Eight Myths about the Bible

[DriftingSand]

...because YHWH is a Master of Creation and a Master of Destruction
​

Master of Creation? Unquestionably!

Master of Destruction? When necessary and only when evil is present. "All iniquity and all things that offend" will be destroyed -- ultimately.

So it was necessary to kill Job's whole family just to prove a point? What evil is present and needs destroying when God lets a child get terminal cancer?

Heaven is an infinitely better place than earth. Life on earth is weighted down by our sinful flesh. A child who's spirit ascends to Heaven feels no pain or sorrow. Secondly, man brought his fall upon himself for allowing himself to be tempted by Satan in the garden. So our ancient grandparents, Adam & Eve, are responsible for the pain, death, sorrow, and agony sometimes experienced by mankind. Nonetheless, whomever shall remain faithful through these earthly trials shall be richly rewarded. They who reject Christ shall perish.

 

[DriftingSand]

This is my understanding of the term/name YWHW from what I have heard. I do not know Hebrew so I am only repeating things I have heard. In the Bible when Moses as God who he should say sent him what is written down is:

(may not be the correct original language.)

This is not actually a word and does not really have a pronunciation. It has been interpreted as the name of God although that may be completely inaccurate. It is written in the KJV Bible as I AM THAT I AM. Written in Hebrew I think it looks like two doors with a post in the middle and a little marker at the top corner of the right door. In other words, make a choice, either one, but it had better be this one.

Well kind of yes and kind of no. YHWH is how it is written in Hebrew. It's not a word no much as an anagram. In Exodus 3 God tells Moses to go to Pharaoh and demand the release of the Hebrews. Moses asks who he should say is commanding this and by who's authority he makes this command...which in a polytheistic society is a pretty good idea. Is it Marduk making this command? Osiris? Elohim? You know...what god are we talking about here? God answers "I am who I am"...it also means "I will be who I will be" and it could also mean "I blow (or will blow) what I blow (or will blow)". This is because the Hebrew words for "to be" and "blow" are the same and because Hebrew does not distinguish between present and future tenses, but it seems unlikely that God would identify himself as "he who blows" (although there is some association with winds in Genesis but that's a whole other discussion), so it's probably "I am who I am".

Ancient Hebrew is a bit tough for westerners to read because it is written from right to left instead of left to right and there are no spaces, no vowels, no punctuation, no paragraphs. It's just one long string of letters. Consider if we ran across DRP in a string of letters. Well we would have to reverse that to PRD which could mean prod, poured, pride, proud, paired...the list goes on. It can be really confusing and still today scholars find things that are commonly translated in the Bible as one thing and through modern scholarship realize that it means something else entirely.

As an interesting side note, there are some great early Greek manuscripts that misunderstood the Hebrew. Greek is read from left to right as English is and when they saw YHWH they noted that it kind of sort of looks like pi-iota-i-iota which spells PiPi (pronounced "pee-pee") which means "chicken" in ancient Egyptian and so those ancient Greeks concluded that the Hebrews were worshiping a chicken god named PiPi.

To further confuse things, the name of God was so powerful that it was not to be spoken by penalty of death and so the ancient Hebrew priests referred to God as "Adonai" (pronounced "A-doh-ni" [A as in cat as the stressed syllable and a long i at the end as in night]. It gets a little complicated because you have to now translate everything into German but when you do that and use the YHWH as it is written, and the vowels from Adonai as it was spoken, put them all together and say it in German, you get "Jehovah". Even Adonai was sometimes considered too powerful and instead God was simply referred to as "ha-Shem" or "the name".

And to confuse things even more, the name of God was also knows as Elohim in different sources and those sources were spliced together which is why in the pentateuch it sometimes refers to God as Elohim and sometimes as YHWH.

So there you go. Hope that adds clarity instead of confusion. LOL

Regardless of the name used to identify God, He is Who He is and changes not. I believe that He knows the heart and soul of man so He knows when a human sincerely seeks Him regardless of the name used. In other words, I don't believe that someone who says Jehovah instead of Yaweh will be penalized in some way, shape, or manner. I believe that when I say "Jesus Christ" He knows that I'm referring to Him and nobody else.

Jehovah, Yahweh (the gawds will be upset if you can't spell their respective names correctly), Odin, Zeuss, etc.

Jeebus schmeebus. Just pick any of the three gawds that are prominent in your geographic location and go with them.

Hi troll. Long time no see.

Still dodging and sidestepping, I see.

