A fantastic summary of spiritual abuse

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[jeromydaviddarling]

Boggs you just told me all I need to know then friend - if the Bible isn't the best place to learn about spiritual abuse. The irony is, if Christians lived out the Bible with fear and trembling, there would never be any spiritual abuse, or accusations of abuse. Somehow the church managed to make it nearly a couple of millenia without needing blogs and internet pastors and Christian bookstores to illuminate them. It's no coincidence that the church is as weak as it's ever been since Christ left the earth. I've read a few good books in my time, but now more than ever I cling to the Word for my direction and understanding. Christians are spiritually fat - more than they've ever been - so proud of their knowledge but so completely lacking in love. This entire website stands as a billboard for the the loveless Christian life

[HughHoney]

What makes you so sure when you are clinging to the word that you aren’t misunderstanding it? God gave you the Word but he also gave you a brain. Since it’s so important to your life I would assume you’d want to devote resources to understanding it

[Godtrumpsall]

What makes you so sure when you are clinging to the word that you aren’t misunderstanding it? God gave you the Word but he also gave you a brain. Since it’s so important to your life I would assume you’d want to devote resources to understanding it

God did not write His Holy Word in such a complicated matter that we would need authors and experts to interpret it's meaning.  Yes, we can study and research and dig deeper and learn more.  But on the surface, His words are His words.  Does this make any sense to you.  God wrote his word so the "pagens" and the gentiles could also understand.  That their eyes would be opened to understanding and believing what is written.  There are so many "voices" in today's society that we have such easy access too.  Everyone has an opinion, and now everyone can share that opinion with the world.   But there is only ONE voice we need to be concerned with. 

[HughHoney]

I dunno dude it sounds like you wouldn’t know a hermaneutic if it landed in your eye

[Godtrumpsall]

I dunno dude it sounds like you wouldn’t know a hermaneutic if it landed in your eye

That is quite an assumption you make of me.  I like to stick to facts when I post, or I ask direct questions. 

[HughHoney]

However you think god inspired the Bible is just a subset of how you think God operates in the world.

[Digital Lynch Mob]

However you think god inspired the Bible is just a subset of how you think God operates in the world.

And so...?

[HughHoney]

It’s more complex than “god said it, that settles it”

Not as simple as God dropping a zondervan NIV to St Paul. For instance: hundreds of years of church history forming the canon. Everyone has choices but if you think you can just wing it you are going to be off. If you are in a leadership role and winging it you are going to do damage.

[Rebel in a Good Way]

HughHoney, what resources do you like for hermeneutics?  When I read How to Read the Bible For All Its Worth I thought that one book alone would greatly help the GCC pastors I've heard.  I know it's beginner level, but having been in mostly...um...interesting churches, it was a helpful do-over.  Just speaking to the GCC teaching I was under, btw.  Perhaps others have read and applied the concepts.

Understanding genres, the purposes of narrative vs. poetry vs. wisdom literature, etc. was so helpful.  I love reading the bible through the overarching lens of the theme of the redemptive story of God's work.  Acknowledging that God is the main character in each story.  Okay, not totally sure all of those points are in that particular book but they have helped me shift some of my presuppositions to read the bible more holistically.  And the cultural aspect is helpful to understand because most of the people in the bible were in communal societies that we would have a hard time understanding.  We in the west approach the word in such an individualistic manner that we often lose the communal piece.

Sorry, you used the word hermenuetics and I got a little excited.  Just curious.  I was never aware before how much attitudes toward the bible, like belief in the inerrancy (rather than infallibility), how it's inspired, etc. affect so much about our faith.   

[Digital Lynch Mob]

For what it's worth I read that book (How to Read the Bible for All it's Worth) as a young believer and absolutely loved it too. I still have it and refer to it. Look, a point of agreement.

[HughHoney]

Vanhoozer and Thiselton but don’t operate heavy machinery after reading...

 if I had to pick one: “Is There a Meaning In This Text”

[wynter]

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[wynter]

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