A friend of mine brought up the story of Jonah and the whale and mentioned that we're to not take it literally because it's 'obviously' ridiculous. Sure, but if I feel the majority of the Bible is the same, but others don't, what method are we supposed to use to determine whether passages are meant to be taken literally or figuratively? There are folks who believe the Great Flood happened. I don't. How do we figure out who's correct? It can't be just a matter of having faith in it happening because faith can be used to justify anything. If we can't confidently determine a Biblical story or account actually happened, by what justification can we believe it? In other words, what's convincing about stories that haven't been proven to be true?
Yes, that is a good point, Veg.
Most of the Bible seems absurd to me, but then I am not a Bible believer.
It's be great to have a Bible believer explain it to us!
A friend of mine brought up the story of Jonah and the whale and mentioned that we're to not take it literally because it's 'obviously' ridiculous. Sure, but if I feel the majority of the Bible is the same, but others don't, what method are we supposed to use to determine whether passages are meant to be taken literally or figuratively? There are folks who believe the Great Flood happened. I don't. How do we figure out who's correct? It can't be just a matter of having faith in it happening because faith can be used to justify anything. If we can't confidently determine a Biblical story or account actually happened, by what justification can we believe it? In other words, what's convincing about stories that haven't been proven to be true?
Yes, that is a good point, Veg.
Most of the Bible seems absurd to me, but then I am not a Bible believer.
It's be great to have a Bible believer explain it to us!