WEB Notes: Even back in 1976 only 38% believed the Bible to be true. We have discussed this in the past. Many claim to be Christian, but what does that actual mean to them? If you are a Christian you believe in and follow what God’s Word says. You apply it to your life and you live by His Law found within it. Rarely do people do this anymore.
While some are saddened by this news, I find it encouraging with respect to what we have been told in the Bible. We are told in 2 Timothy 3:3-5 and 2 Peter 3:3-7 essentially the same message, “there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts“. A “scoffer“ (Strong’s: G1703) is a “mocker” of God or a “false teacher” and we have a lot of these today. What are they doing? They are walking after their own way, not God’s way. They have taken the broad path to destruction, instead of the narrow path to Eternal Life.
All of these things are signs to us that the last days are certainly upon us. They should build up our faith in Him and His Word and the promises contained within it.
The share of Americans who believe that the Bible is “to be taken literally” has reached a record low, according to a new Gallup Poll.
Less than one in four Americans — 24 percent — believe that the Bible is literal “word for word,” the lowest percentage in 40 years, Gallup reported Tuesday.
Just 26 percent of respondents called the Bible “a book of fables, legends, history and moral precepts recorded by man.” Gallup noted that this was the the first time in the poll’s history that the view that the Bible is a book of fables surpassed the view that the Bible is literally true.
Record few Americans believe the #Bible is the literal Word of God https://t.co/gMBK14EEAz via @Gallup pic.twitter.com/s5seRzb4BO
— Emily McFarlan Miller (@emmillerwrites) May 16, 2017
I’m one of those 76% that finds worshiping invisible men in the sky foolish, I don’t buy the Darwin BS either.
Here’s some truth, I’m perfectly comfortable and secure enough in my existence to admit I do not know why we are here and what the meaning of life is.
Anyone thinking morality hinges on a book can stuff it, there is a big difference between culture/dogma/society and a universal right and wrong that can be rendered into a simple phrase, Don’t Steal!!!
I would be willing to bet the world is more moral today simply because we have more material wealth, granted this could change quite quickly with a catastrophic event.
I will fight next to anyone if they are fighting four mutual rights and respect (Life, Freedom, Property Ownership). However when I hear fellow patriots get wet when Trump calls for “a nation under one god” and those same supposed patriots don’t have the balls to explain how that would be enforced I must take note and express my growing distrust on what exactly their agenda is.
*for
I know exactly whom you are referring to Frank and I’m right there with you. I personally think they are just a big psyop not much different that “50 cal Al”.
And I know a lot of others are starting to think the same way.
Cant fix Stupid
Ditto. I always try to remind the followers of Christ that these “commandments” are already written on the hearts of men…
They say without the Christ you cannot be saved…but what about the bush folk who worship God in their own way and have never even heard of this “Jesus” character? Are they doomed to hell? What about the countless babies that don’t get baptized? Fry them too? Meh. I still try to respect them as much as I can but only to a point. You try and stuff it down my throat, there will be consequences.
“Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you? 2Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: 3Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart. 4And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: 5Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;” My 2cents.
“I would be willing to bet the world is more moral today…”
Seriously?
Compared to WHEN???
When I look into the past I see just as much if not more bloodshed and crime as I do today, we have more access to food, that in and of itself will reduce war and crime hence “more moral”, I also made the point that morality will go as quick as the food goes, I just didn’t spell it out as clearly.
I grew up in the 50s, the last decade (imo, anyway) before the rapid moral decline of this country began in earnest.
We used to actually play outdoors… the idiot box hadn’t yet taken over.
Well, the Jews wrote it, it must be true!
Actually much of what the Jews wrote they stole from the Sumarian texts. Eden is one and Adam.mu Eve came much later when they were able to make them productive. Early on they were more like the jackass sterile. Check it out do not believe me. Oh and the flood story too. The Jews made the garden a favorable place whereas the Annunaki bred slaves to work their fields, tend their houses and mine their gold. I have a feeling they hung around and still might be here today they did live hundreds of thousands of years. One year was our 3600 years.
I have to pass on this information because if I don’t. ..it will be a sin.
I listened to another podcast that blew my mind.
A woman named Sophia Stewart.
It’s in the archives on American Freedom Radio.
On the Teri Joyce show…freedom of Joyce.
It will answer a lot more of your questions.
Like the Oracle of Delphi.
And yes…
My third eye is open….
Listen if you dare…
I offer solutions. ..
Not answers.
Thanks Flee! Always looking for other venues, besides the Trenches, to get the truth.
NOT RELEVANT TO OUR CURRENT SITUATION……….
Thank you! Because all I see here with these comments is division, not unity! But here’s the problem and I why I can understand most Americans do not believe the Bible is true–because most “Christian” preachers “preach” it false. As for Adam and Eve, I’d say much of that is more allegorical than historical–and whom among us was around then? But to say the Bible is utter nonsense is itself nonsense what with archeological discoveries such as the Dead Sea Scrolls. Atheists want Christians to constantly prove God and Christ exist or existed–but what they don’t want you to ask is for them to prove They didn’t and don’t! With many atheists, you do not have a choice. With God and Christ, you do have a choice. It’s called Free Will.
