Is The Bible Open To Interpretation?

[Overitall]

Evaluating the morality and motives of key characters and the ethics of their decisions is a fundamental part of interpreting literature. You can't really discuss how to interpret Henry V without addressing whether he was a righteous ruler acting in the best interests of his country, or whether his aggression against France was an act of hubris, leading to unneccessary suffering and death for both his own men and for the French.

That's not an interpretation. It's a critique.

 

[it's just me]

According to your interpretation (understanding).

Jesus, take the wheel, here we go again. No, not just me, the whole universe of Christianity thinks the JWs don't understand Christianity. The only people who think the JWs understand Christianity are the JWs.

 

[Crunchtime]

Jesus, take the wheel, here we go again. No, not just me, the whole universe of Christianity thinks the JWs don't understand Christianity. The only people who think the JWs understand Christianity are the JWs.

JW’s deny the deity of Christ. How can Christianity be “understood” when that is the case? They don’t believe in the Trinity nor do they believe that man has an immortal soul. It goes on.…

 

[Overitall]

Jesus, take the wheel, here we go again. No, not just me, the whole universe of Christianity thinks the JWs don't understand Christianity. The only people who think the JWs understand Christianity are the JWs.

That's simply not true. I've never been a JW but I've spoken to hundreds of JW (I don't mind speaking to them when they knock on my door). From my conversations with them I'd say they have a pretty good grasp on Christianity. They have some beliefs that aren't mainstream but then we don't have hundreds and hundreds of different denominations if not for doctrinal disagreements. I consider them to be part of the family of Christians.

 

[Crakhobarbie]

Love has many faces.

Is this one of them?

 

[it's just me]

JW’s deny the deity of Christ. How can Christianity be “understood” when that is the case? They don’t believe in the Trinity nor do they believe that man has an immortal soul. It goes on.…

All of that is irrelevant. JWs reject everything about Christianity while they try to impersonate Christians.

 

[Crunchtime]

Right, because when someone harbors ill feelings toward you, the appropriate reaction is to visit the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the third and upon the fourth generation. Especially if the people who hate you are scared little nonthreatening children that have no possible way to hurt you. Then you should definitely respond to their professions of hatred with centuries of genocide.

The path of the Jedi is to respond to those who hate us with understanding, and compassion for their suffering. Jealousy and revenge are not virtues, though I expect it would be hard for those who follow Darth Jehovah to understand this.

Jehovah/Jesus Christ has a coherent world view. He, better than anyone understands hatred, etc. He understands the selfishness and self centered ness of men. He sees the motives of the heart, even the selfish motivations of the “Jedi” to draw attention to themselves. Furthermore, He sees the end from the beginning. He knows every thought of men. Even yours.

Those that follow Jesus Christ don’t profess to understand everything, but trust in the God of their salvation. Trusting that the God of the whole Earth will do right. He is the Son of righteousness.

 

[Crunchtime]

Is this one of them?

A charlatan.

All of that is irrelevant. JWs reject everything about Christianity while they try to impersonate Christians.

You just lost any credibility you may have thought you had. There is nothing irrelevant about denying the deity of Christ.

 

[Crunchtime]

That's simply not true. I've never been a JW but I've spoken to hundreds of JW (I don't mind speaking to them when they knock on my door). From my conversations with them I'd say they have a pretty good grasp on Christianity. They have some beliefs that aren't mainstream but then we don't have hundreds and hundreds of different denominations if not for doctrinal disagreements. I consider them to be part of the family of Christians.

How can they be a part of the Christian family when they deny the deity of Christ? That’s not a doctrinal disagreement. Christ is God is fundamental to everything concerning Christ. You can’t make Him less than He is and be a Christian. It’s blasphemy.

 

[it's just me]

That's simply not true. I've never been a JW but I've spoken to hundreds of JW (I don't mind speaking to them when they knock on my door). From my conversations with them I'd say they have a pretty good grasp on Christianity. They have some beliefs that aren't mainstream but then we don't have hundreds and hundreds of different denominations if not for doctrinal disagreements. I consider them to be part of the family of Christians.

Christianity has no denominations that believe that Jesus was Michael the Archangel or that Jesus was any other than God himself. You can think what you want but you are wrong.

 

[it's just me]

A charlatan.

You just lost any credibility you may have thought you had. There is nothing irrelevant about denying the deity of Christ.

And you just lost any you think you had.

 

[it's just me]

Jehovah/Jesus Christ has a coherent world view. He, better than anyone understands hatred, etc. He understands the selfishness and self centered ness of men. He sees the motives of the heart, even the selfish motivations of the “Jedi” to draw attention to themselves. Furthermore, He sees the end from the beginning. He knows every thought of men. Even yours.

Those that follow Jesus Christ don’t profess to understand everything, but trust in the God of their salvation. Trusting that the God of the whole Earth will do right. He is the Son of righteousness.

A little bit of education goes a long way....

 

[NolanVoyd]

You're a cynic, and that's okay with me, but you know the answer to your question. It's not a question at all. It's just bait. I'm done playing your little games. Find some other form of entertainment.

Nope.

I get different answers from different Christians (proving that the Bible is indeed open to interpretation).

I am asking you to explain what YOU think will happen to me for denying God.

Are you unwilling or unable to answer?

Does your answer embarass you?

