Big L
JF-Expert Member
- Nov 21, 2022
- 300
- 474
IS THE BIBLE A HISTORY BOOK ?
No, it's not. History book is a written record of real verifiable events that happened. Some of those events were written down as letters, government laws or decrees, minutes of meetings, epitaphs, insignia, signboards, trade account, tax records, travel logs, school work, palace records, war strategy etc.
Others are deduced from archeological artifacts such as swords, clay pots, hearths, brickwork, pieces of clothing, shelter or cookery, toys and idols, statues and amulets, furs, bones etc. These archeological finds tell us about the people associated with them.
Oral tradition taking the form of stories that have persisted among a people, is another source of history. These stories may be found as poems, prose or drama. They may be songs, incantations or mythology. In whatever form they're found, they're compared with known reality, others', and other scientific sources such as written and archeological records and then incorporated accordingly.
For the simple reason that discovery is a never ending process, history keeps changing. Historians keep adding what they know today to what they knew yesterday. For instance, until recently, anthropologists thought different human races emerged into our present respective races. It's now 'known' that all humans today, irrespective of the different races, came from the black race ! If you find out something different, scientists welcome you to prove it for award.
A holy book, such as the Bible, on the other hand, is an account of something a man of God (or woman of God) claims to have received from their God or been instructed or commissioned by their God to write down. Sometimes, the stories are already in existence and the God tells the holy man where to find and edit them.
Since God is supposedly infallible, holy books are also supposedly infallible. That means it can not be changed or even debated. Everything in it should be accepted without questions. It's followers are often referred to as sheep or children. They are constantly reminded not to use their brains and not to ask questions. Importantly, the followers have a human leader, the man of God, who claims the best understanding of the book and is the first and last consultant interpreter of the content of the book.
All too often, absurdities are a common occurrence in holy books. Humans may fly unaided. Animals may speak English, Aramaic or Arabic, etc. Men turn to animals and animals turn to humans. It's full of what you'd call superstition or fantastic stories. Notwithstanding all these, followers are supposed to believe all sheepishly till they die.
In truth, some of the things in holy books are inconsistent, depravity, degrading, incoherent or even plain nonsense. The leader may either not know or refuse to abide by everything. But followers have no option. Those who believe a holy book are all too often encouraged to discriminate against others who do not believe in their particular God. These humans who believe they are sheep can be made to do weird things, including eating grass, drinking urine, bathing with toilet and or suicide.
If a question about a holy book is tolerated, it's only up to the point that the leader's interpretation is going to be ultimately accepted. The leader knows and understands everything. Anything short of that acceptance could be an invitation to discord or even war.
If I say "Kwame Nkrumah was the president of Ghana until he turned into a bus", it's untrue. The discovery of historical facts that Ghana existed and had a president called Nkrumah alone doesn't make the story true. It only provokes more enquiry into what really happened or why the author wrote so. So when you hear the religious, every now and then, say stuff like, "Because scientist have confirmed the existence of part of a story, our holy book is validated", laugh.
History has a bigger room for improvement. History is written by humans for humans. A holy book is written by humans who take dictation from their God and expected to be believed wholesale by humans who believe they are sheep.
Herd mentality is consuming people.
No, it's not. History book is a written record of real verifiable events that happened. Some of those events were written down as letters, government laws or decrees, minutes of meetings, epitaphs, insignia, signboards, trade account, tax records, travel logs, school work, palace records, war strategy etc.
Others are deduced from archeological artifacts such as swords, clay pots, hearths, brickwork, pieces of clothing, shelter or cookery, toys and idols, statues and amulets, furs, bones etc. These archeological finds tell us about the people associated with them.
Oral tradition taking the form of stories that have persisted among a people, is another source of history. These stories may be found as poems, prose or drama. They may be songs, incantations or mythology. In whatever form they're found, they're compared with known reality, others', and other scientific sources such as written and archeological records and then incorporated accordingly.
For the simple reason that discovery is a never ending process, history keeps changing. Historians keep adding what they know today to what they knew yesterday. For instance, until recently, anthropologists thought different human races emerged into our present respective races. It's now 'known' that all humans today, irrespective of the different races, came from the black race ! If you find out something different, scientists welcome you to prove it for award.
A holy book, such as the Bible, on the other hand, is an account of something a man of God (or woman of God) claims to have received from their God or been instructed or commissioned by their God to write down. Sometimes, the stories are already in existence and the God tells the holy man where to find and edit them.
Since God is supposedly infallible, holy books are also supposedly infallible. That means it can not be changed or even debated. Everything in it should be accepted without questions. It's followers are often referred to as sheep or children. They are constantly reminded not to use their brains and not to ask questions. Importantly, the followers have a human leader, the man of God, who claims the best understanding of the book and is the first and last consultant interpreter of the content of the book.
All too often, absurdities are a common occurrence in holy books. Humans may fly unaided. Animals may speak English, Aramaic or Arabic, etc. Men turn to animals and animals turn to humans. It's full of what you'd call superstition or fantastic stories. Notwithstanding all these, followers are supposed to believe all sheepishly till they die.
In truth, some of the things in holy books are inconsistent, depravity, degrading, incoherent or even plain nonsense. The leader may either not know or refuse to abide by everything. But followers have no option. Those who believe a holy book are all too often encouraged to discriminate against others who do not believe in their particular God. These humans who believe they are sheep can be made to do weird things, including eating grass, drinking urine, bathing with toilet and or suicide.
If a question about a holy book is tolerated, it's only up to the point that the leader's interpretation is going to be ultimately accepted. The leader knows and understands everything. Anything short of that acceptance could be an invitation to discord or even war.
If I say "Kwame Nkrumah was the president of Ghana until he turned into a bus", it's untrue. The discovery of historical facts that Ghana existed and had a president called Nkrumah alone doesn't make the story true. It only provokes more enquiry into what really happened or why the author wrote so. So when you hear the religious, every now and then, say stuff like, "Because scientist have confirmed the existence of part of a story, our holy book is validated", laugh.
History has a bigger room for improvement. History is written by humans for humans. A holy book is written by humans who take dictation from their God and expected to be believed wholesale by humans who believe they are sheep.
Herd mentality is consuming people.
