Bible being symbolic ?
Can the bible stories be believed as factual and not symbolic ? For instance the Adam and eve story ?
Top | Newest First | Oldest First
I think regarding the stories as symbolic can be useful.
I live in a subtropical area which, long ago, was volcanic. Since then it has been eroded by rain into an incredibly ancient landscape - but the volcanic clay soils are still incredibly mobile during the big summer cyclones, especially in a La Niña year. Over the last twenty years, I've seen clay landslides take out roads, houses and huge transport trucks. I've seen a sink hole grow from the size of a rabbit hole to one large enough to swallow 3 cows.
This story of Barrajanda and Ningeroongun is told by the Yugumbeh people to explain the origin of Mt Cougal’s twin peaks
Jabreen is the Great Creator of this land, long time back in the Dreamtime. He sent water to fall on the land and give it life. Cascading here or flowing gently there, it shapes the land. And his plant is the rainforest vine.
Gwyala, a skilled Dreamtime hunter, had two special dingoes, Barrajanda and Ningeroongun. They were trained to help in the hunt by chasing a kangaroo into a net to be speared.
One day, Gwyala and his nephew, Barrajum, strayed into the Logan lands of the neighbouring people, and the dogs caught a kangaroo-rat. Then the dogs saw a kangaroo and tried to chase him towards Gwyala and Barrajum, but the ‘roo ran to a lagoon and jumped in for safety.
Two girls were at the lagoon to fetch water for their mob’s camp nearby. They saw the shadows of the hunting dogs and told their families. All the men came over and managed to scare the ‘roo into their net. The dogs fought so fiercely over the roo that the men killed them.
Gwyala and Barrajum heard the noise and ran towards it. When Gwyala saw that Ningeroongun and Barrajanda were dead, he cried and wept in terrible distress.
“Don’t cry, Uncle,” said Barrajum. “I will cut a vine.” This is the ceremony to ask Jabreen for rain.
The men who killed the special hunting dingos were very much afraid.
After Barrajum had cut the vine, the clouds gathered and the rains commenced. The rain fell more heavily every day, and more. The rivers and creeks swelled up into torrents. Avalanches scarred the mountains and buried the people of the Logan lagoon.
When the skies cleared the mountains had become no more than ridges and hills.
Meanwhile, after the vine ceremony, Gwyala and Barrajum took the bodies of Barrajanda and Ningeroongun over the big range almost as far as Wollumbin. They buried their beloved dogs, one on each of the two little peaks just north of Wollumbin. And ever since then, these two peaks are named Barrajanda and Ningeroongun.
~
In my view there are many lessons in this story.
I live in a subtropical area which, long ago, was volcanic. Since then it has been eroded by rain into an incredibly ancient landscape - but the volcanic clay soils are still incredibly mobile during the big summer cyclones, especially in a La Niña year. Over the last twenty years, I've seen clay landslides take out roads, houses and huge transport trucks. I've seen a sink hole grow from the size of a rabbit hole to one large enough to swallow 3 cows.
This story of Barrajanda and Ningeroongun is told by the Yugumbeh people to explain the origin of Mt Cougal’s twin peaks
Jabreen is the Great Creator of this land, long time back in the Dreamtime. He sent water to fall on the land and give it life. Cascading here or flowing gently there, it shapes the land. And his plant is the rainforest vine.
Gwyala, a skilled Dreamtime hunter, had two special dingoes, Barrajanda and Ningeroongun. They were trained to help in the hunt by chasing a kangaroo into a net to be speared.
One day, Gwyala and his nephew, Barrajum, strayed into the Logan lands of the neighbouring people, and the dogs caught a kangaroo-rat. Then the dogs saw a kangaroo and tried to chase him towards Gwyala and Barrajum, but the ‘roo ran to a lagoon and jumped in for safety.
Two girls were at the lagoon to fetch water for their mob’s camp nearby. They saw the shadows of the hunting dogs and told their families. All the men came over and managed to scare the ‘roo into their net. The dogs fought so fiercely over the roo that the men killed them.
Gwyala and Barrajum heard the noise and ran towards it. When Gwyala saw that Ningeroongun and Barrajanda were dead, he cried and wept in terrible distress.
“Don’t cry, Uncle,” said Barrajum. “I will cut a vine.” This is the ceremony to ask Jabreen for rain.
The men who killed the special hunting dingos were very much afraid.
After Barrajum had cut the vine, the clouds gathered and the rains commenced. The rain fell more heavily every day, and more. The rivers and creeks swelled up into torrents. Avalanches scarred the mountains and buried the people of the Logan lagoon.
When the skies cleared the mountains had become no more than ridges and hills.
Meanwhile, after the vine ceremony, Gwyala and Barrajum took the bodies of Barrajanda and Ningeroongun over the big range almost as far as Wollumbin. They buried their beloved dogs, one on each of the two little peaks just north of Wollumbin. And ever since then, these two peaks are named Barrajanda and Ningeroongun.
~
In my view there are many lessons in this story.
Axeroberts · 56-60, M
Diotrephes · 70-79, M
@krass All of the Old and New Testament stories illustrate one or more of the real Ten Commandments = Exodus 34:11-26. The stories are like quizzes, where the listener, or reader, is supposed to explain which of the Ten Commandments the story is about. Some stories illustrate the benefits of obeying while others show the negative consequences for disobeying. A large number of the stories are about the First Commandment. It can be hard to identify the story that illustrates the Tenth Commandment but it's in the New Testament.
From the river to the sea.
From the river to the sea.
OogieBoogie · F
Of you are talking specifically old testament, many of those stores came from mich older texts from Sumer.
And the stories they communicate originate from a time when the gods arrived on earth, made man, and lived with mankind as overlords with domains .
