The Bible: Have you read it? [Archive]

indie

14 Apr 2005, 07:15 PM

nBT

14 Apr 2005, 07:55 PM

ive read it several times
i have been raised with its stories and its meanings. i keep reading it, but i dont have a regular 'schedule'. i am ever struggling with its contents.
i do not wish to forsake the bible, nor my christianity.

coffeezombie

14 Apr 2005, 07:59 PM

I've read parts of the Bible, but only for classes in which literally allusions to important Biblical stories were important.

nobarcode

14 Apr 2005, 08:02 PM

I've read most of the Bible and still do. Then I go read Principia Discordia. My beliefs always change. It's fun.

CrackerJack

14 Apr 2005, 08:06 PM

Yes, i read almost every page of it, pretty much just to see what it was about and what I was missing.
At the end i was very bored, and still dont believe a word of it.

Lee

14 Apr 2005, 09:12 PM

I have never read the Bible, but then again I have never read Harry Potter either.

"InsertNameHere"

14 Apr 2005, 09:16 PM

I've read parts of the bible
Genesis (the whole thing once)
Revelation (whole thing many times)
I've read parts of other chapters (like the multiple versions of Jesus) but i don't remember which ones. I've done most of my reading during church when (ALL THE TIME) i didn't feel like listening to the pastor. I tend to like my own interpretations better.

Apostasius

14 Apr 2005, 10:38 PM

Personally, I'm not sure whether or not there is a necessary correlation between reading sacred texts and one's beliefs.

I've read the whole Bible a few times. I grew up in a conservative Christian household and considered myself a devout Christian. In fact, I decided to go to a Christian university where I received my B.A. in biblical studies and M.A. in theology.

Now, I am an agnostic/atheist (it's a long story).

Sam172

14 Apr 2005, 10:49 PM

Yes, I've read some of the Bible and don't believe it's the word of God

I like Romans actually....

Biff_Loman

14 Apr 2005, 10:49 PM

I've read the entire bible at least twice.

I don't know what to say. I believed it then. It seems a little quaint, now, to base one's existential philosophy on the collected writings of some ancient Semitic peoples.

Actually, when you write it out like that in plain language, it doesn't sound quaint. It sounds damn asinine.

Eileen

14 Apr 2005, 11:53 PM

I've read most of the Bible at one point or another, but it's a goal of mine to sit down and actually make it through the whole thing--not necessarily cover to cover, but all in one effort.

As for the "word of God..." well... I'm complicated about stuff like that. I suspend my disbelief, but I wouldn't call it belief either. That's faith.

I have been very, very angry at the Bible, and the most important reason that I left the Lutheran church was because of its blasted insistence on sola scriptura, this "Word Alone" idea. In the Episcopal church, scripture is part of a three-legged stool on which people can experience/try to understand God, along with reason (which includes experience--John Wesley broke up experience and reason to make a similar quad for the Methodist church) and tradition (meaning both liturgy and the writings of the church fathers, which naturally vary widely in what they say...).

I've talked before here about what changed my attitude toward the Bible when I was about ready to chuck it out the window--and that was learning that Christianity was not originally a bible-based religion; it was creed-based, and moreover, reading Scripture by "flesh alone" (literally) was HERESY. The important questions are not things like "Did God really make the world in seven days?" or even "Did Jesus literally rise from the dead?" but questions about the MEANING and IMPLICATIONS of such literary events. It is more important to read it "by the soul" (morally) and "by the spirit" (allegorically). Having grown up in the dogmatic Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, learning this was incredibly liberating to me. I didn't want to throw the Bible out entirely, because there are things there that I find very moving and relevant to my life, but I also didn't want to lean on it entirely, especially when I felt so strongly that I had *experienced* God and could learn just as much from my experiences or MORE.

snarled

15 Apr 2005, 12:38 AM

As a kid I went to a boarding school where we had to go to church every second Sunday. I spent this time reading 'the old school stuff' in the bible in front of me, and mentally converting it to some 'Die Hard'-esque action flick. Yeah David! That and making the guys next to me titter... *points* "Thou shalt not have sexual relations with a goat" *giggle*. "Wow... people had to be told that back then". Then I grew up some. Damn.

Biff_Loman

15 Apr 2005, 01:44 AM

Eileen: your INTP man is a lucky, lucky guy IMO.

cjs55

15 Apr 2005, 01:51 AM

I've read enough of it.

Claverhouse

15 Apr 2005, 02:37 AM

Yes, I've read some of the Bible and don't believe it's the word of God.