 

[Overitall]

How can they be a part of the Christian family when they deny the deity of Christ? That’s not a doctrinal disagreement. Christ is God is fundamental to everything concerning Christ. You can’t make Him less than He is and be a Christian. It’s blasphemy.

The foundation of Christianity does not rest upon the Trinitarian doctrine. It rests upon the belief that God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. If he hasn't been raised and claimed to be the Lord of Life nothing else would matter. I firmly believe in both the resurrection of Jesus and his position as Lord of Life. I consider myself to be a Christian. It doesn't matter what you consider me to be. I'm very confident of my beliefs being true.

 

[Overitall]

Christianity has no denominations that believe that Jesus was Michael the Archangel or that Jesus was any other than God himself. You can think what you want but you are wrong.

That's your opinion. I'm sure God won't hold it against you.

 

[Daisy]

How can they be a part of the Christian family when they deny the deity of Christ? That’s not a doctrinal disagreement. Christ is God is fundamental to everything concerning Christ. You can’t make Him less than He is and be a Christian. It’s blasphemy.

Nowhere in the Bible are Christians told to render worship to Jesus...worship goes to Jehovah God and Him alone...even Jesus himself said...

“Go away, Satan! For it is written: ‘It is Jehovah your God you must worship, and it is to him alone you must render sacred service.’” Matthew 4:10

 

[ecofarm]

If impossible stories are not open to interpretation, then what.

 

[KingLeo]

Jesus, take the wheel, here we go again. No, not just me, the whole universe of Christianity thinks the JWs don't understand Christianity. The only people who think the JWs understand Christianity are the JWs.

Which is what the Protestants said about Catholics for decades.
And what other interpretations say about the Amish, and the Mormons, and the etc..........
The fact that there are so many denominations of Christianity is proof that there are many many interpretations of the bible.

 

[Lisa]

That would be a very obvious yes. There are far more than 500 different English versions of the Bible, There are multiple protestant and Catholic versions of the bible, depending on the sect or the differentr sub-sects and various demographics that use it. Every person who reads it can have their own interpretation. It's not like the book is literal fact anyhow.

I am afraid no one can give you an exact number for the English translations and paraphrases of the Bible printed since Tyndale's New Testament of 1526. In part this is due to the difficulty of determining what should be defined as a new translation as opposed to a correction or a revision of an existing translation. There is the additional question of how we should count translations that include not a complete Bible or Testament, but just a group of books or even a single book. And then, of course, there is the difficulty of sheer numbers. With all these caveats in mind, the number of printed English translations and paraphrases of the Bible, whether complete or not, is about 900.

Number of English Translations of the Bible | Articles | News | American Bible Society

I am afraid no one can give you an exact number for the English translations and paraphrases of the Bible printed since Tyndale's New Testament of 1526. In part this is due to the difficulty of

news.americanbible.org

 

[Crunchtime]

Nowhere in the Bible are Christians told to render worship to Jesus...worship goes to Jehovah God and Him alone...even Jesus himself said...

“Go away, Satan! For it is written: ‘It is Jehovah your God you must worship, and it is to him alone you must render sacred service.’” Matthew 4:10

The foundation of Christianity does not rest upon the Trinitarian doctrine. It rests upon the belief that God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. If he hasn't been raised and claimed to be the Lord of Life nothing else would matter. I firmly believe in both the resurrection of Jesus and his position as Lord of Life. I consider myself to be a Christian. It doesn't matter what you consider me to be. I'm very confident of my beliefs being true.

Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God. Matt. 14:33

 

[Crunchtime]

The foundation of Christianity does not rest upon the Trinitarian doctrine. It rests upon the belief that God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. If he hasn't been raised and claimed to be the Lord of Life nothing else would matter. I firmly believe in both the resurrection of Jesus and his position as Lord of Life. I consider myself to be a Christian. It doesn't matter what you consider me to be. I'm very confident of my beliefs being true.

Good for you.

 

[Approachable]

Zephaniah did not give a number, he said there will be a time on the earth when ALL will be Jehovah's servants...even Jesus said that few are the ones finding the road to life...

If so why are people leaving Christianity and converting to different religions?

 

[Overitall]

If so why are people leaving Christianity and converting to different religions?

Elvira could be referring to the time when the Kingdom of God is established on Earth. When all has been fulfilled according to the scriptures.

 

[NolanVoyd]

Good for you.

Still waiting.

I'm am asking you to explain what YOU think will happen to me for denying God.

Are you unwilling or unable to answer?

Does your answer embarass you?

 

[Grand Mal]

The foundation of Christianity does not rest upon the Trinitarian doctrine. It rests upon the belief that God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. If he hasn't been raised and claimed to be the Lord of Life nothing else would matter. I firmly believe in both the resurrection of Jesus and his position as Lord of Life. I consider myself to be a Christian. It doesn't matter what you consider me to be. I'm very confident of my beliefs being true.

Actually, the foundation of Christianity is in the doctrine of Original Sin. If mankind weren't all born bearing the guilt of the sin in the Garden of Eden there would be no need for redemption, no need for Christ to die to redeem that original sin. Christ the Redeemer is the whole reason for Christianity. It's the reason for Christ.
And that doctrine of Original Sin is why I can't be a Christian. I don't accept that guilt, I believe that learning (inventing?) the difference between good and evil was inevitable. It's just a parable about mankind moving from a primitive hunter-gatherer state of innocence to civilised agriculturalists.