Discussion » Questions » Religion and Spirituality » Do you think a study the many gods that existed since concept of gods began would help give a better understanding of God of the bible?
Kittigate

Do you think a study the many gods that existed since concept of gods began would help give a better understanding of God of the bible?

Posted - February 21, 2018
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Responses


  • 13395
    Okay!
      February 23, 2018 7:37 AM MST
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  • 46117
    Not as much as it gives you a broader spectrum of what is possible according to world religions and history.

    This post was edited by WM BARR . =ABSOLUTE TRASH at February 21, 2018 2:56 PM MST
      February 21, 2018 2:52 PM MST
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  • 5835
    BTW if you want a study of the early gods, it's here: www.saturniancosmology.org/
      February 21, 2018 6:52 PM MST
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  • 13395
    All right -thanks. 
      February 21, 2018 6:59 PM MST
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  • 6098
    No I don't think so. Scholarship is not faith.
      February 23, 2018 4:40 AM MST
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  • 5391
    I agree, Kittigate, Texas is a reasonably bright guy, but somehow feels he is onto some information none of us unbelievers have ever seen before, or, that once read and considered, should unfailingly lead to thinking as he does. An issue is, at least for me, that I have seen all of these apologetics and rationalizations countless times, and he continues to ignore this.
    I realize he is merely doing what his religion requires him to do, indoctrinate others, particularly the obstinate and the unwilling. 
    It is clearly beyond his comprehension that he could be misled. 
      February 23, 2018 7:16 AM MST
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  • 2657
    I wasn't raised in a religious household. Thinking an almost 2,000 year old book was relevant for today was a foreign thought to me. I think that we all learn from each other.
    (Proverbs 27:17)  By iron, iron itself is sharpened. So one man sharpens the face of another.

    The clear teachings of the Bible have been muddied by well over a thousand years of apostasy.

    A few examples:
    (1) Trinity, (2) Hellfire, (3) Immortal Soul, (4) Christmas, (5) Easter, (6) Choosing to remove God's name from the Bible, (7) Use of images in worship, (8) Clergy-Laity divide, (9) Involvement of 'Christians' in armed conflict, (10) Rapture (11) Universes created 6,000 - 10,000 years ago. (12) Paid Clergy (13) Once Saved Always Saved


    I think that most people haven't done a lot of research. I am sure that you have read some things that I have not and I likely have read some things that you have not. Personally, I think people of the 'once saved always saved' camp seem to have done the least amount research and reading of the Bible, other than perhaps Catholics. When I first started studying the Bible, I spent a bit of money on concordances and different Bibles. Now pretty much everything is available on the internet for free.

    Here are some links that I accumulated years ago: (Some are now gone so I need to go through them all again some time. Some also have the html codes for the old answerbag)
    https://studybible.info/compare/2%20Peter%203:10   - 95 parallel versions

    https://www.biblestudytools.com/proverbs/8-22-compare.html Parallel Bible 
    https://www.bible-researcher.com/links02.html - English Bible Versions



    https://bible.cc/psalms/83-18.htm /. Several translation, only one verse at a time.
    https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20John%205:7-8;1%20Timothy%203:16;John%203:13;Colossians%202:2;John%201:18&version=NASB;HCSB;NKJV;NLT;NIV1984 / 5 versions with up to 5 groups of verses

    https://bibledatabase.net/   - online Bibles


    https://wesley.nnu.edu/fileadmin/imported_site/biblical_studies/wycliffe/  - John Wycliffe’s Bible

    https://wesley.nnu.edu/fileadmin/imported_site/biblical_studies/tyndale/  - William Tyndale’s Bible

    https://studybible.info/Tyndale/Exodus%206:3  - William Tyndale’s translation:
    https://alleluya.com/WTNT/  -  William Tyndale’s New Testament revised in modern English

    https://usccb.org/bible/books-of-the-bible/   - NAB
    https://www.catholic.org/bible/   - NJB

    https://bible.oremus.org/  -  NRSV - KJV

    https://www.nazarene-friends.org/nazcomm/44/002.htm  - Friends of the Nazarene

    https://www.htmlbible.com/sacrednamebiblecom/index.htm   -  King James Sacred Name Version
    https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/1611_Matthew-Chapter-1/  -   The 1611 edition of the KJV and the 1769 edition

