- Guidelines for Interpreting Scripture:
(oh, so it's not so easy - it's not literal if it needs to be interpreted!)
1) Establish the correct frame of reference.
(again, that means it's not ALL literal - some may be, and we're left to argue about how much)
2) Make no conclusions without examining and considering the whole Word of God. {I.E. The Bible}
(harder to pin down, but kind of tells me that the Word of God is not LITERALLY in the bible - the map is not the territory is a fine way of putting it. I'd agree with that)
3) Accept only those conclusions that are consistent with the whole Word of God.
(right, but how do we KNOW the
whole word of god? If the bible isn't, as you've just agreed, literally always literal? And that obviously means that some parts of the bible
do not or no longer apply)
4) Interpret narrative passages in light of the didactic, or instructive, passages and illustrations in light of principles.
(ah, but how do we know what's narrative, instructive or factual without a signpost? Who decides if I'm right and you're wrong or vice-versa? Assuming this isn't multi-pantheistic-solipsism, only one interpretation should be right)
5) Take any passage literally unless its context clearly indicates that it should be taken figuratively or symbolically.
(so we can still disagree, but who is right? I'd say that Genesis I & II clearly indicate they should be taken symbolically at best)
6) Accept a symbol definition only if it is defined as such elsewhere in Scripture
(sorry, I don't get this one)
7) Recognize that many prophecies are fulfilled more than once.
(or not at all?)
8) Be prepared to draw more than one message or application from a passage.
(pfft, fine, it's not literal if there's more than one way to read pieces)
9) Be alert to occasional problems in translation from the original languages.
{Taken from copies of transparencies used in a lecture about Biblical Paradoxes by Dr. Hugh Ross of Reasons to Believe.
Home - Reasons to Believe }
(so it's NOT the inerrant word of god? I
see...)
B - Torrey, R. 1998, c1996. Difficulties in the Bible : Alleged errors and contradictions. Woodlawn Electronic Publishing: Willow Grove
C - The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989, S. Re 12:4
D - Second form of the 1st definition of the word ‘STAR’: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989, S.
E - The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989, S. Re 9:1
F - Third form of the 5th definition of the word ‘STAR’: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989, S.
...
You know, none of this proves me wrong, and lends credence to proving me right, since you're a believer and you're not to be trusted when dishing out interpretation, I'm just using the same evidence and coming to a different conclusion.