Another Noob...

[Zeeker]

Hi all! I have spent much time lurking, reading so much that fascinates me here. I struggle with feeling like an enigma in a sea of fundamentalism, hoping to find some open mindedness among you (or less ostracism). I have recently granted myself permission to actively question teachings that I do not think have ever rung true for me. To mention not taking the bible literally has me labeled as heretic, and lost to "the enemy". I struggle with the idea that God literally wrote a book millenia ago, and that this book is the only "way". I have never felt fearful of God, but desire closer contact with Him and his limitless love. Anyway, I choose not to limit myself with labels, but find much here that echoes, if you know what I mean.

 

If I find even one person to converse with, freely, openly, and without fear of reprisal, it will have been worth it...

 

Nice to meet you,

Z

[Mike]

Nice to meet you as well, Zeeker - welcome to the forum. If it's open-mindedness that you're looking for, you've come to the right place.

I think you'll find that most members (including myself) on this board think along the same lines as those you've stated, so you'll have no trouble finding plenty of people that you can converse freely with.

 

Peace to you,

Mike

[JosephM]

Welcome Z,

 

I'm sure you will find a lot of so called "heretics" like yourself here. Make yourself at home.

 

Love in Christ,

Joseph

[Anglocatholic]

Hi all! I have spent much time lurking, reading so much that fascinates me here. I struggle with feeling like an enigma in a sea of fundamentalism, hoping to find some open mindedness among you (or less ostracism). I have recently granted myself permission to actively question teachings that I do not think have ever rung true for me. To mention not taking the bible literally has me labeled as heretic, and lost to "the enemy". I struggle with the idea that God literally wrote a book millenia ago, and that this book is the only "way". I have never felt fearful of God, but desire closer contact with Him and his limitless love. Anyway, I choose not to limit myself with labels, but find much here that echoes, if you know what I mean.

 

If I find even one person to converse with, freely, openly, and without fear of reprisal, it will have been worth it...

 

Nice to meet you,

Z

 

Hiya Z

 

The beautiful irony of this whole question is that 'Bible Believers' are actually not doing that.

 

When you find the bit that says that the Bible was dictated, word for word by God, and is intended to be used as The Way, the Truth and The Life, then you are welcome to believe it, and I will happily join you. It would make God rather a bizarre character, but at least there would be grounds for believing Scripture to be of equal status with him. Fortunately, there are no such grounds.

 

Until then, none of us is under any obligation to believe anything that cannot be proven from Scripture (see 39 articles). Such as Sola Scriptura; such as the assertion that the Bible was written as a factual text book, encompassing every branch of knowledge, past, present and future, and that, therefore, Moses had a vocabulary capable of dealing with all that there is to say of quantum physics, the origin of the universe or the composition of the earth and all that lives on it. All of this is additional to, and cannot be proven from, Scripture. It is inferred, but it is not written.

 

If you allow Scripture to be what it is, and look at what is actually written, rather than what is assumed, interpreted, glossed and added by the evangelicals, then you will be fine. The Bible is intended as a collection of books, which either individually or collectively point the way to God. As such, it is true in the only meaningful sense of the term; true about the gradual and ongoing process of revelation of God to mankind, made perfect in the coming of Christ.

 

And if you are feeling playful (and relatively robust), you can point this out to your friends, together with the very clear Scriptural warning about adding to the gospel, which actually IS in the Bible.

 

Nice to meet you.

[Zeeker]

Thanks all for the warm welcome. I have to giggle imagining the reaction of my literalistic friends if I were to point out those last points about the bible. (:

 

Looking forward to what discussions might come.