Question about the Bible

[superman22x]

Not trying to start a religious debate or anything here...

So here's my question. Yesterday, I was thinking about the Bible. It's a collection of stories written throughout history. Why does it stop? Nothing's been added in a LONG time, yet time keeps on moving and the world is changing faster than ever now. To me, it seems it should continue to be added to.

Just thinking...

 

[foothead]

I went to Catholic school, and this is how they explained it:

God's word was given to humans through revelation, in exchange for the biblical covenants. When Jesus came to Earth, that was the perfect covenant, and thus the end of revelation. They also said that the books of the bible were written by the Holy Spirit, working through human writers, thus the infallible word of God, and the Holy Spirit put the books together to form the bible.

Basically, the Catholic church made all this up to prevent people from asking the very question you are.

Still no explanation on why God murders millions of people in the old testament, then comes back in the new testament and preaches about loving one another. It seems like an omniscient being wouldn't change its mind like that...

 

[iPwn]

Jesus is believed by many to be the last true prophet of God. The scriptures don't necessarily set this in stone, so to speak, but readers are warned to beware of the false prophets to follow. Basically, nothing has been added to the bible because Jesus outlined God's new covenant with Man, outlined the needed steps to be in God's favor, and through his apostles, foretold the final days. As that time of the end is also believed to be very near, there's really nothing that you can add to the bible that would change anything.

 

[superman22x]

Ah, ok, yeah I guess I have heard that before. Interesting. I still think the religion should continue to evolve just as culture does. I'm Catholics, but a decent number of Catholics do not like change at all... Not good for the religion.

 

[foothead]

The Catholic Church actually has changed quite a lot since its inception, it's just much slower to do so than society. In my opinion, it makes it more valid as a religion, even if it discourages members. What use is a religion that constantly revises its teachings? Either they speak for God or they don't, and like I said before, an omniscient being wouldn't change its positions on things just because they became more socially acceptable.

 

[superman22x]

It doesn't change it's core beliefs. It only changes it's interpretations, which should continue, but it hardly does.

 

[foothead]

That's the thing about the Catholic Church though. The pope claims infallibility. He literally speaks for God. To change interpretations would be to change the church's core beliefs, because it would mean either the church doesn't speak for God or God is not all-knowing.

 

[~Darkseeker~]

The problem with religion (especially western religion) is that people pick and choose which parts to follow. Official interpretations haven't changed but most individuals change their own interpretations. For instance, I'm sure most christians don't avoid mixing fabrics

 

[superman22x]

The problem with religion (especially western religion) is that people pick and choose which parts to follow. Official interpretations haven't changed but most individuals change their own interpretations. For instance, I'm sure most christians don't avoid mixing fabrics

And that's the thing, it's faith. Faith is something you should be following with your heart. If someone else is choosing for you... it's not really faith. Who is anyone on Earth, even the Pope himself, to act like they really know anything about Heaven or God other than what's in our own hearts?

 

[foothead]

Just out of curiosity, what you're saying is basically that you believe in the Christian god, but not the bible? Because what you're describing sounds pretty much exactly like deism, but you described yourself as Catholic.