The Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary, Merriam-Webster Dictionary, Scripture and St. Bonaventure

The Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary:
1. The Agony in the Garden
2. The Scourging at the Pillar
3. The Crowning with Thorns
4. The Carrying of the Cross
5. The Crucifixion

What do you think of the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary?

Are the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary good?

Are the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary scriptural?

Merriam-Webster Dictionary:
agony - intense pain of mind or body
scourging - flog, whip
crowning - to place a crown or wreath on the head of
carrying - to transfer from one place to another
crucifixion - the act of crucifying

Are these definitions of the Merriam-Webster dictionary correct? 

Scripture (RSV-Catholic): 
* And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down upon the ground.- Luke 22: 44
* Then he released for them Barab'bas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified. - Matthew 27: 26
* and plaiting a crown of thorns they put it on his head, and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him they mocked him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" - Matthew 27: 29
* So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called the place of a skull, which is called in Hebrew Gol'gotha.- John 19: 17
* And when they came to the place which is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on the right and one on the left.- Luke 23: 33

Is the Bible correct?

Are these passages true?

Are these passages of the Bible important?

St. Bonaventure:
"He who desires to go on advancing from virtue to virtue, from grace to grace, should meditate continually on the Passion of Jesus."

Is this true?

pax tecum

The Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary, Merriam-Webster Dictionary, Scripture and Pope John Paul II

The Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary:

1. The Baptism in the Jordan

2. The Wedding at Cana

3. Proclamation of the Kingdom

4. The Transfiguration

5. Institution of the Eucharist

What do you think of the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary?

Are the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary good?

Are the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary scriptural?

Definitions from the Merriam-Webster Dictionary:

baptism - an act, experience, or ordeal by which one is purified, sanctified, initiated, or named

wedding -  a marriage ceremony usually with its accompanying festivities

proclamation - the action of proclaiming

transfiguration - a change in form or appearance

institution - an act of instituting

Are these definitions of the Merriam-Webster dictionary correct?

Scripture (RSV-Catholic): 

* And when Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting on him - Matthew 3: 16

* On the third day there was a marriage at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there; Jesus also was invited to the marriage, with his disciples. - John 2: 1-2

* Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel." - Mark 1: 14-15

* Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. And as he was praying, the appearance of his countenance was altered, and his raiment became dazzling white. - Luke 9: 28-29

* I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live for ever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh. - John 6: 51

Is the Bible correct?

Are these passages true?

Are these passages of the Bible important? 

Pope John Paul II: 

"Moving on from the infancy and the hidden life in Nazareth to the public life of Jesus, our contemplation brings us to those mysteries which may be called in a special way “mysteries of light”. Certainly the whole mystery of Christ is a mystery of light. He is the “light of the world” (Jn 8:12). Yet this truth emerges in a special way during the years of his public life, when he proclaims the Gospel of the Kingdom....  Each of these mysteries is a revelation of the Kingdom now present in the very person of Jesus." 

Is this true?

pax tecum

The Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary, Merriam-Webster Dictionary, Scripture and Pope John Paul II

The Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary:

1. The Annunciation

2. The Visitation

3. The Nativity

4. The Presentation

5. The Finding of Jesus in the Temple

What do you think of the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary?

Are the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary good?

Are the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary scriptural?

Definitions from the Merriam-Webster Dictionary:

annunciation - the act of announcing or of being announced

visitation - an instance of visiting

nativity - the process or circumstances of being born

presentation - the act of presenting

finding - the act of one that finds

Are these definitions of the Merriam-Webster dictionary correct?

Scripture (RSV-Catholic): 

* And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end."- Luke 1: 30-33

* In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a city of Judah, and she entered the house of Zechari'ah and greeted Elizabeth. - Luke 1: 39-40

* And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.- Luke 2: 7

* And when the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord - Luke 2: 22

* After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions - Luke 2: 46

Is the Bible correct?

Are these passages true?

Are these passages of the Bible important?

Pope John Paul II:

"The Joyful Mysteries are marked by the joy radiating from the event of the Incarnation. To meditate upon the joyful mysteries is to enter into the ultimate causes and the deepest meaning of Christian joy. It is to focus on the realism of the mystery of the Incarnation and on the obscure foreshadowing of the mystery of the saving Passion. Mary leads us to discover the secret of Christian joy, reminding us that Christianity is, first and foremost, evangelization, "good news", which has as its heart and its whole content the person of Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh, the one Savior of the world."

