That's a great step where it is made.
You are not ready yet for a simple answer, when you are ready it will be given you. Everything at their right time.
Is the bible the word of God
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That's a great step where it is made.
You are not ready yet for a simple answer, when you are ready it will be given you. Everything at their right time.
Greetings and peace be with you
MustafaMc;
It seems a miracle that the Bible was ever written at all, and I find it truly remarkable. Above all else Jesus inspired people, and that message still comes across 2000 years later.
The Jewish authority opposed Jesus, and he lived in a land occupied by the Romans, yet there are no stories of Jesus carrying a sword to protect himself. He lived a fairly dangerous life challenging authority and injustice; it seems he trusted in a higher authority to look after him. Stories of having faith in God and trusting in God run throughout the Bible. Jesus knew his destiny and his impending death and resurrection, which left him free to fulfil God’s work day to day.
Jesus came with a powerful message, it might seem strange that he did not have the need to write this story down himself so it would be passed onto others as he wanted. But if you stop and think a little further, it just empathises his trust in God. He knew that he would inspire others to write it in the way that God wants. Jesus performed so many miracles, his parables carried a real power, his life experiences where extraordinary by any standards.
You can bring up all the “what if questions about the Bible” the bottom line is faith in God and it is the will og God that the Bible is the way it is.
Even if someone like Adolph Hitler conspired to do things to the Bible, he would fail because God is in control; not man.
After the ascension of Jesus into heaven his disciples where given the gift of the spirit and they went of in all directions doing things and preaching the word of God. Because they wrote their stories from many countries over a period of years, we have to contend with translations from many languages. It seems the disciples did not consciously work together with the intention of writing the Bible, because like Jesus they were people of action and they spread the word in a more convincing way by doing things. These disciples were not able to complete writing the Bible and they inspired a next generation to continue.
Any communication between the disciples when they where scattered around different countries could have taken weeks or months to arrive, they could also have moved on. Their stories seem written very much from an individual perception as to how Jesus inspired each of them, and these individual inspirations are what inspire me.
Over the years I have been inspired more by one author in the Bible, then years later something written by another author about the same story helps me to understand another perception. Atheists, Buddhists, Hindu, Muslims have somehow helped me to understand the Bible from their opposing views, and I find this strange.
Over the last two thousand years language has changed, and scholars with all truthful sincerity have done their very best to faithfully translate the Bible in the way God intended. I believe that the message today remains extremely powerful and inspiring even though it is impossible to get an exact translation. There are footnotes throughout the Bible giving alternative translations so that the individual can try and find a best meaning and purpose.
I would struggle to learn Latin or any other language sadly it seems very difficult for me. I am so pleased that the Bible is available in just about every language, despite what people would call contradictions in translations, it was meant for all people, of all languages and not just scholars.
When I first started to think about the life of Jesus I wondered why he did not use all his powers of miracles to gain a status in life, become a ruler, a general or great high priest with people following him. He could have achieved a power base and written his own story. But now I look on the story of Jesus as not relying on the power of man to spread his word, rather he relied on the power of God. Jesus claimed no power on Earth. I wondered why Jesus had to die he could have avoided it.
But I believe that the destiny of Jesus was planned before the creation of the universe began, and he went through with God’s plan that was set out before creation began.
The question that remains is did Jesus truly trust in God to have his story written, and was God powerful enough to have the story edited in the way he wanted?
The very fact that there are translations and varying shades of meanings keep people searching, and striving to understand more. The Bible was written to inspire people to do things; and I believe it has that power.
So in a roundabout way the many authors of the Bible are not so important to me, I place my trust in God who I believe had the power to edit the book I read today.
God's blessing and peace be with you and your family
Eric
MustafaMc;
It seems a miracle that the Bible was ever written at all, and I find it truly remarkable. Above all else Jesus inspired people, and that message still comes across 2000 years later.
The Jewish authority opposed Jesus, and he lived in a land occupied by the Romans, yet there are no stories of Jesus carrying a sword to protect himself. He lived a fairly dangerous life challenging authority and injustice; it seems he trusted in a higher authority to look after him. Stories of having faith in God and trusting in God run throughout the Bible. Jesus knew his destiny and his impending death and resurrection, which left him free to fulfil God’s work day to day.
Jesus came with a powerful message, it might seem strange that he did not have the need to write this story down himself so it would be passed onto others as he wanted. But if you stop and think a little further, it just empathises his trust in God. He knew that he would inspire others to write it in the way that God wants. Jesus performed so many miracles, his parables carried a real power, his life experiences where extraordinary by any standards.
