Thought Theater

Biblical literalists rarely discuss the history behind its compilation. Instead, they remind the faithful of the provisions they find to be the most beneficial in maintaining their authority...and therefore the power it grants.

In truth, the Bible's compilation is a case study in the influences of culture, politics, sociology, psychology and any combination of the many other intrigues that can be associated with human nature.

In the following BBC documentary, Pete Owen Jones, an Anglican priest, provides an in-depth discussion of the many documents that were not included in the Bible...and the impact they may have had upon Christianity and the beliefs Christians hold.

What this documentary proves is that the history of man has always been a relatively subjective endeavor. In that reality, we are often left with uncertainties as to what is, in fact, reality. To presume that the Bible was constructed absent any such bias is to ignore the instruction of history...as well as the human nature of those who record it.

Yes, our need for an explanation of the meaning of our existence and an understanding of our inevitable mortality is a compelling motivation to believe in something with certainty. Notwithstanding, such need does not create fact out of fiction...no matter how desperate we may be for it to exist. Such is the existential conundrum we face.