All people have a cultural object that shapes their behavior and social norms. The Bible is one of the world’s most influential cultural objects that posit fundamental roles in modeling individuals’ spiritual health. Ideally, it is a typical collection of historical events in ancient times held sacredly to the people in religious cultures and beliefs. Concurrently, it has well-structured and set rules and regulations which smoothly advise folks and guide morality in societies without partiality as it centers on one Supreme Being. In fact, the Bible serves as a persuasive material instance of rhetoric directing believers to live a faithful life anchored in prayers and continuity of spirituality.
The Bible persuades always me to think, remember, and believe that God, the creator of everything, is in heaven and watches over me, listening and communicating to me through prayers. Pahl and Rowsell (2019) assert that each object has stories to tell. Similarly, my Bible teaches me to abide by moral values living a life that is holy and just, loving everyone because He has a reward for good deeds after our struggles on earth. These concepts are found in different verses within the Bible, propelling hope and faithfulness among believers (DeGear, 2016). All religious divides tend to believe in the teachings of the Bible and other holy writings such as the Koran
As a cultural object, it persuades me to believe that God is a supreme being who is always present in my life. When I read the contents in different chapters, I realize that God demands us to believe in Him because He is the father of all nations and the giver of life. On the one hand, the Bible enlists God’s promises to his people who do good deeds while living on earth. On the other hand, the assertions also entail warnings and consequences of living carelessly without considering God’s voice. Throughout the Bible, I am persuaded to believe that God loves us as His children.
Simultaneously, the philosophical and proverbial quotes across different verses teach me the value of living a just life, full of love and in adherence with the Ten Commandments. One way the chronological accounts enchant my hope is the promise of life after death. The teachings of both the old and new testaments provide a clear vision of a life beyond human nature, living with the angels. Such considerations convince me to believe that I should be holy living according to His will and commandments, alongside the creation story.
Essentially, the chronology epitomized within the order of God’s creation indicates that He is a God of order and does everything with a clear plan. In His likeness and will, God participates in creating living things and blessed them to fulfill desires in living happily. Consequently, this notion makes me believe that we have to treat one another, in addition to other living things and the environment, respectfully. When we degrade or pollute the environment, we go against the intentions of our creator. Therefore, I tend to live responsibly by taking care of my surroundings and ensuring that those we live with are happy at all times. In case of conflicts, we are always recommended to resolve the issues to restore harmony with nature. Evidently, there are different documentation of stories of ancient people who lived in different environments, during wars, hunger, and richness of nature’s provision. The series of these narratives assure us of the history of God and humanity. The way the individuals survived their tribulations during those times, God promises in the other sections that He will take care of us (Parmenter, 2017). Such provisions indicate how the cultural object, the Bible, persuades me to live with hope and faith about the things that I cannot see and touch.
References
DeGear, E. B. (2016). The Bible as transformational object: The psychoanalytic theories of Christopher Bollas and their relevance for religious educators. Religious Education, 111(5), 470–486. doi:10.1080/00344087.2015.1080582
Pahl, K., & Rowsell, J. (2019). Artifactual literacies: Every object tells a story. New-York, NY: Teachers College Press.
Parmenter, D. M. (2017). How the Bible Feels: The Christian bible an effective and affective object. Postscripts: The Journal of Sacred Texts, Cultural Histories, and Contemporary Contexts, 8(1-2), 27–37. doi:10.1558/post.32589