Finding out about the Bible for yourself

I make it a practice

never to review

a movie I have never

seen or to discuss a

book I have never

read. This may seem

to be an obvious thing

after all how can one

review a movie that

one has never seen?

Yet, I have seen over

and over again people

talking about things

that they only know

second hand.

If I were to believe

the politicians that are

out to win elections by stirring

up the populace, then I would

believe that my 1st and 2nd

amendment rights are endangered.

My copy of the constitution

must differ than the copy

that they are reading because I

don’t see the dangers that they

are raising an alarm about.

This applies to my reading

of the Bible also. When I hear

the quotes from the Bible that

are not from the Bible I get discouraged.

“The Lord helps those

who help themselves.” “The Lord

won’t give you more than you

can handle.” The Bible must be

a book the teaches intolerance

or at least that is what I hear

on TV.

Stop taking other people’s

word about what

is in the Bible. One of

the things that fueled

the Reformation 500

years ago was the Bible

being translated into the

language of the people.

Martin Luther translated

the Bible into everyday

German so that

people could read it for

themselves.

One of the reasons

that Luther felt that the

people should read the

Bible for themselves is

that it freed the people from the

manipulations of the religious

authorities. The only things

that the ordinary people knew

about the Bible came from those

who were in charge and those

authorities could limit the stories

told. It was in his studies

that Luther found freedom

to challenge long held beliefs

about God and God’s relationship

with human beings.

The Bible is one of the bestsellers.

Many people own copies

of the Bible, but not as many

read it. Pick up a copy today

and start reading it. Begin with

a gospel like Mark or John. You

might be surprised at what is

in it!