This is my understanding of the term/name YWHW from what I have heard. I do not know Hebrew so I am only repeating things I have heard. In the Bible when Moses as God who he should say sent him what is written down is:

(may not be the correct original language.)

This is not actually a word and does not really have a pronunciation. It has been interpreted as the name of God although that may be completely inaccurate. It is written in the KJV Bible as I AM THAT I AM. Written in Hebrew I think it looks like two doors with a post in the middle and a little marker at the top corner of the right door. In other words, make a choice, either one, but it had better be this one.

Well kind of yes and kind of no. YHWH is how it is written in Hebrew. It's not a word no much as an anagram. In Exodus 3 God tells Moses to go to Pharaoh and demand the release of the Hebrews. Moses asks who he should say is commanding this and by who's authority he makes this command...which in a polytheistic society is a pretty good idea. Is it Marduk making this command? Osiris? Elohim? You know...what god are we talking about here? God answers "I am who I am"...it also means "I will be who I will be" and it could also mean "I blow (or will blow) what I blow (or will blow)". This is because the Hebrew words for "to be" and "blow" are the same and because Hebrew does not distinguish between present and future tenses, but it seems unlikely that God would identify himself as "he who blows" (although there is some association with winds in Genesis but that's a whole other discussion), so it's probably "I am who I am".

Ancient Hebrew is a bit tough for westerners to read because it is written from right to left instead of left to right and there are no spaces, no vowels, no punctuation, no paragraphs. It's just one long string of letters. Consider if we ran across DRP in a string of letters. Well we would have to reverse that to PRD which could mean prod, poured, pride, proud, paired...the list goes on. It can be really confusing and still today scholars find things that are commonly translated in the Bible as one thing and through modern scholarship realize that it means something else entirely.

As an interesting side note, there are some great early Greek manuscripts that misunderstood the Hebrew. Greek is read from left to right as English is and when they saw YHWH they noted that it kind of sort of looks like pi-iota-i-iota which spells PiPi (pronounced "pee-pee") which means "chicken" in ancient Egyptian and so those ancient Greeks concluded that the Hebrews were worshiping a chicken god named PiPi.

To further confuse things, the name of God was so powerful that it was not to be spoken by penalty of death and so the ancient Hebrew priests referred to God as "Adonai" (pronounced "A-doh-ni" [A as in cat as the stressed syllable and a long i at the end as in night]. It gets a little complicated because you have to now translate everything into German but when you do that and use the YHWH as it is written, and the vowels from Adonai as it was spoken, put them all together and say it in German, you get "Jehovah". Even Adonai was sometimes considered too powerful and instead God was simply referred to as "ha-Shem" or "the name".

And to confuse things even more, the name of God was also knows as Elohim in different sources and those sources were spliced together which is why in the pentateuch it sometimes refers to God as Elohim and sometimes as YHWH.

So there you go. Hope that adds clarity instead of confusion. LOL

Regardless of the name used to identify God, He is Who He is and changes not. I believe that He knows the heart and soul of man so He knows when a human sincerely seeks Him regardless of the name used. In other words, I don't believe that someone who says Jehovah instead of Yaweh will be penalized in some way, shape, or manner. I believe that when I say "Jesus Christ" He knows that I'm referring to Him and nobody else.

Jehovah, Yahweh (the gawds will be upset if you can't spell their respective names correctly), Odin, Zeuss, etc.

Jeebus schmeebus. Just pick any of the three gawds that are prominent in your geographic location and go with them.

Hi troll. Long time no see.

Still dodging and sidestepping, I see.

God has a name that "no man knows" ... Revelation 19:12, "His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns; and He had a name written, that no man knew, but He Himself."

 

[RandomVariable]

Actually that is a completely wrong interpretation of Job.

I will grant you it is different, but it is one of the lessons the Book of Job teaches.

The premise that one can not understand the ways of God is put forward by Job's friends and Elihu and they are false in that. Job does say that the wonders of God are too numerous to know but that is different than saying they can not be known at all. God wants us to know him.

 

[Meriweather]

Actually that is a completely wrong interpretation of Job.

I will grant you it is different, but it is one of the lessons the Book of Job teaches.

The premise that one can not understand the ways of God is put forward by Job's friends and Elihu and they are false in that. Job does say that the wonders of God are too numerous to know but that is different than saying they can not be known at all. God wants us to know him.

The point isn't that we cannot understand God at all. The point is that God sees things from a different vantage point (or perspective) than we do.

