A question of worldview..

[Solus]

Actually, Santa, I find it difficult to believe in the Bible.  Which means I have concerns with most every organized Christian religion.  I just cannot take the Bible literally, and once you accept that it is not literal in everything, things reconcile much easier for me.

As to evolution, if the Catholic Church can find that the theory of evolution works within it's theology, it can't be far off the mark,

Once this is done, all the problems with trying to reconcile Creationism with the facts go away.

One of my concerns about the Bible being the inspired word of God is that I need someone to tell me which version of the Bible I should believe has been inspired...and where did all the others come from?

[kmitch200]

One of my concerns about the Bible being the inspired word of God is that I need someone to tell me which version of the Bible I should believe has been inspired...and where did all the others come from?

You mean like the story of the great flood? The Sumarians had a version a millenia before the Greeks, whose version was a millenia before the bible. But Bible is the {{true}} version because some popes and bishops said they are while throwing out books that they didn't like.
Politics hasn't changed much.

[Big Frank]

It took over 1600 years to write and then re-write the bible. Most of it was written by people who weren't around in the time of Christ. What makes them experts? I personally have problems believing any of it.

[TAB]

Most of the reglions I respect have some type of " if this, than that" aspect when it comes to the holly texts.  Stuff like translated correctly, open of inturpatation, they are storys to make a point.  Etc etc.

[santahog]

Guys, alot of you are talking about translations, timelines and authorship when you don't know what you're talking about. You're repeating what somebody who spoke to your ego and it sounded good or intelligent.
Every "translation" of the scripture is "one removed" from the same manuscripts. There are still "new translations" coming out today, but they all go back to the original source manuscripts. the "editing" is different, but it's not to correct a previous version. It's to clarify the meaning to a contemporary audience. I don't suppose there are more than two people here who could read with full  understanding, the "original" KJV from 1509. It's a tough read! I have problems with it myself! It's just easier to read the "KJV that we all see in the bookstores or Wal-mart. There are translations that I don't like, because, (in the NIV, for example) the text is changed to make certain words or phrases "gender neutral". The NIV was "edited" by a couple of lesbians who didn't like attributing a masculine "persona" to God. It's done with an agenda, to be sure, and I don't use it, but I can read it and understand what's there because I spend the time to read the different versions and understand what's actually being said.
Personally, I like the KJV, NKJV, NAS and I don't like the CEV, NIV, or even Thompson's, though his concordance is far and away the best English resource available to the ordinary (English speaking) man.
I'm not some theologian who knows it all, but answer me this.. You all, who care to spend time thinking about it, view the "Socratic Method" of scientific study to be a valid one. I don't believe there are ANY of his writings to be seen or touched, and nobody can point to a time when there were. There is less evidence that Socrates ever existed than just the Ascension of Jesus, yet you scoff at the latter and hold fast to the former. Why? You can't prove it, or he even existed. You take it on faith, knowing less about Socrates than you do about Jesus, only repeating what somebody who's supposed to be an authority told you was true.
You scoff at "The Flood", while the evidence for it is screaming past you every time you drive through a cut away of a mountain. Calling it something other than what it says for itself doesn't make it something other than what it is, anymore than the kid walking into a door because some idiot at school taught him that if he believed it, he could walk through doors.. It's right there. All you have to do is look at it and allow it to explain itself, just like Gods Word. Understanding of Creation isn't difficult, only the "alternate theories". These guys trying to say it's something other than what you can see right in front of you is dancing on the head of a pin. It's just too much work for something too simple not to make it suspect.
I feel for ya.. I really do! ** Please don't take that to mean that I don't know where you're coming from, because i do!** I haven't always "believed". I have always, at least as long as I can remember, that I knew, and could feel the presence of God. That had/has nothing to do with having read and/or studied His Word as a lay person. Every child "feels" God. It's about the time that he goes into rebellion that you know that he "grew up" and decided that he knows better. We all know how much fun that is to endure... It's no easier to endure when that rebellion continues ad infinitum.. The adults can seldom make any better case for what they're rebelling against than the 15 year old kid. The difference between the two is that the adult can't recognize the similarity of the attempts. The kid is at least, generally open minded enough to hear what's being said.. (Once we get old, nobody can tell us anything ever again, because we know better, damnit..)
I'm not talking for God, He doesn't need me to defend Him. He can speak for Himself quite well, thank you very much. IF you or I don't want to listen, (and this is the scarey part to me), He'll eventually shut up and let us have our way. Pride before destruction.. Pride tells us we know more than God. Destruction is finally finding out how wrong we were.
A note on the other "religions". None of them, their prophets, and whatnot claim to be God. Jesus claimed to be God. Just a note on that one as well. Having been the only one to leave an empty grave, (documented by non-believer historians of the day) kinda gives credence to to the idea that "It ain't bragging of you can prove it"..
Study it for yourself, please. I don't ask you to believe me, not on this.. This is forever! I promise I wouldn't trust you with anything quite that heavy. You CAN ask God to prove Himself. It's been demonstrated time and again, every day.. Ask in faith, not in snark and snarl. be honest about it. If He can make you see Himself in that which you call "your life", then find out more, from Him, (not what somebody else said about Him, please). I prove it with money every month, and I do it because He told me/us to try Him on this. Again, I don't expect you to believe me. I do ask you to go directly to Him and find out for yourself.. just be honest with yourself and Him about what you really think or feel. I promise, you're not gonna shock or surprise Him, or make Him blush. It all starts, regardless of what you believe, with being honest with yourself.
If you don't believe Him, tell Him. If you change your mind about Him, tell Him. (Then it gets hard, because He'll ask you to tell everybody else too..) Deal with that later..
Back to my troll hole now.. Happy Friday!! 

