Having never been in a secular History class before, this quarter is going to be interresting. Every night I come home opening my Bible and testing everything in the class relating to the Bible. Sometimes the discussions are fairly accurate. More often, they are taken out of context, and sometimes, it seems like they're reading out of a different bible than I am. Oddly enough, I think this history class is actually good for my faith. It has been challenging me to know the word better.
Some of these history buffs that aren't Christians seem to have enough of a knowledge of the Old Testament at least to use it as a history book, and to ocassionally poke fun at it.
One of these days, there is going to be a time where I need to stand. Can I? Am I prepared?
I'll be praying that if/when the time comes, so will the words.
2 Cor 12:10 Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.(NAS)
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6 comments:
I totally understand. I've felt like you have. I've read the bible to back up what I've learned. What I find interesting is the stuff that's not in the bible. For instance Christian figure heads such as Martin Luther. When I went to comenious and when I read my brothers history books it all sounded like propaganda. History isn't something we will fully understand, because we we weren't there. Every thing about history I know has been taught to me, I have been told by others that History happend just like X. I probably will never actually know what really happened.
You know Eric,
something about history that you should keep in mind is this quote:
"history is written by the victors"
for example, if the south won the war we wouldn't call it a civil war. It wouldn't be about slavery (which is what they teach us in school) it would be about states rights. The north would be seen as the aggressors etc etc etc...
I like history, but I think its helpful to notice who wrote it, the winners or losers, try to see both sides and then make your conclusion and learn from it. Which is why its important to take secular classes/schools etc etc."To get the other side"
I agree that we need to see all the sides of a story, but I will also say that I have yet to read a history book that has told me that the sole and primary cause of the Civil War was slavery. In fact, having seen "both sides" of history books, I have found that the Christian ones are often just as fair in giving the whole story.
In saying that we need to see the other side, what do you mean? If the other side says the Bible is not truly and fully credible, mocks the Bible, and tries to twist it for their own gain, should we really be open to such things?
Finally, you say history is written by the victors. I'll buy that, but I don't quite see how it relates to the subject at hand.
Somethings that we read or see or hear are corrupted (in the way that is not pure( there is always a spin on it. Take the Iraq war, Did we do a good thing yes, but is that ever brought up? I do not support the war but I still see that maybe lifes were saved. Christian books and history have a funny (not ha ha) way of putting things. For example in my brothers history books at the christian school the crusades are "glossed" over. But these guys did the RPPM (rape pillage plunder Murder) They did stuff that is on par with what Hitler did in world war II or Stalin in the cold war.
But by saying that you need to see the other side. The best way to understand the enemy or someone that disagrees with you, is to understand them. by reading what they believe etc etc. I have read anti-christian books and I wont stop. So to answer your question yes we should be open but guarded.
On your first paragraph. Is what you read seem fair because its what you have only seen/known? For a while I thought that communism is bad because it was what I was TOLD. Is communism bad, no way. Its ideology to something that is amazing. don't believe read the communist manifesto by Karl Marx/Fred engels.
I agree with what everyone has said. It is good to see things from a new and different opinion. It challenges our own beliefs, and can strenghten them.
I also think it is true that history should be hearded from both 'sides' of an issue. If not, you could just be being fed propeganda lies. It is when we are challenged in what we believe that we find out what it really is that we believe.
I completely agree that it is good and healthy for our faith to see and understand the other side of things. If you remember, that is what my original post was about.
I will also say that EVERYTHING is skewed to some extent. I have yet to see any source that was not biased in some fashion. The one true and fully trustworthy source that we can always depend on is the Bible, and that's what I was really saying, along with the fact that we should be careful not to get caught up in one point of view when observing history.
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