40 Reasons The Bible Should Not Be Taken Literally

[AndreisEntaro]

I personally would, and would suggest that every non-believer do the same, quit the argument on every point in this video if it meant only that you could and would convince your fellow Christians of the same.

So sad that you seem to be in the minority opinion on religious texts.

[ootdega]

Apologetics at their finest.

[trubiz4u]

nothing in the bible is original! Every story was borrowed from previous cultures!

[aaugoaa]

@trubiz4u well i don't know about every story in the bible being borrowed from earlier ancient religions, but a lot of them were, or very similar.

[MQ1611]

Your argument: #40 shows up too often, so it must be artificial ("symbolic"), and authors who insert artificial numbers cannot be trusted to tell true stories. Correct?

Yet the first instance of "40" assigned the meaning of "a time of trial" from the 40 days of rain (Gen. 7:4) and thereafter many of the 40's that you found suspicious were discretionary by men aware of the first instance and thus the significance of the number.

Scripture isn't "guilty until proven innocent" but the opposite.

[aaugoaa]

@MQ1611 oh Mack Quigley how are you lol. i know the Christian interpretation of the symbolic number 40 is "a time of trial" and i think they are wrong, but it doesn't really matter because it still puts to question any of these accounts ever meant to be taken literally. and thats without any interpretation.

[gblueslover2]

@MQ1611 If one takes into account how MANY animals and the AMOUNT of FOOD it would take to MAINTAIN all those animals for 40 days & nights, it would be completely impossible for this event to have ever taken place. I talked with people that have answered with " God can do anything ".(as far as making this happen. I always follow up with" Then WHY even go through all of that, if god can do anything" It gets even nuttier after that. That's part of the reason(s) why I'm a atheist..

[Lawborn2]

Could not the Biblical text be regarded as being grounded in "cause and effect". For example, many great civilizations of the past were effectively destroyed when they slid into general decadence and immorality. Look at the Romans. Could the Genesis account be regarded as containing "truth" without being taken as absolutely literal?

[Lawborn2]

@Lawborn2 Regarding the Flood that is.

[aaugoaa]

@Lawborn2 i don't think most of the bible was ever meant to be taken literally, there were flood stories in all religious text, and in reality floods for real, but there was no way any of the ancient flood story could have possibly know if any of the floods were local or world floods, but i don't believe they ever meant the text to be taken literally, i believe they used natural phenomena to explain spiritual phenomena, much like Jesus did with parables.

[aaugoaa]

@Lawborn2 how would you explain a spiritual experience? how would you explain higher/consciousness, teaching? when you know that through spiritual teaching no one hears or See's God speak in reality, the experiences are dreams, when Jesus appears to Paul in the text was that a physical appearance, or one in deep contemplation/higher/conscious­ness...how does one explain that to people? they use symbols and myths to explain it lawborn...and thats what the bible is for the most part.

[jfrontier1]

Sorry one more thing I forgot. I do not get offended by those who disagree with me. Feel free to hate me or curse me to hell, whatever. Althouth this seems to me to be not very Christian. BTW, if you do not believe in the flood, explain why Jesus did? (Read Luke's gospel).

[aaugoaa]

@jfrontier1 lol i am not a fundalmentalist...watch the video if you can be bothered.

[jfrontier1]

You do know that the Flood is not the only story of the flood from the Ancient texts, right? Here are a few groups that had flood stories. Anyone wants a more detailed can email and ask. Greek, Roman, Scandinavian, Lithuanian, Assyrian, Sumerian, Choctaw, Inca. If you consider the logic of the flood you will see it is just a story. I do not see the Bible as literally true in a strict sense. Many of the stories are just that, stories. Glad someone else sees this. Good job on the video.

[aaugoaa]

@jfrontier1 thanks, yes they are stories, but they do have meaning also, they are not fiction in the sense of having no point, these stories are the most precious stories one should ever wish to read and understand.

[sarevor]

Also, if the flood literally happened, wouldn't it make sense that this story would be passed down to generation to generation? The Epic of Gilgamesh may actually show the event to be actual. /watch?v=KMSsosBfkg8

[aaugoaa]

@sarevor The original manuscripts of the Epic of Gilgamesh are cuneiform tablets – small rectangles of clay inscribed with wedge shaped writing – found in a number of ancient cities especially in the land now called Iraq. This style of writing developed in about 3000BC and the Epic of Gilgamesh was first written down about 2000BC at least 1000 (give or take a hundered years) before the story of Noah in Genesis was committed to a written record.

