Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Making Me Mad

So I am severely annoyed at my religious studies book... want to know why? Well even if you didn't I'm going to tell you. So here's quote number one:
"The Bible teaches neither creationism not evolution..."
Right, so let's open our Bibles at the very beginning to see if this is true... starting with Genesis 1:1: In the beginning, God CREATED the heavens and the earth. (emphasis mine). I fail to see how the Bible doesn't teach creationism. It seems fairly explicitly stated in my opinion. God CREATED... doesn't leave much room for argument, does it?
Really, what I've gathered so far is that the author's argument is that much of Genesis is a good story that shows us how to live but not much else. My argument? Then what's to stop someone from saying that Jesus is nothing more than a story to teach us how to live. Honestly, if you get rid of one part of the Bible, what's to stop you from throwing out the whole thing?!?!
Another quote: The stories of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob and their progeny also should not be accepted as accurate history.
Yet another one: No doubt with the retelling of the story of the journey from Egypt hyperbole flourishes.
For those of you who are now looking for a dictionary to look up the word hyperbole: it means a gross exaggeration. I assume the author might be referring to the crossing of the Red Sea, manna, water coming out of the rock, the plagues....but I'm not 100% positive. I also believe that the author is totally wrong in stating that, because in case you haven't guessed it by now I believe that the Bible is the infallible word of God.... everything in it is truth.
But you know what makes me really angry??? It's not so much that I have to read bald faced lies because I know what I believe, it's more that the people in my class, for whom this will be their only exposure to Christianity and the Bible, who are only taking this class to fulfill a Gen Ed, will think that this author is reporting proven facts. My biggest concern is for the people in my class who don't know what they believe and will be swayed because an author speaks "authoritatively" on the subject.
I know God can work even in this... but it makes me mad

1 comment:

Julie said...

Hey there! I understand your anger towards this book. Craziness! I am also amazed at something tonight. I have a facebook friend that "used to be a christian"....UGH! He is now an athiest, he says. How in the world does one get to that point knowing all the other information. I was also making him ind of angered really I think pointing out that fact that you can't lose your christianity, so he will share the same heaven with me but unfortunately have to answer for all this....Oh dear...its been a frustrating night! Hope your class improves, God just laid a whole classroom of people on your lap to pray for now! :) I'll help ya out there and pray also! :)
Love ya!
Aunt Julie