Do you believe the bible is meant to be viewed as allegory?

[S8nBam]

All the main religious books are allegorical, I believe this is by design to allow its message to transcend time.

Yes this also means the message is in the interpretation of the reader.

[Jjpayne]

I think it can be both symbolic and literal

[AEther]

i think perhaps the question has an anachronistic view of story telling.
nowadays we have a very clear distinction between fiction and non-fiction, but the people we're talking about here are a bronze age tribal cult.

where i live, a cluster of scottish islands, most of the place is fairly shallow hills, and then there's this one island that just shoots up out of the sea at near mountain heights.
as one of the old folk tales go, it was a stone that fell out of the pocket of a giant.
which is of course absurd, and it makes sense to conclude that they didn't really mean that literally.. except, what other explanation was there?
without any knowledge of geology and tectonics, when the question of how that big, out of place, mountainous structure gets there, the only real answer is that a reaaaally big guy must have put it there.
for a creature whose niche in life is to ask how and why, but without databases of the collectives knowledge of 10000 years of human existence, a placeholder story is needed.
stories were how people passed on knowlage and understanding, over time a story may adapt to become more poignant symbolism, or to better fit with discovery of how it really is, or with drama to become an epic.. or it may become locked as the doctrine of strict unquestionable tribal religion to be puzzled over by people thousands of years in the future, looking for a superior knowledge of facts, or transcendent truth in metaphor. when what it really is, is stories.

[jgokgotit]

The Bible is both literal and figurative. Remember, at the time the Bible first came out, the general public did not know how to read so it was common for people to use allegory to illustrate certain points. Also, some of the things the Bible describes could be technology that exists today that was not thought of back then so the prophets that discussed future events described these events the best they could with the ways of describing that they had. It is these allegorical parts of the Bible that make people believe it is false because they misunderstand the points these examples are trying to create. As for the literal portions, those are plain, the main ones being Jesus's direct words, the 10 Commandments, battle locations, etc. There are also parts of the Bible that will not make sense to anyone on Earth until they have passed.

[purplepoppy]

This is the whole problem with religious people, you see a passage that supports your cause and it's meaning is clear as day. The second it doesn't or is unsavoury then it becomes an allegory.
But why would it have to be an allegory? If the message is so important say it so everyone understanding not just those who've been schooled. Once you leave something open to interpretation your risking people using it as an excuse to do bad stuff.
I think we have to view the bible through the beliefs, values and morals of the time and recognise we live in more enlightened times.

[Gravit1]

Some of it definitely, but I find most to be metaphorical and literal. Genesis literally happened, but there is a lot of metaphorical meanings and symbolism. Revelation appears to be more metaphorical, but the events will for sure take place, but how they appear will definitely be perception. I say about 20% is completely metaphorical in the Bible, but the rest is both.

[JackofSpades]

Depends on what it is that you're talking about. For example the book Song of Solomon is clearly a poetic allegory but the books of Samuel, Kings and Chronicles are clearly meant to be read as history.

I believe that most of the books where meant to and were originally interpreted literally.

But that doesn't mean we should just throw it out however. Just like we can learn a lot from fairy tales we also can learn a lot from the bible.

[WesBrewer]

Everything that the bible says is something that actually happened and is 100% true, so whatever it says it means, just in case you are using a catholic version NASB or NIV are the best translations.

[genericname85]

there's a tiny hint of very washed out actual history in it. but if you strip away all the myths, legends and nonsense, it's a quite mundane, boring story.

[Bratsondanielle]

It's just a book that someone wrote long time ago .. I don't think it's got any real meaning thou

[jasco]

I feel like it is a bit of both. Some of the things it says is very relateable to the current timeline while some make no sense. But it is a good book to read and it may bring you some peace.

[cnhinton]

I'm an atheist, but there are symbolic passages, mainly in Daniel and Revelation.

[MyBigMystery]

It's written by people who worship the devil they take a lot if joy knowing you are worshiping him not god or feminine.

[Dinosaursandanime65]

I was told it’s the Basic Instuction Before Leaving Earth.

[OddBeMe]

Yes, like Homer’s odyssey. Or Gilgamesh. Just as fiction, just as intrinsic.

[Mt808]

Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth= BIBLE
I dare you to open it from the back and read the ending!!! 👀🤯

[jshm2]

Depends which bible you're talking about. Each denomination has its own.

[David_Bayer]

Probably I mean it's the same as Greco-Roman legends

[Agape93]

Yeap. So many things in it have been proven wrong by science and history.

[Anonymous]

The bible is contradicting, so i don't see it as glory.

[najekim]

In the same category as Aesop's Fables and such.

[jimmy2]

Its best to let the Bible interpret the Bible

[LemiaOfTheCodes]

I have No idea

[EssenceOfLight]

It's a fairy tale.

[JamesRandiDebates]

It's fantasy.

[anewme]

Whats allegory?

[Anonymous]

It's all bs anyways

[PopMart1997]

It’s a crock of s***