"Not all Truth is true..."

I see what you're saying, Steam. For me, the issue is that I do not like the stories in the Bible. Not more than a few, anyway. I take my stories from other books.

When it comes to the bible specifically, I don't believe that the events depicted in it are historicallytrue, but the turths of some of the stories in the bible are "factual." I think the truth of a story depends greatly on what one reads into it.

Personally, I don't put any more stock in Christian mythology than I do in Greek or Hindu, but everything has its value. There's something to be learned from everything and everyone, so I wouldn't agree that the bible is "useless."

Well said and that is the a truth.

I find a lot of truth in the bible and stacks of great advice. It is a real shame that a lot of people can not see the difference between what is written and how men have manipulated it to achieve their own ends.

As Zenchi said some of the best bits are the books that were left out like the Book of Enoch, Jasher and the lost books of Eden. Actually there is just stacks of them that are referenced in the bible. I also find translations that are as close to the original scripts as possible to be the most enlightening. Huge difference between something like "Thou shalt not murder" and "Thou shalt not kill" like it is written in modern translations.

Firstly, I was brought up in an atheist family so I never believed that the Bible was factual record of history. I read it myself during my teenage years and found the stories to be ridiculous but still interesting/amusing - much like the Greek myths but more staid.

Since then 30 years have passed and I've matured a lot. I know see the Bible as a whole as a collection of myths and sayings, some of which I find helpful in my life (in particular some parables of Jesus, but far from all of them!)and some I find dangerous (Abraham intending to sacrifice his son to God as a test of loyalty springs straight to mind).

Today I regard the Bible in the same way as I do the Upanishads, the Analects of Confucius, Greek/Norse/Celtic myths, the Quran, the myths of all cultures and certain books and films. All have some 'truths' as I see it, and some 'lies' as well. I take from them what seems right and disregard what seems wrong.

The problems come (I think) from those who believe that their myths are true and all others are wrong. Hence we see the tensions between certain Catholics/Protestants, Jews/Muslims, Hindus/Muslims etc.

steamboat28 wrote: Where do you draw the line?

That is, perhaps, the greatest question on the planet. The Bible aside, where does one ever draw the line?

I guess the question is does one even benefit from the actual 100% truth.

Hitira38 wrote: I guess the question is does one even benefit from the actual 100% truth.

What is the 100% truth? Once an event is over and done with, the truth depends on the individual.. hence why they say that history is written by the victors.

Well, I guess the question is are we victors.

Although it can be said that there are alot of good lessons in the stories in the bible, it should be remembered that it is not a factual historical text. Alot are taught otherwise. It can also be said there are alot of evil concepts in the bible. Its hard to accept a faith but pick and choose from its holy book. If you are not christian, there are some positives that can be gained if you ignore all the bad. I left the faith because its deity requires the murder of many millions of gays and adulterers as a part of his worship. I was not willing to follow a deity that requires me to murder as part of a religion, so I left.