Literal interpretation/ figurative interpretation

[viveret]

This is a story in CNN, which is about the black church in America and homosexuality.
But this thread is not about the same subject. It is about the comment of the sociologist who wrote the story, which demonstrates some of his own cultural biases in religion.
On the Comparing the Koran and Bible thread, I noted that in the Muslim world, there was the bias against the figurative interpretation of scripture.
IN this article,

cnn.com/2010/OPINION/09/26/inam.lee.black.church/index.html?eref=mrss_igoogle_cnn

Here is this quote:

They are more likely than the general population to interpret the Bible literally and believe in God with absolute certainty.

So here is the equivalency:

The person who believes only in the literal interpretation of scripture = believes in God with absolute certainty.

And the converse is implied

The person who believes in both figurative and literal interpretations of scripture

or

The person who believes in figurative interpretations of scripture DOES NOT believe in God with absolute certainty.

Shall we favor this cultural bias as our own?
I don’t.
I know that the myth and the novel can carry truth and yet not be true in themselves.
Metaphors can tell the truth.
I am deeply offended, even though I know that as a Westerner, there’s nothing I can do.

 

[rcjones]

And the converse is implied

The person who believes in both figurative and literal interpretations of scripture

or

The person who believes in figurative interpretations of scripture DOES NOT believe in God with absolute certainty.

The converse is not implied: ( IF A then B) does not imply ( If Not A then Not B).

If Spot is a dog, then he needs water does not imply that if Spot is not a dog that he doesn’t need water.

I, for one, recognize good allegory as well as precise sensus plenior, both of which are figurative. Where as good allegory may be debated, sensus plenior proves beyond reasonable doubt that God does exist and authored the Bible.

My absolute certainty of God is based upon his transforming influence upon my life, and it has been rewarded with the ability to see him figuratively portrayed in all of the scriptures.

 

[viveret]

I’ve also argued that if God himself wanted all the Gospel to be understood literally, would Jesus have spoken in parables?
The use of a parable is a figurative rather than a literal use of language.
The psalms are stuffed to the windows at least with metaphors.

 

[twinc]

I’ve also argued that if God himself wanted all the Gospel to be understood literally, would Jesus have spoken in parables?
The use of a parable is a figurative rather than a literal use of language.
The psalms are stuffed to the windows at least with metaphors.

perhaps you may care to quote what Jesus had to say about speaking in parables etc - twinc

 

[viveret]

What a lesson in intellectual generosity!
See Matthew 13.

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The disciples approached him and said, “Why do you speak to them in parables?”
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4 He said to them in reply, "Because knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted.
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To anyone who has, more will be given 5 and he will grow rich; from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
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6 This is why I speak to them in parables, because ‘they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand.’
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Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says: ‘You shall indeed hear but not understand you shall indeed look but never see.
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Gross is the heart of this people, they will hardly hear with their ears, they have closed their eyes, lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and be converted, and I heal them.’
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7 "But blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear.
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Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.
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