nospam{at}nospam.com wrote...
>
> "Gulag"  wrote in message
> >
> > nospam{at}nospam.com wrote...
> > >
> > > "Life is Hell"  wrote in message
> > > >
> > > > pia_sten{at}hotmail.com wrote...
> > > > >
> > > > > can anyone recomend a good book for a beginner
wanting to study the
> > > > > bible?
> > > >
> > > > What's wrong with using the Bible, combined with prayer to gain
> > > > understanding into the meaning of troublesome passages
as they occur?
> > > >
> > > > That's all you need.
> > >
> > > Not really.  You can pray until you are blue in the face, but the
> > > chances you'll get a direct revelation fro God as to who the
> > > Saducees, Caesar and Herod were are slim.  It's very unlikely
> > > God will reveal in a vision where Damascus is in relation to
> > > Jerusalem.
> >
> > Guess it really gets down to what you're reading the Bible for,
> > doesn't it?  The original poster didn't say.  The person you're
> > replying to apparently assumed it was for spiritual reasons, and
> > you're apparently counter-assuming it was for history and geography.
>
> I'm assuming no such thing.  I am asserting that the Bible was written by
> real people, living in real places, who make constant reference to real
> events, people, places and customs.  To understand Scripture, one must be
> aware of all of these things.

We're clearly talking about different things, then.  I don't disagree
that an encyclopedia is a useful tool when you want to insight into
historical events, people, places, and customs.  Whether one is
reading the Bible, American history, or Herodotus for that matter.

But there are many books that will go beyond what any encyclopedia
can provide to tell you what you should believe, and if you're
arguing that those types of books should have authority over your own
dialog with the Holy Spirit then your argument has no traction, at
least with me.

I am a Protestant.  Perhaps you are not.  If you are not, then we
have ideologically irreconcilable differences and continuing this
leads to pointless debate.

> > > I'm curious:  do you read the Bible in the original
languages?  I doubt
> > > it. I'm pretty sure you read a translation.  So... you read
the product
> > > of other people's study of material outside of Scripture  (in case you
> > > didn't notice, the Bible doesn't include an Inspired
Lexicon) but you'd
> > > suggest that someone else deprive themselves of the same. 
that's pretty
> > > weak.
> >
> > Speaking of weak, your examples are easily addressed by any decent
> > encyclopedia.
>
> Yes, they are, and that's my point exactly.  To understand what's happening,
> being said, and - more importantly - what's being taught, one MUST use
> external reference material.  The refrain "Just read it and pray about it
> and everything will be okay" is old, tired, and simply doesn't work.

Well, I agree it probably won't get you through seminary.

> In fact, not only doesn't it work, it leads to heresy.

Well, there are many paths to heresy.  There are even some books that
will get you there.  Do you disagree?

Do you need a book to teach you what, say, John 3:16 means?  Is your
argument really that this verse and its meaning in your life is
meaningfully diminished if you don't know where Damascus is in
relation to Jerusalem?

> > How about if you leave the pointless flaming for the alt.* groups?
>
> How about if you learn to recognize a flame as opposed to a sensible
> comment?

[quote]
> > > You can pray until you are blue in the face, but the
> > > chances you'll get a direct revelation fro God as to who the
> > > Saducees, Caesar and Herod were are slim.  It's very unlikely
> > > God will reveal in a vision where Damascus is in relation to
> > > Jerusalem.
[/quote]

....is unnecessarily caustic, and as such is much more like a flame
than a sensible comment.

There are polite ways to disagree, and yours isn't one of them.  It's
entirely possible that you've gotten so caught up in knowing the
Damascus/Jersusalem thing that you've forgotten the more fundamental
brotherhood we're a part of.  (I have assumed you're a Christian.)

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