Is the bible just a version of  Aesop's Fables?
115961
I beleive you have somewhat of a good point....the parables of the Bible and the lessons of Aesop's Fables do seem to have a common thread. In both there exists a message of right verses wrong, the consequences of evil acts and the rewards of decent behavior. Is it any wonder that both have endured the test of time even til this day....~~~
516670
It is.  It can be read in 2 ways, as either a Christian allegory, or as a children's fantasy novel.  I loved the stories as a kid, and I loved the allegory aspect of them as I got older.  \n\nC.S. Lewis wrote many other books, such as "Mere Christianity" and "The Screwtape Letters", which are different examinations of the Christian faith.\n\nC.S. Lewis was an atheist for a number of years, but conversations with JRR Tolkein played a role in turning him back to his Christian roots.  He was definitely in his Christian phase at the time he wrote the Narnia series.
300429
It is not. Back then, each copy of the Bible had to be handwritten when they were reproduced. This means the scribes had free will to add/change anything they wanted. Also the Bible was translated from Greek and Hebrew to English. So its changed a lot, because there are no originals in existence. KJV went through the hands of countless scribes before being translated.  Even the dead sea scrolls are not the originals, just really old, close to original copies. And no, they're not in English
780667
These were figurative and not literal representations.\n In Genesis...\nGen 3:1  Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? \nSatan is represented as a serpent (snake) here..alludes to his sneaky nature and the poison which he spreads..\n\nIn Nehemiah..\nNeh 2:13  And I went out by night by the gate of the valley, even before the dragon well...\nthe word translated in from Hebrew to mean dragon actually means...sea serpent or jackal\n\nIn Revelations...\nRev 20:2  And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, \n\nThe word used for dragon, here, means...(from Strong's greek and hebrew Dictionaries)\n"a fabulous kind of serpent (perhaps as supposed to fascinate)"\n\nThe Bible is not endorsing the idea of a literal flying, firebreathing reptile. It is symbolism..so that only the "chosen" would understand.\n\nHere's an example:\n(Rev 17:7)  And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.\n\n(Rev 17:8)  The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.\n(Rev 17:9)  And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.\n(Rev 17:10)  And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.\n(Rev 17:11)  And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.\n(Rev 17:12)  And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.\n(Rev 17:13)  These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.\n(Rev 17:14)  These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
1051666
No. It doesn't say either of things.\n\nBut it doesn't matter anyway. The bible is a book of fiction and is a terrible waste of paper. Recycle it. Maybe it can be used to make toilet tissue. That would be a good thing, finally.
749077
Aesop's fables are excellent!
294742
Agnostic response: The bible is a collection of folk tales written by pre-scientific people.\n\nBeliever response: La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La I won't let these question enter my mind because I don't want to burn in Hell La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La
372149
now let me think about that for a nano second...yes!\nlets face it, the bible was a collection of STORIES...and if anyone thinks that people get turned into pillars of salt, then they are more stupid than i thought
656300
Well the bible talks about Noah too--a story plagarized from the babylonian epic of Gilgamesh.  There was never enough water for a great flood, to load all the species on earth--Noah would have had to load 5 a second for 30 years.  Not enough genetic diversity, not enough water.  Point is--the story is untrue--they are fables designed for primitive people. It is not a book of science--much of it is allegorical---soo with an allegorical thought--Adam and Eve leaving the garden of eden could well be an allegorical representation of a hominid species becoming self aware.
607687
No, Yes and Yes.\n\nThe Bible itself tell us it is a mystery, and we know for a fact that not all of it is literal, but much of it is stories used to teach us lessons. \n\nI believe, and you wont find many like me, in a God seperate from the Bible. I believe there are things we don't know, and may never know. I believe the Bible gives us only a small acconut of history, and there is much that is left out. To me, God exists seprate from the Bible. I would still believe as I do, if there was none.
524810
The bible is a book written by men who have an agenda.  The weak minded will choose to listen to propoganda.  Saved from what...a fable.  Think of it...after all this time suddenly Judas goes from being the traitor to the most loyal?  Wow, what a turnaround.  We were wrong for the last 2000 years.  What will we learn tomorrow...it's all just a fairytale?  Get a grip on your own life and stop allowing organized religion to influence your mind for money, control and power.
357515
Only the original documents themselves have been what we call "Inspired" by God.  Translations have been written with God's guidance.
239924
This is a question that I've always asked.  I see it as being closed-minded to believe that the Bible is 100% true.  It was written my man, not God.  It is human nature to exaggerate stories, and that's what the Bible is; stories.  I believe that there is truth in the Bible, but I think it's nuts to assume all of it is true.
1163271
your first rule of reading the bible you need to accept that it does not make sense and it is full of contradictions\nit is only a book of fairy tales
1021612
Yes I do think they are just stories, just like those of Zeus & Ra, Santa and Postman Pat. (although Mythology stories are alot better than the main religions we have today - and the only difference between mythology and religion is believers of course.\n\nIn answer to the above poster, your whole argument hinges on the fact that some people have contorted sentences and word meanings to get it to fit with science and others still have just got it plain wrong.  Additionally many cultures that pre-date islam had already come up with the same conclusions.  For Example, Heavens and Earth having the same origin for example was already in place by the Tao Te Ching (it refers to Wu Chi) in 600BC, 1200 Years before Islam.\n\nSo we are back at option 1 or 2 since you had incomplete information.\n\nYou can show me any 'science' in the quran and I will show you a fallacy, a twisting of words  or a culture that had come up with first.  I know because I have looked, Have you?  Have you ever tried to be critical of the Quran, or do you read as the Inspired Word of God, i.e., infalliable - therefore skewing your reading of it as you can't concieve that it might be wrong or out of date.\n\nHere is one article to start you off learning the truth about science and islam in general.:\nhttp://www.infidels.org/library/modern/richard_carrier/islam.html
149960
Obviously. A bible is like a bubonic plauge virus. As an object, it is nothing. But under the right conditions, it has the power to destoy millions, even billions of lives.
730156
Bible is older and they both make up stories.