I had one of those "Ah-ha" moments recently. I was talking with somebody younger than I am when I realized that their objections to the Bible fell into two categories.
One was that they felt the Bible was a failure because they were expecting a textbook in magic, something like you might see in a Harry Potter movie. They were not prepared for an "Owner's Manual".
The other objection was that it was "old" and they could not see straight-lines between every verse and some issue in their lives.
I must confess that I had an imaginary conversation with them after the fact.
"So how much of the Bible do you think has some bearing on your life? 50%? 25%? 10%?"
"I don't know. I never read the Bible. I would guess 10%"
"It is widely accepted that modern psychology has a half-life of knowledge of five years. Do you know how much of it would be accepted as true and having some bearing on your life in 50 years?"
"No."
"Only one-part-in-one-thousand."
Amen, amen, and amen. If people would just read the bible and live by the rules that are in there, they would find the high road and live a better life. We would all be better off as a society. But, alas I am tired of that conversation also. BobT
ReplyDeleteThat isn't exactly a useful comparison, as "modern psychology" knowledge is much more specific than Biblical proverbs.
ReplyDeleteThe concept of "the half life of facts" is based on the idea that as we learn more about the world, we discard specific claims as contrafactual. This discard-and-replace approach to knowledge is rarely acceptable in relation to any religious text, Abrahamic or otherwise.
MIke, could you point out how you and I are any different than the People described in the Bible?
ReplyDeleteHave we overcome Lust? Passion? Anger? Distructive and Murderous behaviors?
I could go on for pages.
Please illuminate me in how you as a MODERN MAN is significantly different in Behavior than any random man in the Bible.
And isn’t that the story of modern times in a nutshell?
ReplyDelete“I haven’t read it, know nothing about it but think I know everything, and will dismiss it out of hand because fashion and my marxist ideological owners have told me to.”
The sad part is that, assuming they aren’t some extreme, amoral, narcissistic, psychopathic leftist (am I repeating myself?), ‘everything’ they already believe of as ‘good’ (excluding the usual indoctrinated, imaginary and always profitable for some, ‘leftist good’, what the rest of us call ‘naked evil’) is based on what is in The Bible. What ‘we’ even think of as civilisation, and being civilised, is ‘only’ and ‘entirely’ based on Christianity.
The truth, even if that LIV person wasn’t aware, is that ‘they’ all know this, but whilst they wish to enjoy the benefits of civilisation (and Christianity) they don’t want all the ‘icky’ responsibility, reciprocity and restrictions ‘required’ (Oh, they’re happy for them to apply to everyone else, just not them).
They’re not just the women throwing a marriage under the bus to escape the ‘onerous’ reciprocity and costs, whilst still demanding all the benefits (then noticing that whilst they whined that ‘they did everything’, the house and garden are collapsing and overgrown and they can’t afford to eat). They’re the idiots demanding the removal of civilizational walls and fences (without knowing, or even caring why they were put there in the first place) that … stop them walking of the moral cliff.
The fact is that I don’t think ‘we’ (not just country and culture, but civilisation itself) can survive them. I just hope there are enough believers left to maintain it.
Every word of it is wisdom. I've been on both sides of Exodus 22:5. Cattle have a way of testing even the best fences. And while good fences make good neighbors, graciousness goes a long way when fences inevitably fail.
ReplyDeleteIf a man shall cause a field or vineyard to be eaten, and shall put in his beast, and shall feed in another man's field; of the best of his own field, and of the best of his own vineyard, shall he make restitution. (Exodus 22:5, KJV)
I am a retired psych nurse and a behavioral therapist and all of psychology is pop psychology. It never has lasting value and changing of destructive behaviors. It just makes you feel good for yourself in the moment. Same basis in reality as psychiatric "medicine." Here take this pill and all will be right in the world. Except the pill is pure poison and a psychotropic effects and other side effects we want you to ignore, lets say we think it is good for you... Boy, my eyes got wide open fast when I really started questioning the new protocols and the new whiz bang treatments being fostered on truly uninformed consent, and unsuspecting and uneducated mentally ill patients. My premise in behavioral therapy was Bible based and some knowledge. I agree the Bible is an owners manual and wholesome advice and a way of living and interacting that is designed to transcend ages and differing philosophies. Because my therapy it was considered inappropriate and no value, yet it saw dramatic change and results in people, especially hard core convicts in the prison behavioral program I ran. The Bible undeserving and outdated? It is the primary asset and model for living and civilization.
ReplyDeleteInteresting point, and when you add in all the 'translations' and 'new' versions, it can get confusing! I prefer the KJV myself.
ReplyDeleteThat is the main reason behind the flood of new tran$lations. There are more, none good.
DeleteThat’s some wisdom right there
ReplyDeleteKJV for me too.
ReplyDeleteI always thought of it as a Whole Earth Catalog for building and maintaining a civilization.
This happens — what do you do...
Very few read the Handbook inspired by the Manufacturer.
ReplyDeleteI agree about the owners manual concept. Also remember for the first thousand years or so there was basically one church interpreting it and very few could read! Also at Mass or communion service (our little parish only has a priest once a month). Over a three year cycle you get most of the high points with a homily to help tie it with modern needs! I assume our Protestant and orthodox brethren do similar things.
ReplyDeleteHave a 8th grade school knowledge of the Bible which was dumbed down for child size understanding by the Nuns. Read a book published by Jonathan Cahn, a Messianic Jew and Evangelical Christianity who wrote "The Harbinger". I real several chapters when I decided I needed a couple bibles. Got out my KJV and Catholic bibles and each time he wove a verse or sentence I would look it up in both. Did this for the entire book, which was sensational, but with one understanding is that Catholic and KJV are essentially the same. Changed a few minor words but not the meaning. Did that with all the books I've read of his. Certainly increased my knowledge base as some were from both the new and old.
ReplyDeleteHebrews 4:12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
ReplyDelete