Wandering Stranger: Why do bible fundamentalists tell other people how to interpret the bible?
Isn’t it the so-called holy spirit job to tell people how to interpret the bible? Are bible fundamentalists basically saying they are the holy spirit incarnate? What makes bible fundamentalists think that the “holy spirit” will not “guide” the other people reading the bible on how to “interpret” the bible?
Is the only reason why bible fundamentalists think other people are not guided by the so-called holy spirit is because other people’s bible interpretation differs from them? Is bible fundamentalists’ bible interpretation the “truth” because bible fundamentalists interpreted it? If that’s the case how is it different from bible fundamentalists making themselves a god?
Answers and Views:
Answer by Kurt
Because if one reads the bible without preconceived notions, one realizes how ridiculous it is.
It gives them an over-developed sense of entitlement and salvation (ego-ism).Answer by Matt Portnoy
I think they translate to fit what they want it to say. Because if it says something that would disagree with what they want it would ruin things for them.Answer by Robert S
Fundamentalists, by definition, believe in a literal interpretation of the Bible.
They accept everything in it as the literal word of GOD; they worship a book.Answer by Light and Truth
Peter said the scripture is not of private interpretation, only by a known Prophet of God when moved upon by the Holy Ghost. That brings up other questions…….Answer by Dr. Bob
Christians, followers of Jesus who accept his free gift of salvation and trust in him alone, receive the Holy Spirit which indeed does help them interpret scripture.
But I think you’re misunderstanding both how the Holy Spirit helps and you’re confusing interpretation with understanding.
The Holy Spirit indwells Christians only, not non-Christians. A non-Christian isn’t going to get the same type of insight and personal illumination that a Christian does.
But there’s quite a huge difference between understanding what the scripture says, what the historical and cultural context is, and why it’s important, as compared to how you should apply that lesson in your life, personally. One is understanding. One is interpretation.
Your question has asked for help understanding. Now you understand how the Holy Spirit isn’t available to everyone. Whether or not you’ll accept that answer as truth, and will apply it to your life by asking Jesus Christ to forgive your sins and trust in his ability to save you — is up to you. Nobody can do that for you. That’s interpretation.
See the difference?
Answer by MattIf you legitimately want an answer, read “The Battle for God,” by Karen Armstrong. She’s not a Christian, but she’s a historian of religion who has done some significant work analyzing the rise of religious fundamentalism. This book is part of her findings. If you just want to rant about fundamentalists, then you’re no better than them.
The reader’s digest version of her answer is this: During the rise of the Modern age (about 1500-present), scientific and technological knowledge advanced at a breathtaking pace. Because of this, people were starting to put more faith in the scientific method and epistemological inquiry than other forms of knowing. This sort of knowing ended up redefining what is “true.” However, there were always two forms of knowing: mythos and logos. The two were both embraced over much of human history as complementary modes of knowing. Mythos dealt with “ultimate” questions, such as the meaning of life, whereas logos dealt with practical realities, such as developing new technology, organizing political structures, scientific inquiry, etc.
However, because new technology was opening up new avenues for logical (logos) exploration, and because it was giving people unprecedented control over their environment, mythos became neglected. People started demanding that religion fill the role of logos, whereas previously it had been acknowledged as mythos.
This led to the inherently modern realities of fundamentalist religion. The Bible was understood to be a text whose primary meaning was the literal, plain-sense, surface meaning of the text (prior to 1500, other meanings were primary. See Origen’s or Augustine’s work on allegory). However, these literalistic interpretations of the Bible demanded the Bible be scientifically accurate. Pretty soon, however, scientists (many of them seeking to prove the Bible accurate) started to notice that there were inconsistencies between the Bible and science. Because there was no room for mythos in the modern imagination, and because religion didn’t meet the requirements of logos (which it was never intended to be), religion started to be attacked as a bunch of primitive fairy tales. However, logos has never been particularly good at providing ultimate meaning, so many people didn’t want to let go of their religion, which did provide an ultimate meaning. The only way they saw of doing this was to reject science and modern critical interpretations of the Bible, which made them feel as if they were under attack from and fundamentally at odds with the larger society (which was essentially true.)
Fundamentalists grouped together and formed their own subculture of like-minded individuals, and eventually started lashing out against other interpretations of the Bible and the world in general. This is why they tell other people how to interpret the Bible, and why they need some sort of assurance that their interpretation is right (hence why they read the Bible as saying that the Holy Spirit will help them interpret the Bible.) They essentially feel cornered, and feel as if the very thing which enables them to make sense out of life is threatened. It’s fear-based. Discussion boards like Y!A where fundamentalist atheists group together and ridicule religion and believers are adding to the problem, and causing fundamentalist believers to withdraw more from mainstream society, further polarizing the world, which in my opinion is one of the last things we need right now.
Answer by c.Have there been people who have believed the “Holy Spirit” told them to murder their whole family? Look at the whole, not the parts.
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