the bible

[fairkatrina]

i'm interested to know how many ordinary people have actually read the bible (or any other holy book for that matter). did it confirm or destroy your faith?

[wizard69]

hey fairatrina, your not related to theland by any chance are you? Ive read the bible through many times (all of it...not just the bits that christians want you to read). What a croc of cr*p.How any sane person can believe it is beyond me.
Ive also read a large part of the koran ,the bhagavad gita and the book of mormon.Ditto.
You'r not a born agan christian by any chance are you.Out to convert answerbank?

[fairkatrina]

Hell no, lol. It's just I read it for my degree (literature) and couldn't work out how anyone who's read it all properly could take it seriously as a historical document, so I'm keen to know if I'm in a majority or a minority here.

[Theland]

Wizaed69 - That doesn't make sense. You take a book that you don't believe, in fact you hate all that it stands for , and then having read it, you go on to read it again and again and again. Then when you've had enough of that, instead of reaching for a novel, you get going on the koran and these other religious tomes.
Sounds like you're searching for something maybe?

[steenbrassie]

hi fairkatrina, yes, I've read the Bible and I'm still reading it today...can't go without it actually! It's feeds my spirit and builds my faith! It's powerful!!!

[wizard69]

Theland...you make a number of assumptions that require an answer.First of all you state that I take a book that I dont believe in and in fact hate and read it again and again.Lets start from the beginning.When I first became interested in the bible (and religion in general) I was about 14 years old.I had no preconceptions about the bible then, one way or another.Religious education was my top subject at school (N.B religious education is not the same as religious indoctrination).While my R.E teacher was teaching us the usual RE curriculum I was busy reading the rest.I became facsinated by the "hidden" stories of the bible, the ones that you NEVER hear from the pulpit of any church.My interest in all things religious/spiritual/supernatural/ had begun.During my teenage years my interest grew and I looked into all manner of philosophies.the occult, mysticism, ufo's, eastern guru's, churches, quantum physics, magic, wicca., various schools of psychology and parapsychology. The list goes on.I used to read at least one book a day (i'm an extremly quick reader).
cont...

[wizard69]

And now at the age of 40 ive reached the only conclusion that I can.There is nothing more than this life.Theland , you say that maybe im searching for something more.I have searched and in my searching ive had to be scrupiously honest with myself.I havnt taken a belief system (in your case the bible) and made everything else fit around it.Instead ive had to ask "does this conform to reality". Unlike you Theland, ive read the bible through from cover to cover.Not to pick fault with it but to see if it could stand up under scrutiny--to see what truths, if any, it contained.
It contained little.Sure, the bible contains some beatiful parts,some wisdom and some heartwarming stories (the book of Ruth for example)For the most part it is a mixture of myth,horror and backward, primitive beliefs and laws.

Hope that provides a satisfactory answer!!!!!!!!!!! [edit by ABED]

[Theland]

wizard69 - I take my hat off to you. Please accept my apologies for any offence given,

[wizard69]

Theland, no need to apologise Sir,no offence taken.If any one needs to apologise its probably me as I can get a bit overheated at times, but hey, were only human. Now put that hat back on your head before it gets cold..lol

[wizard69]

answerbank ed....why have you edited my post? I havnt slandered anyone,been abusive to anyone.I havnt used bad language, merely put my point of view across.Seems that free speech on AB is like the god that we are discussing here...non existant!

[Theland]

Answerbank ed - I have to support Wizard69 on this one, not least because my belief is that the Bible can stand up to the stringent examination he gives it.
The Bible can defend itself, and editing like this adds nothing to our debate.

[wizard69]

if religious folk had their posts edited , there would be (quiet rightly) a cry of religious discrimination.It appears that it doesnt cut two ways on here.As an atheist ive been slandered many times by religionists who dont like my take on life and ive had my own philosophies derided.I couldnt give two hoots.What I AM passionate about is free speech.I strongley disagree with you theland but I think that we both agree that it would be a sad day when either of us is denied our right to say what we think.

[Theland]

Being new to AB, (I'm still a novitiate and haven't taken my vows yet), I am perplexed as to the conditions that would merit the blue pencil of censorship.
I'd like to think that in future, I could speak with honesty and integrity, and provided it is understood that no personal criticism is intended on my part, I would like my views also allowed to remain in their original form.

[wizard69]

Amen

[pugwashjw]

Quite a few times and studied it book by book. Genesis 3;15 relates directly with Jesus' appearance on earth. It is a prophecy that pits Jesus and his followers against Satan, and his followers.
The book of Daniel [ 2;44] is a prophecy about a number [ 5] of civilizations, ending with the Roman. The modern Britain and America are an extension of that last 'world power'.
Revelation gives details of what God hjas promised after Armageddon.
It all fits.

[fairkatrina]

But have you never thought about how repetitive the Bible is? For example there is little difference between the narrative of Joseph in Gensis and the book of Daniel. There is also the authorial problem, for example the Pentateuch is alleged to have been written by Moses, but recounts the events and aftermath of his death. Then how is the apocrypha explained, are those books really Biblical or not? If not why have we kept them for so long? Do you believe that the Council of Nicea really found the Bible in its present form as a result of Holy intervention, or did someone just mess the papers up? Do you think that dragons, phoenixes, sea-monsters etc really exist, or were they just allegorical devices? Do you mind that you can't read the Bible in its orginal form, or that several passages have been made-up because the original manuscripts were illegiable or damaged? Do the issues of translating an ancient language into its modern counterpart, and then into a foreign language, affect the message at all? How do you reconcile the ever-present and wrathful God of the Old Testament with today's silent heavens? Do you believe Genesis B has any merit to modern theological thinking? Do you think it matters to God anymore if you eat meat on a Friday or wear clothes made of two different kinds of cloth?

[commonsense]

Please read The Jesus Mysteries, by Timothy Freke and Peter Gandy. This is an interesting read and gave me a further understanding of The Bible and Christianity as a whole. Also, I have read it (the Bible) and I agree that it is just impossible for any 'christian' to actually make sense of it. After 6 years of studying christian theology I feel quite sorry for the people who actually follow it, literal christians.