You agreed with me about a lot of the Bible being fiction but you dont want it to be labelled fiction? That doesnt really make much sense. The book is fiction, which is a fact. Just because there are a lot of people out there who think it is non-fiction doesnt make it so.
It is still a held belief by over 2 billion people. They do not believe it is fiction. You believe it is fiction, I believe much of it is fiction. It also supplies hope and comfort and acts as a moral compass for many people.
That is a positive thing. I learned something about faith and belief long ago from a priest that I respected. This was back in the day when Jehovah Witnesses would drop by or call people on the phone hoping to make conversions. A JW began to call and we would debate his view of the bible with my view of the bible. At that time I was a Christian, a R.C.
I can no longer recall the point we were arguing but he made a rash statement saying if I could prove his argument wrong with biblical passages he would leave his church because it would shake his belief. He was going to phone a week later. I read and read and crafted my argument carefully. Later that week, before he had called, I was having a casual discussion with a priest I knew. I was pleased with how I had constructed my argument, certain that I was right and wanted to share it, so I told the priest.
He asked me if I thought the young man was solid, and strong. I said I didn't know. That's right he told me...you don't know. It may be all he has. You don't know his psychological state or what is holding him together. He then asked me if you win and tear him down his belief what will you give back to him?
I didn't have an answer.
I never answered the phone when he called later that week or the next or the next. I had nothing to fill the void, I was not going to be there to be his safety net and I had no way of knowing what the loss of that net could provoke.
Indeed, parents can make their kids believe strange things.
They can indeed yet we seem able to cope with that, shake it off and explore our own path.
When I realized Santa Clause was fake one of my first thoughts was "What else are they lying to me about?"
lmao...I've never heard anyone else admit to that...I wondered too.
