I knew of God before I had done much with the Bible except perhaps consider its thin pages ideal joint rolling materia
I had a peace about things which I couldn't describe or understand. The problems hadn't gone away but it didn't seem to matter - it was all going to be okay. Then I came across "a peace which surpasses all understanding".
Maybe the dope you were smoking was stronger than you anticipated
Seriously though - The bible the word of God? Have you read the Koran? That also claims to be the word of God and at least has the advantage of not being repeatedly edited in order to advocate one political position or another as has been done with the bible over the centuries.
The bible is a mish mash of pagan beliefs repackaged, rebranded and manipulated over time.
1) Genesis is in large part a rehashing of the ancient Gilgamesh myth (garden, naked, corrupted by woman, wickednesss into the pure world, great flood as punishment etc. etc.)
2) Mithra the Roman deity (also Mitra the Indian God of the Sun and Persian Mithra) was born of a virgin, crucified and resurrected 3 days later, his birth was celebrated on the winter solstice and his resurrection celebrated at the time we now call Easter, his followers took part in a ritual involving bread and wine and the first Christian places of worship were built on temples originally devoted to him
3) Among the religions of the day incorporating a crucifixion myth, for example, were the mystery religions of Attis, Adonis, Dionysus, and several others. Dionisus, for example, was depicted as being given a crown of ivy, dressed in a purple robe, and was given gall to drink before his crucifixion. The depiction on a Greek vase from the 5th century B.C.E. even shows a communion being prepared.
Go figure.
OFF TOPIC - Please Do Not Respond to this message or continue in this vein.
AdminPD
Edited by Straggler, : No reason given.
Edited by AdminPD, : Warning