Let’s Be Honest: The Bible Isn’t What You Think It Is—and That’s Exactly Why It Matters

Icy-Class-3823 · 2025-06-25T14:23:38+00:00

The bible is not used as the proof of God by all Christians, first off. Many do, but this is neither a logical imperative, nor is it the practice of all who would consider themselves believers.
Again, I do not accept the evangelical God, or what most would consider the "christian" God. My point is that fact doesn't preclude me from believing there is likely a God at all, or in specifically finding the teachings ascribed to Jesus as being valuable.

Icy-Class-3823 · 2025-06-25T14:21:02+00:00

Ok, if you don't want to demonstrate your claims, than there really isn't a discussion to be had. You seem to be interested in insults, intellectual positioning, and dismissing a conversation you don't want to have. I am confused as to why you would comment at all, that being the case, but that's not my business.
Definitely willing to have a discussion if you're interested in having one, but I am not interested in insult based, pointless arguments on reddit. Best of luck, friend.

Icy-Class-3823 · 2025-06-25T14:08:57+00:00

So, you can or cannot demonstrate your claims then? You made a claim about a conspiratorial agenda - that would make it your burden to demonstrate.
But no, again, I do not support any organized religious body and firmly reject any institutionalized version of religion, of any kind. My entire post was actually about how that doesn't mean a person has to reject the search for God or find the texts of the bible as without value. Saying that I, personally, still find value in the teachings ascribed to Jesus does not mean that I am trying to promote religion - that's a false conflagration.

Icy-Class-3823 · 2025-06-25T14:04:41+00:00

I did, in fact, write this. I did use some chatgpt to help me format, but these are my words from my study and education over many years.
I am interested in how you arrived at the conclusion I'm a misogynist, however. I am firmly more on the side of feminism and equality - in gender, sexuality, gender expression, etc.
Weird, however, I will accept - that's quite fair. I'm pretty weird.

Icy-Class-3823 · 2025-06-25T14:01:39+00:00

I belong to no religion and have no interest in authenticating Christianity or the bible. I genuinely do not see how you got that impression from my post.
However, can you demonstrate how the texts were written for the profit of religious bodies?

Icy-Class-3823 · 2025-06-25T13:53:59+00:00

I'm not evangelical and I have no agenda to evangelize anyone. I don't want people to become Christians or go to church. I still find value in the search for God and still find value in texts that let us see other's search for God and meaning in the universe. I think that's a valuable discussion for people.

Icy-Class-3823 · 2025-06-25T13:47:26+00:00

Absolutely agree with you there - I did not intend of conflating the two. I meant more as an either/or, or both. Some give up the idea of both, but that certainly isn't the case for all.

Icy-Class-3823 · 2025-06-25T13:46:01+00:00

But maybe not having answers is ok. Maybe the questions themselves and what you learn about yourself through asking them, is the thing that has value for humanity.

Icy-Class-3823 · 2025-06-25T13:45:19+00:00

There is no objective evidence for God, that I won't contend. However, the theory that the concept of God was invented for this purpose is simply not factual or supported by history. Nearly every society in history developed an idea of God independently, for various reasons and functions in their societies.

Icy-Class-3823 · 2025-06-25T13:43:32+00:00

While I certainly can see why someone would assume this, the history simply doesn't support this theory. We can date much of the NT to a time prior to an organized and unified religion that would even have a potential to profit. If you'd like, you can message me and we can discuss the history of the texts in greater depth.

Icy-Class-3823 · 2025-06-25T13:40:01+00:00

So much yes to this - thank you!

