Bible literalism is the greatest source of modern atheism
Bible literalism is sort of like the small minded child who no longer believes in his Father. Why? Because he
heard him say that he was “the apple of his eyes” (something the boy knows to be a dirty lie, as no apple
grows inside the eye!].
And something similar happens when a man stops believing in his heavenly father because he reads that the
Bible says God repents, or is jealous, or gets angry, or is vengeful.... He simply cannot understand that none
of it is literal, as God is no man [but rather an immortal Spirit] and therefore isn't liable to flawed human
passions and emotions.
The fact is that, all of what the Bible says about God is just a metaphorical way of speaking about something
that is incredibly difficult to explain in straight human terms (thus God chooses to phrase it in over-simplified
terms, so that the general public can grasp the basic idea).
Take for example the case of Bible's punishments and rewards. Most people thing there is a future judgment,
and a literal heaven or hell awaiting for us. But the truth of the matter is that The Supreme Power of the
Universe (God) won't personally judge nor condemn anybody. The truth of the matter is that His judgment
was already issued since before the beginning of time, and will consists of letting each person reap the same
“heaven” (goodness) or “hell” (evil) he has freely and willingly bestowed upon his needy fellow creature (in
other words, the eternal law of “sowing and reaping”, or “action and reaction”)
Torah hints at the idea that, what we do with “the truth” we happen to have at hand, is far more
important than whether what we have at hand is in fact “the truth”... “Sow” goodness with whatever
“truth” you have at hand, and you'll be just fine
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The problem with modern atheists is their belief in such thing as “absolute truth” (scientific truth,
evolutionary truth, mathematical truth, political truth, racial truth, etc). But the fact is that such attitude is in
itself the hallmark of any old fashion religious leader, as all of the former have claimed to possess absolute
truth [something any common sense individual would reject right from the start]. As is written:
“Jesus replied. 'I was born for this... to testify to THE TRUTH. Everyone who is of THE TRUTH listens to
my voice... ', '[And] What is truth?' said Pilate”- John 18:37-37.
The fact is that Human beings have no means to ascertain absolute truth. In other words, our senses will
only allow us to perceive “relative truth”; afterward, we are just expected to do the best we can with the
relative truth we have grasped.
And maybe that's the reason why the Hebrew Bible never records any Hebrew prophet, king, or priest ever
asking any non Hebrew person to embrace the Hebrew religion. Rather, it portrays them exhorting non
Hebrew people to do good [practicing justice, mercy, and humility] within the constraints of the [relative]
religious truth they already have.
And from whence do we get that He who we perceive as “the Creator” just ask us to do the best we can
within the constraints of the relative truth we've perceived? We know it from the Hebrew prophet Daniel, who
while advising king Nebuchadnezzar never asked him to abandon his pagan religion, but rather do good
within it. As is written: “Therefore, your majesty, may my advice be acceptable to you: Stop your sinning, do
what’s right, and put a stop to your wickedness by showing kindness to the oppressed...”- Daniel 4:27
(International Standard Version)
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