one and the same?

[wizard69]

opened a can of worms with this one I think...

[Theland]

Naomi - The council simply made a final agreement on what was to be included in the canon of scripture. A rubber stamp if you like, as the scripture concerned were already in use and widely accepted. However, other so called scriptures, like the Apocrypha and other mythologies, were likely to creep in unless a decision was made to declare the existing accepted scriptures complete. This measure simply stopped the "extras" from being included.

[naomi24]

Theland, so you do agree that men made the decision?

[Theland]

Men made the decision not to allow more into the already accepted canon of scripture.
But, men also wrote the Bible .... inspired by the Holy Spirit. Not men using their own imagination.

[jake-the-peg]

Why do I get the feeling that expressions like

"guided by the Holy Spirit" or "Through Grace "

are about to enter the thread?

[jake-the-peg]

Whoops too slow I missed it

[Theland]

Beat you to it Jake!

[Theland]

But that's the point isn't it? We wouldn't give the Bible any credence if it was written by just some human author telling stories.

[jake-the-peg]

But it's all a circular argument isn't it?

How do you know the bible was put together through the holy spirit? - Because we believe the bible!

[Llamatron]

And that's entirely the point. It WAS written by human authors.
Written, translated, mis-translated, editted, censored, interpreted, mis-interpreted over the centuries by humans one and all.

And it's humans that have decided that there was some kind of devine influence.

[Theland]

And was it humans who foretold the future of Israel - "Dry Bones?"

[Llamatron]

I suppose claiming divine influence is the only way to get around the fact that so many anonymous people with unknown motives had a hand in its evolution.

[Llamatron]

Oops, I mentioned the 'E' word.

[Theland]

We forgive you LL

[Llamatron]

http://www.rationalrevolution.net/articles/jes us_myth_history.htm

[naomi24]

Even if the authors and editors were divinely inspired, how can anyone say they KNOW that? Call me sceptical if you like, but it all sounds just a little suspect to me. Convenient though I suppose.

[Theland]

Naomi - I would say that the Bible is divinely inspired, by virtue of the fact that its prophecies regarding Israel are accurate.
Compare the history of Israel with the prophecies. No man inspired such accuracy.
Also, the present day situation in the Middle East also echos the prophecies.
Check it out and see for yourself.