Church leaders do not believe in a literal understanding of the Bible

[gaelic cowboy]

It's like saying half of Britons don't believe that computers work using nanoscopic silicon switches which respond to electromagnetic signals.

not really when you think about it sure it's easy prove how a computer works even to the ordinary 5/8 on the street.

it's far harder prove evolution thats why it will never be the Law of Evolution, it is however the best and most likely expanlation were ever going to get.

[Lemur]

I've always thought one of the great strengths of Christianity is that we do not, in the majority, regard the Bible as the literal word of God. As an earlier poster said, it's not a book; it's a library, cobbled together over millennia. It's full of poetry, wisdom, mutually contradictory instructions, stories, weirdness, sublime passages, the works.

A childhood friend of mine became a monk. He had an interesting take on the ritual and mind-bending contradictions of the Bible: "All of that **** is poetry. God doesn't care about it, just that we do good works and live good lives." Which coincides nicely with Rabbi Hillel's take on scripture: "That which is despicable to you, do not do to your fellow, this is the whole Torah, and the rest is commentary, go and learn it."

[rory_20_uk]

I've always thought one of the great strengths of Christianity is that we do not, in the majority, regard the Bible as the literal word of God. As an earlier poster said, it's not a book; it's a library, cobbled together over millennia. It's full of poetry, wisdom, mutually contradictory instructions, stories, weirdness, sublime passages, the works.

A childhood friend of mine became a monk. He had an interesting take on the ritual and mind-bending contradictions of the Bible: "All of that **** is poetry. God doesn't care about it, just that we do good works and live good lives." Which coincides nicely with Rabbi Hillel's take on scripture: "That which is despicable to you, do not do to your fellow, this is the whole Torah, and the rest is commentary, go and learn it."

That is close to Quakerism. Most high churches aren't going to say all their heirachy, money and power is tacked on and not required. Women are still not ordained, priests don't marry due to dogma.

[rvg]

Women are still not ordained, priests don't marry due to dogma.

Not ordaining women and maintaining celibacy have good reasons behind them. I see no problem with that.

[rory_20_uk]

Not ordaining women and maintaining celibacy have good reasons behind them. I see no problem with that.

Care to elaborate?

[rvg]

Care to elaborate?

Sure. Women do not get ordained for the simple reason that all of Apostles were men. Jesus deliberately only chose men for those roles.

As for maintaining celibacy, I'm a husband and a father, there's no way I can fully dedicate my life to God. 1st Book of the Corinthians puts it best:
"I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife, and his interests are divided. And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit. But the married woman is anxious about worldly things, how to please her husband. I say this for your own benefit, gnot to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord."

[Idaho]

Sure. Women do not get ordained for the simple reason that all of Apostles were men. Jesus deliberately only chose men for those roles.

What about Mary Magdelen? She even had her own gospel until some 4th century Assyrians got rid of it.

[a completely inoffensive name]

it's far harder prove evolution thats why it will never be the Law of Evolution, it is however the best and most likely expanlation were ever going to get.

It's pretty easy actually. We see it happen in labs across the world every day and in our hospitals as well. Of course I am talking about bacteria who have undergone a fundamental change in order to become resistant to all of our overused antibiotics.

[Beskar]

I believe the Noah story was influenced by the Babylon's flood myth, Philipvs Vallindervs Calicvla might be able to shed more information on that as a History scholar and a Christian, he might have looked for Historical facts to match the myths to reality. I remember there at least being a TV show which discussed a big flooding which might have seemed "global" but was far more local to a big regional area around the Dead Sea, perhaps, or another large land body of water.

[gaelic cowboy]

I believe the Noah story was influenced by the Babylon's flood myth, Philipvs Vallindervs Calicvla might be able to shed more information on that as a History scholar and a Christian, he might have looked for Historical facts to match the myths to reality. I remember there at least being a TV show which discussed a big flooding which might have seemed "global" but was far more local to a big regional area around the Dead Sea, perhaps, or another large land body of water.

there is some stuff about the black sea being the candidate

[rory_20_uk]

Unmarried men have no knowledge of marriages, married life, families, women or children. They are fundamentally flawed from the outset in their pastoral care. It also selects against balanced individuals who want a marriage and a family. Quoting a book from the bible merely shows the lack of insight that is shown - someone out to say why their choices are right. Nothing shows this better than the rulings on celibacy - getting a task force of the celibate to say what to do. A group of married men and women with grown up children would have a far more realistic take on this.

