Evangelical Megapastor Rob Bell Endorses Marriage Equality

[SaharaSunset 165]

If in fact, the Bible is totally up for individual interpretation and application, then there can be no right or wrong where Christianity is concerned. There is no line in the sand - nothing is good, nothing is bad, there is no "sin" because everyone is free to write off the commandments as "out-dated for our modern world." Morality becomes relative on all counts. Without definitive lines, there is no Christianity.

Religion is NOT relative. It's all about clear definitions of right vs wrong, good vs evil, sin vs righteousness. Relativity is not religion....its personal opinion & perspective and everyone is entitled to their own. Pastor Bell is fully entitled to his "open-minded" views and selective interpretations - but his views do not coincide with the concept Christianity, or religion in general for that matter. And he certainly does not speak for all Christianity when he waxes poetic about the relative application of the Bible. Its like he is taking it upon himself to act as interpreter for God...but he's completely reinterpreting what God says....scary.

Christians believe the Bible to be the word of God as given through his prophets on earth. The Bible the very soul of Christianity because it outlines the tenants of the faith and given by God. So, if the Bible is Christianity, and the Bible is the word of God, then only God can "speak" for Christianity. And only God can make official Christian positions on moral issues. And so far, the Scriptures are the only place he's taken a position on anything. So any other personal interpretations of the Bible are just that...personal interpretations. And yes I am aware that the Bible seems to be full of contradictory statements. So I guess if we pick and choose what we want to think God's position really is on something....then we can only hope that God agrees with us in the end...

[Danno 1,228]

If in fact, the Bible is totally up for individual interpretation and application, then there can be no right or wrong where Christianity is concerned. There is no line in the sand - nothing is good, nothing is bad, there is no "sin" because everyone is free to write off the commandments as "out-dated for our modern world." Morality becomes relative on all counts. Without definitive lines, there is no Christianity.

Religion is NOT relative. It's all about clear definitions of right vs wrong, good vs evil, sin vs righteousness. Relativity is not religion....its personal opinion & perspective and everyone is entitled to their own. Pastor Bell is fully entitled to his "open-minded" views and selective interpretations - but his views do not coincide with the concept Christianity, or religion in general for that matter. And he certainly does not speak for all Christianity when he waxes poetic about the relative application of the Bible. Its like he is taking it upon himself to act as interpreter for God...but he's completely reinterpreting what God says....scary.

Christians believe the Bible to be the word of God as given through his prophets on earth. The Bible the very soul of Christianity because it outlines the tenants of the faith and given by God. So, if the Bible is Christianity, and the Bible is the word of God, then only God can "speak" for Christianity. And only God can make official Christian positions on moral issues. And so far, the Scriptures are the only place he's taken a position on anything. So any other personal interpretations of the Bible are just that...personal interpretations. And yes I am aware that the Bible seems to be full of contradictory statements. So I guess if we pick and choose what we want to think God's position really is on something....then we can only hope that God agrees with us in the end...

They think the Bible is like a charter ....which can be modified at any board meeting with 2/3's of the vote.

[ready4ONE 5,400]

They think the Bible is like a charter ....which can be modified at any board meeting with 2/3's of the vote.

Your so right! The Earth is clearly flat and those Pagan scientists should be burned as the witches they are!

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

If in fact, the Bible is totally up for individual interpretation and application, then there can be no right or wrong where Christianity is concerned. There is no line in the sand - nothing is good, nothing is bad, there is no "sin" because everyone is free to write off the commandments as "out-dated for our modern world." Morality becomes relative on all counts. Without definitive lines, there is no Christianity.

So good and true Christians ought to put adulterers to death? The Bible demands it.

[decocker 7,198]

Pastor Bell is fully entitled to his "open-minded" views and selective interpretations - but his views do not coincide with the concept Christianity, or religion in general for that matter. And he certainly does not speak for all Christianity when he waxes poetic about the relative application of the Bible. Its like he is taking it upon himself to act as interpreter for God...but he's completely reinterpreting what God says....scary.

why is that scary? all pastors, preachers, priests act as interpreters of god/the bible - it's their job. he may be reinterpreting what god says - but he's not reinterpreting the basic concepts of Christianity as provided by jesus in the gospels. now, jesus and god are one in the same so i'm not sure if it's god who's the homophobe or jesus who's misrepresented, but thankfully - i don't care.

i do care that so many people use their religion as a free pass to hold on to ignorance and pawn it off on others as enlightenment. religion is completely relative.

[Caryh 5,206]

why is that scary? all pastors, preachers, priests act as interpreters of god/the bible - it's their job. he may be reinterpreting what god says - but he's not reinterpreting the basic concepts of Christianity as provided by jesus in the gospels. now, jesus and god are one in the same so i'm not sure if it's god who's the homophobe or jesus who's misrepresented, but thankfully - i don't care.

i do care that so many people use their religion as a free pass to hold on to ignorance and pawn it off on others as enlightenment. religion is completely relative.

To add in, if there was no interpretation of the Bible going on, there would not be as many Christian churches as there are, all disagreeing on what the Bible and Jesus' teachings really mean. But wait of course just about every different version of Christianity claims to be the only truly correct one. So if they're all following the same book, the Bible, then why are they so different. But wait again, we don't have one version of the Bible, there are many and they often don't agree but interpret and rewrite what was written before. Even now scholars are going back to the oldest versions they can find and discovering interpretation errors that have carried forward into today's versions of the Bible.

