Is everything in the Bible accurate and correct? How can I be certain that nothing was “made up”? Am I a bad Christian for feeling skeptical?

Question

I’ll be honest. I’m just getting started and it already sounds like a bunch of BS to me. I’m already starting to get real bored of it.

I’m trying to read the bible and I already have a bad first impression.

Just reading a bunch of stories about what some old dudes supposedly did in their lives

But it honestly just sounds like a bunch of fairytales in the book of Genesis. I really can’t take them seriously.

The more I look into it the more I feel my faith slipping away.

I was almost a better Christian before I started reading.

I feel like its almost pointless to keep reading at this point. There’s no way of verifying the validity of what was written.

After all Moses wasn’t even alive when the earth was created. Yet I’m suppossed to somehow believe he got the story right?

I acknowledge religion is an overwhelmingly positive thing because it keeps people grounded. But it almost seems pointless to read about a bunch of things and hope they really happened.

Updates:

17 d

I just don’t feel inspired by reading but inspired by doing. When I’ve brought about good it brings more joy than reading about someone else bringing about good

16 d

I’ve changed my mind guys! Take a look at this right here! Absolutely incredible! watchjerusalem.co.il/465-the-case-for-adam-and-eve

Answer 1

jennifer_bloom | 626 opinions shared on Religion & Spirituality topic.

Influencer

I do not universally believe every verse in scriptural should be interpreted or viewed the same way or even in a single way. I found at least 4 different meanings for salt in scripture and around 4 meanings for light so to me a lot of the bible is symbolic - some of it is sarcastic - some of it is experiential - some of it might be factual - some of it has a double meaning or triple or quadruple meaning - a lot of it is personally distributed and its message varies based on the context of the reader - I also believe there are complex hermeneutical systems for interpreting numbers and names and symbols and places and that nobody can fully understand it since nobody lives long enough to decode the entire book. Overall I believe you are free to synthesize the bible any way you choose - the only rule is you cannot interpret scripture in a way that offends the morals or justice or love or standard of God.

Jack9949

17 d
Well I do agree with the overall message of the Bible. I like how it encourages people to do acts of kindness and to act out of selflessness
Jack9949

17 d
I’m just not convinced God created the world the exact way the Bible describes
Jack9949

17 d
I have no legitimate reason to believe anything without proof
Show All Show Less
jennifer_bloom

17 d
Well I've met Jewish professors who believe the bible does not give the full scientific account of how the world is created but is chronicled the way it is illustrate a point - none of us were there when it happened - I know my views on creation have changed in the last few months let alone the last few decades.
Jack9949

17 d
Yeah. It’s just I feel like I’m an impatient person and I came to the Bible for answers.
jennifer_bloom

17 d
I have an answer to that - Jesus said - he who has will be given more - you may not understand everything the bible says but if you follow the parts you understand - more of the bible will reveal itself to you over time - he also said a good teacher bears good fruit and a bad teacher bears bad fruit meaning you know a teaching or teacher comes from God if it produces good results and you know a teaching or teaching does not come from God if it produces bad results - the bible tells you what the good results are - the virtues of the spirit of God and the virtues of the holy spirit are listed there.
Jack9949

17 d
Its just I came to the Bible so I could better understand but now I just feel myself becoming more alienated. All my life my belief in God had been formed through my personal relations with him and acts of good faith.
Jack9949

17 d
I mean back when I was kid reading the Bible wasn’t a thought that ever crossed my mind. And it wasn’t something my parents particularly did either themselves or encouraged me to do. Its just this new thing I’m trying out but I’m already feeling discouraged.
jennifer_bloom

17 d
To me the bible is allegorical so the references to things that seem atrocious like slavery are symbolic and so are the sexual rules - like when the bible says do not sleep with the mother in law - I view that is about not overthrowing social and moral hierarchies with your possessiveness and refers to more than just not having sex with people who become family through marriage. But those things do not have to be dealt with in the beginning - you can focus on other things like - being kind to those who are less fortunate and do not brag when you do a good deed.

Is everything in the Bible accurate and correct? How can I be certain that nothing was “made up”? Am I a bad Christian for feeling skeptical?

Most Helpful Girls

Most Helpful Guys

What Girls & Guys Said

Related myTakes