     

    Interlinears / Manuscripts

    https://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm Many versions, concordance's, manuscripts 

    https://www.biblestudytools.com  –  Greek and Hebrew Interlinear Bible 

    https://www.biblepub.com/bibles  - Translations and manuscripts

    https://www.biblepub.com/bibles/compare   - Compare different translations

    https://unbound.biola.edu/  - Compare up to 4 translations and/or manuscripts

    https://www.greeknewtestament.com/index2.htm   - Greek/English (New Testament) With Several Greek Text & Several English translations side by side one verse at a time
    https://bibledatabase.net/  - Online Bibles and Manuscripts

    https://www.greeknewtestament.com/index2.htm   - Greek/English (New Testament) With Several Greek Text & Several English translations side by side one verse at a time

    https://www.hebrewoldtestament.com/index2.htm - Hebrew/English (Old Testament) With Several Hebrew Text & Several English translations side by side one verse at a time

    https://www.bibletranslation.ws/trans/johnwgrk.pdf Another Greek interlinear

    https://blogreaca.wordpress.com/programa-analitica-pe-semestrul-al-ii-lea/curs-3-semestrul-ii/ Another Greek resource

    https://www.greekbible.com/ - Greek New Testament texts (Nestle-Aland 26). Choose from a variety of fonts for the display

    https://www.codexsinaiticus.org/en/manuscript.aspx?book=36&chapter=1&lid=en&side=r&verse=18&zoomSlider=0#36-1-18-5  - Sinaitic manuscript, I believe that it is one of the oldest and most complete manuscript.
    Here are some differences that I have noticed. https://www.answerbag.com/a_view/7025764
    https://www.eliyah.com/lxx.html Fragments of the Greek Septuaginthttps://read.thepositiveword.com/index.php?day=15&month=06&portion=1&ref=Judges%2016&ver=KJV&strongsnumber=H5315&strongsdisp=on&strongs=&fndisp=off&xref=Judges%2016:18  - English with clickable words to give Hebrew or Greek meaning on bottom right. (Strongs)

    https://www.scripture4all.org/  -  ISA 2 basic(version 2.1.3) Hebrew & Greek (Textus Receptus)

    https://stnicholasowen.co.uk/bibles_net/hebrewparallel/B14C019.htm  -  Hebrew Character’s and English translations

    https://www.stnicholasowen.co.uk/bibles_net/greekparallel/B43C001.htm#V18  -  Greek Character’s and English translations

    https://www.studylight.org/isb/  - Interlinear Study Bible - Strongs
    https://www.studylight.org/lex/grk/view.cgi?number=2147   -  Parallel KJV/NASB Greek Lexicon

    https://www.studylight.org/lex/heb/view.cgi?number=2147  -  Parallel KJV/NASB Hebrew Lexicon
    https://web.archive.org/web/20040603020300/hector3000.future.easyspace.com/emendations.htm   -  Which Bible Best Retains Most of the Original Wording Prior to the Emendations (Corrections) made to the Hebrew Text

    https://bible.ovu.edu/terry/interpretation/translat.htm English Bible Translations (rated on a scale of 1 to 10 as to literalness)

    https://www.apbrown2.net/web/TranslationComparisonChart.htm - Translation Comparison Charts (Word for Word, Thought for Thought)

    www.apbrown2.net
    English Bible Translation Comparison chart taken from https://www.gospelcom.net/ibs/bibles/translations/index.php . Translations not identified in previous list

     

    https://www.swapmeetdave.com/Bible/BibleType.htm Comparison of Major Bible Translations (Word for word and thought for thought)

    www.swapmeetdave.com
    Holy Bible Versions and Types This page compares different Bible translation types (word for word, thought for thought, paraphrase), translations (NIV, King James ...


