Few believe the Bible

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John146

Senior Member
Jan 13, 2016
16,540
3,503
113
#1
News Article:

Fewer than one in four Americans ― just 24 percent ― believe the Bible is “the actual word of God, and is to be taken literally, word for word,” according to a new survey by Gallup.
Amid the stories of love and redemption in the Bible, there are a number of passages condoning rape, murder, and the procuring of slaves. There are intricate rules about dress and diet, prohibitions to certain professions and quite a few discussed practices that would make a modern person blush.
But Gallup found that just about a quarter of the American populous believe God literally decreed that women shouldn’t be allowed to ever teach or have any authority over men and that people who worship other gods should be put to death.
<img class="Maw(100%)"
Twenty-six percent of Americans view the Bible as “a book of fables, legends, history and moral precepts recorded by man.” And Gallup found that roughly half of American adults say the Bible is “the inspired word of God” but that it shouldn’t be taken literally.
Gallup polled a random sample of 1,011 adults, aged 18 and older and living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, between May 3-7, 2017.
The survey revealed that the number of Americans who view the Bible as the literal word of God has dropped from 38 percent in 1976 to 24 percent today. The percentage that defines the Bible as a book of fables and stories has doubled since then.
Seventy-one percent of Americans consider the Bible to be a holy document. But just 24 percent take it literally.
This has coincided with a larger shift in the American religious landscape in recent decades. Belief in God has wavered, and the percentage of Americans who identify as Christian has dropped from over 90 percent to roughly 70 percent. More and more Americans are religiously unaffiliated, meaning they do not identify with any formal religious group.
Still, Gallup found that 71 percent of Americans view the Bible as a holy document, believing it to be at least God-inspired if not the literal word of God. For some conservative Christians ― who point to the Bible to argue against abortion rights or to deny marriage licenses to same-sex couples ― it’s easier to pick and choose their literalism.
 

trofimus

Senior Member
Aug 17, 2015
10,684
794
113
#3
Oh yeeaaah, is this a KJV only thread? I miss those threads :D
 
Feb 7, 2015
22,418
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#4
Most of this kind of thing is balderdash. All you have to do is take off your clothes, and read the label that tells the mixture of fabrics in your own attire to quickly know that you totally ignore the restrictions on mixing fabrics.

So, beginning right there, we try to rationalize those pure and explicit words of the Bible.... saying "Well, THAT part obviously means something different than what is actually written." And, from that point on, each of us goes about picking and choosing "specifically" how particular parts of the Bible will be interpreted by our little group of believers.
 
Aug 15, 2009
9,745
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#5
And even fewer pick them up & read 'em.
 

wolfwint

Senior Member
Feb 15, 2014
3,589
873
113
61
#6
News Article:

Fewer than one in four Americans ― just 24 percent ― believe the Bible is “the actual word of God, and is to be taken literally, word for word,” according to a new survey by Gallup.
Amid the stories of love and redemption in the Bible, there are a number of passages condoning rape, murder, and the procuring of slaves. There are intricate rules about dress and diet, prohibitions to certain professions and quite a few discussed practices that would make a modern person blush.
But Gallup found that just about a quarter of the American populous believe God literally decreed that women shouldn’t be allowed to ever teach or have any authority over men and that people who worship other gods should be put to death.
<img class="Maw(100%)"
Twenty-six percent of Americans view the Bible as “a book of fables, legends, history and moral precepts recorded by man.” And Gallup found that roughly half of American adults say the Bible is “the inspired word of God” but that it shouldn’t be taken literally.
Gallup polled a random sample of 1,011 adults, aged 18 and older and living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, between May 3-7, 2017.
The survey revealed that the number of Americans who view the Bible as the literal word of God has dropped from 38 percent in 1976 to 24 percent today. The percentage that defines the Bible as a book of fables and stories has doubled since then.
Seventy-one percent of Americans consider the Bible to be a holy document. But just 24 percent take it literally.
This has coincided with a larger shift in the American religious landscape in recent decades. Belief in God has wavered, and the percentage of Americans who identify as Christian has dropped from over 90 percent to roughly 70 percent. More and more Americans are religiously unaffiliated, meaning they do not identify with any formal religious group.
Still, Gallup found that 71 percent of Americans view the Bible as a holy document, believing it to be at least God-inspired if not the literal word of God. For some conservative Christians ― who point to the Bible to argue against abortion rights or to deny marriage licenses to same-sex couples ― it’s easier to pick and choose their literalism.
Thats you can find in almost all former so called Christian countries. In Germany lives Approximation 2.4% born
again Christians. And not all of them takes the scripture literaly.
Thats our time and it will be more worse!
 
