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Reading the Bible
My parents gave me a Bible for Xmas (might be a good sign to come out to them?).
Anyhow, its one of these "Read the bible in 90 days" pieces, and I decided it might be fun to see what all the fuss is about. So, I've started to dig in.
I've gotten to the beginning of Leviticus. I've been amazed by both the contradictions and the incredible BOREDOM. Exodus is the biggest snoozefest ever after the plagues. I completely understand why most Christians have only a cursory understanding of the Bible: its the lamest read imaginable.
I was just curious if there are any other folks who have actually read significant portions of the "Good" Book, and what your thoughts were on the experience.
Anyhow, its one of these "Read the bible in 90 days" pieces, and I decided it might be fun to see what all the fuss is about. So, I've started to dig in.
I've gotten to the beginning of Leviticus. I've been amazed by both the contradictions and the incredible BOREDOM. Exodus is the biggest snoozefest ever after the plagues. I completely understand why most Christians have only a cursory understanding of the Bible: its the lamest read imaginable.
I was just curious if there are any other folks who have actually read significant portions of the "Good" Book, and what your thoughts were on the experience.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Danny on -
I haven't read the entire bible, but I have read Genesis and Revelations completely and large chunks of other books. I think it is a really great idea for non-theist to read not just the bible but other holy books like the quran. It helps us get a better understanding of how they think so that we can be better prepared in a debate. I also love being able to use the contradictions in the bible in a debate, that really makes them mad.
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Permalink Reply by Hank Bones on -
i think more THEISTS should read their respective holy books. and think critically about what the book says. the scales would fall from their eyes.
but then, critical thinking isn't generally a strong suit of the fundie.
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Permalink Reply by JayBarti on -
Most fundy theists I know prefer to get their messages straight from the source apparently. :D
I agree however that non-theists should at the very least familiarize themselves with the general writings of most of the major religions, or at the very least read the Coles notes versions, though to be honest I am not even sure it those actually exist, but it would be great fun if they did.
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Permalink Reply by Angie Jackson on -
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Permalink Reply by funk Q on -
I don't think reading the full texts is of any help. The best thing is to find particular passages where there is contradiction or disagreement on meaning and really delve into them.
Most theists may know the words but aren't very good at the interpretation or application. Some sects actually discourage their members from too much reading and will tell them what god says it means (or something along those lines).
I tried to read the q'ran and found it so bad and such a load of rubbish I threw the book out.
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Permalink Reply by Hank Bones on
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i agree that its best to focus on parts that have contradictions, but if you are close reading, you can only find very narrow condradictions (ie- within a particular book/chapter). the contradictions that are most damning are the ones that are across books, or that just don't agree with present observations. like Israel being the "chosen people."
as a sidenote to that, one of my biggest pet-peeves of the american fundamentalist movement is its close association with nationalism. a lot of US fundies have the idea that america is god's chosen nation. i'm not sure when/how this started. does this exist in other countries as well?
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Permalink Reply by Mr Saturday Nite on -
To me, the most damning thing to those who believe the whole Bible to be true are the parts of the Mosaic law that any sane person would believe to be a horrific crime. For example, the passage below states that an unwed rape victim who is pledged to be married should be put to death alongside her attacker, and one who is not pledged to be married should be forced to marry her attacker.
Deuteronomy 22:23 If there is a young lady who is a virgin pledged to be married to a husband, and a man find her in the city, and lie with her; 24 then you shall bring them both out to the gate of that city, and you shall stone them to death with stones; the lady, because she didn't cry, being in the city; and the man, because he has humbled his neighbor's wife: so you shall put away the evil from the midst of you. 25 But if the man find the lady who is pledged to be married in the field, and the man force her, and lie with her; then the man only who lay with her shall die: 26 but to the lady you shall do nothing; there is in the lady no sin worthy of death: for as when a man rises against his neighbor, and kills him, even so is this matter; 27 for he found her in the field, the pledged to be married lady cried, and there was none to save her. 28 If a man find a lady who is a virgin, who is not pledged to be married, and lay hold on her, and lie with her, and they be found; 29 then the man who lay with her shall give to the lady's father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife, because he has humbled her; he may not put her away all his days.
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Permalink Reply by Draccataura on -
Nazi Germany. The Aryan "Chosen" race.
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Permalink Reply by daniel becker on -
i read all of genesis, exodus, leviticus, and a good portion of both numbers and deuteronomy . It is comprised of 1) rules and 2) killing. The rules are for the most part very boring, and the killing is disturbing. ultimately it was the slaughter that god enjoys that got me to question my religion and eventually leave it.
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Permalink Reply by Rev Hellbound Alleee on -
I find it's really hard to get through Judges and Kings, maybe Deuteronomy, for all the bloody slaughter. It gets so unbelievable that you find yourself desensitized to this wholly racist/ancestorist(?) garbage. Can you imagine reading about all this slaughter and getting bored? Yep. That's how it is--it makes you disgusted with yourself.
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Permalink Reply by Jezzy on -
I'm extremely interested in studying religion. I feel like it will strengthen my argument as an Atheist and make my brain more juicy with sweet knowledge. However, whenever I start to read religious texts, which tend to be Mormon from my upbringing, it starts to irk me and I can feel the bitterness rising like bile.
Still, you don't have to know much of the Bible to discredit it.
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Permalink Reply by Dionysus on -
Why read the bible when we have Hunter Thompson, Louis F. Celine, Jack Kerouac, Ernest Hemingway, Mark Twain, F. Scott Fitzgerald, etc. They're so much more entertaining to read than any biblical text. I've read parts of the bible but only because I've had to. My parents put me in Catholic school for grade school and high school so they kind of rubbed my nose in the filfth but now you'd have to pay me well to pick up that thing and so far... no check today's mail and tommorrow's not looking real good either.
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