Why Would An Atheist Read The Bible?

[nailit]

Why would a creationist read The God Delusion?

Anyway, Ive set myself a goal (always lived my life by goal setting, it focus's the mind) to read the entire Bible...Genesis to Revelation...in 3 months!
Ive read the entire Bible before, but forgot much of it, and after a few conversations at work (with Evangelicals) Ive decided to read the lot again. After 14 days I am currently at the first few chapters of Deuteronomy. Have struggled (but persevered) through meaningless chapter after after chapter of animal sacrifices in Numbers to meaningless chapter after chapter of ridiculous laws in Leviticus, with endless repetitions of genealogies and the endless repetition of killing animals because it is a *Pleasing aroma before the Lord*

I can quiet understand why Bible believers have never read the Bible.
Its Boring.
Its sick
Its Immoral
Its irrelevant

But I'll read it!
Can Bible believers understand why I will?
(for the next couple of months at least)
;-)

[Mozz71]

//The name calling hasnt come from me//

They've come from both directions in the past.

[pixie374]

////I dont understand why believers cant accept that that non-believers read the Bible to educate themselves?//

Does anybody do that?//

Yes, mozz... that is the only reason for anyone to read it x

[Theland]

If you are not prepared to accept the possibility of a supernatural dimension, and are completely governed in your thinking by a strict adherence to naturalism, then the bible will possibly speak to you, as you will have already closed your mind.
I get criticised for posting videos, but the internet is a real asset, with lectures available from extremely well educated people who have earned their PhD's after studying the bible and science for many years.
Why not try learning from them?

[Mozz71]

Nailit, you misunderstood me mate, I meant does any believer fail to accept someone reading the Bible for educational purposes?

(And yes, I see that Llanfair cast the first namecalling stone. He must be without sin!)

[Mozz71]

Sorry, that was to Pixie, not Nailit.

[ludwig]

I think it's fine for people to read it to see what it's all about, but strange to want to read it all. It's not a story. It's a load of random books written at different times by different people stuck together, some very boring, others less so.

[pixie374]

Theland.... I suspect most of us have already heard of the internet and even YouTube and can already find what we want.
This is a site for conversation though and anyone who claims to believe something, should be equally happy to say why, without batting it off to other people.
It's one thing to use a link for a news article, but isn't really helpful just for other people's opinions... we can get those anywhere x

[pixie374]

I did misunderstand you, mozz. Apologies x

[nailit]

//Why not try learning from them?//
Theland, why not try thinking for yourself?
Its a liberating experiance!

[Llanfair]

Hardly Mozz! Anybody who states things that are clearly not true is a fool in my opinion. Just as I am indeed myself, for many reasons!

[Theland]

Nailit - I have always thought for myself, and for you to suggest otherwise is insulting.
But this is not surprising coming from you.
May I suggest you instead read a book on good manners?

[nailit]

//Nailit - I have always thought for myself//
Complimented by You-Tube videos!

//But this is not surprising coming from you//
You mean from someone who researches for himself by reading a book that you havn't and yet proclaims to live by?

//May I suggest you instead read a book on good manners?//
May I suggest that you read the Bible?

[jno]

naomi, belatedly, my previous post was directed to the OP, and his post, not at you.

[jourdain2]

Re. O.P. question. I believe in being informed, therefore (were I an atheist) I would read the Bible. I am not a Muslim, but I have read the Koran (as well as a good chunk of the Torah and some Hindu writings). So my answer is that anyone wanting to be aware of the beliefs of others, with whom they share the world and need to co-exist, should educate themselves. That's all.

[Khandro]

nailit; I really can't figure you out. Socrates said, "an unexamined life is not worth living", why not try to examine yours in relation to why you are doing this?

[vulcan42]

\\ Nailit - I have always thought for myself, and for you to suggest otherwise is insulting.//
For somebody who always thinks for himself, you seem very reluctant to express those thoughts. I suppose it's far easier to stick a video on instead of coming up with original thought.

[nailit]

//nailit; I really can't figure you out. Socrates said, "an unexamined life is not worth living", why not try to examine yours in relation to why you are doing this?//

I know why I am doing this though Khandro.
Ive already stated WHY i am doing this.
Whats so hard to understand?
Why are all the bible believers making unsubstantuated claims?

[nailit]

Ive set myself a goal to reread it and to refresh my memory....
Just exactly how that translates (in the mind of believers) to wanting to pick holes in it etc I dont know.

[naomi24]

Mozz, ///I dont understand why believers cant accept that that non-believers read the Bible to educate themselves?//

Does anybody do that?///

I do. See my post at 07:53 Wed 26th Feb 2020.

Jno,ok.

[Khandro]

nailit; //Why are all the bible believers making unsubstantuated claims?//

What exactly do you mean by "bible believers"? I don't think even the Pope believes the bible to be literally true It is full of allegory & metaphor, you need to use your intelligence & imagination to absorb this fact, otherwise you flounder around condemning everything in it & looking rather stupid.