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Want to understand

So I've been involved in a lot of discussion about religion lately, where I on one side maintain that religion, in all its organized forms, is vile, retrograde, repulsive, backwards, and generally unpleasant. On the other side, several friends who maintain that without christianity (in this case) I would have no morals, and every quote I toss out that highlights a contradiction is "ripped out of context" and I don't understand it (which, actually, is one of my main pet peeves - the fact that there are so many factions/interpretations of the bible, doesn't that tell you something about the reliability and objectivity of religion?)...so, I'm going to make the effort to read the damn thing. From cover to cover - old and new testaments.

Has anyone here done this, and can suggest a good version, or source, or way to study it? I have considered asking a coworker (who is very religious, but incidentally not part of the discussion I mentioned above) to act as a guide I can toss questions to. I feel that some of the questions I have, in order to give them the best chance of being answered in a "truly" christian way, should be answered by a theist.

Let me know what you think - am I smoking something, or is this a good thought?

Oh and by the way - in the discussion, I asked no less than THREE times "Name ONE good action taken or thing said by a theist that could not also be done or said by an atheist" - not a single response to that. Humor :)

Thanks!

Tags: atheism, bible, learn, theism, understand

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Permalink Reply by Mick Ohrberg on June 4, 2012 at 6:58am

I love hearing about the ex-pastors who become strong atheists - Good on ya, mate! Ben Tegland (AtheistUnderworld.com) and Matt Dillahunty (atheist-experience.com) are but two other brilliant examples. My friend, though, knows that he stands little chance to convert me, so maybe he'd give it to me straight. I dunno - maybe that's a bit naïve on my behalf.

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Permalink Reply by Chris Breman on June 4, 2012 at 1:17am

Start at page 1 and make notes - but it's a tedious job! I read the bible when I still lived with my fundie parents, luckily I forgot most of it.

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Permalink Reply by Mick Ohrberg on June 4, 2012 at 8:01am

It appears to "ammo up" as it were, you really need to know where they're coming from - in a literary sense. The apparent logical hoop-jumping and acrobatics is something I have, thus far, seemed unable to perform.

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Permalink Reply by Richard Healy on June 4, 2012 at 1:42am

Re: "out of context" - give an exasperated but level stare and just ask: "what possible context could make [insert biblical outrage*] moral/legal/a good idea etc...

*take your pick from the book of numbers, judges and especially Joshua (the bloodiest book of the entire saga)

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Permalink Reply by Mick Ohrberg on June 4, 2012 at 6:40am

Yeah Leviticus is another favorite, but then I get "Christians get their morals from the new testament", upon which I inquire "So there's nothing of moral value in the old testament?", something I have yet to receive a response to.

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Permalink Reply by Tony Carroll on June 4, 2012 at 7:03am

Yeah, I also use this. Then I hit 'em with Matthew 5:18. Jesus says ( I'm not gonna quote direct, just summarize ), that not one word of the law--OT-- would pass away until the end of time. So the "morals" of the OT are still in effect. Am either stared at, told I am taking it out of context, or some things I won't repeat here. Good times.

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Permalink Reply by Tammy S on June 4, 2012 at 7:08am

I love that one too Tony always a conversation stopper! He came to 'keep' the law, it kind of destroys the loving, meek, mild, liberal Jesus idea.

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Permalink Reply by Mick Ohrberg on June 4, 2012 at 7:59am

Will check that out - thanks!

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Permalink Reply by Mick Ohrberg on June 4, 2012 at 10:08pm

Until I read some more of the stuff, I'll have to hold off on asking questions. Although - I have told my opposition that every time he brings up the bible, I will bring up LotR - both with things to teach you, and both fairly impressive, if not really professionally written, literary works.

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Permalink Reply by booklover on June 4, 2012 at 4:16pm

That was a great question you posed to them Mick. Funny that they couldn't answer something that should have seemed so simple to them.~ Melinda

p.s. I tried several times to read the bible cover-to-cover, both old & new. Couldn't do it for the life of me. Too stupid and boring to me.

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Permalink Reply by Mick Ohrberg on June 4, 2012 at 9:38pm

I can, alas!, not take credit for that particular question. If the question (and its follow-up) haven't been given a name, they should be named Hitchen's Challgenge, or The Hitchens Challenge - unless somebody preceeded him with it.

The follow-up, if you're not familiar with it, is "Name a wicked action taken or thing said by a theist that could not be said by an atheist". Hitchens, awesomeness personified, liked to pose these two questions on talks, and I don't think he ever received a legit response.