Biblical LIteralists

[Petrameansrock]

I am a Biblical Literalist and I would love to hear from people who are as well. I would also like to hear from people who aren't. Do you think it is a tenable position? Do you believe you can still be a Christian without being a Biblical literalist?

[Divine Insight]

[Replying to post 22 by Divine Insight]

First of all it's not a choice. I didn't pick my religion, God chose me. I am forever thankful to Him that He has saved me, and I know from personal, real, supernatural encounters with Him that this "religion" is correct.

In that case it wasn't your free will choice.

So according to you there is nothing anyone can do but wait to be chosen by some God.

I'm waiting.

I'll let you know if it ever happens.

[polonius]

https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Biblical_literalism

“Biblical literalism is the theological view that the contents of the Bible should be seen as literally true and "inerrant." The text is not to be interpreted as allegory, literature, or mythology, and is without fault in its claims; unimpeachably true in all matters. Literalism is the basis of several different pseudoscientific positions, such as young Earth creationism,[2] deluge theory,[2] and geocentrism. Literalism has also been used as the justification for slavery,[3] as well as a justification for racial segregation,[3] Jim Crow laws,[4] and Apartheid(Acts 17:26).[5]�


http://www.religioustolerance.org/inerrant.htm
Evangelical beliefs in the inerrancy of the Bible:
In 1977, the International Council on Biblical Inerrancy (ICBI) was established to "clarify and defend the doctrine of biblical inerrancy." Under its auspices, during 1978, over 300 evangelical scholars met and signed the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy. The Dallas Theological Seminary describes the statement as "... probably the first systematically comprehensive, broadly based, scholarly, creed–like statement on the inspiration and authority of Scripture in the history of the church." 1

I wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled - how does this pertain to Matt 13:36-39 and to Gen 25:19-23?

RESPONSE: It pertains to the poster's topic:

"Is Biblical Literalism a tenable position in a modern world?"

[Petrameansrock]

[Replying to post 31 by Divine Insight]

The choice comes after He calls you. I suspect you have rejected His call.

[Divine Insight]

[Replying to post 31 by Divine Insight]

The choice comes after He calls you. I suspect you have rejected His call.

If the choice comes after he calls me then I can't make that choice until he calls.

And no. No supernatural Gods have made themselves known to me to date.

I'll let you know if that ever happens.

[JP Cusick]

If the choice comes after he calls me then I can't make that choice until he calls.

And no. No supernatural Gods have made themselves known to me to date.

I'll let you know if that ever happens.

The call is not direct words spoken from God.

The call is when we get confronted by truth and by righteousness - and then we make the choice(s).

Waiting or expecting some supernatural phenomenon is like the opposite of humility.

And most people including myself have found the call of God to be when we see our self as untrue and as sinners - and that is the most powerful calling of them all - because that is the beginning of our humility and the beginning of our repentance.

[Divine Insight]

The call is when we get confronted by truth and by righteousness - and then we make the choice(s).

In that case I have chosen truth and righteousness.

Apparently then Pope Francis is right, atheists can go to heaven by simply choosing truth and righteousness. No need to believe in any gods.

I was also going to point out that it would be impossible to accuse someone of supposedly "rejecting" a God without them having realized they have done so. But once you confess that the term "God" is just a metaphor for truth and righteousness and doesn't actually refer to some mythological creature in the sky, then perhaps it makes sense. But then there's no need for any religious myths, or imaginary God characters, or immoral religious doctrines that claim to be righteous.

In fact, now that you have revealed the secret this exposes the unrighteousness of many religious doctrines. So ironically people who actually follow or support those religious doctrines would be choosing fallacy and unrighteousness. In other words, by following a false dogma they would actually be rejecting "God" all the while they have been led to believe they have accepted one.

Of course, this often fits in with many of those religious mythologies doesn't it? Most of the immoral religious doctrines, like those of the Abrahamic religions also claim that there exists an evil Satan who is the master of deception. So if there is any truth to that myth, then those religions are most likely the work of the Satan they claim exists.

In that case people who follow those religions will have been beguiled by Satan precisely as those religions predict will happen. And therefore it makes sense that they aren't even aware that they have made a terribly wrong choice precisely because they have been beguiled by an evil demon.

Keep in mind that the reality of this master deceiver in these religions must necessarily be just as real as their immoral Gods. Otherwise the entire doctrine falls like a house of cards in a hurricane. So if there were any truth to those religions then no one could ever know whether they are being deceived by the evil Satan or whether they are actually appeasing the the immoral demands of the God. It would be impossible to know.

They would be much better off becoming atheists and just following truth and righteousness. Pope Francis has a good point.

[JP Cusick]

Apparently then Pope Francis is right, atheists can go to heaven by simply choosing truth and righteousness. No need to believe in any gods.

They would be much better off becoming atheists and just following truth and righteousness. Pope Francis has a good point.

I agree with this, and belief is not the same as are our actions, and far too many religious people are hypocritical.

If a person chooses truth and righteousness then it needs to be in action and in daily life and not just words or mental belief.

When the truth and righteousness are put into actions by any person then that leads us into greater truths and into higher righteousness because that is how they work.

As such if an Atheist (or any person) is going to do that sincerely and consistently then I would expect to see them make a difference in this world.

In my understanding the truth and righteousness are huge, and so no one can fulfill such things without affecting the entire world which will take notice.

It can not be done in private or in secret or as unknown to other people, because it does not work that way.

The reason we know about the Buddha is because he did it, the reason we know about Jesus is because He did it, the reason we know about Muhammad is because he did it, the reason we know about the Mahatma Gandhi is because he did it, and there are other people too who get such recognition because they do it.

For a person to claim that they know truth and righteousness then it needs to be more than just belief or just words - faith without works is dead.

[Divine Insight]

In my understanding the truth and righteousness are huge, and so no one can fulfill such things without affecting the entire world which will take notice.

That's an interesting theory. It would also suggest that there are extremely few people who genuinely seek truth and righteousness in that case, since very few individuals affect the entire world.

But getting back to "Biblical Literacy", can you please show where this is literally stated in the Bible?

[JP Cusick]

In my understanding the truth and righteousness are huge, and so no one can fulfill such things without affecting the entire world which will take notice.

That's an interesting theory. It would also suggest that there are extremely few people who genuinely seek truth and righteousness in that case, since very few individuals affect the entire world.

But getting back to "Biblical Literacy", can you please show where this is literally stated in the Bible?

Yes - exactly = there are extremely few people who genuinely seek truth and righteousness.

People talk it yes - but they do nothing of the kind.

I myself have tried and tried - and fail and fail and fail - and it is not easy to do.

Where is it stated in the Bible?

See Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Here = Luke 18:8 ... Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? 9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
Here = Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
And here = Psalm 14:2 The Father looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. 3 They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
-

As to the world taking notice - the world always has taken notice of the few who really have done the work - and even the greatest of the great have fallen short.

[Divine Insight]

[Replying to post 39 by JP Cusick]

Interesting theory. This then requires that humans other than Jesus are righteous.

This is compatible with Jesus having said that 99% of those who make it into haven will do so because they need no repentance, whilst only 1% will be accepted via repentance.

This also exposes Paul as being wrong. Paul said that no one could obtain heaven on their own merit lest they could brag. Yet according to Jesus 99% of those who make it into have have bragging rights. Only 1% will not be able to brag.

This is all interesting. Leaves us to wonder who was right. Paul or Jesus?

See Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

If Paul is right in Romans, then Jesus was wrong that a few would make it.