There are many misinterpretations of the bible. To fully understand the bible you have to ask Jesus to give you understanding of what you are reading.

Yes, Jesus did exist as both a human being and God at the same time. It wasn't that intelligent people wrote the bible the bible was written by people who were inspired by God to write it. The intelligent people would not have the spiritual knowledge to write the bible they would have the educational knowledge not the spiritual.

The physical mind can not conceive the things that God has place in the people he chooses to convey the information to the people for that information came straight from the God source.

Now whether mankind has tampered with the bible and added or taken out what they want to I would not have put it past them. For those in power do as they please. The many Kings have had many bibles destroyed and rewritten according to their way some of it I am sure. But if it has been tampered with you can still get close to the Lord and begin your personal relation between you and Jesus.You must become one with Jesus to fully understand by constantly developing your personal relationship with him. Now we all call our creator by different names I call him God that I am God others may choose to call him other names.

Jesus Christ was born into this world to save us from our own sins and the sins of this world or the people of this world. We must believe and have faith. For your soul deep within will let you know the truth when you find it.

You know that you know that he does exist for you not by what others have told you or what you have read but you feel it deep down in your spirit or soul that he is real that he,God,. You can call God and Jesus 24/7 everyday or any day you can call on them to help you.

Intelligent people have spiritual problems that they may not know no answer do even though they can work any mathematical problem or solve most scientific problem.

If and that is a big if no one has tampered with the bible the verses we read we must get a understanding of what we are reading from God for 20 people can read the same verse and get the same verses and come up with all different meaning and all 20 of those meaning be wrong that is why we need the understanding of the meaning from God or Jesus themselves.

Jesus is not the higher self of us for we did not create our selves God did it; God created us in the image of him. God loves us all so very much and we should love God and one another and treat one another with care, kindness, love and respect.

Many of the classic holy or spiritual books were written at three different levels simultaneously.

Let's take the biblical story of David and Goliath as an example to illustrate this point. The story, in case you are not aware, basically comes down to an important one-on-one battle involving a youth fighting with a giant.

• Literal Level: Interpreted at the literal level, this is basically a recounting of some supposedly real event that took place when two armies were facing each other on the battlefield. A person reading at this level might go out to that location and try to find physical evidence of that battle...perhaps a bit like some fundamentalist Christians that have apparently worked out the age of the Earth by adding together all the ages of people that are mentioned in the Bible.

• Allegorical / Symbolic Level: Interpreted at this level, this becomes an inspirational story about the little guys taking on the big guys. i.e. don't let the enormity of the challenge you are facing intimidate you because you still have a chance. A person reading at this level could be inspired by stories such as these.

• Mystical / Initiate Level: At this level, we get to the crux of what the story is really about and why it was written. In terms of David & Goliath, it represents the relationship between thought (or consciousness) and the physical body (or the physical world in general). A person reading at this level would see the mystical truth that thought, despite appearing insignificant and ineffective, actually dominates the physical reality in which we live. Thought is represented by David, physicality is represented by Goliath.

Stories were written in this way by ancient mystics to avoid persecution by those who wanted to keep such knowledge away from the masses of humanity, while still making those truths available to those who could see beyond the superficial levels...these are the Secret Teachings often preserved through the ages by what are known as Secret Societies or Mystery Schools.

Even in the Western World, it is only in relatively recent times that you could actually dare to question and investigate the meanings of what is written in some holy books without being subject to physical violence. And, of course, there are still countries where daring to think for yourself will get you into considerable trouble.

So can the Bible, or other spiritual works, be misinterpreted?

Of course, it happens all the time.

As for whether Jesus existed or whether the stories in the Bible about him are accurate, I wouldn't like to say since orthodox religion doesn't really interest me that much and I don't really have enough background knowledge about most of them.

But, if you bear in mind that most of what you read in the Bible (and similar books) can be interpreted at the three levels mentioned above, you might gain some new and different insights into the established stories.

There is an excellent book to read for free on PsiTek called Jesus Taught It Too (The Early Roots of The Law of Attraction) where the author re-examines many of Jesus's teachings from the Mystical level mentioned above.