     

     

     

    https://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0.htm   - Hebrew/English Jewish Bible (Old Testament) 


    https://bibledbdata.org/onlinebibles/hebrew_translit/   - Hebrew transliteration

     

    Concordances 

    https://www2.mf.no/bibel/vines.html   - Vines New Testament Words

    https://lexicon.katabiblon.com/index.php?search=sta???? ---- Wiki Lexicon of the Greek New Testament and Concordance



    Other references

    https://www.bible-researcher.com/kutilek1.html  -  Westcott & Hort vs. Textus Receptus


    https://www.ntgateway.com/greek-ntgateway/greek-new-testament-texts/  - Links to resources

    https://www.omniglot.com/writing/hebrew.htm   - Types of Hebrew characters

    https://www.preceptaustin.org/2_peter_310.htm  -  Commentary

    https://bible.org/article/majority-text-and-original-text-are-they-identical#note_35  -  The Majority Text and the Original Text, Are They The Same?
    https://www.bible-researcher.com/title.html  -  Textual critism of the Greek NT

    https://bible.ovc.edu/tc/index.htm - A Student's Guide to
    New Testament Textual Variants
    https://bible.ovc.edu/tc/layabbre.htm - KEY TO ABBREVIATIONS

     


      February 23, 2018 7:59 AM MST
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  • 13277
    You obviously are unfamiliar with the phrase and concept of "tell it in a nutshell."
      February 24, 2018 10:16 PM MST
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  • 2657
    Can't really give all the links in a nutshell as they are all different links. Many people are born in to a religion and assume they were born into the right one and never have the desire to question or research anything they were not taught as a child. I didn't have that privilege. Wasn't raised in a religious household.
      February 25, 2018 6:55 PM MST
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  • 13277
    But why do you think anyone would read such a long, drawn-out, boring post?
      February 25, 2018 10:18 PM MST
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  • 2657
    I don't think anyone would read all of it as it is not really something to read as much as it is for a sincere person to save links if they do not already have them. Like I said, when I first started studying, I spent a bit of money on concordances and different Bibles. Now pretty much everything is available on the internet for free.

    Anyone that has money to burn can just buy hard copies. Anyone not interested can just ignore them.
      February 26, 2018 3:50 AM MST
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  • 1393
    Q "Do you think a study the many gods that existed since concept of gods began would help give a better understanding of God of the bible?"



    1. A study of any concept from its inception, not just that of God, will show how the understanding of that concept developed over the ages. We might find that the present understanding of that concept is different from what it was in the past. It is also quite likely that future understanding of many concepts will be different from what they are at the moment.

    2. However, as far as God is concerned, one does not have to go looking into history to find different understandings of the same one thing - God. There are many versions of the Bible, but even if we take one version, say the Protestant KJV, we find that there isn't a single common understanding of the God of the Bible from that single version. The Unitarians and JWs see the Father, Jehovah, as the only God, the Mormons see Jesus as Jehovah while most Protestants see the Father as fully God, Jesus as fully God and the Holy Spirit as fully God, yet insist that there is only one God and yet never worship or pray to the Holy Spirit, who is also, as mentioned, fully God.
    3. Step out of the Bible and we have an even wider range of understandings of God

    4. In all walks and disciplines of life, including science or when choosing clothes, whenever we're faced with choices we first decide on a set of criteria and then select the best options according to that set of criteria. It is no different when faced with a range of different concepts of God.
      February 24, 2018 10:07 AM MST
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  • 5835
    "Do you think a study the many gods that existed since concept of gods began would help give a better understanding of God of the bible?"

    Nobody cares about the many gods or the God of the bible. We all forget the question and gripe about believers who annoy us and/or the silliness of what we have heard from random preachers. There is none that seeks God. No, not one. We are as the bible says, "Wise in our own conceits."
      February 24, 2018 10:12 PM MST
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  • 5354
    Definitely. Especially a study of the many variant versions of each different god-concept in different branches of religions that nominally worship the same deity give valuable insights into how religions change and 'evolve'.
    As an example the hindu goddess Kali is very different in her old-Hinduism version (mainly a fertility goddess) and her later colonial version as a destroyer thirsting for human sacrifices.
      February 25, 2018 7:12 PM MST
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