Is this true?

pax tecum

Fatima Prayer, Scripture and the Catechism of the Catholic Church

Fatima Prayer (Basic Catholic Prayer):

O my Jesus,

forgive us our sins,

save us from the fire of hell,

lead all souls to heaven,

especially those who are in most need of Thy mercy.

What do you think of the Fatima Prayer?

Is the Fatima Prayer a good prayer?

Is the Fatima Prayer scriptural?

Scripture (RSV-Catholic): 

* And he said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." - Luke 7: 48

* he opened the shaft of the bottomless pit, and from the shaft rose smoke like the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun and the air were darkened with the smoke from the shaft. - Revelation 9: 2

* and I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling of God is with men. He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away."- Revelation 21: 3-4

* While we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Why, one will hardly die for a righteous man -- though perhaps for a good man one will dare even to die. But God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.- Romans 5: 6-8

Is the Bible correct?

Are these passages true?

Are these passages of the Bible important?

The Catechism of the Catholic Church:

1848 As St. Paul affirms, "Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more." But to do its work grace must uncover sin so as to convert our hearts and bestow on us "righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Like a physician who probes the wound before treating it, God, by his Word and by his Spirit, casts a living light on sin: Conversion requires convincing of sin; it includes the interior judgment of conscience, and this, being a proof of the action of the Spirit of truth in man's inmost being, becomes at the same time the start of a new grant of grace and love: "Receive the Holy Spirit." Thus in this "convincing concerning sin" we discover a double gift: the gift of the truth of conscience and the gift of the certainty of redemption. The Spirit of truth is the Consoler.

Is this true?

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The Glory Be, Scripture and the Catechism of the Catholic Church

The Glory Be (Basic Catholic Prayer):

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning,
is now,
and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen.

What do you think of the Glory Be?

Is the Glory Be a good prayer?

Is the Glory Be scriptural?

Scripture (RSV-Catholic): 

* For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory for ever. Amen. - Romans 11: 36

Is the Bible correct?

Are these passages true?

Are these passages of the Bible important?

The Catechism of the Catholic Church:

1110 In the liturgy of the Church, God the Father is blessed and adored as the source of all the blessings of creation and salvation with which he has blessed us in his Son, in order to give us the Spirit of filial adoption. 

Is this true?

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The Apostles' Creed, Scripture and the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Part IV

The Apostles' Creed (Basic Catholic Prayer):

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.

He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.

He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.

He descended into Hell.

On the third day He rose again.

He ascended into Heaven, and seated at the right hand of Father.

He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.

Amen.

What do you think of the Apostles' Creed?

Is the Apostles' Creed a good prayer?

Is the Apostles' Creed scriptural?

Scripture (RSV-Catholic): 

* and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us.- Romans 5: 5

* And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it.  - Matthew 16: 18

* So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord - Ephesians 2: 19-21

* For this is the will of my Father, that every one who sees the Son and believes in him should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day." - John 6:40

* And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who has not the Son of God has not life. I write this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.- 1 John: 11-13

Is the Bible correct?

Are these passages true?

Are these passages of the Bible important?

The Catechism of the Catholic Church:

747 The Holy Spirit, whom Christ the head pours out on his members, builds, animates, and sanctifies the Church. She is the sacrament of the Holy Trinity's communion with men. 

778 The Church is both the means and the goal of God's plan: prefigured in creation, prepared for in the Old Covenant, founded by the words and actions of Jesus Christ, fulfilled by his redeeming cross and his Resurrection, the Church has been manifested as the mystery of salvation by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. She will be perfected in the glory of heaven as the assembly of all the redeemed of the earth (cf. Rev 14:4). 

961 The term "communion of saints" refers also to the communion of "holy persons" (sancti) in Christ who "died for all," so that what each one does or suffers in and for Christ bears fruit for all. 

984 The Creed links "the forgiveness of sins" with its profession of faith in the Holy Spirit, for the risen Christ entrusted to the apostles the power to forgive sins when he gave them the Holy Spirit. 

1016 By death the soul is separated from the body, but in the resurrection God will give incorruptible life to our body, transformed by reunion with our soul. Just as Christ is risen and lives for ever, so all of us will rise at the last day. 

1060 At the end of time, the Kingdom of God will come in its fullness. Then the just will reign with Christ for ever, glorified in body and soul, and the material universe itself will be transformed. God will then be "all in all" (1 Cor 15:28), in eternal life. 

Is this true?

pax tecum

The Apostles' Creed, Scripture and the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Part III

The Apostles' Creed (Basic Catholic Prayer):

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.

