Any student of human history will have to agree that religion has, from the very beginning, played a vital role in the lives of mankind. For some reason humans had to believe in some powerful deity that controls their lives, provide protection and favours and that can punish poor behaviour. To this day religious orders and churches wield great power all over the world, using their Holy books as their justification. This is why I am not a Bible student.
Theologians will have people believe that the scriptures are divinely inspired and that they are to be seen as the Word of God. Rubbish, says the critics. The scriptures are nothing but an arbitrary collection of writings by sometimes dubious individuals and that they are hardly holy. At best, these writings should be viewed as pedantic ramblings of fanatics that firmly believed that they, and they alone, know the truth.
Many others ignore the scriptures because, they say, this collection of books have been assembled by humans and that the present content of the scriptures have been chosen from thousands of potential writings. Critics say that only those works that underwrote the personal views of those that selected the books to be included were chosen. It was therefore the product of a church that needed to justify its own doctrines.
Some people ignore the scriptures because they simply do not know who to believe. There are those that say that the scriptures is an accurate historical record that contains not one single factual error. Then there are others that hold the opinion that the scriptures are allegorical and that it must not be interpreted literally at all. Both views have highly qualified and experienced advocates.
The fact that the scriptures have been translated into so many languages is also a bone of contention. Critics say that translations are often done by individuals that simply do not have the skills necessary to correctly interpret and translate the original meaning as contained in the original Greek and Hebrew texts. This means that many versions of the scriptures are nothing but interpretations by amateurs.
The very idea that man has free choice is firmly negated by the scriptures, sceptics quickly point out. Man is presented with a single option and this is to either do exactly as they are told or be condemned to eternal punishment in hell. This hardly freedom of choice, says the critics. Christians are sternly reminded that all other deities are false gods and that all other religions are heresies.
Many people refuse to believe in or read the scriptures because they feel betrayed. They say that the scriptures make false promises, such as the loving care and nurturing of the God Almighty. Yet millions upon millions of Christians are suffering from severe poverty, hunger and persecution. The message of love, as proclaimed in the scriptures, is a cruel joke, critics maintain.
Man does have free choice. It is the right of every person to believe or not to believe the teachings and messages contained in the scriptures. One would hope, however, that those that believe do not show prejudice against those that believe differently.
Theologians will have people believe that the scriptures are divinely inspired and that they are to be seen as the Word of God. Rubbish, says the critics. The scriptures are nothing but an arbitrary collection of writings by sometimes dubious individuals and that they are hardly holy. At best, these writings should be viewed as pedantic ramblings of fanatics that firmly believed that they, and they alone, know the truth.
Many others ignore the scriptures because, they say, this collection of books have been assembled by humans and that the present content of the scriptures have been chosen from thousands of potential writings. Critics say that only those works that underwrote the personal views of those that selected the books to be included were chosen. It was therefore the product of a church that needed to justify its own doctrines.
Some people ignore the scriptures because they simply do not know who to believe. There are those that say that the scriptures is an accurate historical record that contains not one single factual error. Then there are others that hold the opinion that the scriptures are allegorical and that it must not be interpreted literally at all. Both views have highly qualified and experienced advocates.
The fact that the scriptures have been translated into so many languages is also a bone of contention. Critics say that translations are often done by individuals that simply do not have the skills necessary to correctly interpret and translate the original meaning as contained in the original Greek and Hebrew texts. This means that many versions of the scriptures are nothing but interpretations by amateurs.
The very idea that man has free choice is firmly negated by the scriptures, sceptics quickly point out. Man is presented with a single option and this is to either do exactly as they are told or be condemned to eternal punishment in hell. This hardly freedom of choice, says the critics. Christians are sternly reminded that all other deities are false gods and that all other religions are heresies.
Many people refuse to believe in or read the scriptures because they feel betrayed. They say that the scriptures make false promises, such as the loving care and nurturing of the God Almighty. Yet millions upon millions of Christians are suffering from severe poverty, hunger and persecution. The message of love, as proclaimed in the scriptures, is a cruel joke, critics maintain.
Man does have free choice. It is the right of every person to believe or not to believe the teachings and messages contained in the scriptures. One would hope, however, that those that believe do not show prejudice against those that believe differently.
About the Author:
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