I’ve always thought the Bible was a history of the times, as written by those who lived it, as they remembered it. My big issues have been with its interpretation by priests, ministers, bishops, rabbis, popes, prophets, professors and the like. Everyone has an opinion of who and what their God is. Everyone wants me to believe what they say is what the Bible contains. Every religion thinks it is the true way, and their interpretation is the only way.

I see all religions like trapping: Everything has qualifiers. No one lure catches them all. The wind and rain play havoc with the best laid plans. It boils down to the trapper and individual studying the situation, getting comfortable with the interpretation, and laying steel in a way that works for them.

Now, there are some universal truths in trapping.
1. A trap left in the truck doesn’t catch anything.
2. Otters are non-existent in Washington DC so don’t put your trap in the middle of a cement intersection.
3. Catching your aunt’s favorite cat will guarantee you a dope-slap or even worse.
4. Flooding makes it hard to stay clean.
5. Wet, muddy fur guarantees a low offer by the fur buyer.
6. Tainting bait in the basement makes loved ones less loving.

There are some universal truths about biblical stuff, too.
1. If you don’t open the Bible, you’ll never learn it’s contents.
2. The Bible was written by those who could read and write.
3. The Bible was written based on memories, and memories aren’t always accurate.
4. No one living today was present when the miracles performed by Jesus were done. We’re taking the memories, passed thru generations of interpretations, as truth.
5. The Bible is, essentially, a history book.

History tends to be written by the victors. Some of it is probably accurate but considering how much beverage was consumed from lead goblets, even that is suspect. If someone wants to believe in the words of the Bible, I’m all for it. But the way I see it, no book is perfect.

…. You’re probably right…. I liked it when he made another account to talk in his own posts …. That was pretty funny lol

Bishop John Shelby Spong (maybe he was an arch-bishop) made an interesting observation in one of his books. For the record, I only read one. In it, he said in the time of Jesus, heaven was thought to be at the level of the clouds. Since then, we’ve figured out how to see 100,000 light years away. Does that mean heaven moved? Or just our concept of it now that we can see further?

I’m still not convinced the earth and all we know took 7-days to make. Or that the sea parted due to a miracle. That may have worked when people didn’t understand the process of tsunamis and tectonic plate movements. Ask the people in the southern states that just went thru flooding if heavy rains aren’t a possibility.

A lack of knowledge doesn’t a miracle make. So says Yoda.

… there’d be a whole bunch lepors with their flesh rotting begging to be healed … Jesus over there spinning a bottle or something

… yall know the ones that didn’t get picked were fit to be tied….gauratee it lol


… the Levantine lottery or something lol

… there’s probably a reason… I just always thought it sucked for the rest of the colony

… maybe the winner found a golden ticket in a loaf of unleavened bread or something?

Maybe those lepers didn't believe....

How many versions of the Bible are there?

How many versions of the Bible are there? I googled it quickly some estimates up to 900, hundreds for sure. So does not what version you read affect what you believe?

Is the Book of Enoch or the Book of Giants in the Catholic Bible? Or any of the other Books mentioned in the OT? I need to get a good Catholic Bible, which one is the best?

Reason I ask is that I have two Qurans; one of them modern and one very old one I picked up. They are very different in their translations.

And remember, no one doubts Plato, or Aristotle, or Homer ever lived, so why do people doubt that Jesus lived when is much more evidence for his life than the others?

Is the Book of Enoch or the Book of Giants in the Catholic Bible? Or any of the other Books mentioned in the OT? I need to get a good Catholic Bible, which one is the best?

Reason I ask is that I have two Qurans; one of them modern and one very old one I picked up. They are very different in their translations.

Bishop John Shelby Spong (maybe he was an arch-bishop) made an interesting observation in one of his books. For the record, I only read one. In it, he said in the time of Jesus, heaven was thought to be at the level of the clouds. Since then, we’ve figured out how to see 100,000 light years away. Does that mean heaven moved? Or just our concept of it now that we can see further?

I’m still not convinced the earth and all we know took 7-days to make. Or that the sea parted due to a miracle. That may have worked when people didn’t understand the process of tsunamis and tectonic plate movements. Ask the people in the southern states that just went thru flooding if heavy rains aren’t a possibility.

A lack of knowledge doesn’t a miracle make. So says Yoda.