B

BeyondET

Guest
#7
I most certainly believe in the bible, the inspired word from God who even allows secular quotes from other sources to be in the bible as well as apostle narratives, these other verses have a purpose and meaning...

Example of a secular quote.
Titus 1:12
One of Crete's own prophets has said it: "Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons.

Example of a apostle narrative
Luke 1:1
Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us,
 

Blain

The Word Weaver
Aug 28, 2012
19,176
2,539
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#8
I certainly am not in the 24% that read as literal as the Pharisees did that when Jesus said this Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in yourselves. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has everlasting life, . . . for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood remains in union with me.”—John 6:53-56. I think many people read the bible it's how they read it that is the problem
 
Nov 23, 2013
13,684
1,212
113
#9
I certainly am not in the 24% that read as literal as the Pharisees did that when Jesus said this Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in yourselves. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has everlasting life, . . . for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood remains in union with me.”—John 6:53-56. I think many people read the bible it's how they read it that is the problem
The Old Testament says to not drink blood.... it makes it obvious the passage is not literal. :)
 

Blain

The Word Weaver
Aug 28, 2012
19,176
2,539
113
#10
The Old Testament says to not drink blood.... it makes it obvious the passage is not literal. :)
Yes but even so the passage here even knowing the ot says not to drink blood cannot be taken as literal as cannibalism is not what Jesus was talking about
 

Billyd

Senior Member
May 8, 2014
5,034
1,473
113
#11
News Article:

Fewer than one in four Americans ― just 24 percent ― believe the Bible is “the actual word of God, and is to be taken literally, word for word,” according to a new survey by Gallup.
Amid the stories of love and redemption in the Bible, there are a number of passages condoning rape, murder, and the procuring of slaves. There are intricate rules about dress and diet, prohibitions to certain professions and quite a few discussed practices that would make a modern person blush.
But Gallup found that just about a quarter of the American populous believe God literally decreed that women shouldn’t be allowed to ever teach or have any authority over men and that people who worship other gods should be put to death.
<img class="Maw(100%)"
Twenty-six percent of Americans view the Bible as “a book of fables, legends, history and moral precepts recorded by man.” And Gallup found that roughly half of American adults say the Bible is “the inspired word of God” but that it shouldn’t be taken literally.
Gallup polled a random sample of 1,011 adults, aged 18 and older and living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, between May 3-7, 2017.
The survey revealed that the number of Americans who view the Bible as the literal word of God has dropped from 38 percent in 1976 to 24 percent today. The percentage that defines the Bible as a book of fables and stories has doubled since then.
Seventy-one percent of Americans consider the Bible to be a holy document. But just 24 percent take it literally.
This has coincided with a larger shift in the American religious landscape in recent decades. Belief in God has wavered, and the percentage of Americans who identify as Christian has dropped from over 90 percent to roughly 70 percent. More and more Americans are religiously unaffiliated, meaning they do not identify with any formal religious group.
Still, Gallup found that 71 percent of Americans view the Bible as a holy document, believing it to be at least God-inspired if not the literal word of God. For some conservative Christians ― who point to the Bible to argue against abortion rights or to deny marriage licenses to same-sex couples ― it’s easier to pick and choose their literalism.
IMHO, most of the people that read the Bible, are looking for an escape clause to continue in their current life style (that includes most people who identify themselves as Christians). If you don't believe me, set back and read BDF comments.
 

