Is the bible too symbolic for its own good?

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nobspeople
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Is the bible too symbolic for its own good?

Post #1

Post by nobspeople »

There are those that say the bible is the literal word of god and what it says is literal (aka no symbolism). For those, this thread isn't likely for them (though, they're welcome to participate anyway).
Looking through some threads, there are many speaking to symbolism (and one even speaking to god being cryptic). It's been my experience, that symbolism is a... good(?) ... way to get an idea or concept across, but only to a point. The bible doesn't seem to deal with absolutes in many cases, so symbolism is expected. But does it rely too heavily on symbolism?

Symbolism, at least in the case of the bible, seems to require a good deal of knowledge (knowing what priests did where, who was in power then, what this object means in this culture, why this person said that, etc). Knowledge isn't something most of the public has on any one item (a person may be a great mathematician but have no knowledge of cultural things from another time, for example; some people don't know who their state governor is; some know more about their Youtube influencer than how their government works even on the most fundamental level; the list could continue but you get the point).

What's symbolistic to one, may not be to another, which is another reason one can claim the bible is too symbolic. How many arguments have we seen about the different meanings of the book of Revelations?!? Too many, I'd suspect - that books a hyper mess!

For discussion:
So, should the bible rely less on symbolism and more on 'black-n-white' facts? Is heavy symbolism a fault of the bible?
Or is the symbolism in the bible not necessary for eternal life (which, one could rightfully argue, is the point of the bible) and therefore, doesn't matter?
Have a great, potentially godless, day!

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Re: Is the bible too symbolic for its own good?

Post #11

Post by TRANSPONDER »

I am sympathetic to the idea that the Bible is not a book of facts but a moralising story book. In fact this is an old argument and I responded by quoting from Startrek, Peanuts and Lord of the Rings (1) because they are (on that argument) just as valid as the Bible and even more so because they reflect up to date thinking rather than the antique morality of the time - which is why Bible apologists engage in apologetic escapology trying to explain away endorsement of slavery in the Bible.

So it's obvious that seeing the Bible as a book on the human condition, then and now, is fine but it relegates it to the instructive mythology shelf and that there should be churches telling people how to live, and even vote as well as collecting money on the basis of a fairy tale is a scandal.

The only way that one could be more than an irreligious theist with integrity is to regard the Bible as substantially factual or to try to make some case that a sorta -creator is somehow the one mentioned in the Bible, but how that could be done with anything more than denialist Faith I can't fathom.

I welcome irreligious Theists (or 'agnostics' as they sometimes mis-call themselves) into the irreligion fold but they can leave their Bible in the wheeled receptacle of orange plastic by the entrance before they do, thanks.

(1) e.g

'You have developed technology, yes, but how little man himself has changed."

"Good grief! A slip like that can cause the Great Pumpkin to pass you by."

"The words of this wizard stand on their heads!"

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