The biggest problem I had with believing that God exists was the Holy Bible. I still do not know how to take the Bible. The book is filled with great psychological insights into our human nature and how we, as a society, can live in harmony together. But, to take the Bible as historical and/or scientific truth, I believe, goes too far.
A Short History of the Bible by ChatGPT:
The Bible is a collection of sacred texts that have been revered by billions of people around the world for thousands of years. Its history dates back to ancient times and has undergone numerous translations and interpretations throughout the centuries.
The Old Testament, also known as the Hebrew Bible, is believed to have been written between the 12th and 2nd centuries BCE. It consists of 39 books that tell the story of the Jewish people, their relationship with God, and their history from the creation of the world to the Babylonian exile.
The New Testament, on the other hand, was written in the 1st century CE and contains 27 books. It focuses on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, as well as the early Christian church.
The process of canonization, or the selection of books that were to be included in the Bible, was a long and complex one. It involved debates and disagreements among religious leaders, and it was not until the 4th century CE that the final canon of the Bible was established.
Throughout the centuries, the Bible has been translated into numerous languages and has been the subject of intense study and interpretation. It has been used as a source of inspiration, guidance, and wisdom by countless individuals and has played a significant role in shaping Western civilization.
The bible was written thousands of years ago, from stories that were told even longer ago. I believe that unless you are a historian with an extensive background in Hebrew history, culture, and literary genera, you should not be telling others how to interpret what the bible says. I think that it is very egocentric to think we can read the Bible and then tell others what the Bible says. One of the biggest problems I have had in coming to believe that God exists and is real, is people who told me what the Bible says. I know they meant well but, there are those of us out there, who don’t accept that it is true just because someone says it must be true, it is in the Bible.
Much of the Bible is figurative and not literal, and discerning which is literal and which is figurative requires a lot of study and research. You need to have some idea of the language, customs and to whom it is written, at the point in time the verses were told or written.
I believe that the Bible is inspired by God so that when we read it, God can connect with each of us individually. It is useful in that it allows God to give us wisdom, guidance, and correction. It is not useful in knowing how God will view others. Meaning, I don’t believe that we can use the Bible to decide who will go to heaven, or who will go to hell. That is a God thing, not people thing. We cannot know what someone else has gone through in there lives. I was an atheist for many years, is that my fault, or was that part of God’s plan for my life? We are all quite different beings and we are all on a spiritual journey (weather we know it or not). I do not think that any of us know what God has planned for our lives and we certainly don’t know what God is doing with others. Just maybe, God is using those we think are not living up to God’s standards, as a test to see if we truly love our neighbor.