[sarevor]

@aaugoaa I'm not disputing the dating of the Epic, only that the Epic does not necessarily prove it to be a myth but may be used to show the passing down a real event but that somehow became distorted. There could be earlier accounts before the writings of the Epic but are now lost. As for the symbolism, I don't argue against the symbolism, but that it is more than symbolism. Thanks for responding to me. I enjoy this channel :)

[aaugoaa]

@sarevor this means the "CHRONOLOGY" time of the bible flood is not accurate according to it's written text, this puts question to the bible flood being a historical event.

also the number "40" seen in these examples of scripture, puts question on "40" years or days or nights being a actual events...such as it didn't rain for forty days and nights and that it actually is symbolism and not to be taken literally.

[aaugoaa]

@sarevor also to consider is that Egyptian history constitutes an awesome period of time. Including the Ptolemies, it covers at least three thousand years (c.3100-30 BC). the Ancient Egyptians were building continually temples, monuments and text before and after the bible flood without any interruptions. it would have been impossible for all this to have happened if there was any kind of world flood, that supposed to have killed all living things except Noah and the contents of the ark.

[aaugoaa]

@sarevor another point is that.....according to the bible there was only "ONE" window in the ark, this is a big clue that the text is symbolic...after Noah opens the window and releases the dove(a symbol of peace) the dove returns with a olive branch, which is symbolic of knowledge, as the trees in the garden of eden are also symbolic of knowledge and the fig tree that Jesus casts down that would not bare fruit (no fruit no knowledge )

traditional religion needs to learn about these things.

[sarevor]

@aaugoaa Why is having one window a clue that it's only symbolic? God had sealed them in, meaning they are protected by God which is later implied by the apostles and Jesus. The Jews wondering around in the desert was to teach them the ways of God. In Hebrew, city is known as chaos and the wilderness is known as order. As I understand, the Jews numbers increased dramatically in such a short period of time so it doesn't seem impossible to me that a lot can be done in a short time.

[aaugoaa]

@sarevor people of old thought the bible was a historical account before people could read Egyptian text, the Rosetta stone was found around 1800's the stone was used to translate Egyptian text, it was the first time anyone could translate the text, it showed that the Egyptians had a continuous life before and after the bible flood without any gaps to support the bible flood being literally true. in fact the early church forbid the translator of the Egyptian text to make it public knowledge.

[sarevor]

It's both literal and symbolic, just like the garden. What are the odds of them being literally true? I'll let God decide that one ;) These literal events teach a spiritual meaning. Lots were often cast throughout the Bible and they always picked the prophets of God. I personally wouldn't question the literalness of that happening. God doesn't play dice with the universe ;)

[stevebee92653]

That is pretty strange. Did you figure this out yourself?

[aaugoaa]

@stevebee92653 no, i was taught.

[bigspliffs]

Interesting, there is alot of evidence for a global flood in reality though. But there are a few things in the Bible i can't get my head around, this only adds to the list lol

[aaugoaa]

@bigspliffs thing is nearly every spiritual book you can think of is full of mythological stories, yet for some reason people do not believe that the bible is also.

[bigspliffs]

@aaugoaa We will never know what truths history has given to us and what man has hidden. The very concept of reality has been misshapen to the point that we can no longer grasp true meaning anymore.

Most everyother spiritual book has mythological stories to us. But that is just a word, we know only of our own short existence, and waste most if it trying to figure out a past based on the perception of mankind.

Sometimes in the pursuit of knowledge on how to live...we forget to actually live.

[aaugoaa]

@bigspliffs you said....Sometimes in the pursuit of knowledge on how to live...we forget to actually live.

this is so true, but some are born to pass on knowledge. so we do not forget. otherwise we may become lost.

[bigspliffs]

@aaugoaa Yes :)

[aaugoaa]

@bigspliffs i do not want people to completely forget the ancient way of thinking, and read spiritual text like they would a news paper.

[bigspliffs]

@aaugoaa People are too engulfed in sport and material things to care about these issues.

[aaugoaa]

@MrSeymourButtz  lol

[aaugoaa]

@MelvinVines what do you think to there only being one window in the ark? do you think that means anything?

[SuperBigusdikus]

cool vid augy

[aaugoaa]

@MelvinVines jesus is talking about rapture in that chapter not death.

[aaugoaa]

@MelvinVines in that chapter you mention about Jesus believing the flood story as literally true, he mentions also Lot and his wife....do you really believe that Jesus believed Lot's wife turned into a pillar of salt? or statue.

or was it symbolic of the fact that she looked back on the land she left and so couldn't move forward? these are symbolic stories.

i haven't checked the rest of the verses, maybe tomorrow.