Although no women were apostles, there were many women who had important roles within early Christianity, yet was increasingly sidelined - and this of course ignoring the selection of early texts that took place that indicates women had a far more substantial role.

[rvg]

Unmarried men have no knowledge of marriages, married life, families, women or children. They are fundamentally flawed from the outset in their pastoral care.

Flawed how?

It also selects against balanced individuals who want a marriage and a family. Quoting a book from the bible merely shows the lack of insight that is shown - someone out to say why their choices are right. Nothing shows this better than the rulings on celibacy - getting a task force of the celibate to say what to do. A group of married men and women with grown up children would have a far more realistic take on this.

The conflict of interests is undeniable when it comes to married clergy.

Although no women were apostles, there were many women who had important roles within early Christianity, yet was increasingly sidelined - and this of course ignoring the selection of early texts that took place that indicates women had a far more substantial role.

The fact remains: Jesus deliberately chose only men. It does not imply that women are incapable of doing the priestly duties, but Jesus only chose men.

[Centurion1]

Every time I see articles like this where people believe these stories word for word I thank god for leading me to
Mother church where science and religion aren't always at odds

[InsaneApache]

I believe the Noah story was influenced by the Babylon's flood myth, Philipvs Vallindervs Calicvla might be able to shed more information on that as a History scholar and a Christian, he might have looked for Historical facts to match the myths to reality. I remember there at least being a TV show which discussed a big flooding which might have seemed "global" but was far more local to a big regional area around the Dead Sea, perhaps, or another large land body of water.

Although GC beat me to it, there are lots of examples of flood myths from the ancient world. Possibly due to warble gloaming in pre-historic days. No factories caused it though.

[Tellos Athenaios]

Although GC beat me to it, there are lots of examples of flood myths from the ancient world. Possibly due to warble gloaming in pre-historic days. No factories caused it though.

No, but there was this end of an Ice Age with attending melting of the poplar ice sheets and glaciers...

[a completely inoffensive name]

Possibly due to warble gloaming in pre-historic days. No factories caused it though.

Costanza.jpg

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

I believe the Noah story was influenced by the Babylon's flood myth, Philipvs Vallindervs Calicvla might be able to shed more information on that as a History scholar and a Christian, he might have looked for Historical facts to match the myths to reality. I remember there at least being a TV show which discussed a big flooding which might have seemed "global" but was far more local to a big regional area around the Dead Sea, perhaps, or another large land body of water.

Actually, I think the only knowledge I have of the possible historical orgiin of the flood is that same TV program! To be honest, it never bothered me a great deal.

Moses, on the other hand, I find quite interesting, but we digress.

rvg is correct that a truly celibate man can better dedicate his whole life to God, but it does not follow that all priests must be Great Divines who spend two hours on a Sunday preaching the rest working to develop arthritic knees. In Anglicanism the priest usually comes with a wife, and she is as much involved in pastoral care as her husband. They are a team.

Beyond that, most prists have histoircally either been married, kept concubines, or been homosexual. Not allowing priests to marry because "sex is bad" leads to the absurd situation where consensual sex with an adult becomes equated, in their minds, with child rape. This is far from a modern problem, though historical solution for the offending clerics were far more inventive than today.

[Kralizec]

atheists claim that you have to choose between God and Science

Actually, I think the only knowledge I have of the possible historical orgiin of the flood is that same TV program!

This is unacceptable. Choose between your TV and your religion. Now.

[lars573]

I believe the Noah story was influenced by the Babylon's flood myth, Philipvs Vallindervs Calicvla might be able to shed more information on that as a History scholar and a Christian, he might have looked for Historical facts to match the myths to reality. I remember there at least being a TV show which discussed a big flooding which might have seemed "global" but was far more local to a big regional area around the Dead Sea, perhaps, or another large land body of water.

The show I watched put for the thesis that the flood story came to the Israelites through Babylon. Who themselves heard it from the Sumerians. And that "Noah" was the King of Ur. Who washed out to sea on his trade barge with his family by a catastrophic flood of the Euphrates. And that he ended up somewhere in the Persian Gulf called Dilmum (they theorized that it might be Bahrain).