interpretation is subjective. isn't this true in the Holy Books like the Bible?
481553
Very true indeed. If you want to see a host of differences read the Christian Bible (any of them) side by side with the Jewish Tanakh (Bible). The differences between and Old Testament and the Tanakh are very evident.
54058
It's not wrong. Actually I think it's great!\n\nThe bible doesn't say that it's wrong. Even if it did, so what? It's just a book. Fiction, too.\n\nDoesn't it also say "Don't judge, lest ye be judged"? Or something like that?
120383
Mainstream Bible scholars don't believe the book of John was written by the apostle John, or that Jesus actually said the things "John" claims Jesus said. Given all that, I wouldn't waste time trying to interpret it. It is just the opinion of some anonymous guy 2000 years ago. I prefer to trust my own Life experience.
124137
Of course its not, I think everyone has a mental image of what God may look like.  Remember our Bible was written by man and therefore has many contradictions and confusing parts about it.
637051
I agree,.... no one should ever assume they have it all right. Every denomination or every religion is the product of someone interpretting something different than the guy before. Im a Christian and I see other Christians faithfully following doctrines that I have no idea how they can believe it in light of scripture. Im sure many would see some of my beliefs as false too. Fact being, we do not accept anything as truth that we do not understand so we change what we're told into something we can understand. However it doesnt change what IS Truth. I think our best bet is to realise we cant get it all right and just be open to learn.
305288
My first thought is No. \n\nI also agree with what you said later. However, I also believe that part of the beauty of religion is that the scared texts ARE so open to interpretation. What divides us is not that the openness, but rather that we forget how different each one of us can interpret the text. If God wanted us all to follow things so strictly, all the sacred texts would just be a list of commandments.
236841
You feel about it however you decide.  You can love it or hate it or anything inbetween.  Just because something isn't true, it doesn't mean people will abandon it.  The Bible says it is true, therefore it is?  Is that logical.
939388
The verses you quoted are just one of many contridictions the Bible contains.  The most blatant one is the one that claims the Bible is the literal word of God.  If so, the Bible could not say anything which could even be the least bit ambiguous.  This of course accepts the premise that God is perfect.  Either God is imperfect, or the Bible is not God's\n literal word.
703646
It's true. I saw a movie about it and I learned it in Bible class. It even says it in the Bible.
966408
It's more poetic junk in the Bible that you can really interpret to whatever you want it to be.  This bit seems to be more threats of hellfire for those outside the group.  Religion likes to use the carrot and stick approach to gaining and keeping converts.  This is one example of a stick.  On the carrot side of it, they'll talk about "God's love" and such (ignoring, of course, such contradictions as this).
221888
Some people will just make responses like that out of puroseful ignorance. Others try to find contradictions in the bible and use them to negate its authenticity. An example of this is the "Skeptic's Annotated Bible" which can be found at the link below. The truth is that there are no contradictions in the bible, and any seemingly to be "contradictions" can easily be explained, rationalized, and cleared up through proper study. \n\nhttp://skepticsannotatedbible.com/contra/by_name.html\n\nVisit the site; then email me through my profile any contradiction and I'll clear it up for you.
245373
It is my view that the Bible is written by man and may have the writer's bias.  This is not to say that the Bible is not inspired by God/Jehovah or not a valid holy work, but rather His desires have been interpreted by His followers.  After all, if God inspired you to write a holy work that went against what you'd been taught or against common belief, could you write it just as God wants.  We are here on earth b/c we have the freedom to choose Him or not, so why would He control what is written.\n\nI also want to point out that the Bible in modern days is quite fallible.  Most scholars (religious or not) will tell you translating is not a perfect science.  Because most of us can't read the Bible in its original languages, we must rely on what someone has translated for us.  Translating without the original writer is dificult.  One word may have mutlitple meanings, and noone knows which meaning was intended.  That means that even if the Bible is perfectly from the hand of God, it probably isn't anymore.\n\nIf you want me to elaborate, e-mail me at adam_macpharlain@yahoo.com.
919088
The God of the Old Testament appears to have more than one personality. The identity of God seems to vary with the author. I see religion as an evolutionary process.
228091
I would say people misinterpret the bible many times. They do not take things into context of the time it was set the situation at that time and many other factors. For example it makes it easier to understand Shakespeare if you understand those times. When we understand these factors we can at best interpret what the bible is trying to say and allow God to translate it for us in our heads. Are you talking in the bible or interpretations of the bible? And why couldn't moses have been 900? Just because we can't live to 900 doesn't mean he couldn't. The world had changed so much since then, the diversity of bacteria, diseases, animals has risen so just based on this the life expectancy of humans should have drastically decreased. Also pollution, nutrition and other important factors need to be taken into consideration.
10056
Absolutely right. But have you noticed that this is only in the religous studies of the Christians. Following the beliefs of other cultures with the absence of a "rule book" the belief takes a completely different stance. Multiple gods are not inherent to fundamental change in the nature of God and Man. So does that mean the Christian beliefs are right or wrong? Maybe the old non-Christian beliefs have the answere.
462012
No the Bible does not contradict itself.  There are those who do not want to believe in what the Bible says, so they will take a verse and read it out of context and then interpret it to mean something it does not.  These people are foolish, and when you actually read and study the Bible you will truly see that God does and will not ever contradict Himself.
993985
It's typical Christian behaviour. \n\nThey are right, everyone else is wrong, and God /did/ tell them what to write in the Bible.\n\nWRONG. The Bible is man's interpretation of his God. If God is real, which I don't believe, the Bible does not reflect his wishes properly.