Here's Obama on the Bible.....

[BeastMaster]

The bible said jonah was swallowed by a whale, then he was swallowed by a whale.. Hard to misunderstand that one..If you start questioning parts of the Bible then you have to question the whole book and then where does that leave you..

[BeastMaster]

Gosh, where is JONAS when we need him, oh yea....he is in the whales stomach...he will be back in a couple of days.
(yea right).

BTW... who is jonas.. did you mean jonah ? what version are you reading these days ? maybe the same one Obama reads

[Gumbo]

naw niga...u a bat...

[cwink]

I've been wanting to rant for quite some time about all the racial comments written here. No wonder people think this way about Mississippi . . . BECAUSE IT IS TRUE!!!!!! The only difference between now and segregation days is the fact that you guys don't wear a cap and cloak anymore. It seems like you preach the Bible in one hand and a burning cross in the other. maybe in a few days get the real rant out of the way . . . .

And the people said AMEN...

[cwink]

The bible said jonah was swallowed by a whale, then he was swallowed by a whale.. Hard to misunderstand that one..If you start questioning parts of the Bible then you have to question the whole book and then where does that leave you..

I don't think that is true. There are lots of things in the Old Testament that were written and done because of cultural beliefs and views of the people that wrote them. I think the New Testament is much more clear. But if you get 10 people to read the a single scripture you are likely to get 10 different interpretations.

If I remember correctly Obama did say that he believes in Jesus.. I can't see the Youtube video, but I do remember Obama stating that.

[sunnylab]

dont believe everything you read as literal.....thats all im' saying.

[sunnylab]

and i don't want to slam obama for making those remarks...
if you had watched the whole speech and if it was not taken out of context it was pretty intelligent.

ps. i am not an obama supporter.

[uncleC]

I saw this thread and read it with interest. Since I have to 1 finger type, I started not to reply. First thought: everyone is entitled to their own opinion that's why I'm giving mine. I believe that ALL the Bible is the literal truth. I believe that it is completely the revelation of GOD given to inspired men to record for mankind. Have you ever noticed that the first three Gospels differ somewhat and the Gospel of John, while totally different , conveys the same Gospel message. They are unalike because God inspired each man to write as he saw and experienced the life of Christ. If they had all been exactly the same, then men (mankind) could have assumed the 4 writers got together and collaborated the entire Gospel mesage. Back to Jonah.....Since I believe God created everything I have no problem believing that " the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah" as stated in Jonah 1:17. Any way a man wants to believe and accept the Bible is his little red wagon and he can pull it any way he wants..........That's what is so marvelous about God, He allows us to make the decision as to whether we accept or reject Him....I do know how I have to pull MY " red wagon " and while I don't know all the names that are or will be written in "The Lambs' Book of Life" I do know one that is there for certain......... God bless and keep you all, Chip

[old man river]

If I remember correctly Obama did say that he believes in Jesus.. I can't see the Youtube video, but I do remember Obama stating that.

The devil and all hell's angels also believe in Jesus, doesn't mean they follow him, does it? Barrack also said in that Saddleback interview that he "hopes" his sins are forgiven. A man that's been born again and believes with all his heart knows the price has been paid for his sins and that he is forgiven.

All I see Obama doing when talking about his religion is trying to steal some votes from the GOP who has gotten the majority of the evangelical vote in recent history. Just my opinion.

[Duck Picker]

Where do you draw the line between what you do take literally and what you don't take literally? For example, do you take it literally when the Bible says that Jesus is the only way to Heaven? Do you take it literally when the Bible says that Jesus was dead for three days and then was raised back to life? Is there a literal Heaven and Hell? Is there a literal Devil? Was there a literal flood that destroyed all life on Earth with exception the inhabitants of the ark? Will there be a literal anti-christ? Did Jesus literally walk on water, raise the dead, heal the sick, give sight to the blind, change water to wine, feed 5000 people out of a little boy's lunch box, ascend into Heaven and will He literally return again one day to gather to Himself all those who belong to Him?

I guess my question in a nutshell is how do you determine what in the Bible to take literally and what to consider metaphors or fiction?

[gator]

Where do you draw the line between what you do take literally and what you don't take literally? For example, do you take it literally when the Bible says that Jesus is the only way to Heaven? Do you take it literally when the Bible says that Jesus was dead for three days and then was raised back to life? Is there a literal Heaven and Hell? Is there a literal Devil? Was there a literal flood that destroyed all life on Earth with exception the inhabitants of the ark? Will there be a literal anti-christ? Did Jesus literally walk on water, raise the dead, heal the sick, give sight to the blind, change water to wine, feed 5000 people out of a little boy's lunch box, ascend into Heaven and will He literally return again one day to gather to Himself all those who belong to Him?

I guess my question in a nutshell is how do you determine what in the Bible to take literally and what to consider metaphors or fiction?

it's called FAITH.

gator

[Duck Picker]

Where do you draw the line between what you do take literally and what you don't take literally? For example, do you take it literally when the Bible says that Jesus is the only way to Heaven? Do you take it literally when the Bible says that Jesus was dead for three days and then was raised back to life? Is there a literal Heaven and Hell? Is there a literal Devil? Was there a literal flood that destroyed all life on Earth with exception the inhabitants of the ark? Will there be a literal anti-christ? Did Jesus literally walk on water, raise the dead, heal the sick, give sight to the blind, change water to wine, feed 5000 people out of a little boy's lunch box, ascend into Heaven and will He literally return again one day to gather to Himself all those who belong to Him?

