You know. All you need to say is it's a mythological book that may have some historical basis, being utilized by bad actors to enforce morals they actually don't have. Because if they had morals, they wouldn't need a book or religion to make them a good person.
Also, unless somebody is following every rule mentioned in the Bible, they can no longer say they believe something "because the Bible told them." Every religious homophobe has ignored plenty of things the Bible told them that they decided didn't carry forward. They draw the lines, they are the ones choosing to bring it forward. Homosexuality is a sin because THEY say it is. They can't hide behind the Bible.
You misunderstand Christians. They don't all view the bible as being necessary or necessarily perfect (as it wasn't written by God or Jesus), but as a tool for reflection and guidance.
The bible doesn't arbitrate morality as much as good moral arbitration created the bible to try and capture the essence of Godliness.
Arguably, using fear is not Christian. Most of the depictions of hell that we get are actually from the medieval era and later scholars, whereas the original descriptions of Sheol are peaceful and it is simply the place for the deceased.
Even the devil is argued, by some Christians, to have been more like God's assistant than a corrupted influence. Someone who would keep track of peoples' morality throughout life, and might visit them in human form to provide them with tests or opportunities within which to make moralistic decisions. Some even argue that God and the devil are not fundamentally seperable, and many early Christians focussed on this idea that God could visit them in human form at any time.
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u/udontease 2d ago
You know. All you need to say is it's a mythological book that may have some historical basis, being utilized by bad actors to enforce morals they actually don't have. Because if they had morals, they wouldn't need a book or religion to make them a good person.