Today’s post will focus on several things I have been taught during my life. I offer them without comment, and with no reference to when or where I was taught these ideas. I am sure that I am not the only person who has been taught most of these – partly, because I was never alone when I heard these things from a church leader, a professor, friends and colleagues at churches where I have worked, or where I attended from childhood through high school graduation. Hold on . . . and please offer your comments.

The Bible is the authoritative word of God.

Every word in the Bible is true.

Every word in the Bible is true – including historic times and factual events.

The Bible is a spiritual book – not a history book or a biography.

The Bible is inerrant.

The only authentic translation of the Bible is the original King James Version.

Both the first and second chapters of Genesis are historically accurate.

Joseph’s coat was made of many colors of fabric.

People’s eternal fate is decided by predestination.

All of the laws and rules found in the Hebrew Bible are still true and binding for people of faith.

The teachings of the New Testament are the only teachings that are still true today.

One of the Magi who followed the star to Bethlehem was black.

Just like in our Nativity sets, the shepherds, the magi, and all of the animals were at the manger at the same time.

The birthplace of Jesus was a cave.

Jesus was born in December during the reign of Caesar Augustus.

Jesus may have been born as many as four years before the beginning of the common era, or 3 or 4 years after the dating of the beginning of the common era.

The only parts of the Bible that are valid today are the Gospel of Luke, beginning with chapter 4, and the writings of Paul.

The God of the Hebrew Bible and the God of the New Testament are not the same God.

Your daughter is going to hell because of the friends that she has who are Buddhist, Jewish, and Hindu.

Biblical scholarship is a tool of liberals and progressives to teach false teachings about Jesus to distract from the plain and simple truth that is revealed when the Biblical text is read.

The Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Judas, and other non-canonical writings from the time of Jesus have been invented to pervert the message of the true Scriptures.

The Dead Sea Scrolls were prepared and planted by someone early during the early twentieth century and are not from early Hebrew times.

Each of the days of creation were actual 24 hour days.

There are credible sources that teach the same teachings of Jesus from times before Jesus was born.

People who are gay or lesbian or transgender are just morally weak and need to be saved by being taught to be straight.

The person who you hired to play French horn in the orchestra for the Brahms next Sunday has AIDS and must be replaced for the good and safety of all of the people.

Some of the laws from times before Jesus are still valid, but many of them are out of date and no longer valid.

If your wife is Christian she will be obedient to you.

There is Biblical justification for slavery.

You know that (person un-named) is gay and should not be allowed to be hired as our church organist.

Women should never be involved in the leadership of the church except as a teacher or a worker in the kitchen.

The Biblical account of the creation should only be taught as fiction.

God created all of creation in love.

Genesis clearly states that we are to have domination over the rest of creation.

If your faith was a little stronger and you prayed more often you would not have these problems.

 

This certainly is not an exhaustive list but one that is representative of things that I have actually been taught at various times in my life by people I knew to be very faithful, trusted, and authentic.

I am anxious to read you responses and comments.