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[I Am a Bee]

Why are there so many different interpretations/beliefs, even within denominations?

How does religion work if some Christians think it's a sin to be gay or atheist but others don't? Some think God is all powerful while others think he is only omniscient. As an atheist, it is confusing when you ask ten different Christians what they believe to be true and they all come up with conflicting answers. I understand people have different interpretations of the Bible. Is the religion too young to have come to a general consensus yet? Will Christians ever come to an agreement?

[jimwalton]

Any communication, no matter what it is, whether written, oral, or even body language, is subject to interpretation. Communication theory tells us that there's the communicator, the message, and the receiver. The receiver is always in a position of interpretation. Even if God spoke to you, you'd have to interpret it. If God dropped golden tablets from the sky, there would be different interpretations of it. If God stood in front of you and wrote it down for you, you and the guy next to you would interpret it differently.

I just witnessed this the other day, and it's a common experience. My friend and I came out of a lecture. I said, "I thought that was amorphous. She drifted all over the place. I'm not sure what the point was. I mean, she said good things, but there was no structure." And my friend said, "I thought it was a great talk. I got a lot out of it. I don't think she meandered. She said it pretty clearly."

Go figure. Same talk.

Why are there so many interpretations? Because Christians are thinking people. We read, evaluate, assess, and interpret. It's OK if we see things differently. There is strength in diversity.

I know historians who disagree on how to interpret a certain event. Why, even now we can get different opinions about what the recently released FBI memo REALLY means. We get different interpretations of the relationship between Bill Belichick and Tom Brady. Some people think James Comes is a hero, and others think he's a goat. So what? People think about things, and they're entitled to their position. Some scientists think that the earth is warming because it's a natural cycle; some think it's warming because we are contributing to the problem. It makes for good dialogue, and it doesn't mean that the discipline is too young, or that it's all made up. I can see where it's confusing for you, but have you read about where economists think our economy is headed? You'll get plenty of different interpretations/beliefs there! Religion is no different, and it doesn't discredit us.

The other day I was having a conversation with someone about the novel/play "Les Miserables." He was saying that Javert, the evil police inspector, represented Christianity. I disagreed and asserted that the gracious priest did. This kind of stuff happens all the time. So we shouldn't denigrate Christianity when it has the same debates as the rest of culture.

By far the great majority of Christians agree on a vast foundation of beliefs. People debate, and even sometimes separate, because they are so committed to finding the truth.

Will Christians every come to an agreement? Probably not. The Bible, as with all communication, will always be subject to interpretation. The Dow Jones tumbled a few days ago, but specifically yesterday. I'm sure anyone can find a wide variety of positions as to why and what is happening with the economy.

[I Am a Bee]

I just feel like whenever I have gone to church, they preach so confidently as though it is the one and only truth. I don't get the sense that they accept that it may not be. I just wonder if priests and pastors see the possibility of different interpretations.

In English/French class we would read books (including Les Misérables) and were told the meaning behind them. But it was taught as if that was the truth and not inviting or accepting other interpretations.

[jimwalton]

Sure, just like an scientist or economist, for example, when people arrive at a position they hold to it tenaciously and defend it vigorously. If you've studied anything about group dynamics or sociology, you know that once a person has reached a state of confidence in his or her mind it takes an overabundance of evidence or a life-shattering experience to shake them out of their state of equilibrium to get them to even consider other viewpoints. This is not unique to Christianity or even religion, but pertains to all disciplines.

I know pastors who very readily see the possibility of different interpretations. Many of the commentaries I have read say things like, "Here are the possibilities of how to interpret this text, and here is the one I think has the greatest support." I hear many pastors talking the same way.

Whether Les Mis or Shakespeare, there are always a variety of interpretations. I think such variety is an asset to our learning and a stimulation to our reasoning process rather than a problem that creates disregard for the whole field. We learn better and reason better, I think, when opposing perspectives are put on the table. The Bible certainly does that for me. It makes me think hard and study deeply. And I respect the various perspectives different scholars have about it. It makes me think.

[I Am a Bee]

I respect this perspective and way of thinking. I am glad that people do ask questions and think critically (I know that many do). I guess this is just not the overall impression I have gotten. Perhaps my negative experiences have painted Christianity in a bad light.