The question of whether I believe the Bible is a book sent by God for the salvation of mankind has been one I have faced since childhood. I have always known that this question was often posed to test me, especially by religious authorities. Yet, without hesitation, I have always responded firmly. My answer has always been that the Bible, like many other books, is sacred, and that it contains many lessons that can help humanity rise to a higher spiritual level.
The Bible is a religious text, just like the Quran, the Bhagavad Gita, or the Guru Granth Sahib—books considered sacred by the followers of their respective religions. However, I do not believe that everything a person needs to learn is found solely in the Bible, nor do I agree with the idea that the Bible is the only book humanity requires.
Christianity teaches that the fundamental difference between humans and other living beings is that humans have been given intelligence and the power of discernment, and that God created humans in His own image. However, I realized early on that it is contradictory to say that God gave humans the ability to reason, yet insist that they should not use this reasoning and instead blindly believe what is written in scripture.
Additionally, when I first read and studied the creation story in the opening chapters of the Bible, I was simultaneously learning in school that the Earth and the universe were formed billions of years ago. This parallel learning of two conflicting ideas from Sunday school and regular school sowed seeds of confusion in my young mind, creating an internal conflict that I felt was a significant violation of a child's right to independent and natural intellectual growth.
On a Sunday n 1963 or 1964, while preparing for a Sunday school exam, I asked my father which of these contradictory ideas I should believe. His response was simple: “For now, don’t believe anything—just study. To pass the Sunday school exam, study what is written in that book; to pass your school exam, study what is written in your schoolbooks. The truth will reveal itself to you in time; let your life be a pursuit of truth.” At that time, my father was a staunch communist, and his words stayed with me.
For this reason, I have never felt the kind of reverence for the Bible that many devout believers express.
Through historical studies, I came to understand that the Bible, in its present form, was compiled around 400 AD. Over time, various emperors and rulers have added, edited, and removed portions of the text, as historical records indicate.
I have never believed in the idea that the Bible is a book sent down from heaven by God to communicate with humanity. My God, who constantly speaks to my conscience, guiding me between good and evil, is not so powerless that He needs a book to convey His messages.
The religion I was born into considers the Bible a sacred text. As someone bound by the teachings of that religion, I respect and revere this holy book. On every Good Friday, I kiss the scripture along with the cross, reaffirming my loyalty to the Church.
Mathews Jacob
Published on www.chackosir.org
22-April-2004
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