"Do you believe in the Bible?"
No!
In contrast to believing in the Bible, i believe:
1. That God is that Creative/Causative Force that exists before the beginning of the universe/time and continues to exist outside of the universe and time.
2. That "Force" created/caused the spiritual/soul entities to come into being.
3. The spiritual/soul entities continued the "Creation" with the "Big Bang". And, through evolution and possibly subtle manipulations, have caused the current state of affairs.
4. The spirits/souls choose to inhabit the various physical bodies that they have created in order to experience physical reality.
5. When bodies die the spirit/soul continues to exist and often times reincarnates into another body in order to continue its growth.
6. The purpose of it all is for the spirits/souls (entities) to gain knowledge and experience and to ultimately rejoin or evolve back into the Oneness of God.
The Bible is a book of history and guidance for peoples of certain times. The Old Testament was meant for the societies and peoples of ancient times. The New Testament was meant to change much of the Old Testament law and to guide the society and people of two thousand years ago.
The Bible worked during the time periods it was meant to cover. Its guidance protected the people and gave value and purpose to their lives.
The problem is that the Bible was meant for past eras and was successful therein. It, however, did not keep up with the times and technologies during the advancement of mankind.
There may still be some lessons that can be learned from studying the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. But, the lessons must be tempered with the knowledge that exists in the current time period.
Man and his technology has evolved considerably since Biblical times. The Bible has not evolved accordingly. It is therefore the province of man to interpret the whole Bible and attempt to allow its relevant parts to fit into the lifestyles of the current era.
As long as they do not infringe on the rights of others, men are free to follow the teachings of the Bible for themselves. Your rights and beliefs end where mine begin.
The Bible is a "crutch" which is necessary for some but not for all. It is a book written by men with the purpose of helping to guide other men through some of the pitfalls that life has to offer. It is also meant to give hope and purpose to those who may have no other way of finding same.
Just as with other fictional works, it is not meant to be taken literally but parabolically. Parts of its historical accounts may be factual while other parts are symbolic. And, yet other parts are simply devices wherein to protect the health and well-being of people of that era.
It takes many religions to give guidance to those who are in need of direction. Some use the Bible as their basis while others use other Books. They all serve a needed purpose. They all benefit the society of man.
Just because the Bible (or some other Book) is right for you does not mean or make it right for everyone else. The human race is a diverse species. It has many different cultures and Beliefs. Grant to each their right to choose that which fits them.
