Is the Bible equal to GOD?

William · Post by **William** » Wed Oct 10, 2018 11:53 am

Sometimes in interacting with Christians and observing Christians interacting with each other, I get the impression that what they refer to as 'the word of God' is GOD because it is the only thing on earth that is claimed by them to 'speak for, or on God's behalf' and they use their preferred interpretations of it to argue against other, differing interpretations.

Q: Is it right to treat a man-made object in this manner, or should such be considered - in truth - to be a form of idolatry?

Q: Is the bible used in this manner because people do not know how to commune with GOD any other way?

Q: Is GOD incapable of communion with individuals without the use of mediums, or is it a matter of most humans being incapable of communion with GOD without the use of mediums?

William · Post by **William** » Fri Oct 12, 2018 3:26 pm

[Replying to post 17 by tam]

"How do you know that the bible is 'the word of GOD'?" and the answer is "because the bible tells me so."

Except that it does not actually tell anyone this.

So people who claim that the bible say's the bible is 'the word of GOD' are lying?

The 'word of God' in that Hebrews quote cannot be referring to the bible because the bible is not alive. The Word of God who is alive is Christ, the living Word of God, who speaks the words the Father gave Him to speak (John 12:49).

Even written in the bible is the truth that Christ is the Word of God.

"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us..." John 1:14

This becomes problematic because 'The Christ' can be made into an image and worshiped as an idol as well. We have of course argued that in previous interaction Tammy. In the Jesus' Return thread.

'The Christ' was never meant to be worshiped in the form of a single human being. It was supposed to have been activated in everyone through the simplification of all the law into 2 laws, and the activation achieved through understanding the 2 laws being regarded as only the one law as doing either is the same as doing both.

2timothy316 · Post by **2timothy316** » Fri Oct 12, 2018 3:58 pm

William wrote: [Replying to post 11 by 2timothy316]

That's the way He wants it.
Who told you that, and why do you believe it is truth?

I have found nothing better.

2timothy316 · Post by **2timothy316** » Fri Oct 12, 2018 4:00 pm

William wrote:
There has to be something.
What rational is behind this belief?

Since I am convinced there is a God then there must be some way He has chosen to communicate. I have searched and searched and found nothing better than the Bible.

2timothy316 · Post by **2timothy316** » Fri Oct 12, 2018 4:15 pm

William wrote:
If Jehovah used sign language would you be upset saying, 'are God's hands equal to God'?
Are you forgetting where Jesus uses a parable which uses body parts as analogy to underscore the importance of avoiding elitism and separatism? "Is the hand greater than the head?"

This doesn't answer my question. You're answering a question with a question.

If He spoke directly, would you say, 'is the air that carries the sound to our ears equal to God'?

Are you suggesting that GODs voice is not equal to GOD? Perhaps a voice in the sky might be an impostor? A being claiming to be GOD but isn't really GOD at all.

This doesn't answer my question. You're answering a question with a question.

Would you like to add the light that carries the words from paper or computer screen to our eyes as trying to be equal to God?
What has that got to do with my argument? Why conflate my question with these absurd responses? Why avoid answering my questions put to you by creating these unnecessary responses?

If 'GOD is light" then is light equal to GOD?

This doesn't answer my question. You're answering a question with a question. And I am not the the one that is asking is a book of paper and words equal to God. I didn't start the line of absurd questions. I just took the absurd and added more absurdity. I'm wondering where your line for absurdity stops. If 'God's Word' came in another form would you still be accusing that medium of being an idol. Why does a book get this accusation but all other mediums would be fine.

The Bible is communication from God in letter and word form.

Who told you this and why do you believe it?

I believe it because of my study of the Bible and my experience of applying what it says. Comparing it to other books and other people that claim to speak the truth and the Bible is superior in truth. In my searching and what people have brought to me, nothing comes close to the truth I have found in the Bible.

All communication is accomplished by some 'medium' as you put it.
MEDIUM is the word for it. That is where the word 'Media' derives. For example, the Watchtower booklets passed out by the members of the JWOrg, act as a medium.

Even that all communication is accomplished by some medium or another, it is the medium which is questionable when it comes to claims about that medium.

The claim is that the bible is the word of GOD, and the question is based upon how Christians use the bible as if it were GOD and have a relationship with the book, as if it were the same as (equal to) GOD.

Yet sticking to the theme of your title question, jw.org is not equal to every single JW in the world. If the website goes down or someone can't view because of some reason, all the JWs in the world do not disappear.

