The Bible

The Bible
Dear Lord, Let’s Agree to Disagree

I would like to make it absolutely clear at the outset that this piece, which is mostly taken verbatim from the article in Newsweek magazine, issue dated March 30, 2009, page 16, is not a direct assault on Christianity, or on religion for that matter. Rather, it is a reflection of my long-held fascination of the phenomenon, or practice, of religion in Man’s life.

Various individuals have remarked that I am very religious though I don’t embrace any religious faith. I don’t know that observation is a compliment or not, but I do know this: I do spend a lot of time thinking about religions and metaphysics, and reading about philosophy. I know a little bit about four religions: Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism. I have thought long and hard about the issue of God. Religious beliefs fascinate me, especially when those beliefs are contrary to knowledge made possible by advances in science. When those religious beliefs are translated into daily behavior, they fascinate me even further. I often wonder if those religious adherents ever sit down and reflect on why they follow a certain religion, and not the others, in the first place. I wonder if they make a conscious effort to study other religions, sort of a comparative study, to ensure that the one they practice is the most sensible, according to them. I often ask myself that perhaps people practice a certain religion because of the early socialization and indoctrination and not because of conscious choice. Of the four religions mentioned above, Christianity has made several fascinating claims which demand acceptance on faith and not by logic. That’s where I have a problem. Although I know I am not very intelligent, but I am intelligent enough to be able to reason and to know something about common sense when it is present. Apparently, I am not alone, throughout history, ever since the appearance of the Bible, there have been individuals of the Homo sapiens species who question the consistency and even the veracity of the Book (from Greek biblos, meaning book). What bothers me a lot about Christianity is its exclusivity claim. It often presents itself as the only true way to truth and salvation. And it is very aggressive in promoting its gospel.

Theology scholar Bart Ehrman in his new book “Jesus, Interrupted” made an observation that the Bible is offered as a sacred text in U.S. churches---not as simply a historical document. But who wrote its 27 books? When were they written? What were its authors trying to do? Pastors and congregants may wish to avoid the crisis of faith that these questions provoke, but Ehrman says asking them is the only way to understand the Bible.

The Idea: The Bible is full of paradoxes. To make sense of it, you need to know who wrote it (men, not God) and why its stories---particularly the Gospels---contradict each other.
The Evidence: Jesus dies on different days in Mark and John. Luke says Jesus, en route to the cross, is calm; Mark says he is distraught. John says he performed miracles to prove his provenance; Matthew says he demurred. Most of the 27 books were written long after Christ’s death, and only eight of them were actually written by the people initially credited as authors. When the New Testament became canonical, there were lots of Gospels floating around. Why did some endure but not others? Unclear, Ehrman says, but it surely reflected contemporary biases. The Bible “did not descend from high,” he writes. “It was created, down here on earth.”
The Conclusion: Ehrman argues these subtleties don’t squash the possibility of faith. Belief isn’t just about the doctrine; it can also tell us how to live and love.

Amen!

CanNgon
August 30, 2009