Joe Bloe

Would it be even more shameful for me to admit that I actually did read through all the "begats"?

I even read through some of the begats after finally outgrowing religion. I added up the years of the pre-flood generations to see if there was time for Methuselah to have lived his alleged 969 years before the flood. Turns out he died in the year of the flood. No word that I saw about whether he was killed by the flood.

Spanky

I have read the bible several times and I even practically had all of the Gospels and Epistles memorized word for word.
And all I have to say about the bible is what Paul said (not about the bible ):
When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

Joe Bloe

Ditto. There's a lot of interesting stuff there, as Dean Anderson pointed out. It has been a major source of inspiration for Western culture (along with Plato, Aristotle, Sophocles, and other ancient writers; the more I read them, the more I realized, contrary to what I thought when I was a Christian, that we are much more the product of ancient Greek thought than we are of ancient Hebrew thought).

For another reason, I am completely convinced that if everyone in America were to read the Bible, the whole thing, really read it carefully and thoughtfully, then there would be fewer Christians as a result. I'm constantly amazed (though I should be used to it by now) how little so many Christians actually know about their Bible. Few people, if anyone at all, become Christian from reading the Bible. They become Christians because of what their parents taught them, or from being befriended in a time of need by a Christian community, or some other relationship of that sort, and learned in the context of those relationships how they were "supposed" to read and understand the Bible. But reading the Bible (and going beyond those imposed strictures on how to read and understand it) has led to many Christians becoming former Christians.

Joe Bloe

:thumbs: I've used that quote often when talking about outgrowing religion. Yes, amidst all the foolishness in it, there is also some wisdom in the Bible.

Codec

I read it pretty much the whole way through. I skipped some of proverbs and some of the psalms, I think I also missed one or two of the later books of the NT.

The early books are quite interesting and horrific. Not something I would want my children to read in parts for sure. A fairly good narrative, and then it all starts over again. :huh:
Some of the later parts of the OT I found really heavy going. Boring beyond belief - parts of Isaiah - just give it a rest mate.:banghead:

I agree with Joe Straczynski - it could really have done with a good editor.

I got half way through Quran too - I found that even more of a struggle - occasional bits are interesting but most of it deadly dull.

If I ever become a major new religious deity, my book is going to be at least interesting!

Ray Moscow

Sure, I've read the whole Bible, several times.

Why?

Goathead

Ive read through it three times (im old and grew up catholic).

I still am astounded peopel actually choose to believe this shit.



This the answer you wanted?

Faid

Not only have I read the bible, but I was taught the bible as well in junior high (it was obligatory in Greece in the 80's). And it seems I am far from being the exception here.

Not the kind of answers you were expecting in this forum, right dave?

Dave Hawkins

Oh yes. Several times. I actually LIKE the "hard" parts like Leviticus and Haggai and such. I have great explanations for many of the hard parts. My Christianity (evangelical Protestant variety) has gotten stronger the more I study it.

Goathead

Well thats surprising.



/confirmation bias.