A person that doesn't like what another person writes, signs or speaks can attack the means of communication all they want. It doesn't change what was written, signed or said.
That is not a subject the OP is investigating. It is not a matter of changing 'what is written' or even liking or disliking what is written. The focus is on how the bible is revered under the claim that it is 'the word of GOD' and whether that constitutes idol worship.

So you are not trying to discredit the Bible as a means to find truth about God? No one tries to discredit something or someone because they love it. If a person doesn't like what they read is under suspicion of bias and I doubt an objective discussion could be had with such a person that dislikes what the Bible says. As you stated earlier, idolizing a book is absurd, but I don't think its the reading of ink on paper that you're calling idolatry.

2timothy316 · Post by **2timothy316** » Fri Oct 12, 2018 4:43 pm

William wrote:
For the word of God is alive and exerts power and is sharper than any two-edged sword and pierces even to the dividing of the soul and spirit, and of the joints and their marrow, and is able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart."Heb. 4:12.
Again, this represents the idea of invoking 'life' to a dead thing, when identifying 'the word of GOD' with a book, like one would do with a golden calf. The idol is only 'alive' in the idolatrous minds of those who choose to belief that is fact.

Certainly you jest in thinking that ink and paper becomes alive! The Word of God is brought to life when we apply what it communicates to us. 1 Thessalonians 2:13 says the Word of God is at work in believers of Jehovah God. Not at work in ink and paper.

William · Post by **William** » Sat Oct 13, 2018 2:56 pm

[Replying to post 25 by 2timothy316]

Again, this represents the idea of invoking 'life' to a dead thing, when identifying 'the word of GOD' with a book, like one would do with a golden calf. The idol is only 'alive' in the idolatrous minds of those who choose to belief that is fact.

Certainly you jest in thinking that ink and paper becomes alive!

It is not I who makes such claims. It is I who questions such claims. "The Word of GOD was made flesh and dwelt among us" is such a claim, which when tied in with the claim "The bible is the word of GOD" is indeed a metaphor for such.

But wherein have I written - even in jest - that idols become 'alive'? I specifically wrote that the idol is only 'alive' in the idolatrous minds of those who choose to believe that is fact.

rikuoamero · Post by **rikuoamero** » Sun Oct 14, 2018 11:03 am

[Replying to post 25 by 2timothy316]

Certainly you jest in thinking that ink and paper becomes alive!

Why is that idea ridiculous, something you think is a joke? Look at all the myriad claims Christianity makes, what's in the Bible. We have a global flood, we have a talking snake, a talking donkey, God in the forming of a burning bush, etc etc.

2timothy316 · Post by **2timothy316** » Mon Oct 15, 2018 9:31 am

rikuoamero wrote: [Replying to post 25 by 2timothy316]

Certainly you jest in thinking that ink and paper becomes alive!
Why is that idea ridiculous, something you think is a joke? .

One who has studied the Bible would know.

rikuoamero · Post by **rikuoamero** » Mon Oct 15, 2018 9:36 am

2timothy316 wrote:
rikuoamero wrote: [Replying to post 25 by 2timothy316]

Certainly you jest in thinking that ink and paper becomes alive!
Why is that idea ridiculous, something you think is a joke? .
One who has studied the Bible would know.

Is it as ridiculous as a woman turning into a pillar of salt?
Of a woman being made from the singular rib taken from a man?
Of water bursting from a stone after it was struck?

If there was a story in the Bible of ink and paper coming alive, something like this

I wouldn't bat an eye. It wouldn't look out of place with all the other stories in the Bible.
So I'm curious why, given all the other stories in the Bible, someone alluding to ink and paper coming alive is what makes you think they're joking?

2timothy316 · Post by **2timothy316** » Mon Oct 15, 2018 9:38 am

William wrote: [Replying to post 25 by 2timothy316]

Again, this represents the idea of invoking 'life' to a dead thing, when identifying 'the word of GOD' with a book, like one would do with a golden calf. The idol is only 'alive' in the idolatrous minds of those who choose to belief that is fact.

Certainly you jest in thinking that ink and paper becomes alive!
It is not I who makes such claims. It is I who questions such claims.

You should question what does it mean for the Word of God to be alive. Because throughout history Jehovah's Word has not only come in the written form. It has been heard, it has come in the form of dreams and visions. Even repeated from a person it can be alive. So, you're thinking in small terms and missing the bigger point I'm trying to make. I don't know if that is because you can't or don't want to.