Some of it is symbolic, but the symbolsim was as literal as possible: to depict what they understood of the gods and their powers.
In ancient Sumerian tablets they talk of an Eden and the first man Adamu and of the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge .
Some suggest that these 'tree' symbols were the best that ignorant man of the period could understand 'genetic trees' : how the gods manipulated life .
Some such as the 'Ruach' or great wind - the 'breath'/wind of God , is an example of the noise the gods flying machines made when they traveled . One would hear/feel this breath of God before he arrived with blinding light and 'raising of the earth' ( dust storm).
It was one of these gods (Enki/Ea - who incidentally was symbolically connected to the snake, [which in many ancient cultures around the world connect the snake to wisdom and knowledge]), that created mankind through experimentation, but went beyond what the other gods wanted (a slave force), and gave man intelligence .
This angered his brother (Enlil), and he banished mankind from the Eden (garden or enclosure of the gods).
He put a weapon of great destruction and blazing light before the garden to stop man coming back, (Gabriel with his sword of flame).
This was the start of the gods taking sides : some for mankind, some against .
There are other stories like Babylon, Moses and the Flood, Cain and Abel .
Many stories that are now found in the Bible were once Sumerian in origin .
There is still division and argument to this day amongst Vatican scholars as to whether the Bible is literal or symbolic .
Some scholars believe that it is literal, and explains technologies and control over natural forces that the gods/God had, but believed to be miracles or 'magik' by early mankind .
It's all very fascinating .
And the stories they communicate originate from a time when the gods arrived on earth, made man, and lived with mankind as overlords with domains .
Some of it is symbolic, but the symbolsim was as literal as possible: to depict what they understood of the gods and their powers.
In ancient Sumerian tablets they talk of an Eden and the first man Adamu and of the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge .
Some suggest that these 'tree' symbols were the best that ignorant man of the period could understand 'genetic trees' : how the gods manipulated life .
Some such as the 'Ruach' or great wind - the 'breath'/wind of God , is an example of the noise the gods flying machines made when they traveled . One would hear/feel this breath of God before he arrived with blinding light and 'raising of the earth' ( dust storm).
It was one of these gods (Enki/Ea - who incidentally was symbolically connected to the snake, [which in many ancient cultures around the world connect the snake to wisdom and knowledge]), that created mankind through experimentation, but went beyond what the other gods wanted (a slave force), and gave man intelligence .
This angered his brother (Enlil), and he banished mankind from the Eden (garden or enclosure of the gods).
He put a weapon of great destruction and blazing light before the garden to stop man coming back, (Gabriel with his sword of flame).
This was the start of the gods taking sides : some for mankind, some against .
There are other stories like Babylon, Moses and the Flood, Cain and Abel .
Many stories that are now found in the Bible were once Sumerian in origin .
There is still division and argument to this day amongst Vatican scholars as to whether the Bible is literal or symbolic .
Some scholars believe that it is literal, and explains technologies and control over natural forces that the gods/God had, but believed to be miracles or 'magik' by early mankind .
It's all very fascinating .
Diotrephes · 70-79, M
@OogieBoogie The sole purpose of the biblical stories is to teach complete obedience and total loyalty to the Boss (God, the chief priest, the emperor, the king, the family father). Disobedience to any of them warrants the death penalty.
OogieBoogie · F
@Diotrephes oh I get how the stories have been retold to preach fear and compliance .
Enlil was the official heir to their father, so Enki was of a lower rank. Enlil was the one who wanted servitude from mankind.
Enki felt a fatherly responsibility to allow mankind such rights as knowledge and progression as a species in their own right.
You can gather which one ended up being known as Yahweh 😏.
Enlil was the official heir to their father, so Enki was of a lower rank. Enlil was the one who wanted servitude from mankind.
Enki felt a fatherly responsibility to allow mankind such rights as knowledge and progression as a species in their own right.
You can gather which one ended up being known as Yahweh 😏.
Diotrephes · 70-79, M
@krass If you are inclined, read the real Ten Commandments in Exodus chapter 34.
The miracles are based on Exodus 34:10. The Ten Commandments are Exodus 34:11-26 and summarized in Exodus 34:27-29 = https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=exodus+34%3A11-30&version=NKJV.
Then, when you read any story you should be able to explain which commandment it is about and if it shows obedience or disobedience.
From the river to the sea.
The miracles are based on Exodus 34:10. The Ten Commandments are Exodus 34:11-26 and summarized in Exodus 34:27-29 = https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=exodus+34%3A11-30&version=NKJV.
Then, when you read any story you should be able to explain which commandment it is about and if it shows obedience or disobedience.
From the river to the sea.
View 6 more replies »
krass · 31-35
@Diotrephes I think the bible holds the words of God, and the new testament is the true words of Jesus. When I read the Gospels I believe that the word of Jesus. My faith is all the proof I need. Since then I have read further with the lost gospels, Gospel of Thomas, Judas etc. No amount of debate can persuade me other wise. However the new testament seem to be more metaphorical so that's how I see them
Diotrephes · 70-79, M
krass · 31-35
@Diotrephes Thats a good question
seotelkniwt · F
The Genesis account of Adam and Eve and how they were created is a factual true account. Just because those of other generations were not around when Adam and Eve walked the earth does not mean the account of Adam and Eve is not true or that they did not exist. Genesis 2:7; Genesis 2:22-24
BlueSkyKing · M
seotelkniwt · F
Spoiledbrat · F
Diotrephes · 70-79, M
[@krass} How many times is the Garden of Eden mentioned in the Bible and who else lived in it other than Adam, Eve, Able, and Cain?
From the Sea to the River Jordan.
From the Sea to the River Jordan.
