Quote:
Originally Posted by SMadsen
I have no problem with considering context.
However, even this you write can be seen as picking and choosing. Not only do you repeat the same approach that AwareAndicare used, namely that the Bible is not meant literally because it consists of old texts, but you take the stories of a loving god literally while stories of the vengeant god are not to be taken literally but should be viewed in context with the first, literal part 
How do you know what is literal and what is not? |
so sorry for such a long time to reply, work has been far to busy at the moment.
What is literal and what's not is a very broad question that I think we sometimes get too concerned with, but if we must delve into the issue of how I know that the Bible is trying tell me about a loving God rather than a hateful God the simple answer is that the loving God is the central theme of the whole book. For every verse that the people list as hateful (and usually they are confined to a few of the Old Testament books) I can list twice as many that illustrate a loving God. And, just like any relationship, it requires a little experience to understand the nature of that love. But if one reads the book within context and reads the narrative with the central theme in mind (Gods interaction with His people) then the loving God message becomes quite clear.
On a more personal note, it is the experience of myself (and I would like to think most Christians) that God is so loving He is quite stubborn about it. Also it is just far more pleasant to believe in a loving God than a hateful one.