He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.

He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.

He descended into Hell.

On the third day He rose again.

He ascended into Heaven, and seated at the right hand of Father.

He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.

Amen.

What do you think of the Apostles' Creed?

Is the Apostles' Creed a good prayer?

Is the Apostles' Creed scriptural?

Scripture (RSV-Catholic): 
* For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale, so will the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.- Matthew 12: 40

* Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. Lo, I have told you." - Matthew 28: 7

* So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. - Mark 16: 19 
* "When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left.- Mathew 25: 31-33

Is the Bible correct?

Are these passages true?

Are these passages of the Bible important?

The Catechism of the Catholic Church:

636 By the expression "He descended into hell", the Apostles' Creed confesses that Jesus did really die and through his death for us conquered death and the devil "who has the power of death" (Heb 2:14). 

656 Faith in the Resurrection has as its object an event which as historically attested to by the disciples, who really encountered the Risen One. At the same time, this event is mysteriously transcendent insofar as it is the entry of Christ's humanity into the glory of God. 

665 Christ's Ascension marks the definitive entrance of Jesus' humanity into God's heavenly domain, whence he will come again (cf. Acts 1:11); this humanity in the meantime hides him from the eyes of men (cf. Col 3:3).

663 Henceforth Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father: "By 'the Father's right hand' we understand the glory and honor of divinity, where he who exists as Son of God before all ages, indeed as God, of one being with the Father, is seated bodily after he became incarnate and his flesh was glorified."

682 When he comes at the end of time to judge the living and the dead, the glorious Christ will reveal the secret disposition of hearts and will render to each man according to his works, and according to his acceptance or refusal of grace.

Is this true?

pax tecum

The Apostles' Creed, Scripture and the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Part II

The Apostles' Creed (Basic Catholic Prayer):

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.

He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.

He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.

He descended into Hell.

On the third day He rose again.

He ascended into Heaven, and seated at the right hand of Father.

He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.

Amen.

What do you think of the Apostles' Creed?

Is the Apostles' Creed a good prayer?

Is the Apostles' Creed scriptural?

Scripture (RSV-Catholic):

* And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.- Luke 1:30-31

* And Mary said to the angel, "How shall this be, since I have no husband?" And the angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.- Luke 1:34-35

* And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.- Luke 2:7

* So Pilate gave sentence that their demand should be granted. Luke 23:24

* And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots;- Matthew 27:35

* Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, "Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit!" And having said this he breathed his last.  - Luke 23:46

* Then he took it down and wrapped it in a linen shroud, and laid him in a rock-hewn tomb, where no one had ever yet been laid. - Luke 23:53

Is the Bible correct?

Are these passages true?

Are these passages of the Bible important?

The Catechism of the Catholic Church:

479 At the time appointed by God, the only Son of the Father, the eternal Word, that is, the Word and substantial Image of the Father, became incarnate; without losing his divine nature he has assumed human nature. 

619 "Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures" (I Cor 15:3). 

629 To the benefit of every man, Jesus Christ tasted death (cf. Heb 2:9). It is truly the Son of God made man who died and was buried. 

Is this true?

pax tecum

The Apostles' Creed, Scripture and the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Part I

The Apostles' Creed (Basic Catholic Prayer):

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.

He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.

He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.

He descended into Hell.

On the third day He rose again.

He ascended into Heaven, and seated at the right hand of Father.

He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.

Amen.

What do you think of the Apostles' Creed?

Is the Apostles' Creed a good prayer?

Is the Apostles' Creed scriptural?

Scripture (RSV-Catholic):

* and I will be a father to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty. - 2 Corinthians 6: 18

* In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. - Genesis 1:1

* and lo, a voice from heaven, saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." - Matthew 3:17

* Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. - Philippians 2: 9-11

Is the Bible correct?
Are these passages true?
Are these passages of the Bible important? 

The Catechism of the Catholic Church:

199 "I believe in God": this first affirmation of the Apostles' Creed is also the most fundamental. The whole Creed speaks of God, and when it also speaks of man and of the world it does so in relation to God. The other articles of the Creed all depend on the first, just as the remaining Commandments make the first explicit. The other articles help us to know God better as he revealed himself progressively to men. "The faithful first profess their belief in God." 
270 God is the Father Almighty, whose fatherhood and power shed light on one another: God reveals his fatherly omnipotence by the way he takes care of our needs; by the filial adoption that he gives us ("I will be a father to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty"): finally by his infinite mercy, for he displays his power at its height by freely forgiving sins.

