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the path from oral tradition in some languages (Aramaic, hebrew, then also greek and latin) to writeups in various languages (greek, latin, then some hebrew) to
by froh 6y ago
the path from oral tradition in some languages (Aramaic, hebrew, then also greek and latin) to writeups in various languages (greek, latin, then some hebrew) to what we happen to hold in our hands today is a bumpy ride, which in and by itself makes clear that "the bible" is a temporary and local consensus which has changed in the past and will evolve in the future.
the books we see today are translations of heavily copyedited and consolidated writeups of oral traditions.
scholars like Bart Ehrmann have been very helpful to see that whatever the word of god was, it's deeply hidden behind the words we hold in our hands, and the.words are by no means a historically accurate, literal "truth", but a consensus on what the author's and editors over centuries hold dear as spirtual and religious "true" foundation.
- pure_simplicity 6y agoThat's a common misconception that perhaps Ehrmann deliberately pushes. He himself says that no core doctrines of Christianity were changed by the variants and that the books we have today are essentially the same as the originals, though not word for word identical.[1] Few who cast unwarranted doubt upon the New Testament realize how extremely sceptical they would have to be about every other piece of ancient writing, because none of them even comes close to the new testament in terms of: 1) number of copies 2) being written close to the time of the actual events [1] https://crossexamined.org/is-the-new-testament-reliable-erhman-refutes-ehrman/ https://crossexamined.org/is-the-new-testament-reliable-erhm...
- morpheos137 6y agoI know it is not "in fashion" today but the description of Megan's illness, resistant to antipsychotics as it was, "arguing with Jesus" calling her self "evil," etc, pretty much matches up with the traditional accounts of demonic possession. Suppose there are anti-human intelligences in another plain of reality and that they can metaphysically sense a "vacant" vessel, like somebody in deep meditation. Such individuals would be at elevated risk of demonic possession.