Joan of Bark

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BALDUCCI

Shakespeare wrote in a very different cultural context to that which exists today, and we can learn from his wisdom, as well as that of John Donne, Francis Bacon, Aristotle etc. The fact that individuals writing in a different historical time and cultural context, can produce ideas that still move us, doesnt make the Bible specially sacred or the actual word of god.

The issue I think is stated the wrong-way around. Its not the cultural context at the time of composition, but the cultural context at the time of interpretation that matters. For example, Christians and atheists throughout the world are justifiably amazed that there are perhaps 80 million redneck pagans in the bible-belt of the USA who believe that Jesus preached the "gospel of prosperity", a justification for greed, capitalism, invading foreign countries and stealing their assets and murdering their children. And the nation as a whole put in place as their head of state someone who believes in this "interpretation". If this is possible, much less importance should be attached to the cultural context in which the books of the Bible were written (and there were in any case, dozens of cultural contexts, not just one...Matthew and John share almost no cultural contextual similarity)