| Well said there Steven. Penn and Teller have an episode on people thinking the Bible is literary truth, which of course they debunk.
For example, everyone remembers how Moses parted the "Red Sea" right? to help the escaping slaves be free? Well... in the area the only two possible bodies of water they could have crossed were the Red Sea, which is a 200 mile walk. Or the Reed River, which is a swamp- that sometimes when its dry and windy peels away and is about 2 miles long. Both cases are relatively a) not possible to walk. b) not a miracle.
Most people I know who are very religious and reasonable people look at the Bible as a way to live your life metaphorically, not to be interrupted as fact. I am annoyed when people use the Bible and point to it as a work of Fact, when it was written by people. I mean... do a little research into the Bible and there's sometimes many different versions of the same story, how can they all versions be true?
And why must christians insist on trying to get others to follow them? I feel silly answering a whole bunch of "why?" questions without asking a few of my own. The christian clubs/organizations/students on campus are always busy asking me religious questions when I walk around. One such conversation this week:
Female: "Hello"
Me: "Oh, hello?"
Female: "Would you be interested in studying the bible on campus?"
Me: "No thanks, I'm not religious."
Female: "Why is that?"
Me: "I don't find much reason or purpose to believing in something I can not test or see."
Female: "Why?"
Me: "Have a good day."
Anyone else get one of those conversations? Or how about the "I am trying to doing a survey...." Perhaps I should have asked why her faith requires her to question me about my life; but I doubt her mind is open enough to give me a reasonable answer. |