 

[Lipush]

...because YHWH is a Master of Creation and a Master of Destruction
​

What does YHWH mean?

Tis the tetragrammaton...

YUD-HEI-VAV-HEI

​

Wait a minute. Is it YHWH or YHVH?

Get your story straight, brotch.

In Hebrew, the letter V and the letter W are one and the same, so if anyone's to recieve a slap, here...

 

[DriftingSand]

Actually that is a completely wrong interpretation of Job.

I will grant you it is different, but it is one of the lessons the Book of Job teaches.

The premise that one can not understand the ways of God is put forward by Job's friends and Elihu and they are false in that. Job does say that the wonders of God are too numerous to know but that is different than saying they can not be known at all. God wants us to know him.

God's knowledge (and "things known") is infinite whereas man's knowledge is finite and limited (vastly limited). Therefore, there are things that man cannot know for man is not God.

 

[RandomVariable]

Actually that is a completely wrong interpretation of Job.

I will grant you it is different, but it is one of the lessons the Book of Job teaches.

The premise that one can not understand the ways of God is put forward by Job's friends and Elihu and they are false in that. Job does say that the wonders of God are too numerous to know but that is different than saying they can not be known at all. God wants us to know him.

The point isn't that we cannot understand God at all. The point is that God sees things from a different vantage point (or perspective) than we do.

Perhaps but those four are trying to push it harder than that. They are saying, "Hey Job, don't fight it. Just admit it; you sinned, get over it, and do what you think God wants you to do." Then as Elihu's hissing explains, plays right into Satan's hands. As Elihu says in 36:21 "Take heed, regard not iniquity: for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction." In other words; do not worry about what you did wrong, do whatever it takes to make it feel all better.

 

[Uncensored2008]

Myth: The Bible is just a hodgepodge of random musings from various men throughout the centuries who's sole purpose was to control people by using fear tactics.

Myth: The Bible is full of contradictions.

Your second "myth" is not a myth at all.

The Bible is full of hundreds of contradictions.

Examples:

PSA 145:9 The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.

JER 13:14 And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, saith the LORD: I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy them.

MAT 1:16 And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

LUK 3:23 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli.

GEN 1:25 And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
GEN 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

GEN 2:18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.
GEN 2:19 And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.

I can offer hundreds more.
.

 

[DriftingSand]

I would hope God would want us to relate to Him as a loving creator and not as some capricious overlord that swats as the mere flies we are for little to no reason at all.

I'm still waiting to know what evil God smotes from the Earth when he gives kids terminal diseases.

I'm sorry you're so angry at God. You still have the option to accept His Word but He and I certainly won't force you.

Romans 8:28, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."

 

[RandomVariable]

Actually that is a completely wrong interpretation of Job.

I will grant you it is different, but it is one of the lessons the Book of Job teaches.

The premise that one can not understand the ways of God is put forward by Job's friends and Elihu and they are false in that. Job does say that the wonders of God are too numerous to know but that is different than saying they can not be known at all. God wants us to know him.

God's knowledge and "things known" is infinite whereas man's knowledge is finite and limited (vastly limited). Therefore, there are things that man cannot know for man is not God.

Such as?

My point is that nowhere does God say, "Stop looking for me when you reach a certain point." Yes, there is right and wrong, we should not try and see what boiling a person is like for example, but the notion that God does not want us to build atomic accelerators is silly.

 

[DriftingSand]

Myth: The Bible is just a hodgepodge of random musings from various men throughout the centuries who's sole purpose was to control people by using fear tactics.

Myth: The Bible is full of contradictions.

Your second "myth" is not a myth at all.

The Bible is full of hundreds of contradictions.

Examples:

PSA 145:9 The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.

JER 13:14 And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, saith the LORD: I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy them.

MAT 1:16 And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

LUK 3:23 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli.

GEN 1:25 And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
GEN 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

GEN 2:18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.
GEN 2:19 And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.

I can offer hundreds more.
.

Context is EVERYTHING.

I could say: My boat is fast. Most people would think that I have a quick boat but what I meant is that my boat is stuck in the mud - held fast.

 

[DriftingSand]

Actually that is a completely wrong interpretation of Job.

I will grant you it is different, but it is one of the lessons the Book of Job teaches.

The premise that one can not understand the ways of God is put forward by Job's friends and Elihu and they are false in that. Job does say that the wonders of God are too numerous to know but that is different than saying they can not be known at all. God wants us to know him.

