Why do some Christians say don't take the bible literally and some say do so? ?

Question

Why is this such a confusing issue within the ranks of Christianity? Why does it make my blood boil!

Answer 1

because  some  of it is  literal and some  is not  you need to  be guided  in understanding it.  either  by God  or by a good pastor.

Answer 2

This argument is brought up by various things, including the obvious contradictions within the text of the Bible (it was written by many different people, edited, and translated from translations of translations over the many years before it came into modern hands), and the fact that people today don't always agree with the Iron Age morals the Bible espouses.  Society in modern America is different than society in Iron Age Israel, and many things were okay then that aren't now.  So, people try to find a way to reconcile the book with the claims of the religion.

Answer 3

It is simple - we are human, not God so we don't understand everything equally. Do you understand how a space shuttle functions, or the human brain? probably not, but there are people who do. Does that mean you are stupid, or have given up the right to explore and understand? Obviously not. A person who has just begun the study of a topic will have far less understanding of it than one who has been doing it for years.

You are entitled to you opinions on subjects so is everyone else. If you read the Bible you would see that some things are meant literally and some figuratively. What is a mountain to you might not be one to me. To a partially colorblind person green and blue may look the same but does that make them the same? The problem with our understanding lies with us, not with God. If your child steals money from another child at school, who do you blame? Yourself, the child, the 'bad' friends, video games, the teacher? Why blame God for things people mess up?

Answer 4

Individuality causes individual ideas causes individual views and opinions, maybe you expected christians to be borg/cybermen/zombies

Answer 5

Why can't atheists agree on exactly how the Big Bang occured? Why can't they agree on how stars form? Why can't they agree on... Oh, wait. I was supposed to be talking about how Christianity must not be true because those who follow it can't agree on everything. I was also supposed to showing how Christians don't have the right to explore and understand anything because they can't all agree.

Of course, since I've demonstrated that all atheists don't agree on everything, that shows you to be a hateful fool.

Answer 6

There are so many Versions of the Bible,and some are disgusting.

Some are Guilty of mis-leading and confusng innocent Christians.

Some versions are amazingly disgusting so DEAD FLAT DRY BLAND EMPTY LIMP WEAK SAFE(but not for me, or any Christians) SO POISONOUS MIS-LEADING SOOO NOT GOOD. SO BE CAREFUL.

Answer 7

Because we all grow at different rates, and are at different stages.

man, don't any of you read Shakespeare?

Answer 8

Because religion is like politics.  There is no ideal, there are no conclusions, there is no absolute, so there is ultimately no truth; how can there be?  We are all just left splashing around in the dark; with so much uncertainty in our lives that we will never even be able to 'get on' with each other.

Answer 9

because the bible isn't a history book adam and eve didn't mean there were only two humans in exsistance they just represented the two genders

Answer 10

Hmm.. your question is very vague.  It is difficult to expect a good answer.  You did not identify who say what 's literal and what's not?  What's the content in question?  Pardon me, but this looks like you are not really seeking truth or explanation.  

Answer 11

They say these things to fit their personal wants and desires, so they can justify things they want to retain rather than admitting what they do is a sin.  Or, they do not believe the things in the Bible did, do, and will still happen.  The Bible is also explicitly clear that this is exactly what will happen in the "latter days" -

2 Timothy 3:1-7

(1)  But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:

      **If you follow end-time beliefs, you will know that we are in these "last days"

(2) For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, (3) unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, (4) traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,

     **Are we seeing this today, to a greater degree than EVER before?

(5) having a form of godliness but denying its power.

     **This describe RELIGION

And from such people turn away! (6) For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts,

     **This sounds like many religious leaders, doesn't it?

(7) always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.  

     **I think verse 7 above may answer your question.

Answer 12

Because different cults have different agendas.

Answer 13

Totally. The literalistic ones, I notice, are most likely to call the others 'fake Christians'. The ol' no true scotsman fallacy breeds itself on Christianity.

Answer 14

Because of the flaws in the Bible...

...religious people attempt to disguise these flaws

but the result = conflicting reasons.

Answer 15

You are right and if it makes you as an atheist upset, you can only imagine what it does to me as a Christian. God didn't give us His Word, so that we can figure out what we want it to say, God gave us His Word, so that we can figure out what He wants us to do. It is plain stupid to say that you believe in a book, and not take it literally. Any Christian who does this should be ashamed of himself/herself.

Answer 16

Why do so many atheists ask religious questions on this site. If I were an atheist I would not ask any questions about the Bible because I would not care. If you want God in your life just come back to him.It is not hard and he wants you back anyway.