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What is your opinion on the Holy Bible? Is it the true word of God? Was it truely inspired by God? Has man corrupted the original message that God was trying to convey? Why is it to this day that even within Christianity, so many are split as to the actual meaning of this Holy scripture? Why must so many differing denominations within Christianity itself squabble over its meaning?

HI Lady!

Your questions are very deep but I will try to answer them as honestly as I can.

1. What is your opinion on the Holy Bible?

My opinion on the Bible is that it is and always will be the Word of God. Directly written to give me guidance and peace in my life.

2. Is it the true word of God?

I do believe that it is. I believe that the lessons from the Old Testament and what God said to and through the prophets still stands for us today. The New Testament is a declaration of the possibilities of living a new life through faith in Jesus Christ. I beleive He is the Messiah sent by God the Father to make a way for us to be in His presence in spite of our selfish sinful lives.

3. Was it truely inspired by God?

I believe that it was. For me, everything in my life is directed by God. He knew me before I was born and He knew who and what I would become. Therefore, everything that happenes in my life is in His hands. So, if He can direct my small insignificant life then He can inspire someone to write down something He wants us all to know.

4. Has man corrupted the original message that God was trying to convey?

This is a little tricky... I believe that we have corrupted the message. We just didn't get it. The life style of the flesh can be so alluring that we have devised ways that were not God's ways to bring satisfaction to our lives. As though we might know better than God. I believe that is why Jesus had to come. God knew we wouldn't get it...so He knew he would have to create a way for us to be in fellowship with Him again. God's true desire was to help us live a life that is acceptable for Him. He wants us to live true to the way we were created. He loves us, He made us and He wants to be with us...we're the ones who have turned away.

5. Why is it to this day that even within Christianity, so many are split as to the actual meaning of this Holy scripture?

This will be another controversial answer... after Satan fell to earth and took 1/3 of the heavenly host with him, he set out to divide people and draw them away from God because he was mad. He uses any means necessary to make it impossible for us to live in harmony with one another. He wants us to disagree with each other. He thinks its funny when Christians can't even agree on what God's Word says.

Also, we are just people and sometimes our small minds (not that we are small-minded as in dumb, or that some are smarter than others, just that in comparison with God, we are smaller and our perceptions are smaller) can't grasp what God is truly saying because we want it to make sense to us intellectually. God wants it to make sense to our hearts.

6. Why must so many differing denominations within Christianity itself squabble over its meaning?

Again, to me, it's the controversial Satan answer. The best thing Satan can do is cause believers to disagree with one another. Pride is the oldest tool Satan uses. If he can make one denomination think they are "better" Christians than another, then he has succeeded. That's why we have to always be on the alert. Jesus taught that all were acceptable. The people He called out the most were the "supposed" teachers of the Law, the Pharisees and the Sadduccees. Jesus told His disciples that these guys were the wolves that were leading the sheep of Israel astray.

Today, we have so many different types of churches teaching their own brand of Christianity. This is not what the early church was like. This is a perfect example of Satan dividing Christians. In Ireland they have actually been fighting violently over whose kind of Christian Religion is better.

I believe that Jesus wants us to unite as brothers and sisters in Him. To walk in our faith along side Him towards fellowship with the Father. To love each other with the kind of love God the Father has for all of us. It's not easy to do, but it's what I think we should all strive for. That's the reason Christ died on the cross. So we could be reunited with the Father. Jesus' death was the ultimate act of love from the Father. He sacrificed His Son for you and me. The meaning of the word "salvation" is simply that we are saved from eternity in hell ("hell" being separation from God) by recieving the gift of sacrifice Jesus made for us to bring us close to the Father. That's why so many born-again Christians claim to have a life-changing transformation when they recieve Christ as their Savior. And that's why so many of us push, prode and cajole nonbelivers into doing it too.

I've probably just raised many more questions than I've provided answers. I'll be happy to answer any others you may have. But remember, my answers will have a Christian twist at all times because thats how I see things.... <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Thank you so much for your opinions to the questions that I asked.

I'm sure that you have seen my signature and saw the quotation from the Wiccan Rede, something that I hold close to my heart. What youmay not know is that I am a Christian Wiccan/Witch. And no it is not an oxymoron. So lets not go there.

