It makes me sad that it's taken this long for you to hear this about the Bible. And it makes me sadder that the Church has led people AWAY from God...your story is a very common one. God is bigger than the Bible and the Church.
As always MadMax well put and I'm always bothered by literalists in regard to the Bible as to me that would seem to be a very shallow understanding of religion. Taking the Bible like any religious, or philosophical text, litterally seems to be very problematic as those become difficult to square with objective reality and also lose the focus on deeper meaning in favor of dogmatism. As for the Bible being repulsive I'm sure you could take almost any religious text and find things that would offend someone's sentiment.
Mad Max, Well put on some of the things you have said in this topic. As I was reading I thought "Man this guy would love Rob Bell" but then saw you have a nooma link in your signature so I guess you know about the Rob guy. You have obviously seen the nooma videos, but have you read any of his books? I would definitely recommend both of them (Velvet Elvis and Sex God) if you haven’t.
If you like to read, go to a book store and buy the book "Blue Like Jazz" by Donald Miller. I have some firends that echo your comments about the church that have lead them to where you stand now and they loved this book. Please dont think i'm trying to "convert you back" or "save" you or whatever the right church word is today, I just know my friends loved this book so i thought i would throw it out there. Blue Like Jazz
I guess I am a little surprised. Just about all of the exposure to Christian church that I've had (which is very very little) seems to focus on the New Testament. Must admit that I know next to nothing about such matters - but the New Testament god seems a lot more easy going than the Old Testament one who liked to throw locusts and stone people. I assumed - perhaps wrongly- that Christianity was more a new Testament religion.
The small group I belong to recently concluded a study of this book. It ellicited some amazing discussion, let me tell you.
I have...VE is my favorite book ever. I've never resonated with any book as I resonated with it....it was as if he wrote what i thought, but said it a lot better. One of my college buddies started a church here in Houston and works with Bell quite a bit. He preached at Bell's church in December.
Chris Seay is a fantastic preacher. My wife and I are often at ecclesia for the sunday night service. Throw in some RSB leading singing ... you cant get any better than that.
Astros fan big time. He and I used to watch Rockets games together in college....and play NBA Jams at the Pizza Hut on campus He's good people.
I am in the same boat as I am agnostic myself now. I also believe that if more people in the church had the same philosophies as MM then that would be very enticing to a group with similar beliefs as my own and others. I just get sick of the Bible being used EVERYDAY to justify something. I have said this before but I live in the so-called "City of Churches" AKA Jonesboro, AR and some of the stuff I read in the paper, see on the news, or just hear around town is nauseating.
To understand whole Bible, you need to read other holy books as well. At least that's the way I got it.
Interesting...like what? I don't think you can understand the whole Bible no matter what you do. Having said that, I've read other religious texts and don't find them to necessarily shed any more light on the Bible.
Wow MadMax, you know Chris Seay? He just spoke at my church's "anti-retreat" a few weeks back... I go to a church in Austin. What church do you attend? You should drop me an e-mail...
The guy or people who made this video are repulsive. Obviously, he hasn't read the entire Bible and only has taken a few passages and used them out of context. I didn't watch the entire video because it made me angry, but as to what he said about the Sabbath: In Mark 2-3, Jesus was criticized for working on the Sabbath by the zealous Pharisees. Jesus responded to them by saying "The Sabbath was made for people, not people for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath. (Mk 2: 27-28) Later Jesus went to the synagogues and healed a man with a shriveled hand. Again some zealots accused Jesus of breaking the law, but Jesus asked them, "Which is unlwaful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life of to kill?" But they remained silent. (Mk 3:1-4)
