Quote:
Originally Posted by Textcritic
I find the above two statements a little odd. First, you suggest that the Bile ought to be taken very seriously, and that it serves as a "moral compass", but readily admit that it is beyond the comprehension of most people. I have no problem with this position—in fact, I find it more appealing than that which treats the Bible "plainly"; as if it should be read from cover to cover like any other book. It is what follows that seems to present an inconsistency:
First, the purpose of the Church was NEVER to serve as "the voice of the Bible". The Church always has and still does serve a much deeper sacramental purpose; the purpose of the Church in its most basic function was always to celebrate Christ: through prayer, through worship, and through the sharing of a communal meal, which eventually became the eucharist or it's protestant equivalent, communion.
Second, if the Church was always so critical as an institution to good biblical interpretation, then to declare it as irrelevant is to cut your own position off at the knees. By your own admission, the Bible is not easily understood, and because the Church has historically served as the vehicle through which the Bible is read, in removing it, you have removed the efficacy of the Bible as well, despite your confession that it is important enough to serve as a moral compass.
The Bible bears witness to the Word of God, and is revealed in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Bible is authoritative because of who Christ is, and because of how it is read in and by the Church. One cannot be removed from the other: the Church and the Bible are religiously symbiotic.
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Good post, TC.
But what I found weirder about the previous poster's remark, in a cosmological sense, was the idea that there is a hell, but no heaven. It seems to me, Bible aside, that he's imagining a very dark and dreary reality. If there's hell but no heaven, that implies, as I understand it, the following:
1. There is a purpose to life on earth. It is to punish people for their actions/immoral character.
2. There is a creator--but his/her sole reason for existence is an all-consuming, dark sadism.
3. The only reason to be virtuous is to escape from life--to be rewarded by NOT being punished with an eternity of suffering.
Isn't that a worldview predicated on the darkest of emo "I hate everyone" despair?