The Bible was certainly misinterpreted. I personally do not believe in everything that was written in Old Testament, for example, a God having vices such as jealousy is unacceptable. We are indeed created as the image of God, but we are far away from perfection, and God is indeed, so he/she does not have any vices. The most interesting part are Gospels, which contain teachings of Jesus. We want to have a Gospel that includes direct words of Jesus so we can interpret them. Let's have a look:

• Matthew gives us his own theological interpretation. So it is subjective. Next one.
  
  
• Mark concentrates on Jesus' work. And we want His speeches. Next one.
  
  
• Luke's approach is to give historical account of His life plus he portrays Christianity as divine religion. Next one.
  
  
• John. Firstly it is not one of the Synoptics, which were not appropriate to our search. We also want to remebemer that John was a "beloved disciple". He serves us Jesus' speeches, each one being a theological treatise. We have a lot of metaphorical images. It is the most genuine and sincere Gospel then, as Jesus was using symbolic, metaphorical laungage in his teachings, which I am going to prove.
  
  

John 16:23-28 I have said this to you in figures; the hour is coming when I shall no longer speak to you in figures but tell you plainly of the Father.

John 6:61 Many therefore of his disciples, hearing it, said: This saying is hard; and who can hear it?

Why did He did not speak plainly from the beginning so that they could understand? Here is the anwser:

John 16:12 I have yet many things to say to you: but you cannot bear them now.

Unfolding mysteries was not Jesus’ mission. It was:

John 12:46 I am come, a light into the world, that whosoever believeth in me may not remain in darkness.

Misinterpretation number 1. There is not Holy Trinity. All is one. Jesus is ehieh, ever being “I am”. Every human is capable of becoming God. Jesus is human and human is God.

John 17:21. That they all may be one, as thou, Father, in me, and I in thee; that they also may be one in us

John 10:34. Jesus answered them: Is it not written in your law: I said, you are gods?

John 10:30. I and the Father are one.

John 8:58. Jesus said to them: Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham was made, I AM.

Karma. It was not the time for Judas to start the path of godliness in this life. “Given by Father” is a metaphor.

John 6:65. But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that did not believe and who he was that would betray him.

John 6:66. And he said: Therefore did I say to you that no man can come to me, unless it be given him by my Father.

There is not Heaven or Hell in Christian understanding. What Jesus said was a metaphor about karma.

John 5:29. And they that have done good things shall come forth unto the resurrection of life: but they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of judgment.

In hermetic and yogic tradition the attribute of water (Apas) if life. Amongst the all elements, the ultimate quintessence of water is immortality (while that of fire is omnipotence, air is omniscience and earth omnipresence). Water is also attributed to the Sacral Chakra (Svadhisthana), the reproductive chakra, because with our sexual organs we give life. Holy Ghost is astral body, also attributed to water element.
Here Jesus is saying either about being “born” again in the non-physical or being incarnated in the new body in the cycle of reincarnation.

John 3:5. Jesus answered: Amen, amen, I say to thee, unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

John 3:6. That which is born of the flesh is flesh: and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

John 3:7. Wonder not that I said to thee: You must be born again.

Think about those words below and you will get the concept of reincarnation; we do not know the direction of wind blowing, as we lose our memory with every new incarnation.

John 3:8. The Spirit breatheth where he will and thou hearest his voice: but thou knowest not whence he cometh and whither he goeth. So is every one that is born of the Spirit.

And finally we have:

Seek, and ye shall find, ask and ye shall receive.

which is basically the law of attraction.

Hello...

Unfortunately, in a vast majority of cases, the Bible has indeed been misinterpreted. I can safely say this because of the sheer number of religions, denominations, sects, and cults which apply the Bible's contents to condone some aspects of their specific belief systems.

There are three major reasons for incorrect Bible interpretation:

(1) Multiple Bible versions printed for the SAME LANGUAGE(!)

Sadly, publishers continue to print multiple Bible versions promising a 'newer' and 'better' clarity. This claim could not be further from the truth. With each 'newer' and 'better' version, the language of the Bible is compromised to the point where, today, modern Bible versions read like a Sunday newspaper cartoon. If you do not believe this, pick up any modern English Bible version and do a verse-by-verse comparison with an Authorized King James 1611 Bible. Changing, adding, or deleting a word, clause, or phrase in the Bible has the potential of perverting doctrine. When doctrines are perverted, a person's Biblical foundation is in peril. The printing of multiple Bible versions have done tremendous harm to the preservation of correct and uniform Bible interpretation.

