Evoken

Good for you thats a double for Team Hell.

Hehe now I am weak because I accept The Bible?

And player Goliath steals Home! Team Hell Burns!

Evoken

I didn't say everyone does it the same way. And yes I was talking about the possition of the reader so not about the actual content changing or anything.



1-No purpose, really.
2-They are paid adds, they wouldn't be there if they weren't profitable would they?
3-"A Case Against The Bible and Christianity" and "America the vengenful and Christian nation" can't make it cleared than that.



Yes it is, if you don't ask first but I was not reffering to any person in particular. I am talking about the atmosphere of the forum.

Goliath

So you've resorted to threats now? How about some substance for a change?

Sincerely,

Goliath

Evoken

Nah..just kidding a bit with ya oh Goliath. What substance do you demand?

Goliath

How about actually backing up your assertion that most atheists read the bible as though it were a science text or a newspaper? Anti-theism seems to have nothing to do with it, as I hate xianity, but have never read the bible in the way that you described.

Sincerely,

Goliath

Celsus

Perhaps then, a deeper understanding of the subjects is beyond your grasp.
Sorry, I meant, "...judge it fairly." Two starter questions: Why do people read literature? Why do people study ancient literature?
No, spin is the expert. The point that has been made in this thread is that the Bible is simply an ancient historical artifact. Whether Christians read it in such a way that their interpretation of the Bible is "crap" is a separate matter. What the interested reader can glean from the Bible is the way ancient people perceived their social world. Whether or not this interests you is unimportant, but it does not follow then that the Bible is "crap." Goliath wants to claim the Bible is rubbish which says more about how deeply troubled he is about a mere ancient artifact than it says about the Bible. In the next episode, perhaps Goliath will explain why Stonehenge, the Pyramids, Borubador, Angkor Wat, and other ancient religious artifacts are crap. Or perhaps he'll do himself a favour and read up about how ancient literature (including the Bible) has contributed enormously to mankind's efforts at literacy.

Joel

Nectaris

I was just wondering how a person's position would change things. I could see your point of if a person were reading a book with the presumption that everything is false no matter what or everything is true, regardless of the actual content. Although I would like to think that a fairly convincing argument supported by evidence could change a person's beliefs or thoughts on a matter. Sadly, that is not always the case.

1. Just a pet peeve of mine, the newsletter for Michigan Atheists does the same thing (capitalized here because it is the proper name of an organization). If anything it would lead an otherwise neutral reader to think that atheism is a religion.
2. Or they aren't very good business people.
3. Christianity is only one flavor of theism, though. You could make an argument that there is an anti-Christian bias, though. I think that is more a result that most of the former theists and most theists who post in these forums were/are Christian.

Perhaps as the title of the post would lend credence to that. For what it's worth I think the Bible is an interesting cultural document that reflects the thoughts, ideals, history, and mythology of a group of people that was written over centuries. Although I find the Hebrew scriptures much more interesting in this regard.

Dave

pope fiction

If we come to common ground and say it's merely an ancient artifact, then anyone of any faith could read it. However, the nature of it suggests ways to live, people to worship etc. It's not just a book full of fairy tales and metaphors, it's a book that suggests a way of life. In this sense, I don't believe it to be good literature. I don't mind reading about some metaphorical fairy tales, but not if it's trying to get me to change my belief system throughout the entire book. Not that I'm closed minded to other ways of life and other beliefs, but I've already given that lifestyle a chance and didn't benefit from it.

PF

Goliath

Since you don't know a thing about me, why should I attach any significance to such a prejudicial remark?

Fairly according to whom?

The answer is a function of the person asked. I suspect that two somewhat common answers might be because the person in question enjoys reading literature (resp. ancient literature).

Either point out where I made such a claim, or retract your accusation, please.

Sincerely,

Goliath

Celsus

So what if it suggests ways to live? The Qumran sect had an entire Community Rule with strict rituals and all, but it still is important in shedding light on the life and times of the people. No one seriously thinks the CR is a worthless document just because it is prescriptive. It may not be "good" literature by whatever subjective standards, but it is important literature nonetheless, and has fascinated scholars around the world. Ergo, it's not crap. Likewise, Hammurapi's law code was a list of rewards and punishments relating to specific breaches (and we would consider many of the punishments barbaric), but it is important nevertheless in that an early civilisation was trying to establish universal standards of punishment as a step forward for justice (i.e., someone who robbed wouldn't necessarily get his head chopped off while another robber was fined 30 shekels). The Bible is not altogether different in many ways, but the standards are barbaric to us (and similarly, our standards will probably be judged as barbaric to those people in the future who refuse to acknowledge that we be judged by the times we lived in).

Joel