I believe that such sacred texts such as The Holy Bible, The Apocropha, The Dead Sea Scrolls, and The Nag Hammadi Library were written by imperfect men, but inspired by The Divine. I believe The Divine has many faces. I believe The Divine shows itself to everyone in different ways. I believe with the Holy Bible specifically, man has corrupted the actual original meaning of the texts for their own agenda. I believe that the male dominated church swept the aspect of Goddess under the perverbial rug to fulfill their own agenda. I believe that they blatantly left out certain books from the canonized Bible because it didn't coincide with what they were trying to achieve.

I study all of the sacred texts that I have mentioned. I am trying to study certain scriptures in the original languages in order to grasp its true meaning. I refuse to allow organized religion to order me not to seek wisdom from other Holy Texts because of their own fears.

I refuse to blame "Satan" for the acts of mankind. Mankind has freewill. They can choose to stop all this bickering and argueing over such stupidity and come together as one as Jesus taught. They choose not to.

My son has ADHD and Bipolar. He has anger issues. He often tells me that this or that made him angry. I always tell him, Nothing and Noone makes you angry. You CHOOSE to be angry. What you do with that anger is what matters.

The same can be said of the church. You all can choose to continue on with the fighting amongst yourselves, and blame "Satan" for what you CHOOSE to do, or you can choose to be one as Jesus taught.

hi lady.... Merry Meet and Brightest Blessings!

comming from a slightly different angle on this than the other poster who ansered your questions, i do not blame "satan" for the differences believed by different churches but rather the fact that men being imperfect may use scripture as they want to justify what they want.

i grew up in a wiccan/druid home and have only within the past 10 years studied the bible so i know where you are comming from. i also agree with you in the desire to study the original language of the scriptures you are looking at as words have changed meanings over the centuries and you sometimes need to look at the whole passage in the oiginal language in order to understand the true intent.

anita

You will find as many others have that the Holy Bible is one of the only texts in the world that the translations and the original language are quite close. Making the Word of God clearer and more true than ever.

hi jenna
sorry think there was a missunderstanding here... i didnt mean that the translation of the words have changed but rather there are some phrases which may no longer be used and we therefore may not understand certain passages until we look at the meaning of the original words. for example i remember i used to have a version (unfortunatly i cant remember which it was) which spoke of a "unicorn"... given todays meaning of the word that was confusing... made more sense after finding the word used originally meant a wild bull.

Thats interesting anital....I wish you could remember which version that was...sounds like an old one...it would be cool to research it...maybe I will spend a little time reseaching some of the old texts and the meanings of some of the old Hebrew words.

I meant that of all the older books and stuff that the Bible is one of the few that the basic message of the writings are true to the original message...

Funny how God's word has stayed the same through the centuries...

agreed jenna....

i would say that is the greatest proof of its being inspired by YHWH. otherwise man would have changed more of the text than it had left... as it is i believe there is only 1 verse which was added which you will not find in the orriginal language and that is 1 John 5:7 which was added in the 16th century (there is no record of it in translations older than this nor in the original languages)

had the bible not been inspired i am sure much more would have been added than these few words

anita

anital,
I have E-Sword downloaded on my computer and it allows me to see the root meaning of words...
I went to the verse in Isaiah 51:20 that mentions "wild bull" below is the definition given by E-Sword for this particular word...which kind of explains why your old version of the Bible may have interpreted it as a unicorn...

"H8377
&#1514;&#1468;&#1493;&#1488; &#1514;&#1468;&#1488;&#1493;
te'o&#770; to&#770;'
teh-o', toh
The second form being the original form; from H8376; a species of antelope (probably from the white stripe on the cheek): - wild bull (ox)."

Here also is the verse from the KJV:
"Isa 51:20 Thy sons have fainted, they lie at the head of all the streets, as a wild bull in a net: they are full of the fury of the LORD, the rebuke of thy God."

The following is from the NKJV:
"Isa 51:20 Your sons have fainted, they lie at the head of all the street like a wild antelope in a net, filled with the fury of Jehovah, the rebuke of your God."

Interesting to say the least.

hi jenna

i actually just downloaded e-sword myself about a week ago.... joy of sick kids... i have not been online since then. the definitions you mentioned are the only things that made those verses make sence... i have been using both strongs and youngs concordances in my studies for the past 8 years. i find that they are a huge help at times

anita