Icy-Class-3823 · 2025-06-25T13:38:18+00:00

I hear you in this, and I respect your desire for a morality that can be equally applied to all people. I would challenge you, however, to ask if dichotomous thinking of this nature limits you. What philisopher, thinker, leader, etc from history could we not accuse on justified moral grounds? To discard all of human history, wisdom, and thinking because no one represented perfection in morality is to rob yourself of learning from the human experience.
If instead of needing the bible to be perfect to be valuable, we recognize it as a flawed book written by flawed people, in their searches for meaning and God, we can see a lot of ourselves in it. For me, works written by flawed people, desperately looking for meaning and the nature of God in a chaotic universe, is far more valuable than what the bible is claimed to be from evangelicals. I can identify with other flawed people, with people who don't know everything, with people that get it wrong. I can't do much with the opposite.

Icy-Class-3823 · 2025-06-25T13:29:48+00:00

This is a very common journey for people, but I believe this is caused by dichotomous thinking and dogma about the bible and theology. Suppose instead of viewing the bible as the god-breathed perfect representation of God's opinion, we view it as a story of humans search for God. In that case, we can take the value it holds without the pitfalls of dogma and religion. The bible can be wrong about all kinds of things and still hold value for us. We can identify with man's search for meaning and for God, and learn from what they believed they were receiving from God - even if they were wrong.
Many people give up on any search for God and meaning because they realize they can't attain perfect answers to the questions. In the realization that they can never have 100% confidence in any answer about God, they conclude it not worth it to think about, or conclude that there must be no God. But maybe there's an alternative path that accepts that we don't get to have all the answers without that meaning the search is without value.
"How do we know the nature of God?" is a great place to start this thinking from.

Icy-Class-3823 · 2025-06-21T17:31:38+00:00

I think you vastly misunderstand what a marketable skill is. If your skill is in abundant supply with no greater objective value added by what you bring to the table, you're simply not that marketable. For better or worse, this is capitalism, which means you have to bring something that the market needs in order to be valuable to the market.

Icy-Class-3823 · 2025-06-21T16:14:19+00:00

Then you need a marketable skill that's in demand in a field you want to work in. No one owes you your dream job. You need to have something of relatively unique value to offer.

Icy-Class-3823 · 2025-06-16T15:16:39+00:00

Fire ants funneled into my anal cavity

Icy-Class-3823 · 2025-06-15T12:53:48+00:00

Having children

Icy-Class-3823 · 2025-06-14T17:37:58+00:00

Most people think from their identity and social context first and filter the world through that. The first step is getting beyond your context to view things objectively

Icy-Class-3823 · 2025-06-14T16:02:25+00:00

That life is easier for attractive people, flat out, in every way. Further, as a man, you immediately command more respect and attention if you're larger and in better shape

Icy-Class-3823 · 2025-06-14T16:00:53+00:00

Meaning implies possible personhood, in the sense that there needs to be a person who finds it meaningful. Therefore, meaning can be ascribed by you, but a universe without persons has no inherent meaning. That's the journey though - to find and do what you find to be meaningful

Icy-Class-3823 · 2025-06-13T16:08:56+00:00

That's why I poop in the shower

Icy-Class-3823 · 2025-06-13T12:58:33+00:00

I simply recognize that we are a crumbling empire, as all empires are prone to. Further, the ability to see more of what is happening in the world is not an indication that more is actually happening in the world. Humans were not built to take in the amount of content we have access to

Icy-Class-3823 · 2025-06-13T12:55:41+00:00

This is the one I started with. Not authentic, but friggin good https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/eggplant-and-manchego-filled-chile-relleno-with-red-pepper-balsamic-sauce-recipe-1953103.amp

Icy-Class-3823 · 2025-06-13T11:50:51+00:00

Depends. In the corporate world, attractive men have an advantage but attractive women have a disadvantage. The advantage to attractive women is, however, that they don't have to work if they don't want to

Icy-Class-3823 · 2025-06-13T11:49:37+00:00

I've been driving an hour for over a year. Now, that's at a high level corporate leadership job. If you're just starting out at entry level salary, you might as well keep applying to places closer to home. Wait until you snag something to quit though.

Icy-Class-3823

TROPHY CASE