Q&A on Christianity

[EMINEM]

Go ahead, ask away. I'll do my best to answer your questions, comments, and/or concerns as thoroughly as I can, and in simple layman's terms.

[EMINEM]

Well, that's a surprise. No one has posted a question yet. Could it be that we have the world's biggest religion figured out?

[Aragorn Returns]

i think the reason is that most of the people on this board are christian or know a lot about it because they either have christian relatives or were raised in a christian society.

[C Elegans]

Good thread, MM I had actually planned to post a thread concerning this area, but I've been buried in work lately. Now I will post the questions I thought about here instead. It has to do with how to interpret the bible.

How do christians decide whether a certain passage in the bible should be interpreted literally or symbolically? How to select what to follow and not follow?

During the history of christianity, it's obvious that many discretly different interpretations has been used by different groups in different times and cultures. Can we in some way conclude that some interpretations are more valid than others? How?

A familiar example is of course the interpretation of genesis, wheré some groups interpret the creation as being made in 7 24 hour days, whereas others view the Big Bang theory as perfectly fitting into the biblical description.
Some other examples can be found in the marriage thread, posted by Waverly. There are passages in the bible saying you should eat your children and have incestious sexual relationships - why is this not followed as god's word?
Yet another example is the passages that describe the same events as the koran does - I suppose a christain view the biblical version as "more correct" than the koranic one - if so, why?

Examples are of course numerous, and the bible also contains many contradictions, which is of course not surprising for a document that was written down by many different people during different periods. When I studied literature long ago, I learned a little about the hermeneutic method for interpreting historical documents, such as the bible. If I understand things correctly, you then look for internal constistency and discrepances, so that if something is mentioned at many places in a text, it's considered more valid than something that is only mentioned once. What do you think of this method?

And another question, I'm asking CM the same in the islam-thread: Do christians and muslims believe in the same god?
(I know that opinions on this differ)

[nael]

i think most people have already seen your interpretation of christianity, and you are hardly representative of christianity as a whole.
there's a chance you would answer the questions objectively, but there simply aren't any universal truths that can be answered about christianity as a whole to allow for objective answers.

[Aragorn Returns]

i take the same stance on this as nael. i am christian but i'm willing to bet anything that i hold much different beliefs than mnm. i think it's important for everyone reading this to understand that all these answers are mnm's veiws on christianity. (that is, if there are any questions)

[C Elegans]

As for me personally, I've become quite familiar with MM:s views over our discussions here, and @Nael & Aragorn need not worry that I will take everything MM says as representative for a majority of christians. I think this goes for most SYM:ers.
I know many christian people myself, and I know their views differ as much from MM:s as mine do, just in another way. However, I would very much appreciate input from several people on my questions - if this is possible without starting conflicts around differencies in interpretation.

[Aragorn Returns]

Quote:

CE How do christians decide whether a certain passage in the bible should be interpreted literally or symbolically? How to select what to follow and not follow?

my answer to this would be 1.) common sense 2.) through modern revalation 3.) through prayer/personal revalation

i think that through common sense you can tell when they are speaking symbolically or literally, easy example, when jesus tells john to "feed his sheep" he isn't talking about real sheep. Modern revalation is important for particularly confusing, vague, or debatable. the leader of your particular church would come forward with what the church's stance on this particular issue is. you would get an answer through prayer/personal revalation when you want to know about a scripture for yourself. James 1:5 says " If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

[Aegis]

I think questions that deal more with political workins of Christianity are more suitable here, as the bible and faith itself is something that is interpreted differently by mnay people. With this in mind, I'm going to try and stay away from the theological quandries (101 ), and ask a politcal one. DO you,a s a christian, believe that the pope should be considered infallible, even in his waning years, and degradedation of health?

[Quark]

I'm not touching this with a 40 foot pole.

[nael]

Quote:

Originally posted by C Elegans How do christians decide whether a certain passage in the bible should be interpreted literally or symbolically? How to select what to follow and not follow? During the history of christianity, it's obvious that many discretly different interpretations has been used by different groups in different times and cultures. Can we in some way conclude that some interpretations are more valid than others? How? A familiar example is of course the interpretation of genesis, wheré some groups interpret the creation as being made in 7 24 hour days, whereas others view the Big Bang theory as perfectly fitting into the biblical description. Some other examples can be found in the marriage thread, posted by Waverly. There are passages in the bible saying you should eat your children and have incestious sexual relationships - why is this not followed as god's word? Yet another example is the passages that describe the same events as the koran does - I suppose a christain view the biblical version as "more correct" than the koranic one - if so, why? Examples are of course numerous, and the bible also contains many contradictions, which is of course not surprising for a document that was written down by many different people during different periods. When I studied literature long ago, I learned a little about the hermeneutic method for interpreting historical documents, such as the bible. If I understand things correctly, you then look for internal constistency and discrepances, so that if something is mentioned at many places in a text, it's considered more valid than something that is only mentioned once. What do you think of this method? And another question, I'm asking CM the same in the islam-thread: Do christians and muslims believe in the same god? (I know that opinions on this differ)

islamic, christian, and judaism all worship the same god, they just argue over who s/he is and what s/he did/said.

i believe that the discrepencies between stories helps validate the stories. as you noted, these are accounts of an event which took place a considerable amount of time prior to their being written. by human nature, there are going to be differences. ask any four people about an event that happened that they had heard about form someone else and see if their stories line up exactly. if the stories were an exact match, it would seem like it was all contrived.


@aegis - not catholic, so i can't answer, but i definitely don't think he is infalliable.

[Aragorn Returns]

aegis - not catholic, but i don't think any human in infallible.

[Vinin]

What are some major holidays for? ex Easter, Ash wed, good friday? I am a buddhist american and never grew up knowing what happened these times when my friends would miss school for them

[nael]

Quote:

Originally posted by Vinin What are some major holidays for? ex Easter, Ash wed, good friday? I am a buddhist american and never grew up knowing what happened these times when my friends would miss school for them

ash wednesday is the beginning of lent, a 40 day period that precludes easter. you are supposed to suffer during this time to symbolize the suffering jesus went through for us when he was crucified. i am actually not too sure about the lent reasons, that is more catholic i think. good friday was when jesus was crucified and died on the cross for man's sins. easter sunday was when the stone for his tomb had been rolled away and the body was gone. christ had risen to defeat death and show that the way to heaven is open for anyone.
"the thrid day he rose from the dead to sit at thr right hand of God the Father Almighty. from whence he shall come to judge the quick the dead."

[nael]

Quote:

Originally posted by Vinin What are some major holidays for? ex Easter, Ash wed, good friday? I am a buddhist american and never grew up knowing what happened these times when my friends would miss school for them

and christmas is to celebrate the birth of jesus christ, son of God and son of man, to the virgin Mary.