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Friday, October 12, 2012

Putting Together The Bible?

My last post brought up another issue.  I remind myself that humans were the ones to put the Bible together.  God may have inspired man to write these books, but humans put them together.  Did God inspire the Council of Nicaea to put the Bible together, or did they let go through each book, picked ones out that they thought sounded good and went with their moral beliefs at that time, and stick those selected books together?

Are there books out there that were written AFTER 400BCE that should be included in the Bible?  I'm sure there are.  God didn't just drop off the face of the Earth and not inspire people to write things.  Heck, I even think God inspires me to write stuff for this blog.  Even though I haven't published anything for quite some time, I have started (and not finished) many posts because I didn't think I could get anything out of them.  I didn't think I could finish them.  In fact, the previous post sat there for nearly three weeks while I thought through what I wanted to put.  In fact, I'll tell you some of the things I haven't released, and probably won't.

I started a post on the Satanic Bible, published by HarperCollins.  I haven't released it, because I don't want people who just look at the title to come in here and slander and post negative things about me personally, even if they didn't read the post at all.  I also have one called "We All Have That One Sin....," which was suppose to be an essay on how we all have that one particular sin that we are aware of, yet we continue to carry through with that sin.....Actually, I may go ahead and finish that one after just writing that sentence.

Back to the topic......

Here is the criteria of putting together the Bible, according to GotQuestions.org.

1) Was the book written by a prophet of God?

2) Was the writer authenticated by miracles to confirm his message?
3) Does the book tell the truth about God, with no falsehood or contradiction?
4) Does the book evince a divine capacity to transform lives?
5) Was the book accepted as God's Word by the people to whom it was first delivered?

I'm sure there have been many prophets since Biblical times.  I'm sure there are many more writings out there that deserve to be included in the Bible.  Why not go through and find new inspiration?  I know there will always be people who will be like, "You can't do that!  We've had that for nearly 1500 years!!!!" or "Nothing else is inspired by God!"


....that last sentence seems to tell me that God has left us alone.  I hope that didn't happen!  I'm reminded of a song....



When Jesus called to God upon the cross No answer came for his will must be done Then how the word trembled at his voice When he said this is my beloved son  
It isn't God but man that's dead When love is locked outside Do you deny that there's a God or is God just denied God is not dead he never died  
What man on earth can make one blade of grass And who can make one seed then make it grow With all the power and wisdom in our hands Who can command which way the wind to blow  
And who can match the miracle in an eagle's eye Or hang a rainbow in a cloudy sky God is not dead he did not die God is not dead God is not dead 





____________

But of course, I'm going to get emails and comments on how I'm wrong and how I should repent from my sins.  Yes, I may be wrong.  Yes, I repent everyday (or try to).  I'm not a scholar.   I've only taken a few classes on Christianity and religion in general.  I'm still a 21 year old college student who is currently away from school for a semester.  I'm still doubting.  I'm still wondering.  I'm still thinking.  I'm still learning.  Get off my back, please. 

Ordained Women

Phew!  It's dusty in here!  I've been away for a while because I haven't had anything to write for a while.

A few weeks ago during Sunday School, my pastor told us about the old changing its policy and ALC (American Lutheran Church, now part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of American) ordaining women back in the mid 70s.  Apparently, the LCMS, or Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, said they would ordain women if the ALC could find some biblical way to ordain women.  The ALC did not find a biblical reason, so the LCMS continues to disallow women ministers to this day.  The ALC did start ordaining women ministers, but only because of the changing culture.  Did Paul do the same thing when he said women should not be leaders in church?  Was he following the changing of the times?

I've been simmering on this the past few days now.

I looked up 1 Timothy 2: 11-25, which says,

A woman should learn in quietness and full submission.  I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent.  For Adam was formed first, then Eve.  And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner.  But women will be saved through childbearing-if they continue in faith, love, and holiness with propriety.

This passage is always used to justify not ordaining women in the church.  I want to pay close attention to some of the words in this passage.

1.)
I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man....

The word I stuck out to me.  (1 Timothy is a letter supposedly written by Paul (some scholars disagree on this, even though his name is mentioned) to Timothy regarding his ministry in Ephesus.)  Was this Paul saying this, or was he inspired by the Holy Spirit to say this?  I have trouble thinking it was the Holy Spirit saying this because of the role of women in the story of Jesus.  The first person Jesus went to after being resurrected was a woman (Mary Magdalene). Jesus felt the touch of a woman on his cloak in Mark 5:21-34.  Jesus felt his spirit leave him and enter someone else, so he bent down and told this woman that her faith has healed her.  This tells me that there is something special about the role of women in Jesus' lifetime.

2.)
She must be silent.
She must be silent?  Why?  Psalm 92 says,
It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High.....
3.)
Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. 

True, but when Adam did get deceived as well.  He got deceived by Eve.  The Doctrine of Original Sin came from the fact both Adam AND Eve fell temptation to Satan, and fell into sin.  Not just Eve, making the idea of Men being superior to Women completely ridiculous.



4.)
But women will be saved through childbearing-if they continue in faith, love, and holiness with propriety.

This contradicts the idea that we are saved by grace through faith found throughout Paul's teachings.  It appears to be works-righteousness.  What was Paul trying to say here?  Honestly,  I don't have an answer for that.  I do think Paul was letting his secular beliefs into his writings.


Paul states in 1 Corinthians 11:8-12,

For man did not come from women, but women from man.  For this reason, and because of the angels, the woman ought to have a sign of authority on her head.  In the Lord, however, woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman.  For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman.  But everything comes from God.

Yes, man did come first.  However, man and woman are equal in the eyes of God.  Both are creations of his, and both deserve equal respect.  Do not hold women lower than men.  (I could also turn this into a political post, but I won't).


I have a love/hate relationship with Paul.  Some of the stuff he says I think is great, while some other things I disagree with him.  I remind myself that I'm a Christian; not a Paulinian.  Are Paul's writings fit to be included in the Bible?  Are there other writings out there that are better suited for the Bible?