This popped in my feed:

Who Wrote the Bible or Textbooks

My response: lol. Textbooks don’t claim to be the written words of God. The Bible is very important literature spanning hundreds of years (Biblical/Religious Studies major here), but truth claims related to the ultimate salvation of reality to the exclusion of all other religious literature and human learning is where believers overstep what might be learned from the Bible.

The response from the person who made the post: Thousands 6 thousand yrs of knowledge Gods knowledge not man. Not hundreds or yrs thousands. 

My later reflection: Yeah, this is just a biblical literalist screaming into the social media void, and it would be pointless to explain to him that the earliest books were not written down in the historical/chronological order as the “events” took place, but were passed down orally until they were written down much later. And except for biblical literalists who want to imagine that Moses was putting stylus to papyrus as it was all happening, current biblical scholarship places the earliest writings to around the eighth century BCE with one scholar arguing for the 10th century BCE. This is all based on careful analysis of the language used in the texts. Granted the actual physical texts that we still have are themselves dated to the second and fourth centuries CE (after the fall of Jerusalem to the Romans in 70 CE). But I’m certain the person who posted the above meme thinks that every single word, every single syllable in his/her bible translation of choice is the exact words spoken by the creator of the universe and that just reading the words in their given English should be all that we need to understand how things are supposed to be and how we should be living our lives. 

I wish that it were all as simple as that, having spent decades of my life studying my bible and living as if…. Alas, wishing for a thing, in this case, does not make it so. Just look at all of the different churches in your own communities who cannot get along or agree on your own doctrines, standards or traditions. What does that tell you? It tells me that if you actually read the words from this most revered text that you would be much more humble about making any pronouncements as to your “ownership” of the Truth and consistency of living said Truth. Only an inexperienced neophyte or authoritarian madman lays claim to having the keys to kingdom. It never goes as they predict or anticipate.

Lately, I’ve had the pleasure of listening to/watching YouTube videos from scholars sharing what they’re learning and exploring when it comes to our ancient traditions and history. Just like our ordinary day-to-day existence, these stories are full of communities and individuals trying to do better in an indifferent world that is just as short sighted, self-interested and detached as what we face today (we just have better “internet”… for all that’s worth). I’ve gotten to the point where I’m disinterested with “discussions” with literalists or dogmatists, or any assorted theological know-it-all, on either side of the belief equation. If holding on to Jesus gets you through your difficult day(s) and you aren’t beating your neighbor or relations over the head with your savior, I understand the desire and powerful need to believe. It is part of being human. But my journey has been such that I appreciate those who have dove beneath the shallow surface of what most of us assume and have been willing to adjust their own narratives to allow for the many different experiences and attempts to understand. Anyone can argue and raise their voice to move others to their opinions, but are they able to listen and learn? Finding that balance is what interests me these days, and there are some capable voices worth listening to (if you have ears to hear…). 

Google don't equal theology degree

Sources: 

Tags: Biblical literalists, biblical scholarship, in bad faith, meditations on, my journey so far, 

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