You can bring up all the “what if questions about the Bible” the bottom line is faith in God and it is the will og God that the Bible is the way it is.
Even if someone like Adolph Hitler conspired to do things to the Bible, he would fail because God is in control; not man.
After the ascension of Jesus into heaven his disciples where given the gift of the spirit and they went of in all directions doing things and preaching the word of God. Because they wrote their stories from many countries over a period of years, we have to contend with translations from many languages. It seems the disciples did not consciously work together with the intention of writing the Bible, because like Jesus they were people of action and they spread the word in a more convincing way by doing things. These disciples were not able to complete writing the Bible and they inspired a next generation to continue.
Any communication between the disciples when they where scattered around different countries could have taken weeks or months to arrive, they could also have moved on. Their stories seem written very much from an individual perception as to how Jesus inspired each of them, and these individual inspirations are what inspire me.
Over the years I have been inspired more by one author in the Bible, then years later something written by another author about the same story helps me to understand another perception. Atheists, Buddhists, Hindu, Muslims have somehow helped me to understand the Bible from their opposing views, and I find this strange.
Over the last two thousand years language has changed, and scholars with all truthful sincerity have done their very best to faithfully translate the Bible in the way God intended. I believe that the message today remains extremely powerful and inspiring even though it is impossible to get an exact translation. There are footnotes throughout the Bible giving alternative translations so that the individual can try and find a best meaning and purpose.
I would struggle to learn Latin or any other language sadly it seems very difficult for me. I am so pleased that the Bible is available in just about every language, despite what people would call contradictions in translations, it was meant for all people, of all languages and not just scholars.
When I first started to think about the life of Jesus I wondered why he did not use all his powers of miracles to gain a status in life, become a ruler, a general or great high priest with people following him. He could have achieved a power base and written his own story. But now I look on the story of Jesus as not relying on the power of man to spread his word, rather he relied on the power of God. Jesus claimed no power on Earth. I wondered why Jesus had to die he could have avoided it.
But I believe that the destiny of Jesus was planned before the creation of the universe began, and he went through with God’s plan that was set out before creation began.
The question that remains is did Jesus truly trust in God to have his story written, and was God powerful enough to have the story edited in the way he wanted?
The very fact that there are translations and varying shades of meanings keep people searching, and striving to understand more. The Bible was written to inspire people to do things; and I believe it has that power.
So in a roundabout way the many authors of the Bible are not so important to me, I place my trust in God who I believe had the power to edit the book I read today.
God's blessing and peace be with you and your family
Eric
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Ramadhan
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Does this mean he is not God according to you?
Ramadhan
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christianity sounds like a super secretive and elitist cult.
EricH, I sincerely appreciate your honesty and your straightforward answers.
However, your comments reflect similar question in my mind, but the flip-side-of-the-coin so to speak. Muslims believe that Jesus was not the Son of God, he was not crucified, and that he has not yet died. As you so noted, God has willed that the Bible was written and that many people reference it as evidence of those very things that Muslims negate. There are so many similarities between Islam and Christianity, yet the underlying basic beliefs about Jesus and God are fundamentally and diametrically opposed. I have often wondered why this is so and why I was led (or perhaps misled from your perspective) to change my beliefs while you haven't likewise been so guided. In the end it is as God has willed it to be.
I see a strong similarity with Muhammad (saaws) particularly after reading 'The Sealed Nectar' a biography about him. A big difference though is that Muhammad (saaws) in the end did achieve success, but he maintained a simple austere life despite having control over the new and expanding Islamic community and nation.
These points illustrate the importance I see that Christians place on Jesus' death on the cross. This brings to mind comments made by other Christian members here that basically the Gospel is not what Jesus said or even did while he walked this earth, but rather the Gospel is what Jesus did on the cross and his subsequent resurrection. Jesus is quoted as referencing his death in somewhat unclear and vague terms (IMHO) and that the Gospel as we know it today was preached by others, most notably by Paul.
However, your comments reflect similar question in my mind, but the flip-side-of-the-coin so to speak. Muslims believe that Jesus was not the Son of God, he was not crucified, and that he has not yet died. As you so noted, God has willed that the Bible was written and that many people reference it as evidence of those very things that Muslims negate. There are so many similarities between Islam and Christianity, yet the underlying basic beliefs about Jesus and God are fundamentally and diametrically opposed. I have often wondered why this is so and why I was led (or perhaps misled from your perspective) to change my beliefs while you haven't likewise been so guided. In the end it is as God has willed it to be.