Blain

The Word Weaver
Aug 28, 2012
19,176
2,539
113
#12
read_me_11x14_rz_hd_copy_1.jpg
Hinty hint hint;b
 
L

loisola

Guest
#13
I've come to accept that believing the Bible is only possible when one has a personal knowlegde of the author of the Book. Usually people outside the church think the Church has failed to live out the Bible... so they dont belief any word read out of it...but like we all know no one can force a belief on a person. We can only trust the Holy Spirit to open the eyes of the understanding of people. I personally prefere to walk in God's love for me; knowing that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus...because no matter what I do, I will always make mistakes and will often fail to be a good /practical witness of what the Bible is all about. Cos' "all our righteous is like filthy rags". So long as we know Jesus as Lord of our lives, lets continue in His love... His love through you and I as individauls will show the truth and the power of the Bible.
 

Blain

The Word Weaver
Aug 28, 2012
19,176
2,539
113
#14
I've come to accept that believing the Bible is only possible when one has a personal knowlegde of the author of the Book. Usually people outside the church think the Church has failed to live out the Bible... so they dont belief any word read out of it...but like we all know no one can force a belief on a person. We can only trust the Holy Spirit to open the eyes of the understanding of people. I personally prefere to walk in God's love for me; knowing that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus...because no matter what I do, I will always make mistakes and will often fail to be a good /practical witness of what the Bible is all about. Cos' "all our righteous is like filthy rags". So long as we know Jesus as Lord of our lives, lets continue in His love... His love through you and I as individauls will show the truth and the power of the Bible.
Indeed, how can you understand the heart of a person if you do not have a relationship with them?
 
B

BeyondET

Guest
#15
Yes but even so the passage here even knowing the ot says not to drink blood cannot be taken as literal as cannibalism is not what Jesus was talking about
hehe I agree ugg cannibalism drinking human blood eating human flesh, the Jeffrey Dahmer syndrome.

But I can do a medium rare steak, lol.
 

John146

Senior Member
Jan 13, 2016
16,540
3,503
113
#16
Yes but even so the passage here even knowing the ot says not to drink blood cannot be taken as literal as cannibalism is not what Jesus was talking about
The Bible is to be taken literal unless the context of the passage makes it clear that it is figurative.
 
May 13, 2017
2,359
27
0
#17
I've come to accept that believing the Bible is only possible when one has a personal knowlegde of the author of the Book. Usually people outside the church think the Church has failed to live out the Bible... so they dont belief any word read out of it...but like we all know no one can force a belief on a person. We can only trust the Holy Spirit to open the eyes of the understanding of people. I personally prefere to walk in God's love for me; knowing that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus...because no matter what I do, I will always make mistakes and will often fail to be a good /practical witness of what the Bible is all about. Cos' "all our righteous is like filthy rags". So long as we know Jesus as Lord of our lives, lets continue in His love... His love through you and I as individauls will show the truth and the power of the Bible.
Keep in mind here, that the Word IS God...The Word IS the author of the Book...Jesus is the Word and the Word is Jesus. So get into the Word and let the Word teach you
 
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Blain

The Word Weaver
Aug 28, 2012
19,176
2,539
113
#18
The Bible is to be taken literal unless the context of the passage makes it clear that it is figurative.
If you take only as literal you will be blind to much of the scriptures, to understand his word you have be able to read it in both literal and figurative as there is much symbolism that you will miss if you only read it literal.
 
Jan 21, 2017
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#19
that number is phenomenal! Here in FInland it would be about 1% maybe even less.
Wholly apostate country, we got a dead rotten state church and thats it, few pentecostals and baptists.

America still got it good trust me
 

Dino246

Senior Member
Jun 30, 2015
24,555
13,320
113
#20
Perhaps the way to read this article is as though the Church has achieved 24% penetration rate and is excited to participate in raising that number.

My glass is not half-full; rather, has a 76% opportunity potential. :)