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Question: Should I bother to keep studying this for the sake of my own happiness, or should I just let it go!?
I was raised as a fundamentalist christian!. When I was 15, I read the entire Bible and ended up becoming an agnostic as a result--I'm now looking for a peace-evoking, post-modernist, gender-blind home!. Something tells me I'm not going to find what I'm looking for and I'll be an atheist in the end, but anyway--
I gave up my beliefs once I found out God's view, punishment upon [Gen 3:16], and His plan for women and their purpose in the world!. Call me naive, but I would have NEVER guessed that God supported gender roles!. It never crossed my mind, not even remotely!. Needless to say, I was absolutely STUNNED at what I read, and two weeks after I finished reading (mid-October last year) I gave up my faith for good!.
Anyway, since then, I have underwent some amazing, serious changes as a person!. I have
~become a post-modernist
~given up TV
~given up news media (at least, American, anyway)
~given up music
~given up movies
~given up soda pop
~given up meat
~given up buying brand new clothes and/or clothes with a brand name scrawled on them (except for tennis shoes)
~given up shopping as a hobby and stopped buying things that I don't absolutely need (aside from maybe $10 a month)
~given up using the internet for entertainment
~become a post-modernist
~given up racism (yes, it is truly, really possible!)
~given up homophobia
~given up the sexist views that I was raised with (but again, I would have never guessed that the Bible supported them)
I am trying to figure out what exactly will make me happy in life and how I can free myself from Corporate America's entrapment!. I want to free myself from propaganda, the status quo, the money race, and all of that!.
To get back to the religious issue--
I still read the Bible almost daily, and I've also read the Koran and I'm looking into other religious texts!. But I'm reading these books as a skeptic; to be honest, I am LOOKING for things that will piss me off as a woman and post-modernist, so that I have ammo when religious discussions come up!.
But I'm starting to wonder if I should even bother, because
a!. I view the Bible as propaganda!. I'm subjecting myself to it!.
b!. In the end, I just end up all pissed off when
--1 I could have spent my time working on academic things
--2 I'm not a christian (or member of any other religion), after all
--3 And since last year [and onward], I have spent my life trying to find happiness, peace, and freedom!. Focusing on these religious texts surely doesn't help!.
So what I'm wondering is, should I bother studying the Bible anymore!? If it came down to it, I could easily spend 20 minutes on google and find every single verse that I have found at one time or another, in the event that I needed a refresher for academic purposes (in college next year, say)!.
Thoughts!?Www@QuestionHome@Com
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
the only reason to study the bible is to study the history of man and his literature!. Life is seriously WHATEVER you make of it!. If you try so hard to blindly reject all of modern capitalism, it controls you sut as much as if you followed it blindly!. See what makes sense to you and jsut have fun!. There is no reward or punishment in the end for anything you do other that in your own head!.
So you';re going throught this rebellious phase, that's cool!. But it can't sustain you!. When you figure out that there is no meaning, and living a life of moral high ground is impossible since morals are an illusion, you will be a step closer to finding your own peace!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
One small step for a man and a big step for mankind!. You are undergoing an evolutionary stage of growing up, that is throwing off the shackles of childhood!. If you come up with an answer better than 'Love thy neighbour' - let me know!.!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
Do you enjoy studying the Bible!? Even though you disagree with it and it upsets you, is it something that interests you!?
I think it's down to pursuing what interests you most!. Whether that's Bible study, or perhaps philosophy, depends on what you find brings you the most fulfillment!.
You mentioned at the very beginning that you're looking for a "peace-evoking, post-modernist, gender-blind home" - I'm a Unitarian Universalist, and I've found that it is one of the most accepting religions (if you can even call it that) I've experienced!.
These are the core beliefs of UUism:
The inherent worth and dignity of every person;
Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;
Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations;
A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;
The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;
The goal of world community with peace, liberty and justice for all;
Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part
I don't know if this helps at all, but I hope it does!. Feel free to e-mail me if you want to talk!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
hmm!.!.!.!. what can I say is that you have found the real side of the world!.!.!.!. most of the people today live without bothering what is actually happeing !.!. whats going on in this world!.!.!. people today just live for the sake of living!.!.!.!. nobody is interested in the meaningful life!.!.!.!. however I really believe that life has to be lived with meaning !.!.!.!. Infact nothing shud be done just for the sake of it!.!.!. hope it helps!. !.!.!. take care !.!.!.
Www@QuestionHome@Com
Be free of it!. You've learned enough to help others to be free too!. You can't be free of everything though, like money!. Try living for the future, both yours and for others like you!. Let your happiness find you!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
The best approach is to read widely for a start so as to get a clear perspective of religion and philosophy!. I would recommend you delve into Taoist philosophy, Buddhism, Hinduism and Yoga!. All these teach one about good ethics, morals and how to survive well or self-preserve!.
You are going to discover amazing principles, concepts, truths that would help you in life!. Certain enlightening aspects could one day result in you travelling globally and giving talks!. If you desire a spiritual adventure and change mankind for the better, go for it and Good Luck! May the Force Be With You!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
If we are to take a post-modern approach to knowledge, then the Bible would have the greatest discourse of any text on Earth!. The entire Western culture and everything that stems from it is dependent on Christianity and the Bible, meaning that it has more truth than any other text in the world if knowledge is really a product of discourse!.
