The Bible

     Let me preface this by saying that you may not like everything I have to say in this post.  It won't be a "warm fuzzy" like my other posts have been, but it will be what I believe and what I think.  Please feel free to comment and give me your friendly opinion.  I am always open to hearing another point of view or engage in a hot debate.  :)
      Religion is a subject I have thought about all my life.  I grew up in the United Methodist Church and had always found it to be comfortable.  It is a rather open minded denomination, so obviously that has appealed to me.  Recently, I have had several religious discussions with others as well as a good deal of internal monologue debating with myself on many spiritual subjects.  So, you will most likely see more than one (and probably more than two) posts from me on my theological thoughts.
     As you may have guessed, however, this particular post will be a SMALL window into my feelings pertaining to the Bible.  So, without further ado, let's get to the point.
     I believe, as many do, that the Bible is the "greatest novel ever written."  I feel that it is a wonderful compilation of stories and guidelines, that if properly interpreted, could help lead one on the path to a happy life.  The Bible is good place to turn to in times of crisis, uncertainty, and even joy.  It can give you inspiration and guidance when nothing else can.  By following the values expressed in the Bible, a person with a sound mind, could very well lead a happy, productive life.
     I feel like the Bible is also a great tool to help with the early teaching of morals and values to children.  It is easy to relate abstract concepts like faith and loyalty to kids by using the stories from the Bible.  For example, the story of David and Goliath is packed full of internal strength, bravery, and standing up for what is right.  There are numerous parables that illustrate how to treat others with kindness and respect.  It can also be utilized as a history book to a certain extent.
    The Bible's greatest strength and greatest drawback is one in the same.  It is open for interpretation.  There is no way to really know how many times the Bible has been translated and rewritten.  While I certainly believe that the Bible was divinely inspired, there is no debating the fact that it was WRITTEN and EDITED by MAN.  It is awe inspiring that the Bible was written a couple of thousand years ago and yet it remains relevant today.  However the problem arises when people take some parts of the Bible too literally or out of context.  There is a lot of symbolism in there, people. Does Creation ring a bell? Also, if they skew the message in a way that the Grace is lost and their own agenda takes precedence.   Like the countless extremist goups doing idiotic things and/or placing people in harm's way "in the name of the Lord."  Remember the guy wanting to burn the Korans??  Not to mention the fact that the people and the vernacular were very different.  You could take years and years of formal education on the Bible's history and translation and you still would not know it all.
     Wars have been fought over God and religion since the beginning of time.  Countless lives have been lost.  I cannot imagine that it was in God's "plan" that his own creations would kill each other off in His name.  It just goes to show how we should not ever be arrogant enough to assume we are right about our own interpretation.  The ONLY one who knows what he was really trying to convey is God and in my opinion He used multiple avenues in which to share it with us.  But that is for another time. 
     In the right hands, the Bible is wonderful tool to aide in the production of morals and values and learn about Christianity.  However, it is probably the most dangerous piece of literature ever created when in the hands of extremists or those who are too narcissistic to listen to another person's interpretation of "The Word."  I'm not trying to downplay the spirit of the Bible or say it's okay to "pick and choose" what to believe and what not to believe.  I am only suggesting that it should be taken for what it is.