I occasionally hear people refer to those who hold a high view of scripture as "worshiping a book". I hear this, yet I do not know anyone who actually worships a book. I'm not saying that there aren't some fringe people out there who do worship a book. It could be argued that Muslims worship a book. Strangely I never hear the "worship a book" refer to anyone but certain Christians, not Jews, not Muslims, not anyone else.
I think I can say that most of those accused of this straw man would saw that they worship YHWH, the God who spoke and creation happened. The God who is beyond our understanding and comprehension, yet who peaks to us through scripture and the Holy Spirit.
I guess straw men are easier to battle than real men.
6 comments:
Would you agree that many who live lives as if the almighty dollar is their primary motivating factor and raison d'etre would also say that, "well, of course, I worship the one True God, YWHH and not money!" even as they lives their lives in devotion to wealth?
Would you agree that even IF someone says they worship God, that doesn't mean they worship God?
To be clear: When I use the suggestion of bibliodolator, I'm really speaking of those who worship themselves, as the arbiters of what THEY say "god's word" is, even if it contradicts clear teachings of Jesus.
The irony is that either way, those who accuse others of worshiping the Bible don't find the Bible convenient to their false beliefs. They aren't truly studied in Scripture, but instead have invented their own god they pretend is the God of the Bible they don't revere.
I would agree that many people claim to worship YHWH, or Allah, or Vishnu, or whatever deity they choose, can worship an idol with more devotion than their God.
Of course those questions are pointless and off topic.
So, when you use the term for worshiping the Bible, you literally don't actually mean someone who worships the Bible. That's good to know, that you are using a term that means (in your world) something entirely different from what the word actually means. Which is a straw man itself.
So are you saying that the "teachings of Jesus" are somehow authoritative and absolutely cannot be contradicted when you your self say that the existence of Jesus and the meanings of His teachings are "No, those are matters of interpretations."?
Seems like one more contradiction to me.
You do realize that according to your "definition", " those who worship themselves, as the arbiters of what THEY say "god's word" is,", you are describing your self. Don't you?
Art,
I'll simply note that Dan, above, made it clear that when he says "those who worship the Bible", he really means something entirely different. It's just one straw man used to support another straw man.
Clearly there's nothing Dan can say to us which doesn't mean what it implies.
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