But of course, the Bible is the divinely and perfect word of God. How do I know this, a Christian told me so, and it says so right on the internet, oops I mean in the book.

BTW for those that don't know, I am a believer. But I prefer to look to the parts of the bible of what Jesus said and did as my guide. Not the words others have added to try to bring the old testament in line with the teachings of Jesus himself gave us and to justify their continued following of a vengeful god.

[decocker 7,198]

To add in, if there was no interpretation of the Bible going on, there would not be as many Christian churches as there are, all disagreeing on what the Bible and Jesus' teachings really mean. But wait of course just about every different version of Christianity claims to be the only truly correct one. So if they're all following the same book, the Bible, then why are they so different. But wait again, we don't have one version of the Bible, there are many and they often don't agree but interpret and rewrite what was written before. Even now scholars are going back to the oldest versions they can find and discovering interpretation errors that have carried forward into today's versions of the Bible.

i have both extremes of christian in my family. my parents are very picky about what they agree with in the bible. they are very keen on the idea of one's relationship with jesus, their salvation, being a completely personal affair. they don't lean so much on the bible verbatim. i have aunts, uncles & cousins who are completely rigid fundamentalists and ironically do not have an offical affiliation with a sect but rather, follow their 'pastor' and his interpretations of the KJV as rule of law. rules down to the length of skirts their girls had to wear, girls are not allowed to cut their hair (boys have to), no secular music (bach and chamber music is okay), etc etc.

[Danno 1,228]

So good and true Christians ought to put adulterers to death? The Bible demands it.

Yeah I know it';s confusing but the first step is to understand, you are speaking of a remedy that was given to a certain group in the old testament, while the sin is universal the treatment of it is not.

For example the dietary laws given to the Jews are not in the Christian faith, as there is no moral connection to them only a practice unique to those people.

[Caryh 5,206]

Yeah I know it';s confusing but the first step is to understand, you are speaking of a remedy that was given to a certain group in the old testament, while the sin is universal the treatment of it is not.

For example the dietary laws given to the Jews are not in the Christian faith, as there is no moral connection to them only a practice unique to those people.

So now the bible isn't the unchangeable word of God, but open to interpretation, as long as you agree with that interpretation. OK, got it.

[Danno 1,228]

So now the bible isn't the unchangeable word of God, but open to interpretation, as long as you agree with that interpretation. OK, got it.

Nothing changed, you assume everything applies to everyone, men and women alike, adult and child, Jew and Gentile.

You want to hide behind the "It's all up to interpretation,"

That technique works on a message-board but no where else in life.

[JohnR! 5,495]

Nothing changed, you assume everything applies to everyone, men and women alike, adult and child, Jew and Gentile.

You want to hide behind the "It's all up to interpretation,"

That technique works on a message-board but no where else in life.

But it must be up to interpretation.

Presuming to know exactly and precisely what the bible means, is to presume to know exactly and precisely what god meant by his words. As humans one can only interpret, unless of course, one should presume oneself to be quasi-divine.

Otherwise, the golden rule of 'do unto others...' would leave no room for interpretation and it would mean precisely and exactly what the words mean.

Edited March 22, 2013 by Gegel

[decocker 7,198]

So now the bible isn't the unchangeable word of God, but open to interpretation, as long as you agree with that interpretation. OK, got it.

danno is best buds with god. he not only knows the correct interpretations of 'the bible' - he also knows what is relevant and to who.

when danno is taking a particularly long time to post i'd like to think that he and god are skyping together to form a most holy retort...

[Caryh 5,206]

Nothing changed, you assume everything applies to everyone, men and women alike, adult and child, Jew and Gentile.

You want to hide behind the "It's all up to interpretation,"

That technique works on a message-board but no where else in life.

You interpreted that certain passages were only relevant to the Jews and early Christians, not to people today. So that certainly did change. You quote the Old Testament and claimed this wasn't open to interpretation today, and have done nothing but reinterpret the meaning since. Then you go further and become judge and jury to condemn how others interpret the meaning of the Bible. My statement is entirely to the point of exactly what you've been doing in this thread. Just because your sect doesn't see eye to eye with another sect of Christians, doesn't mean they are wrong any more than you are wrong to want to live with the interpretation created by your sect. But one thing I do feel, is Jesus would not agree with how you judge and condemn others who are just trying to follow his teachings as best they can.

[Darnell 8,479]

when danno is taking a particularly long time to post i'd like to think that he and god are skyping together to form a most holy retort...

Ah. Similar to a Papal Bull, then..

Now it makes sense..

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

You interpreted that certain passages were only relevant to the Jews and early Christians, not to people today. So that certainly did change. You quote the Old Testament and claimed this wasn't open to interpretation today, and have done nothing but reinterpret the meaning since. Then you go further and become judge and jury to condemn how others interpret the meaning of the Bible. My statement is entirely to the point of exactly what you've been doing in this thread. Just because your sect doesn't see eye to eye with another sect of Christians, doesn't mean they are wrong any more than you are wrong to want to live with the interpretation created by your sect. But one thing I do feel, is Jesus would not agree with how you judge and condemn others who are just trying to follow his teachings as best they can.

Danno is one of the Christians that reject most of what Christ stood for and taught. He's a CINO.