h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Oh boy, here comes a Christian to stir things up...

Although by literally reading the Bible, one would immediately dismiss it as bad fiction, I don't really feel that's how it's supposed to be read. Yes, there are contradictions, but those are because of the oral tradition of the times when the Bible was written. With things always being passed by word-of-mouth, stories were bound to change and hence contradictions between gospels and books are going to occur.

However, as I've been told, the Bible is meant to be read contextually - looking into the stories and why they were written the way they were and what their point was - not simply scratching the surface and dismissing it as crap.

But don't get me wrong here. I'm just doing what I do best, disagreeing. I dislike the "repent-or-die-I-am-saved-you-are-not" Christians just as much as anyone else, and am frankly disgusted by them and the image they give the religion. I don't give a flying f**k about someone's religion, be they atheist, Christian, Buddhist, or Jewish.

I'm much that way myself... I don't care what people want to believe. Unfortunately, there are a lot of people who care what I believe, and even more people who make national and international policy based on harmful beliefs. Those people need a theological slap to the head, and that's what this article is intended to do.

The problem with the 'contextual' argument is that the core of xtian religious dogma rests on a literal interpretation of a few items.

1) God exists.
2) God created the world.
3) The soul exists
4) Satan exists, and will take your soul.
5) Jesus lived, died, and rose from death just as described in the Gospels.

Once you begin to argue that parts of it are not to be taken literally, then everything is open for interpretation, including the ascension. If the ascension did not happen, then xtianity is wrong. Without the ascension, you have no xtianity.

But even when you try to take whatever wisdom can be gleaned and ignore the supernatural aspects, you come to yet another problem. Some of the stories have abhorrent lessons. The worst example is when the prophet Elisha is teased by a bunch of children. He reacts by summoning a pair of she-bears, who rampage and kill 40 kids. Is that the type of moral lesson we want to teach our kids?

Hear, hear! - from an Anglican priest.

But that's why you have to use the Bible critically and sensibly - and realise when humankind has gone way off in understanding the divine - in Scripture as elsewhere. Don't blame God for human ignorance and stupidity, please. Incidentally, I don't believe in a literal hell as a place of everlasting torment, nor in a pair of fee sticking out of the clouds. I DO believe in a loving God who made himself known in Jesus and who makes himself known in loving relationships today.

Ted: Throughout our conversations on the subject in the various forums, you have struck me as a rather reasonable individual. In fact, there is only one thing that I've found to be unreasonable: "I DO believe in a loving God who made himself known in Jesus and who makes himself known in loving relationships today."

Why?

Can anyone tell me why God had to sacrifice Himself to Himself for the sake of His creation.

Alji