It’s not current to your situation.
But I will warn you…
I am more then willing to crush you with my third eye.
With compassion.
Any takers….?
Just for the unbelievers.
These not my thoughts..
Do you know what’s faster then the speed of light..?
The speed of thought from the creator.
Three eyes? I bet you pay hell finding a pair of sunglasses.
All kidding aside, my dad predicted that when we discovered how to travel the universe, it would be via thought.
Amen brother!! Find evil and kill it…
“Just 26 percent of respondents called the Bible “a book of fables, legends, history and moral precepts recorded by man.”
Yet they believe every word they hear from the idiot box.
yep yep!
i can’t stand folks who wear the cross and talk about how christian they are then turn around and live their lives like a bunch of spoiled brat a-holes.
i don’t practice any “religion” but end up following the 10 commandments by default more than most.
i have been reading a book by anatoly fomenko about chronological history. when he goes through the biblical texts it gets quite interesting…..
actually the whole book is quite interesting……recommend highly for those interested……
The Bible CANNOT be literally true, since it blatantly contradicts itself and/or known science from beginning to end. There are entire catalogues of these errors in print and online. The Skeptic’s Annotated Bible is a good source. (I suspect that the widespread availability of such material online may be a reason behind the decline of religious fundamentalism, and even religion in general.)
The sky is not a solid “firmament” into which the stars are fixed and which has floodgates that open when it rains. A mustard seed is not the smallest of all seeds. Judas could not have died both by hanging himself AND by falling and having his guts spill out.
Apologists have come up with some truly desperate mental contortions in the attempt to explain away problems like these. It usually doesn’t hold water. And these are just a few of THOUSANDS of errors in the Bible.
While some of the errors and inconsistencies are trivial, others are central to the very meaning of Christianity. For example, we’re all familiar with the “salvation by faith versus works” controversy. Theologians have argued over it for centuries. Why can’t they resolve it? Because the Bible supports BOTH positions, and they are irreconcilable.
Besides, why does it only seem to be “holy” books (the Bible, the Koran, etc.) that require this sort of defense? Why don’t books about math, chemistry, computers, or foreign languages require people to explain away contradictions and errors on nearly every page? (Such books do contain errors here and there, but they are generally acknowledged and corrected when discovered, not defended at all costs.)
I would expect a book inspired by God to be OBVIOUSLY correct in EVERY detail, with no need whatsoever for tortured explanations using pretzel logic (“Judas hanged himself, and THEN the rope broke and he fell, spilling his guts everywhere! The two stories just tell different parts of what happened and leave out some details!” Puh-leeze.).
At minimum, I would expect a divinely inspired book to be UNAMBIGUOUS in its instructions regarding how to attain salvation. The Bible is anything but, as mentioned above.
I also have moral problems with the Bible. It conflicts with my conscience — which, it should be noted, the Bible claims to come from God.
For example, human beings are finite in intelligence, awareness, and willpower. That limits the magnitude of our guilt, just as the guilt of a toddler who kills someone with a gun is limited by the toddler’s lack of understanding. Simply put, FINITE beings cannot deserve INFINITE punishment, i.e., hell. Therefore, the doctrine of eternal punishment is unjust.
People cannot deserve punishment for lack of belief. Genuine belief is not subject to choice, but is a natural mental reaction to evidence and arguments presented. A person obviously cannot be held morally responsible for something over which they have no choice; to suggest otherwise is ridiculous, yet the Bible does so.
The Bible (Romans 13) also tells us to be obedient to civil authorities, and that such authorities act on behalf of God and are only a terror to those who do evil. The falseness of this passage is self-evident to anyone who doesn’t live in a cave and has the slightest knowledge of history.
We can also ask how evil came into existence. Who created evil? It had to have started somewhere. Was it the rebellious angel, Lucifer? If so, what caused him to rebel? Who tempted him? What imperfections were created in Lucifer that led to his downfall? Who is responsible for those imperfections? A perfect God? How does a perfect God, who supposedly hates evil, knowingly create a being that He KNOWS has imperfections (pride, etc.) that will bring evil into existence?
If I had the power to create life, would it makes sense for me to design and create a being such that I knew it would rebel against me, and then blame that being for rebelling the way I designed it to? That’s basically what God HAD to have done if we accept the Christian view of how evil came into the world.
Additionally, GrinNBarrett’s comment is right on the money regarding the original sources of many Biblical stories. There’s plenty of info on the Web for those interested. Check out the Epic of Gilgamesh for example.
What I’ve written here just scratches the surface of the reasons why I don’t believe in Christianity or in any religion. I think religion is a tool. Historically it’s been used by people to control others through fear: get on board and conform, believe this and do that, or else terrible things will happen to you in this life or the next. Also, religion is used by individuals to satisfy certain psychological needs: to lessen the fear of death and the sense of loss when loved ones die, the need to understand the unknown, etc. All together, religion attempts to control us through both the ultimate carrot (heaven) and the ultimate stick (hell).
Still, people can believe what they want, and I honestly won’t like them any less. I evaluate people (including myself) on traits like compassion, courage, and nobility, not on their opinions regarding metaphysical topics.