Yes, I've read the whole fucking book. And that's just the point -- the verse makes perfect sense to you, but not to me. Just because a book essentially says, "People who read this and believe it without understanding shall be eventually be blessed with understanding," doesn't mean a fricken' thing.
Lots of books congratulate their readership. The Bible is no different. It's just a bit more haughty in its praise.
In fact, this is just one in a long string of Christian base-covering methods.
Examples:
*If someone reads the Bible and doesn't understand it or rejects it, he must not have been reading close enough or with an open heart. Therefore, all problems raised by these people can be dismissed.
That is not true at all. I do not understand things in the Bible and it does not mean I am not reading "close enough". Such difficulties encourage one to rely on God and not their own power or ability to interpret, and also to convene with other saints to discuss these things.
*If a Christian does something horrible, he must not <i>really</i> have been a Christian. Therefore, no Christian is really bad.
What would you define then as horrible as ALL Christians admit to sinning and no sin can be greater than another.
*If someone of another faith does something good, he was probably talking to the Christian God and merely <i>thought</i> he was talking to his God.
What do you mean "does something good"? If a Mormon donated to a Christian 's charity how is that talking to God? Atheists do these things and glorify themselves for being righteous, but their iniquity is self-evident for we know them by their fruit.
*If you have a doubt about one of the Bible's claims, it's probably Satan trying to lure you away from the path. Therefore, there is no need to doubt anything in the Bible.
*If God does not answer your prayer as you asked, it must not have been part of his divine plan. But if whatever you prayed for does happen, God answered your prayer. So, either way, you can rest assured God heard it and reacted accordingly.
Etc., etc., etc....
How handy that nonbelievers can't really understand your little book -- after all, that makes it quite easy to dismiss any valid criticisms they have to offer.
Well, first off if they are nonbelievers then their criticisms can never be valid.
Rom. 1
" 29They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless."
These people can not possibly have anything valid to say, as you can see. If this describes someone you know, then you know them by their fruit. They are wolves in sheep's clothing.
Acts 20
28Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.[1] Be shepherds of the church of God,[2] which he bought with his own blood. 29I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.
So, the Bible is true because it says it is. And truth is measured by the Bible.
Ahhhh, circular logic... Christianity be thy best friend.
How is truth measured by the Bible? Where does the Bible say this?