I guess my question in a nutshell is how do you determine what in the Bible to take literally and what to consider metaphors or fiction?

it's called FAITH.

gator

That's good, but it doesn't answer my question. There are some who have posted on here that don't believe/have faith that the entire Bible is true/literal. My question is, if that's your view, how do you decide what is true and what is not true? What is the litmus test? Once you have figured out what parts to believe, then that is where the faith comes in.

[greenheadgrimreaper]

Folks ask me what I believe in...I tell them THE BIBLE. Every word of it. Paraphrased, it says in the Bible that, "...it is better off for a man to have not of been born than to take from or add to the words in this book..."

Did Jonah get swallowed by a whale? I think so. The Big Man created time, if he can create time, something that we cannot physically hear, see, smell, taste or touch (mind you we can physically sense the EFFECTS of time but not time itself), then surely he can put an incredibly unlucky fella in a whales stomach.

A little philosophy of mine...A LAW of science is an indisputable FACT of science. Proven time and time again right? Well one of the primary laws of science is life cannot arise from non-life...If this is true then doesn't an indisputable law of science indisputably prove that there is a creator? Isn't the core foundation of evolution proven wrong right from the get go by its own LAWS? He is...GOD...we can do alot of things...but all we can do is sit here on our high tech computers and tv's and watch Gustav slowly inch towards us...Not a damn thing we can do about it.

My point is...of course I take it literal. I am waaaay to spiritual not to. Notice I say spiritual, not religious. Religion is man made, spirituality is a universal phenomenon.

Judge not boys...I am guilty of it myself, I may be young but one thing I figured out a long while ago was to refrain from predicting an individuals destination after life. Who knows the conversation they will have with the Creator?

As far as my views on race etc... I consider myself fairly progressive...as most southern whites are. We are tired of it and want to move on. A black person acting like they usually do...I hate to profile but...acting like an idiot...is not me being racist. It's a simple observation. It's not my fault some act the way they do, no matter what color they are. I try to love, accept and support any persons religious views, dreams, goals and successes and hope the best for them. Maybe share my thoughts...plant the seed...you see...these days when an 8 year old asks why he is taught that God is fake and how do we know he is real...the good ol' "just becuz son" don't cut it anymore.

With all that being said I am not a saint, just a little ol white rural southern fella that believes in a God... what irks me is that most of us as white, southern men are the most stereotyped race groups in the country. It's amazing how offensive we are just because of our color and regional claim...and of course our religion...

[hencutter]

It would be an awfully weak God that couldn't get His Word to us.And greenheadgrimreaper,you are correct, the Christian White Southerner is fair game to critisized and stereotyped.

[gator]

Where do you draw the line between what you do take literally and what you don't take literally? For example, do you take it literally when the Bible says that Jesus is the only way to Heaven? Do you take it literally when the Bible says that Jesus was dead for three days and then was raised back to life? Is there a literal Heaven and Hell? Is there a literal Devil? Was there a literal flood that destroyed all life on Earth with exception the inhabitants of the ark? Will there be a literal anti-christ? Did Jesus literally walk on water, raise the dead, heal the sick, give sight to the blind, change water to wine, feed 5000 people out of a little boy's lunch box, ascend into Heaven and will He literally return again one day to gather to Himself all those who belong to Him?

I guess my question in a nutshell is how do you determine what in the Bible to take literally and what to consider metaphors or fiction?

it's called FAITH.

gator

That's good, but it doesn't answer my question. There are some who have posted on here that don't believe/have faith that the entire Bible is true/literal. My question is, if that's your view, how do you decide what is true and what is not true? What is the litmus test? Once you have figured out what parts to believe, then that is where the faith comes in.

Faith is MY answer....w/out it, I am lost.

word for word, i believe the Bible......WORD FOR WORD.

i've been thinking about this post since i saw it yesterday........i had basically the same answer greenheadedgrimreaper had. One of the most fundamental views of Christianity is that God created the Heavens and the Earth (the universe if you will). If I believe He can/did do that (which I do), i certainly have NO PROBLEM believing a whale (made by God) can swallow a man whole and spit him back out......or any other verse/chapter i read in the Good Book

I could get into the "how's" and the "why's" i believe, but they are very personal to me.........I'll put it this way. I KNOW God has spoken to me and acted through others twice in my life. When I was as low as a person can be, making decisions that quite frankly would have killed me. Once he saved my life as i sat at the foot of my bed shaking, not wanting to do what the world had placed in my mind as the only way out. A very good friend knocked on my door to my little apartment in hattiesburg and for whatever reason, sat w/ me.......

The next time was a couple years ago, during a wednesday night service at pine lake. I stood up during a prayer to leave and chip henderson started praying for the EXACT thing that was making me get up. I sat down and have never really "gotten back up" off that pew since.

I fail DAILY, i am a man after all. I cuss, i loose my temper, i drink, and basically act every way a man shouldn't..........but, God saved my life..............and i try daily to thank him, and ask for forgiveness.

That's as pure a power over my life as i've ever had. My wife feels that way as well........God put us together for a reason -- and through her by His will, i found the thing that bothered me so and almost made me get up.

I am a man, I sin...................

But, I have Faith and KNOW the Bible is what it is -- God's word, set forth to save me.

gator, who's proud to be ignorant