God's knowledge and "things known" is infinite whereas man's knowledge is finite and limited (vastly limited). Therefore, there are things that man cannot know for man is not God.

Such as?

My point is that nowhere does God say, "Stop looking for me when you reach a certain point." Yes, there is right and wrong, we should not try and see what boiling a person is like for example, but the notion that God does not want us to build atomic accelerators is silly.

Such as? All those things unknown to mankind. If I knew what they were I would certainly tell you.

I'm not saying that we shouldn't seek God's knowledge and wisdom but it has never been necessary for man to know all things in order to thrive and succeed. We only need to know what we need to know.

 

[Inevitable]

The Eight Biggest Myths About The Bible

Any other misconception that you see a lot?

The biggest mistake I see is how many people think, "God is 'only' love."

Best myth, though it isn't really a myth: the bible contains morality.

 

[RandomVariable]

Actually that is a completely wrong interpretation of Job.

I will grant you it is different, but it is one of the lessons the Book of Job teaches.

The premise that one can not understand the ways of God is put forward by Job's friends and Elihu and they are false in that. Job does say that the wonders of God are too numerous to know but that is different than saying they can not be known at all. God wants us to know him.

God's knowledge and "things known" is infinite whereas man's knowledge is finite and limited (vastly limited). Therefore, there are things that man cannot know for man is not God.

Such as?

My point is that nowhere does God say, "Stop looking for me when you reach a certain point." Yes, there is right and wrong, we should not try and see what boiling a person is like for example, but the notion that God does not want us to build atomic accelerators is silly.

Such as? All those things unknown to mankind. If I knew what they were I would certainly tell you.

I'm not saying that we shouldn't seek God's knowledge and wisdom but it has never been necessary for man to know all things in order to thrive and succeed. We only need to know what we need to know.

We 'needed' not to get kicked out of Eden but that happened.

 

[Uncensored2008]

Myth: The Bible is just a hodgepodge of random musings from various men throughout the centuries who's sole purpose was to control people by using fear tactics.

Myth: The Bible is full of contradictions.

Your second "myth" is not a myth at all.

The Bible is full of hundreds of contradictions.

Examples:

PSA 145:9 The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.

JER 13:14 And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, saith the LORD: I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy them.

MAT 1:16 And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

LUK 3:23 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli.

GEN 1:25 And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
GEN 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

GEN 2:18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.
GEN 2:19 And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.

I can offer hundreds more.
.

Context is EVERYTHING.

Context does not alter who the father of Joseph was.

It was either Jacob, or Heli. The Gospels of Matthew and Luke contradict each other.

Context does not alter whether animals were created first, as in the first creation myth, or man was created first, as in the second.

Context does no change whether god is good to all, or will dash people against one another.

I could say: My boat is fast. Most people would think that I have a quick boat but what I meant is that my boat is stuck in the mud - held fast.

We can start with the three I have listed, or I can provide another couple hundred contradictions.

Which would you prefer?

 

[Uncensored2008]

[
Best myth, though it isn't really a myth: the bible contains morality.

You tend to post very stupid things.

 

[Inevitable]

[
Best myth, though it isn't really a myth: the bible contains morality.

You tend to post very stupid things.

Haven't once.

 

[Iceweasel]

One of the biggest myths that screwed up a lot of people is a mistranslation in the Authorized King James Version, "thou shall not kill". The Hebrew translates to "you shall commit no murder". But the NT is based on many translation errors as well, from the Greek Septuagint. The most notable being Isaiah 7:14 (I think) where it translated young woman into virgin. Thus begot the Mary story.

 

[Uncensored2008]

One of the biggest myths that screwed up a lot of people is a mistranslation in the Authorized King James Version, "thou shall not kill". The Hebrew translates to "you shall commit no murder". But the NT is based on many translation errors as well, from the Greek Septuagint. The most notable being Isaiah 7:14 (I think) where it translated young woman into virgin. Thus begot the Mary story.

Are you saying that Mary (should she have existed) was not a virgin?

 

[Lipush]

One of the biggest myths that screwed up a lot of people is a mistranslation in the Authorized King James Version, "thou shall not kill". The Hebrew translates to "you shall commit no murder". But the NT is based on many translation errors as well, from the Greek Septuagint. The most notable being Isaiah 7:14 (I think) where it translated young woman into virgin. Thus begot the Mary story.

Many translation errors from Hebrew exist in the Bible. That's just one of them.