280 Creation is the foundation of "all God's saving plans," the "beginning of the history of salvation" that culminates in Christ. Conversely, the mystery of Christ casts conclusive light on the mystery of creation and reveals the end for which "in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth": from the beginning, God envisaged the glory of the new creation in Christ.

430 Jesus means in Hebrew: "God saves." At the annunciation, the angel Gabriel gave him the name Jesus as his proper name, which expresses both his identity and his mission. Since God alone can forgive sins, it is God who, in Jesus his eternal Son made man, "will save his people from their sins." In Jesus, God recapitulates all of his history of salvation on behalf of men.  

452 The name Jesus means "God saves". The child born of the Virgin Mary is called Jesus, "for he will save his people from their sins" (Mt 1:21): "there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).

453 The title "Christ" means "Anointed One" (Messiah). Jesus is the Christ,  for "God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power" (Acts 10:38). He was the one "who is to come" (Lk 7:19), the object of "the hope of Israel" (Acts 28:20).

454 The title "Son of God" signifies the unique and eternal relationship of Jesus Christ to God his Father: he is the only Son of the Father (cf. Jn 1:14, 18; 3:16, 18); he is God himself (cf. Jn 1:1). To be a Christian, one must believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God (cf. Acts 8:37; 1 Jn 2:23).

455 The title "Lord" indicates divine sovereignty. To confess or invoke Jesus as Lord is to believe in his divinity. "No one can say 'Jesus is Lord' except by the Holy Spirit'" (I Cor 12:3).

Is this true?

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The Hail Mary and Scripture

The Hail Mary (Basic Catholic Prayer):
Hail Mary,
Full of Grace,
The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit
of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary,
Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now,
and at the hour of death.
Amen.

What do you think of the Hail Mary?
Is the Hail Mary a good prayer?
Is the Hail Mary scriptural?

Scripture (RSV-Catholic):
* In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!" - Luke 1: 26-28

If Gabriel "was sent from God", did God send that message?
Did God know Gabriel would say that?
Did Gabriel say that against God's will?
Knowing Gabriel would say that, should God have not sent Gabriel?
Should Gabriel have not said that?

* And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and she exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! - Luke 1: 41-42

Is there a relationship between Elizabeth being "filled with the Holy Spirit" and what she said?
Should she have not said that?
Did the Holy Spirit make a mistake?

* And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? - Luke 1: 43

Is there a relationship between Elizabeth being "filled with the Holy Spirit" and what she said?
Should she have not said that?
Did the Holy Spirit make a mistake?

* and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed." - Luke 2: 34-35

Should Simeon not have said that?
Was Simeon wrong?

Is the Bible true?

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The Lord's Prayer and the Catechism of the Catholic Church

The Lord's Prayer (Basic Catholic Prayer):
Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church:
2761 The Lord's Prayer "is truly the summary of the whole gospel." "Since the Lord . . . after handing over the practice of prayer, said elsewhere, 'Ask and you will receive,' and since everyone has petitions which are peculiar to his circumstances, the regular and appropriate prayer [the Lord's Prayer] is said first, as the foundation of further desires."
2765 The traditional expression "the Lord's Prayer" - oratio Dominica - means that the prayer to our Father is taught and given to us by the Lord Jesus. The prayer that comes to us from Jesus is truly unique: it is "of the Lord." On the one hand, in the words of this prayer the only Son gives us the words the Father gave him: he is the master of our prayer. On the other, as Word incarnate, he knows in his human heart the needs of his human brothers and sisters and reveals them to us: he is the model of our prayer.

Is this true?

pax tecum

Where We Got The Bible

A good friend recently asked me this question: Who made the Bible?  So, rather than answer his question, I'm only going to add to his confusion.  Here are some other questions that I have often wondered:

