Splarnst

But a major difference is that you can read the entire U.S. Constitution in like half an hour at most, whereas the Bible takes much, much, much longer.

Joan of Bark

It's so funny that Christians who believe the Bible to be the word of God have never read it. It's as if they're saying: despite his omnipotence, he's a lousy writer ...

bacht

"Surveys repeatedly show that Christian populations, when left to their own devices, do not seem too interested in Bible reading unless convinced otherwise by their authorities. As it is, note the paradox of publishers citing inflated sales figures for Bibles as proof that the Bible matters, and religion professors complaining that few people are actually reading the Bibles being sold."

I wonder if this observation is based on unrealistic expectations. Just because Christians in general and Protestants in particular are "people of the book" doesn't mean that all believers are interested in studying the Bible themselves. Beyond the Ten Commandments and maybe the Sermon on the Mount, many Christians may not be interested in the challenge of understanding ancient perspectives as long as their social needs are met in church.

show_no_mercy

Exactly. One of my ex-gfs had a "bible quote of the day" application on her Desktop. These were usually feel good quotes that were necessarily taken out of context to make them relevant to the modern era. I think this is the extent that modern Christians "read" their bible.

bacht

Yep, I work with a woman who uses such things. She wouldn't know Josiah from Adam, and seems happy in her ignorance.

There may be some believers actually afraid to scan the scriptures for themselves, they may worry about finding things they won't like or understand. Or they may consider the old texts too difficult to approach without guidance.

Eldarion Lathria

If you've ever read devotional literature (most christians never read apologetics) or heard a sermon you see the same thing. Part of a verse from here, part of a verse from there, bits taken totally out of context and given a syrupy commentary to make it go down.

Eldarion Lathria

Sheshbazzar

The Christians in my family are much more devoted to the maintaining of what they are convinced is a 'traditional' Christian lifestyle, and really have little interest in the actual Bible except as prop, and handy tool for 'proving' their various opinions.
No doubt if they held the power to, they would use it to force, and enforce their opinions on everyone.

The Fundamentalist Christians in my family live in a fantasy world, one where everything in the America of 1940s and 50's is regarded as being better than it is today. They want to continue living life as idealised in those fondly recalled Norman Rockwell paintings.
In a sense, feeling threatened by the speed and pressures of scientific, technological, and social progress, they have 'circled their wagons', and living within that 'security' provided by their protective cultic social enclaves, they engage in attempting to 'shoot down' anything that would threaten their cherished lifestyle dream.
They do not want to live an actual lifestyle as portrayed within the Bible, but in their idealised version of 20t century America.
This Fundamentalist Christian idealised American lifestyle yearning and reenactment by its very nature is a product of America, and Americanism, often confused with 'patriotism'.

In this idealised Fundamentalist view, America, and its 'Christian Values', 'ethics' and 'Americanised' religious beliefs, are #1, the ultimate in human achievement, and need to be exported and implemented everywhere on earth_
of course with Fundamentalist American denominations and clerics holding dominion over all.
Lots more that I could mention, but this is enough for this post.

bacht

Fear of modernity seems to be the driver of fundamentalism, whether Biblical or other traditions. In N America we also see groups like the Amish and Mennonites voluntarily living in pre-modern conditions.

Sheshbazzar

Now that you have mentioned it, what I omitted mentioning in my former post, was that fawning admiration, and even envy that my Fundy relatives hold for the Amish and Mennonites, with their wonderful simple and 'pure' Christian lifestyle.
Many of my relatives wish that they could return to a 'horse and buggy' style of living.

FWIW. I have long time Amish and Mennonite personal acquaintances to whom I resort to for a variety of goods and business services.
I have found them to be friendly, eager to satisfy, prompt, and their trade skills to be above average, and very reasonably priced.

James Brown

There's a lot of admiration among fundamentalists for the mid-eighteenth century American Great Plains lifestyle, as well, brought on by watching re-runs of Little House on the Prairie.