Hi Danielhuang88, crimsontactics, wilsonhao,
All of you have certain insights that Christianity has a history
of violence and intolerance (eg the Crusades). The old testament
also indicated the same, when God seemed to help and condoned the
Isrealites' killings of others who are of of their same tribe. Yet,
this seems so contradictary to Jesus message of love, gentleness,
self-control. Is this the same God we are talking about?
This is a contradiction that many Christians feel at
the core of their beings,but as we are taught to love only one true
God, we often try to ignore these contradictions. Yet there is
a split in us - between reason and faith. This is the reason for my
long post dated 6 Sep 12.47pm, to share that this does not have to
be so.
Sometimes, as Christians we are fearful of asking even
basic questions about the origin of the bible. Yet it is strange
when at school and at work, we have been trained to be logical and
rationale and to look at evidence. When studying history, we learn
to ask:"What are the cultural, personal biases of the authors? Who
decide that these 66 "books" among so many circulating in
history should be compiled into this thing called "the bible"?
What were their aims?"
My purpose is to provoke critical thinking. I have gone through
this phase and even looking squarely and say yes, Christianity has
a history of violence and some parts of the bible are very tribal
and very violent. But realiseing this has made me love Jesus all
the more because I know he is so different. He was the outcast of
his day, he turned the established religious thinking up-side-down,
he was a rabble rouser that said: "look, question yourself, what is
your motive? is this just a hypocritical act? ".
It seems you 3 have enquiring minds and a social conscience that
defies the conventional radical, fundamental forms of Christianity.
If you have time, perhaps you can take time to read these 2
books which I have found can be very useful:
A History of
Christianity by Paul Johnson published by Penguin (he is a
Christian and an Oxford historian. The book is all text only and
can be quite trying if you are not familiar with European history
but he writes in a very colourful way and you will see how
politics, including church politics, have shaped
Christianity to the form we see today.)
Rescuing the Bible
from Fundamentalism by John Selby Spong (He a Bishop of the
Episcopal Church in USA -same as Anglican tradition. He is a
liberal Christian theologian. In this book, he says that many
ordindary Christians do not have access to scholarly works and
modern day research on the origins of the bible, and here he tries
to put it in simple laymen language to show you that we cannot take
the bible literally. It is a very interesting read)
the entire bible does not contradict itself even though it may
look like it.think of it as knowing the diff qualities God.JC shows
the side of God that is called love.in the OT where an eye for an
eye is to show the justice side of God.having endless love will
result in weakness and being partial.that is not a god to be
worshipped.but having justice to reward the righteous and punish
the wrong doers makes God righteous.
in the Ot when we see God favouring certain tribes and aiding
them to kill, one might feel he is cruel and evil.but we should see
who are the ones being destroyed and how righteous they are.tink
about the story of lot who ask God to spare his hands if righteous
ppl can be found in the city God is to destroy.
not all parts of the bible is to be taken literally of cuz.since
many a times, it is clearly that certain parts are symbolic.certain
times,it might not be that clear.so only when things happen, do we
know if the prophecy has been fulfilled or not.