Where did we get the Bible?
Is the Bible one book?
Is the Bible many books?
Who is the target audience of the Bible?
Are all books of the Bible addressed to the same audience?
Are all books of the Bible written in the same style?
Are all books of the Bible factual?
Are all books of the Bible true?
Do the books of the Bible try to communicate the same idea in the same way?
Do the books of the Bible try to communicate the same idea in different ways?
Do the books of the Bible try to communicate different ideas in the same way?
Do the books of the Bible try to communicate different ideas in different ways?
What relationship does each of the different books of the Bible have to one another?
Are some books in the Bible more important than others?
Are the different books of the Bible of equal importance?
Were the books of the Bible written at the same time?
Were the books of the Bible written at different times?
Does time have an effect on the Bible?
Do we have to think as authors thought in their time period to understand the Bible?
Do we misunderstand the Bible if we allow modern ideas to influence how we read it?
Is there one author of the Bible?
Is God the author of the Bible?
Are the authors of the Bible gods?
Are the authors of the Bible really just pen names for God?
Were the authors of the Bible real?
What did the authors of the Bible believe about the Bible?
Did the authors of the Bible know that what they had written would be part of the Bible?
What faith did the authors of the Bible profess?
Is that faith true?
Does the faith of the authors have a relationship to reason they wrote the books of the Bible?
Did the authors of the Bible sin?
Did the sin of the authors have an effect on what they had written?
Did the authors of the Bible believe what they wrote to be true?
Is everything that the authors of the Bible ever said true?
Did the authors of the Bible believe what they wrote to be inspired by God?
Did God inspire the authors of the Bible to write any other books that are not in the Bible?
Did the authors of the Bible write any other books?
Did the authors of the Bible accept anything other than the Bible as true?
Why are there not more writings being added to the Bible?
Is the Bible complete?
Are the books of the Bible the only books that are true?
Who assembled the Bible?
Why did they assemble the Bible?
How did they assemble the Bible?
Can we trust those that assembled it?
By what authority did those that assembled the Bible assemble it?
Can we trust in the authority of those that assembled the Bible?
Did those that assembled the Bible make other authoritative decisions?
Are those authoritative decisions to be trusted as the decision about the assembling of the Bible?
What faith did those that assembled the Bible profess?
Is that faith true?
Is there a relationship between that faith and the authority of those that assembled the Bible?
How do we interpret the Bible?
Are there many ways to interpret the Bible?
Are all interpretations of the Bible the same?
Are all interpretations of the Bible true?
Is there someone or something that has the true interpretation of the Bible?

Are these questions important?

Several years ago, a mentor of mine was gracious enough to give me a copy of a small book.  That book is titled "Where We Got the Bible."  The author of that book is Henry G. Graham.  That book tries to answer many of the questions I have just asked.  I can't promise that if you read that book you will agree with the author's claims.  I can't promise that the author is correct because I am not a historian, I am not able to recognize everything that is true and I do not know everything that is true.  I can't promise that if you read that book you won't be offended.  However, I do find the author's claims very convincing and it is a book that I recommend you read.

There are several ways that you could get this book. I'm going to list the ways that are legal and the ways that I recommend:
1. Borrow my copy.
2. Borrow someone else's copy.
3. Borrow it from a local library.
4. If your local library does not have it, the librarians at that library, I'm sure, would be happy to do an Interlibrary Loan (ILL) for you.  This would allow you to borrow the book from another library that has it without having to travel to that library
5. Travel to another library that does have it and borrow it from them.
6. Buy it from a bookstore.
7. Buy it online from a place such as this: https://www.tanbooks.com/index.php/page/shop:flypage/product_id/122/keywords/bible/

pax tecum

What is truth?

"What is truth, Claudia? Do you hear it, recognize it when it is spoken?"

Two lines from one of the most controversial and important movies of all time.  I thought I would start out this blog with a series of questions that I think are important to contemplate concerning truth.

What is truth?
Is truth good?
Can truth be bad?
Is truth the same as opinion?
Is truth the same as fact?
Is truth greater than fact?
Is truth greater than opinion?
Is it important to seek truth?
Can truth be changed?
Does each person have their own truth?
Is there a universal truth?
Is truth the same as reason?
Is truth rooted in reason?
Is truth something that we should be faithful to?
Is truth something of religion?
Is truth only something of religion?
Does truth relate to politics?
Can politics implement the truth?
Should politics implement the truth?
Is truth created?
Is truth temporary?
Is truth eternal?
Does truth have to do with love?

Do you recognize it when it is spoken?
Are we capable of truth?
What does the truth look like?
Can we express the truth?
Is the truth tolerable to everyone?
Is it the truth if people don't tolerate it?
What does truth have to do with freedom?
Does truth restrict freedom?  
Does truth make you feel good?
Can truth make you feel bad?
Is truth based on emotion?
Do good people always tell the truth?
Can bad people tell the truth?
If a person says that something is true, does that make it so?
If a person denies the truth, does that make it untrue?
Is the truth convenient?
Is truth determined by popularity?
Does truth confer something on the person who has it?
Is the truth safe?
Does anyone have the truth?

If you find truth, how do you respond to it?

pax tecum