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Originally Posted by zeek
I don't either. Metaphorical interpretation is unavoidable to some extent. If anyone thinks WL's interpretation was wrong or evoked bad behavior then show us what it was. Blanket condemnation of allegorizing is stupid. Even guys who censured it, like Martin Luther, used it sometimes. Metaphorical concepts permeate language. Biblical literalism as applied by fundamentalists presents problems of its own. Besides, Lee's teaching regarding calling on the Lord didn't involve allegory. It was strictly literal. Did we get hysterical about it? Yes. But that must have been due to factors other than allegory.
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This discussion is very confusing because the term "allegorizing" seems to be impossible to define. First, everyone admits that some parts of the Bible are to be understood allegorically. So it is fundamentally sound to look at many parts of the Bible as allegories. Second, it is also clear that even history can be seen allegorically as based on Paul's word in Galatians concerning Hagar.
What does happen is Christian teachers can go off the deep end with allegories seeing everything as an allegory. For example, WL was very big on what numbers in the Bible mean. I always felt that was extremely tenuous, and they bring out a good example of "the five husbands of the Samaritan woman". What do these 5 husbands represent in contrast to the man she is now with who is not her husband?
If you were to create a spectrum and put OBW on one end, I would certainly be on the other side of the midpoint of that spectrum on this. I see no harm in trying to determine what the 5 husbands are, and I feel it can be a profitable exercise in a kind of creative study of the word.
But as Awareness has pointed out, there are many unstable loonies in Christendom and this practice, taken in excess is like a drug. And like Ohio has pointed out, these allegories were used to create non NT teachings so justify covering up gross sins. And as Nigel pointed out this practice of allegorizing everything can be used to discourage saints from getting into the word and also enabling Christian leaders to abuse the flock.
So I think the thing to realize is that in the end, if the teaching originates from and is based on some allegory, it is a teaching without a solid foundation.