Monday, July 6, 2015

The advantage of contradictions in the Bible


It’s a positive thing that the Bible contains many contradictions which means it cannot be the 100% true word of God* as many claim.  If it was 100% internally consistent it would only encourage people to rely too heavily on it rather than connecting with their own inner living experience of truth.

We should remember that Jesus warned against becoming like the Pharisees who were overly concerned with the written word of scripture but couldn't recognize the living Christ when he appeared in their midst in the form of Jesus of Nazareth.

Scripture can point to truth but it cannot hold it, and as the human race progresses we become ready for increasingly enlightened teachings that more closely approximate truth, and which previous generations were not ready to accept.  This is demonstrated in the teachings Jesus gave of a loving God which went beyond previous teachings of an angry, judgmental God.  As humanity grew to be able to accept that teaching, so it continues to grow to accept more advanced teachings today.

*Of course God could have intentionally channeled inconsistencies into the Bible for reasons of His own, perhaps to encourage us not to be too reliant on it, at the expense of our own living experience of truth.

Sharka Todd

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