Why I am "anti-intellectual"

When we develop a systematic theology, we do not form a doctrine on one verse, but a comparison of verses, and there can be no contradictions.

I think the same applies to all translations. Read them, compare them, and benefit from all linguially. I love my KJV, that I grew up with, but it is so filled with corrections, made down through the years, one can hardly call it a KJV. Still, it is the Bible to me, as are many other translations.

Cheers,

Jim

 

Amen, Brother StillLearning -- Preach it.
The last statement is conditional upon your meaning of 'It'.
If IT is the Bible (hardware) it has impurities.
If IT is the Written Word of God (software) it is 100% pure.
If IT is somebody's understanding of the Written Word of God -- it is certainly impure.

It is the ALL OR NOTHING 'bet' that leads to problems :-(

 

Just curious Jim, can you cite a couple of "corrections" you have made to your bible?

 

Amen, Brother Jim1999 -- Preach it!

The main problem I see seems to be the "proof text" method of pseudo-study. I can write a general statement from a specific of what I think the Bible Says. If that general statement differs from another general statement, then I am wrong in my general statement writing THE BIBLE IS NOT WRONG IN WHAT IT MEANS.

 

When someone who speaks of an "intellectual" in modern language, the definition which usually comes to mind is someone who looks at life purely from an educated, scientific point of view, discounting the many works of God that are scientifically unexplainable. An example would be that it is scientifically impossible for a bumble bee to fly, yet it does.

I don't think anyone here is saying that we should check our brains at the door when it comes to faith.

But the bible makes it clear that there is a definite difference between man's knowledge and God's knowledge. The "intellectual" is commonly viewed as one who is always learning but never coming to the truth*. That is what I believe the OP is speaking to.



*2 Timothy 3:7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

 

And yet, Jim has "corrected" his bible according to what he "thinks" it says.

(If I am reading your post correctly, which is hard to do.)

 

And yet, Jim has "corrected" his bible according to what he "thinks" it says.

Partly true, Amy.

For example, take certain words which have actually reversed meanings since 1611. If we don't correct them, we get a wrong understanding of the verse.

The same is true where 1611 scholars inserted certain beasts, governed by English understandings of the time.

Even to-day, certain words have different meanings in England than they do in America. We obviously need to correct these words and phrases.

It is not changing the Bible to conform to my understanding, but correcting words which changed with time.

Cheers,

Jim

 

Thanks Jim. What you call correcting, I call updating.

Correcting implies there are mistakes. I pencil in the modern words for the archaic ones too, but I don't consider it correcting mistakes.

 

I'm just your common, average intelligence, everyday guy, and it wasn't hard at all to figure out the words in the Bible that I may not understand or that may not be used today, or have a different meaning. It's called "common sense". And that pertains to ALL Bible translations. There are words in ALL of them that the average person doesn't use or know. Nothing wrong with using the brain God gave you, IMHO. It's not difficult.

 

B4L , the only problem with that is when you THINK you know what a word means but you really don't
That is much more dangerous than when you simply do not know what a word means.

As for being anti intellectual, that is a serious mistake.

Intelligence is something that comes from God and is therefore only consistent with a Christian worldview.

 

I'm not even gonna respond to that.........oops, I just did.:BangHead:

 

Kudos! Great post. I especially like the "God did not retire in 1611" remark. The closing two statements were very true as well!

Great job!

 

Yes, and when I read John 3:16 (or any other part of Scripture), in either the 1611 King James and the 1978 NIV, I still walk away with the same understanding and clarity of message. I do not, contrary to what others try to imply, gain a different understanding of faith and or practice because I'm not using the approved by some translation.

If Jehovah gives an individual an intellect and the desire to use it for His glory, then how can it possibly be wrong to use that intellect?

 

Well Dale, there's no cure for stupid. Any intelligent person would look up a word in the dictionary regardless of the bible translation he is using.

Does anybody ever read my posts? :BangHead:

No one is saying we should play dumb and not use the brains God gave us. The term "intellectuals" in the modern vernacular (you guys love modern terms right?) refers to a person who values education and intellect over the wisdom of God.

Good grief.

 

Actually, the word "intellectual" carries a negative meaning for most people today. Most people consider an intellectual to be a person who believes themselves far more intelligent than they really are. An intellectual for instance will often insist that evolution is scientific but ignore the astronomically slim chances of it being possible. They will ridicule religious folks as being unsophisticated and unlearned all the while believeing pseudo-science that for all practical purposes is utterly impossible.

Another example would be socialism. The highest support for socialism comes from "intellectuals" although it has repeatedly shown itself to be a failure. But these folks believe themselves so smart that they can make it work.

 

Amy, I was not actually responding to your post but to the OP.

There is no conflict between intellect and Christianity.

Winman, just because a word can carry a negative connotation does not mean it can't be used in a good way as well.

There are many in academia today that are proud and arrogant. They believe they are smarter than God.

But just because there are many intellectuals who are unthankful to the God that gave them their minds to think, does not mean that we as Christians should avoid intellectualism.

We do need a scholarship balanced with humility though.
That is what the world typically lacks.

 

Why, do you not think that there are any words that over time change meaning? Ones that you might think you understand but don't mean exactly what you thought they meant?
I have found that a few times.

 

I agree that we are supposed to use our minds, the scriptures tell us to study to show ourselved approved, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed. I am not against knowledge whatsoever.

However it is still generally true that the more a person is educated, the more conceited they are in their own knowledge. Highly educated people often have difficulty with faith, simply believeing God's word. For example, on the preservation of the scriptures, intellectuals look for proof, while most folks simply believe. I realized when I was a boy that you would never be able to "prove" preservation of scriptures through scholarship. You have a hundred scholars who will argue a certain line of scripture is preserved, then you have another hundred scholars who disagree and point to another line. But "intellectuals" will continue to spin their wheels trying to prove something we are told to believe by simple faith. In this the simple man is far more intelligent than the intellectual.

 

After all the discussion, this point is valid. The intellectuals of our day would suggest that you who believe the Bible's teaching regarding orgins are stupid and not-intelligent. So, what are you going to do? Become an expert in the fields of science that deal with origins? Probably not.

Are we going to allow that intellectualism dislodge us from God's Word or doubt God's Word or even re-interpret it?

What this brother is saying is NO! And I stand with him in the Gospel, in the infallibility of God's Word, in the inerrancy of God's Word, the Bible, and against all egg heads of the world. Ha!