[soc.religion.christian] more food for thought

gdsimpson@amherst.bitnet (02/28/91)

      What does it mean when someone says that the Bible was inspired by God?
   It at least seems pretty clear when the formula "Thus sayeth the Lord"
  preceedes a text; but what about the Psalms or Ecclesiastes?
     In Psalm 22:1,2 when the author writes:

   My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
   Why are you so far from saving me,
   so far from the words of my groaning?
   Oh my God, I cry out by day, but you
   do not answer

      It is difficult to attempt to describe this passage as an example
  of how God inspires the words of man. Should Christians hold on to the
  idea of the Bible as the word of God? Or should the scriptures be interpreted
  as man's attempt to seek the divine? Or is it perhaps a mixture of both?

      Something that has crossed my mind several times is that if the Psalms
   are interpreted as something other than a human text, they might lose some
   of their sincerity. The image that I get is that of Jehovah holding up huge
   cue cards from Heaven that say "The Lord is my Shepherd...". If in some
   sense, the words aren't David's, aren't they less honest? If David is not
   expressing his own feelings for God, then the Psalms almost seems like a big
   hoax.

         But then if the words ARE David's and they still have the status of
   Scripture, what does the word "Scripture " mean. Is it just the words of
   someone who speaks sincerely from the heart? Is it a text which sheds light
   on the human condition? Can people in this sense still write scriptures
   for today?



                    Just hoping to stir a few brain cells

        Any and all comments, questions, remarks greatly appreciated.







-Gilberto (No not Bart) Simpson

"The water will engulf us if we do not dare to tread"
              -De La Soul