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There is nothing secretive, the Catechism is available on google, free for everyone who is ready to see. If you can't read it, it's because you are not ready for it. I m talking about the catechism because I already mentioned it. It is a book for those who are ready for Catholicism.
But there is something even more Catholic than the catechism; the head and the heart. No one is without a conscience and a heart. There is no one who does not have them and God is there with ready answers for a heart that seeks.
A head and a heart are all you need to be Christian and remain one. As you see, we are no more secretive than God is, after all, He is everywhere, but it is not everyone who sees him, only the pure of heart. Well, the purer the heart gets, the clearer the vision gets. Nothing hiden but what we hide from ourselves.
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From what you have written earlier, I understand that one must first have the Christian faith in a generic sense and then you are taught the specifics of what to believe through the catechism. In Catholicism faith comes first then knowledge (through the catechism) which explains why one can't become a Catholic merely from reading the Bible. The Word is transmitted through the Holy Spirit to the heart to instill the Christian faith and then knowledge comes latter to the head (mind) through a catechist or one who teaches the catechism.
Wikipedia - "Catechisms are doctrinal manuals often in the form of questions followed by answers to be memorized."
A summary of the CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH:
1. God the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth - One God, ‘I AM WHO I AM’, name is YHWH, a God merciful and gracious, Truth, Love
2. Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord – the Good News is that God has sent his Son, heart of the catechesis, the Incarnate Word and Son of God, true God and true Man, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried, descended into Hell, rose from the dead, ascended to Heaven where he is seated at the right hand of the Father, will come again to judge the living and the dead.
3. Holy Spirit – reveals God, makes Christ known to us, makes us hear the Father’s Word, manifest as: water, anointing with oil, fire, cloud and light, the seal, the hand, the finger, the dove.
4. The Holy Catholic Church – the People of God, Body of Christ and Temple of the Holy Spirit.
5. Forgiveness of Sins – with faith in the Holy Spirit and the Church, in the communion of saints (Eucharist), through Baptism, sacrament of Penance, other sacraments such as Eucharist
6. Resurrection of the body from the dead with reuniting of the soul with a glorified body.
7. Life Everlasting – Judgment immediately after death with either entrance into Heaven immediately or after a purification (Purgatory), or immediate and everlasting ****ation in Hell.
(Amigo, please correct me where I am wrong and misunderstand.)
You said many things, I am not sure if I am understanding you precisely here. The fact is books are technological medium/tools to achieve or make something easier in some case where it is possible. That is all.
True faith is like the faith in a good family. The father believe that the childreen are his without ever having asked for DNA test or any other proof. Love of his wife is enough proof. The same applies for childreen who don't ask their mother for proof that they father is really their father.
Where there is love, there is truth (understanding), and faith (trust).
With this faith, ideas of proofs sounds like insults, if it is so for man, how much more for God, for God give us even more love and more obvious proofs of his love...
It is interesting to notice that this is not blind faith either...
Understanding is the better term to use here. Also faith does not come before understanding. They go together like a flame and the light that radiate in/from it. What comes after is 'development' of faith and understanding and this is where books are often useful. Books are like babysitters. They are great, but it is not like without them, the baby is necessarly doomed. Even here babysitters are better because they are human, books are technology.
The summary you gave is only the summary of the Creed or rather a little detailed presentation of the Creed. Catechesis is always in 4 parts: Creed, Liturgy, Commandments, and Prayer.
True faith is like the faith in a good family. The father believe that the childreen are his without ever having asked for DNA test or any other proof. Love of his wife is enough proof. The same applies for childreen who don't ask their mother for proof that they father is really their father.
Where there is love, there is truth (understanding), and faith (trust).
With this faith, ideas of proofs sounds like insults, if it is so for man, how much more for God, for God give us even more love and more obvious proofs of his love...
It is interesting to notice that this is not blind faith either...
Understanding is the better term to use here. Also faith does not come before understanding. They go together like a flame and the light that radiate in/from it. What comes after is 'development' of faith and understanding and this is where books are often useful. Books are like babysitters. They are great, but it is not like without them, the baby is necessarly doomed. Even here babysitters are better because they are human, books are technology.
The summary you gave is only the summary of the Creed or rather a little detailed presentation of the Creed. Catechesis is always in 4 parts: Creed, Liturgy, Commandments, and Prayer.
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