"Theologians always try to turn the Bible into a book without common sense."

[Griffith.777]

Some comments revealed that there is a confusion on the meaning of this quote and on how to understand the Bible. (Synonymous) The reason the Bible is difficult to understand is revealed in the scripture in 1Corinthians 2:14. But the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. So the only way to understand the Word of God as written in the Bible, is to hear or read and believe the actual instruction given to man so that he receives God's gift of salvation. Then and only then is he able to understand the Bible is Romans 10:9-13. Only then will that man or woman enjoy the Word of God written in the Bible. The great thing is that the man or woman may then have a personal relationship with the author of the Bible, God himself.

[oddcouple]

Is this an actual puzzle quote? If so, who said it?

[TimmyTee]

In my relatively long life, I've been approached by many evangelical Christians who tell me that it is their church's mission to carry its message to persons like myself. They frequently tell me that one has to "know how" to read the Bible in order to understand what its message is.

This makes me very skeptical. If understanding "God's word" to me depends on a person to interpret it for me, and/or teach me "how" to read the words, then I must choose among the many trying to save me, as there is a plethora of interpretations.

I have chosen a particular spiritual life's path that requires me to search, study, read and listen with an open mind to materials and persons who, perhaps, are more developed than me, spiritually. Over the years, I've found myself more inspired by the thoughts of those who really had to road test their spirituality due to extreme life circumstances. See for example, Viktor Frankl, Dr. Edith Eva Eger, Thomas Merton, William James, Dietrich Bonhoeffer and many others. I also read the Bible and try to absorb it at the metaphor level and have found much to appreciate.

The "Problem of Evil" which comes up a lot in philosophy has kept me high-centered on the idea of a personal God, a God who touches and changes the nature of my day-to-day life based on whether or not I pray/meditate, do good works or not, have "faith" or not. Here in my city, a ten year-old girl was turned out by her parents to sexually service neighbors and friends of the family. Eventually she was murdered in her own home, dismembered in the kitchen and the parts set on fire. This is but one example of many millions of innocents who have suffered egregious events over the millennia, while "God" stood by and watched, or didn't, or whatever.

Thus, while I truly believe that it is my responsibility to develop myself as best I can, spiritually, I'm afraid that the personal god concept escapes me.

[Synonymous]

Oddcouple: Georg C. Lichtenberg said it. You can Google it.

[TimmyTee]

I took your advice, having read a bit among the usual philosophers on the "Problem of Evil." Hadn't heard of Lichtenberg. These two seemingly relevant quotes appeared. Did you have another in mind?

Tim.


“There exists a species of transcendental ventriloquism by means of which men can be made to believe that something said on earth comes from Heaven.”


“God created man in His own image, says the Bible; philosophers reverse the process: they create God in theirs.”


~ George C. Lichtenberg

[LLapp]

Georg [no "e"] C. Lichtenberg has many quotes on this website, and most of them are quite astute and wry.

From Wikipedia:
Georg Christoph Lichtenberg (1 July 1742 – 24 February 1799) was a German physicist, satirist, and Anglophile. As a scientist, he was the first to hold a professorship explicitly dedicated to experimental physics in Germany. He is remembered for his posthumously published notebooks, which he himself called Sudelbücher, a description modeled on the English bookkeeping term "scrapbooks", and for his discovery of tree-like electrical discharge patterns now called Lichtenberg figures.

[janet444]

I find this very sad. Why wouldn't we be able to understand spirit? We are made of spirit. I believe this is why so many people who say they are very religious believe things that I find offensive. I don't need someone else to interpret the Bible for me. I don't even need the Bible, though I do take the words of Jesus very seriously. I am most certainly capable of connecting with my spiritual side, as we all are. And I will never look outside of myself for the answers that God has put within me. That is very dangerous and there is no reason to believe that the people you trust to interpret the words of the Bible for you (which was written by fallible human beings) have any more knowledge of spirit than anyone else.

[animalzored1]

Despite the fact that I am a believer and regularly attend a local church called First Church Love. I am still an adherent that everyone has the right to their opinion. If theologians think so, then they still do not fully understand the meaning of this book themselves. Perhaps someday they will understand what the Bible is and why this book is so sacred and important for every person, but in the meantime, they can say such things. Do not pay attention to them. Concentrate on your work and life path, pray to God, and love life; everything will be fine.