[Sponsor]

[kmitch200]

You take it on faith, knowing less about Socrates than you do about Jesus, only repeating what somebody who's supposed to be an authority told you was true. You scoff at "The Flood", while the evidence for it is screaming past you every time you drive through a cut away of a mountain.

Santa, I understand what you are trying to say. I really do.
But don't think for a minute that you have ANY idea what I know or don't know about Christianity, Jesus, God, the Holy Trinity or religion.

You mention "scoffing at the flood". I didn't scoff at the idea, I mentioned that this tale spans a couple thousand years BEFORE the bible was thought of. Yet, in my christian schooling, (7 years of it), I was taught the bible's version is the right and true one. That screaming evidence you mention? Ever heard of continental plate movement? It can push mountains up from the sea floor.

It's not the Bible I have the biggest problem with. It was compiled by people of faith abiding to the politics of the time.
It's the PEOPLE THAT THUMP IT and want to jam it down everyones throat that get under my skin.

Food for thought: an empty grave is an empty grave. Back in the not so old days, when medical schools from Mexico to Europe needed cadavers, grave robbers left empty graves. From what I understand, none of those empty graves contained a messiah.

I leave you the last word if you want it because I am so done with this thread. 

[santahog]

... Food for thought: an empty grave is an empty grave. Back in the not so old days, when medical schools from Mexico to Europe needed cadavers, grave robbers left empty graves. From what I understand, none of those empty graves contained a messiah.

I leave you the last word if you want it because I am so done with this thread. 

I'm not sure hearing about a claim that those graves had been claimed to..
Other than that, nah, I'm good.. Said what I've said. He's said what He's said. Take or leave by your own conviction. 

[tombogan03884]

With the exception of Islam ALL religions basically say to treat others the way you want to be treated .
Once you get past the BS  details they are all essentially the same, and they all serve as guides on how to go through life with out having to kill to many of your neighbors.
Any one who says X is the only "correct" religion is an ass.

[Solus]

With the exception of Islam ALL religions basically say to treat others the way you want to be treated .
Once you get past the BS  details they are all essentially the same, and they all serve as guides on how to go through life with out having to kill to many of your neighbors.
Any one who says X is the only "correct" religion is an ass.

That's a pretty good general rule, but there are exceptions.  

Masochists and homosexuals come to mind.  

In either case, I'd not welcome them treating me as they want to be treated.

I imagine there are other proclivities and social customs that I am unaware of that would fall into the same category

yeah...it'a sort of picky...but I've considered this aspect of the Golden Rule.

Point is that even the Golden Rule makes the assumption everyone is similar enough to you to make it a valid rule.

[santahog]

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/10/04/do-catholic-priests-in-the-military-risk-being-arrested-if-they-minister-and-hold-mass-during-the-govt-shutdown/