However to answer your question, I am a Christian, although not fundamentalist!. I believe the Bible is a moral code, not a history book!. I am also a Christian socialist, and strongly support you views on Gender roles!. While the Bible may at face value seem to support them, if we dig deeper we find it is the product of man and his society at the time (your postmodernism should have told you that)!. Our God must Transcend some written text otherwise he is worthless, and while the Bible has vaults, it in no way disproves God!.
Hope I wasn't to Fundamentalist in my post!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
Now that you have had it with fundamentalism and are willing to investigate other ways of knowing God, I suggest you look into Spiritualism instead!.
There are some authors I want to tell you about:
Neil Donald Walsch - Conversations with God (series)
Sylvia Brown - many books, female oriented
It's just the beginning for you!.!.!.investigate and find out!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
I view the Bible more as poetry, or literature from the ancient age!. It has the fingerprints of man all over it!. From the moment it was created and voted on at the Nicean Council (and councils to follow) to this day!. There is wisdom to be found in all sacred texts of all religions!. The key, IMHO, is finding the balance in life and accepting yourself as you are!. Whether that involves a creative greater spirit is up to you!. I find comfort in feeling that there is something bigger than me, but that I will never know what it is!. I rather like the Big Mystery as it is!. I'm just sorry that so many insist they can speak for God!. It pisses me off whever anyone claims that they have "the truth"!. They can only have that truth for themselves!. My truth may be different, and I am ok with that!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
If it makes you mad, don't read it!.
*But*
This is what happens when people reject the historical interpretation of Scripture in favor of private initerpretation, which is expressly forbidden in the Petrine Epistles (I know you've probably been taught that God the Holy Spirit will guide you to understand anything and everything in Scripture, but this guidance is given *through* the Church)!. You mention Gen 3:16, but if you look at verse 15 and all the other Marian prophecies (and their fulfillment in Lk 1&2), you'll notice that God *also* promises the honor of bearing the Savior to a woman (He could have simply *spoken* the Son of Man into existence, or done any number of other things)!. Read Gen 3:15 with Jn 19:27 and Rev 12:17, and you'll see that a woman (Mary) is the most glorified person in the Bible other than Christ Himself!. These verses should help you to understand easily enough why the Virgin has been viewed from ancient times as the Queen of Heaven, the Mother of the Church, and the New Eve (and also the Daughter of Zion, the Daughter of the Father, the Mother of the Son, the Spouse of the Holy Spirit, etc)!. All condemnations of the statements made in the Pauline Epistles are fairly easily dismissed, since the most commonly criticized passages were written in reaction to the actions of prostitutes in the early Church!. People often call the Bible sexist because it commands wives to submit to their husbands, but they miss that it also commands men submit to each other!. There were many self-proclaimed ''messiahs'' during the time of Christ, but Christ was the only one who had female followers!. This liberated and gave value to Christian women in the early Church, who otherwise would have been opressed and regarded as property!. St!. Mary Magdalene's testimony of the empty tomb would not have been seen as a valid claim if not for this new philosophy of equality among the sexes, and was actually challenged by non-Christians on the basis that the testimony was made by a woman!.
A person has every right to criticize Christian Scripture, but until that person (Christian or otherwise) takes time to study and understand the historical interpretation thereof, that person is only guessing at the meaning!. The Bible is a product of the Church, and therefore can only be properly interpretted by the Church!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
You sound as though your mind is very saturated with the contents of the Bible!. Perhaps it's because you've been studying it since young up till today, that's why you feel that you have enough of it!. Perhaps you should take a step back, don't rush yourself to make a decision so soon about whether or not you want to pursue even more Bible study!. Sometimes we see things clearer when we don't have any pressure to make a decision!.
And yea I don't really like it when God said that women are to be subservient to man, when I knew that, I thought what the hell is that!? I thought that God is always fair and he doesn't show favouritism, but apparently, not all Man are equal!. That pisses me off, but then God said that men should love their wives, so I guess that's a kind of trade off!. It's not the best but at least there's something!.
Anyway I agree that people should just follow their hearts and what the faith which they can identify with!. Man has free will and that free will is to be exercised it the decisions that would shape their lives!.
One more thing, even if you have given up on the studying of the Bible, it doesn't make you a less 'holy' person than those Christian scholars who study them every day devotedly!. Because God (should you still believe that He exists) doesn't look at how much work you have done, how many times you've been to church etc!. He looks at every person's heart rather than their actions!. So don't worry so much about whether or not bible studying is important!. It's important only when you want to find out more about God, or just about some ancient history!. Other than that, don't fret because it's no use worrying over something when you can view it in a lighter way!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
!.!.!.let it go and enjoy your time!.!.!.life is short!.!.!.
!.!.!.thanks for sharing!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
Stop studding the Bible,move on and start to study something else!.You are taking life far to serious!.Stop obsessing so much about the purpose of life and start to live!.I'm a nurse and through my work I learn allot from my patients,and the purpose of life seems to be to love others and take care of our self's!.Please move on!.One doesn't need to be religious to be a good person!.Www@QuestionHome@Com