The Bible is for all people. Therefore, when reading it, we must lose our cultural bias. Much of reading the Bible should not affirm our culture, but condemn it. The Bible is elevated above all cultures. Sadly, many churches and missionaries elevate culture over the Bible. They use the Bible to confirm their culture rather than allowing the Bible to shape their culture. We must allow the Bible to shape us, not shape the Bible to affirm our biases.
The Bible is a book that has been translated into over 2,500 languages and is read by billions of people around the world. It is a book that has shaped cultures and societies for centuries. But what does it mean to read the Bible? And how can we avoid letting our own cultural biases influence our interpretation of the text?
When we read the Bible, it is important to remember that it was written in a different time and place than our own. The authors of the Bible were writing to a specific audience in a specific context. We need to be careful not to read our own cultural assumptions into the text.
For example, the Bible often talks about slavery. In the ancient world, slavery was a common practice. But in our modern world, slavery is universally condemned. So, when we read passages about slavery in the Bible, we need to be careful not to interpret them through our own cultural lens.
We also need to be careful not to use the Bible to justify our own cultural biases. The Bible is not a book that can be used to support any and all viewpoints. It is a book that challenges us to think critically about our own beliefs and practices.
When we read the Bible, we should allow it to shape us, not the other way around. We should be open to the possibility that the Bible may challenge our cultural assumptions. We should be willing to let the Bible change us, even if it means changing our way of life.
The Bible is a powerful book that can transform our lives. But it is only as powerful as we are willing to let it be. If we are willing to let the Bible shape us, it can help us to become more loving, more compassionate, and more just people.
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