# Is the bible true/god real? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 27, 2013, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-bible-true-god-real/664679 "2013-07-27T17:00:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2013, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-bible-true-god-real/664679/21 "2013-07-27T19:52:25Z")
I can’t answer this question until the we determine which version of the Bible we are talking about. Never mind. I can. No and no. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2013, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-bible-true-god-real/664679/22 "2013-07-27T19:57:07Z")
> [@jaysamm15](#): > > …I have my beliefs, just curious of other’s. So are you going to keep us all in suspense?.. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2013, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-bible-true-god-real/664679/23 "2013-07-27T19:58:06Z")
What is “truth?” ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2013, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-bible-true-god-real/664679/24 "2013-07-27T19:59:13Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > What is “truth?” The opposite of “dare”. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2013, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-bible-true-god-real/664679/25 "2013-07-27T20:06:47Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > What is “truth?” Is truth unchanging law? ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2013, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-bible-true-god-real/664679/26 "2013-07-27T20:12:22Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > Absolutely yes. Whoosh? ---
**Author:** ![Razncain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9d8465/32.png) [@Razncain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Razncain)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2013, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-bible-true-god-real/664679/27 "2013-07-27T20:21:41Z")
To the first part, nearly all is fictionalized, with an occasional bit of history that happens to be true, but quite rare. To the second, entertained theistic thoughts when a child, during early teenage years became agnostic (my wonder years) and stayed that way through most of my twenties, but atheist for the last few decades, and no turning back for me. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2013, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-bible-true-god-real/664679/28 "2013-07-27T20:45:37Z")
The Bible simply cannot be true because there is no such thing as “The Bible.” There are many, many different Bibles in many different languages. God cannot be “true” in the same sense that unicorns cannot be “true.” Believing in something REALLY REALLY strongly does not make it “true.” ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2013, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-bible-true-god-real/664679/29 "2013-07-27T21:30:21Z")
1. What do you mean by “true”? If you mean all the historical contexts, much of it is true, but not all. If you mean all the religious pronouncements, only some of it has any validity . . . but you usually have to remove it from its context. 2. What do you mean by “god”? The God that’s described in the Bible is not possible. ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2013, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-bible-true-god-real/664679/30 "2013-07-27T21:36:01Z")
The parts about executing homosexuals, or women who aren’t virgins on their wedding day, are true. The parts about helping the poor are bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![Buffalo\_Bilious](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e99b99/32.png) [@Buffalo\_Bilious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buffalo_Bilious)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2013, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-bible-true-god-real/664679/31 "2013-07-27T21:37:30Z")
> [@drewtwo99](#): > > Believing in something REALLY REALLY strongly does not make it “true.” A minor level of scrutiny may reveal that your statement in and of itself isn’t “true” as well, no matter how strongly you believe it. “Snow and ice are cold”. I REALLY REALLY strongly believe this. Am I wrong? Is that not “true”? ---
**Author:** ![Gbro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Gbro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gbro)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2013, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-bible-true-god-real/664679/32 "2013-07-27T22:09:00Z")
Yes and YES!!! And I am In AWE of HIM!!! ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Kobayashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Mr.Kobayashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Kobayashi)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2013, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-bible-true-god-real/664679/33 "2013-07-27T22:17:11Z")
If it were true it would mean known reality was nothing more than a pre-ordained soul filtering system rendering all human endeavour utterly pointless. Fortunately there’s no evidence it being the case. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2013, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-bible-true-god-real/664679/34 "2013-07-27T22:41:43Z")
> [@Buffalo\_Bilious](#): > > So said the lab rats of their scientist keeper. And the scientist keeper IS an asshole to the lab rats. The scientist might have a bigger overall goal in mind, but s/he’s not loving and caring towards the rats. If you want to argue that humans are merely lab rats in some experiment, then I can certainly entertain that notion. I cannot say that I can believe in a loving, caring God who looks after His children and only wants the best for them. > [@Buffalo\_Bilious](#): > > A minor level of scrutiny may reveal that your statement in and of itself isn’t “true” as well, no matter how strongly you believe it. > > “Snow and ice are cold”. I REALLY REALLY strongly believe this. > > Am I wrong? Is that not “true”? The thing is, we’ve got these things called “thermometers”, which can dispassionately measure temperatures. No belief is necessary to get a temperature reading. Water snow and ice are what most people consider cold. However, if we want to discuss just HOW cold it is, we turn to measuring the items with a device which doesn’t offer opinions, just facts. Something which is -40 is colder than something that is 0 C/32 F. That’s a fact, not an opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2013, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-bible-true-god-real/664679/35 "2013-07-27T22:47:38Z")
Let me expound upon temperatures. My husband and I will be in our living room, and I will say that I’m freezing, while he claims that he’s sweating like a pig. We are both truly stating our experiences. However, the FACT is probably that it’s 72 F in the living room, and our reactions are different (I have very poor circulation). Generally, he’ll put the fan on, and I’ll go take my Nook and sit out in the sun if it’s summer, or in my room (with the room heater) in the winter. ---
**Author:** ![Twoflower](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/twoflower/32/22_2.png) [@Twoflower](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Twoflower)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2013, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-bible-true-god-real/664679/36 "2013-07-27T22:56:50Z")
> [@Buffalo\_Bilious](#): > > A minor level of scrutiny may reveal that your statement in and of itself isn’t “true” as well, no matter how strongly you believe it. > > “Snow and ice are cold”. I REALLY REALLY strongly believe this. > > Am I wrong? Is that not “true”? Really believing something doesn’t make it false either. Facts and belief are separate things. ---
**Author:** ![Buffalo\_Bilious](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e99b99/32.png) [@Buffalo\_Bilious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buffalo_Bilious)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2013, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-bible-true-god-real/664679/37 "2013-07-27T23:05:57Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > I cannot say that I can believe in a loving, caring God who looks after His children and only wants the best for them. > . That’s kinda sad. When did you become such a defeatist? ---
**Author:** ![Buffalo\_Bilious](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e99b99/32.png) [@Buffalo\_Bilious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buffalo_Bilious)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2013, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-bible-true-god-real/664679/38 "2013-07-27T23:16:16Z")
> [@Twoflower](#): > > Really believing something doesn’t make it false either. Facts and belief are separate things. OK, I’ve read that six times and I still don’t know what it means… If you’ll pardon me, I’ll just step over here and try to divide by zero. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2013, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-bible-true-god-real/664679/39 "2013-07-27T23:18:54Z")
> [@Buffalo\_Bilious](#): > > OK, I’ve read that six times and I still don’t know what it means… > > If you’ll pardon me, I’m going to go off and divide by zero. Facts exist irrespective of your particular beliefs surrounding them. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2013, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-bible-true-god-real/664679/40 "2013-07-27T23:22:21Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > Some parts of the Bible are true. Most parts are moral stories, allegories. > > I find no evidence that God is real. If He is, then he’s a real asshole, by all accounts. This. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-bible-true-god-real/664679.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-bible-true-god-real/664679.md?page=3)