A Fable is not a Bad Story; Just Know that it is a Fable

Be Scientifically Literate. Medieval times are long passed

If you marked "Yes", you need to explain why you did that.

I'm going to disappoint you and not give you the answers. I suspect you know the answers anyway. For eight of the questions you will answer "No" without a microsecond of hesitation. For the others, your pen may "wobble".

So let me just do a discussion of the questionnaire.

In eight of the questions, there are excerpts from literature that almost every child is familiar with. These stories are very successful, widely read, translated to other languages, adapted to the stage and screen. The characters are "anthromorphic", animals portrayed as human- like, wearing clothing, talking to each other, and pursuing human-like activities, like rowing a boat, driving a car, giving birthday presents. We all know that a rat and a mole cannot row a boat. We all know that reindeer cannot fly. We all know there is no animal with a human head and torso and a horse's body. [Centaur]. We all acknowledge there is no Wizard of Oz, yellow brick road, or men made of sticks and tin, that can walk and talk. But we enjoy the stories. We love the movies. Everyone knows these stories are fantasy. The animal characters display human qualities and foibles. They are sometimes greedy, jealous, envious, and foolish. The stories often have a "life lesson".

The result? Nothing but good.

Twelve of the questions came from the Christian Bible. The stories here are no different than Aesop's Fables, Grimm's Fairy Tales or the popular novels about Harry Potter. Read "Folk Tales and Fables of the World" By Barbara Hayes. I challenge you to provide a reason why the Story of Creation in Genesis is any more believable than the story of "Tricky Mr. Rabbit" from Africa.

From Genesis and Exodus, we read:

The sun stood still in the sky. The river Jordan stopped flowing, the water "piled up in a heap". The sea parted, "on either side like two walls". And the tallest tale of all time, the story of creation.

"And God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man"

OK, these are a collection of fables. But cut the writer some slack. There wasn't a shred of evidence for any other story of creation, so you could make up any fantasmical tale you wanted.

What is a little astonishing, is that the Christian world accepted this as the literal truth for the better part of two thousand years. And there are still more than a few believers today.

So, what is wrong with these biblical fables? Are they not just in the same make-believe zone as a Harry Potter novel? What harm can they do?

Let me tell you. The message is that "God" is immensely powerful. He knows all, sees all, can do anything, absolutely anything. Control the rotation of the earth. Part the sea. Stop the flow of a river, in full flood. Give an animal the power of speech. Turn someone into a pillar of salt. Instantly.

The Christian God is not someone to mess with.

Once the Christian has read about his all-powerful God, then he can turn to the pages where he will learn what will happen to him if he does not give himself to God.

"And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

" Behold, all souls are mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is mine: the soul who sins shall die." 

"The Lord preserves all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy."

" And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal."

" And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."

" He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him."

This is not the stuff of Winnie the Pooh. This is not a whimsical story about Mr. Mole and Mr. Rat. This is serious business. At stake, eternal Paradise or eternal damnation. And God will decide.

I am so sorry for those whose brains are invaded and captured by these words. Guilt and fear will fill their brain. The brain will be shut down. Freedom of thought is gone. Natural and exciting feelings are cancelled.

I hope you got a good result.  20/20