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The past month has been a very interesting learning experience for me in regards to some of the basic tenets of my faith.
First, for some back ground. I was raised in my "faith"/religion, and went to our church run schools from grade 1 - 12, and two years in college. Our "faith"/religion has an "extra Biblical" writer, who has been accepted as a "divinely inspired" "prophet"(a term she never used...........supposedly).
While I could accept this, there have been numerous rumblings in the church over the years about her "plagerism". Something I could also deal with, because Christ, Paul, and the Disciples often quoted Old Testament writers, and other sources, without saying where they were from.
However, when someone says that the entire book was done by inspiration of God, and that no outside sources were used, one should not find numerous quotes by other writers in the book. Something the church has defended for 100+ years, and I accepted till I discovered Jer.23:30.
While I could wrap my head around some of it, how does one steal a "vision"? I have now learned that some of our/her iconic "visions" came from another writer in another faith. Written 30 years before her.
Plus, she has said things that are completely opposite of what the Bible says, and she is inconsistant. The "story" changes in the "retelling". As well as things that are not in the Bible, and couldn't happen if you believe the Bible.
I have a friend who grew up with me in the same grade school, exposed to the same stuff. He had dropped out of the church years ago and calls himself spiritual, but not religious. We often talk about this stuff, and I mail him things I have found. He is as shocked as me. Another friend told me she is in tears over this.
My problem, I guess, is that as a reasonable intelligent man, I don't accept anything anyone says, and I often "dig" until I find the "truth" or have confirmed what I have been told. Which often puts me at odds with other members of my faith who believe everything that comes from the pulpit.
Which is why I sometimes come into this forum and ask questions, especially those of historical background. I am trying to learn. I may not agree with everything here, but I read almost all of it.
Anyway, enough of my "rant". If I have offended anyone here with my attitude, I do apologize.
First, for some back ground. I was raised in my "faith"/religion, and went to our church run schools from grade 1 - 12, and two years in college. Our "faith"/religion has an "extra Biblical" writer, who has been accepted as a "divinely inspired" "prophet"(a term she never used...........supposedly).
While I could accept this, there have been numerous rumblings in the church over the years about her "plagerism". Something I could also deal with, because Christ, Paul, and the Disciples often quoted Old Testament writers, and other sources, without saying where they were from.
However, when someone says that the entire book was done by inspiration of God, and that no outside sources were used, one should not find numerous quotes by other writers in the book. Something the church has defended for 100+ years, and I accepted till I discovered Jer.23:30.
While I could wrap my head around some of it, how does one steal a "vision"? I have now learned that some of our/her iconic "visions" came from another writer in another faith. Written 30 years before her.
Plus, she has said things that are completely opposite of what the Bible says, and she is inconsistant. The "story" changes in the "retelling". As well as things that are not in the Bible, and couldn't happen if you believe the Bible.
I have a friend who grew up with me in the same grade school, exposed to the same stuff. He had dropped out of the church years ago and calls himself spiritual, but not religious. We often talk about this stuff, and I mail him things I have found. He is as shocked as me. Another friend told me she is in tears over this.
My problem, I guess, is that as a reasonable intelligent man, I don't accept anything anyone says, and I often "dig" until I find the "truth" or have confirmed what I have been told. Which often puts me at odds with other members of my faith who believe everything that comes from the pulpit.
Which is why I sometimes come into this forum and ask questions, especially those of historical background. I am trying to learn. I may not agree with everything here, but I read almost all of it.
Anyway, enough of my "rant". If I have offended anyone here with my attitude, I do apologize.
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