(2) Not allowing the Bible to interpret itself

Approaching the Bible with a pre-conceived idea or opinion of its contents will automatically guarantee incorrect interpretation. Firstly, if you doubt the historical, geographical, and political aspects of the Bible's contents, please be aware that many secular books exist that corroborate the validity of the information. The Bible has many accounts which take place during 6 major empires: Egyptian (1600-1200 BC), Assyrian (900-607 BC), Babylonian (606-536 BC), Persian (536-330 BC), Greek (330-146 BC), Roman (146 BC- 476 AD). All these empires are recognized as having existed. Secondly, if you want to force an allegorical reading into a literal verse (or vice-versa), you will be disappointed in the result. You must allow the Bible itself to define and interpret the context of its information. You will quickly notice that when you allow the Bible to do this, other parts of the Scripture will fall into place. This is tremendously important when studying Biblical PROPHECY. Thus, if the Bible is recording a factual statement, then take it as factual. If the Bible is recording a parable, proverb, or poetry, then match the language of the text to other portions which contain the similar words, clauses, or phrases. In doing this, you are allowing the Bible to speak for itself without any of your own PERSONAL INTERPRETATION.

(3) Not liking what you are reading

Among many passages in the Bible, there are passages where GOD describes the state of fallen man in terms which are not too complementary. There are passages where bloody warfare is described. There are passages detailing certain past, present, and future judgements and prophecies concerning a nation or individual. There are passages where supernatural events are occuring through GOD's miraculous powers. The manner in which you receive the content of these passages will also affect the outcome of Biblical interpretation. You may choose to accept these passages as the Word of GOD. You may choose to be offended by these passages. You may choose to mock these passages. You may choose to be angry at these passages. You may choose to be indifferent towards these passages. Therefore, the thoughts and intents of your heart also contribute greatly to incorrect Bible interpretation.

Thanks for reading.

Concerned Citizen

The bible is not intended to be taken as fact. All these responses that claim that everything in it is fact are people who have decided to follow something blindly. A human claiming they know what the supreme force in the universe is clearly has an inflated opinion of themselves.

While I believe that there is a higher power, I do not accept everything that is taught by a religion to be an all defining truth. That being said, the bible can be viewed as a good source of morals to live by-thou shalt not kill/steal are tenets that can easily be accepted as right by almost anyone. There are many stories within it that provide valuable guidance, but too many people take everything in it to literally.

Seeing as the first bible was not written untill the fourth century, I have never understood how it is seen as the word of god when it was written by man hundreds of years after the death of Jesus. The tendency of man to shape the past to suit their current needs is seen all throughout history. I do not look down on anyone who believes in the bible, but do not go around claiming that you know for a fact that the content is true. You do not know, nobody knows untill they are dead.

Do you believe that Adam, and Eve existed? If you do, then you should have no problems believing that God created Jesus Christ. Adam was the first man, and Eve was the first woman, and they were the first parents ever. Jesus Christ was conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost, and was born of the virgin Mary. Jesus Christ was the son of God, because God created him to live as a human being among us. God created Jesus to save us from sin, and hell, and to point the way to the Kingdom of God. Jesus said: I am the way the truth, and the light. No one cometh to the father except,through me.

We are living in a changing world, and yes there has been many revisions in the word of the scriptures, but there are some things that will never change, and the facts will speak for itself. And the truth is Jesus Christ was the son of God, and he did walked this earth 2,000.00 ago, and he will come again. So be prepared, he will come again in all of his glory, as the son of God.

We have mis-informed it.

The bible is the most misinterpreted writing that has ever existed. People waste their lives away believing in things that didn't exist. The truth is the truth and reality is reality. God was an alien and Jesus was a half breed. No matter how many people believe in a certain set of criteria, or how many "facts" that any one person can deliver on a topic or how many people gather to rejoice in that common belief, the real facts are the real facts.

If someone needs the crutch of religion and some belief in a higher being to get thru the day that is their choice. But that still doesn't change what is myth and what is reality.