Freethinker (General)

by Balance_Maintained , U.S.A., Saturday, December 04, 2010, 02:28 (5105 days ago) @ David Turell

I'd like to compare notes about belief in the Bible. As a Jew I know only the OT well, having read Mark in the NT. I know that Israeli archeologists have worked to prove the historical facts in the Torah, and have found the City of David outside the walls of the Old City of Jeruselem. I've walked that dig. i understand that the walls of Jericho have been unearthed in recent years. So much of the history is true. But things like Jonah in the whale, or Job; just stories that make a point. For the NT I'd like to hear what you accept as true, if you do accept portions of it as true history.-I actually think that much of the NT could be read as literal truth. It is fairly cut and dry as to when it is speaking in terms of a parable and when it is speaking historically. Bear in mind that I am not getting into whether or not Jesus was divine, or whether Mary's conception was immaculate. But we know for certain that the people and places described there are real. There was a document discussed in detail in "The Bible Code" that correlates to much of the NT, including, names, places, details of events, etc. And while their are certain variations, I do not doubt that much could be accounted for as a difference of perspective, as when 3 people view the same car accident and each gives a different accounting. -That a man named Jesus live, I do not doubt. That he was a good, wise, and righteous person is not really in doubt for me. Did he bring people back from the dead, cure the sick, etc. I don't know. I personally have a couple of contrasting views on that topic. First, I do believe it is possible for one person to cure another person, at least to some extent. There are too many unrelated reports, from different areas and cultures, amounting to the same thing for me to dismiss it out of hand. -There are also other things talked about there that strike a chord deep in me. The concept of "If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you can move mountains", for one, and the incident where both Jesus and Peter walked on water. (I find it interesting that many people forget that Peter did that as well.) Both of these events parallel several more esoteric teachings regarding the power of belief, or more accurately the power of 'Knowing', which basically amount to "The only limitations of human accomplishment are limitations that we place on ourselves by virtue of doubting our own innate abilities."-There are also other parallels to older, more esoteric teachings, and even some hints that Jesus was teaching his followers deeper 'mysteries' than what he was teaching the layman. The rising of Lazarus and Jesus after three days in the ground(three days dead) are both seeped in esoteric philosophy, and have little if anything to do with coming back from physical death instead referring to a spiritual enlightenment. -Another key thing that is often overlooked is in Timothy(or maybe it was 2 Timothy) it says "All scriptures are inspired of God and beneficial.." And the important not here is that it does not say the Bible, the OT, the NT, the Koran, the Cabala, the Vedas, or any other specific text, but that they are ALL inspired of God and beneficial. -I do know that the Catholic church has tried to cover up things that would be detrimental to them, such as the Gnostic Gospels and the Apocrypha which all more-or-less state that a Church is unnecessary. -If you want to get into specific details though, please be a tad more specific in your question. But I would ask that you please focus the questions on the Bible text and not a specific religion. I don't really care about nor pander to the various religious groups, and am in fact quite thoroughly disgusted with them.