And quite dispassionately: someone's got to pay for making me read that stuff. Society as a whole, probably.

Claverhouse :ph34r:

It's only virtue is that the King James Version is beautifully rendered in parts: but possibly at the expense of the intentions of the original authors: whom I rather assume all had long white beards and ate random insects like Renwick.

Eileen

15 Apr 2005, 03:08 AM

Eileen: your INTP man is a lucky, lucky guy IMO.

Awww, I'll bet you say that to all the INFJs!
:blush:

Serotonin

15 Apr 2005, 03:15 AM

The important questions are not things like "Did God really make the world in seven days?" or even "Did Jesus literally rise from the dead?" but questions about the MEANING and IMPLICATIONS of such literary events. It is more important to read it "by the soul" (morally) and "by the spirit" (allegorically).

If only the church would use this as the selling point for their religion, instead of it being entirely literal (which has proven to be untrue), then I would feel no hostility to Christianity.

But there are more S than N types in the world, and the literal interpretation will always have the stranglehold on the doctrine and ethos of the church. Sad, really.

Edit: I have read genesis and the gospels, and they were interesting and thought-provoking, but not life-changing for me.

ApeTheDog

15 Apr 2005, 03:28 AM

I've read parts of the Bible when I was a child because I had to in school, but that's as far as I'll go.

I do have the intention of reading the qu'ran one day. The parts I've already read of it I've liked very much. Unlike with the Bible, the qu'ran is a book I enjoy reading on an aesthetic level, because of the rich poetry-like language.

CreativeChaos

15 Apr 2005, 03:51 AM

Being a Methodist Ministers daughter I have read the entire Bible, at least three times, and portions of it forever and a day. I do not believe it is the word of God. It was written by Jewish cult members of Jesus who couldn't handle the fact that he died. So they created the whole risen from the dead, died for our sins crap, and what's more they believed it themselves.

kruT

15 Apr 2005, 04:11 AM

I started reading it. I wound up quitting due to other work interferring with my time. It bothered me.

joft

15 Apr 2005, 04:57 AM

I believe I've read all 66 books, but not in the order they're presented. Some parts many, many times. I used to be the best bible quizzer in my state (within my former denomination), that involved memorizing entire books word-for-word.

I haven't read any of it in a long time now though, not believing in it does make it a whole lot more boring (although I did used to fall asleep while reading it even when I was a christian)

Helios

15 Apr 2005, 05:17 AM

I have read it. (in pieces)

I have to wonder if some of the negitive feeling people have towards it are not unlike what you would get if you took the Bill of Rights and had people read it in the Sunni triangle.

Despite my awful compliance with some of the rules, I have no issue with the faith I was raised in. Which is odd 'cause like most INTPs the very concept really seem to go against what I am.

To condense it, I think this was my Dad's doing. With this and everything he would tell me all about it, explain forever and then let me pick what I wanted,somehow he always made it my choice. I feel little to none of the Fe stuff people get outta that stuff, cause well I don't really feel Fe at all, ever. But it is still a important part of being human, I feel sorta sorry for those who are understandably turned off and revolted by religion and Christendom most of all.

Crazy

15 Apr 2005, 05:22 AM

I've read it through a few times. As far as it being the word of God, I don't know. I don't know what the original texts said, I don't know what any lost books say, and I don't trust the translators. There are so many versions that say so many different things out there, that all of them can't be the word of God. I do like the King James Version though. The language is more graceful and flows off the tongue better.

Xenophon

15 Apr 2005, 06:19 AM

I have never been able to go through the whole thing. I have read various books, Job, Genesis, the 4 Apostle chapters, Revelations. I think that there is a lot of insight that can be drawn from the bible. As for it being the word of god, well, in a roundabout way I think that words in and of themselves are god. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was God."

I think that text that have survived for a long time like the bible, or homer's odyssey, or plato's writings generally have more to offer than most writing though. I think that the saddest thing about the bible is that people insist on it being a literal truth. I think those people need their heads checked.

MasterMerk

15 Apr 2005, 06:22 AM

Never read. I might read it later on, but right now there's just too much hype floating about.

sandwich

15 Apr 2005, 06:39 AM

I've read the whole thing. I find the Old Testament more to my liking, and I used to read the book of Esther on a monthly basis when I was seven (we didn't have many books left in the house). I really like the Proverbs as well, and some of Ecclesiastes.

I believe that it is the Word of God, but I am not one to disregard anything that sounds contrary to scripture. A good amount of text, especially in the OT, is metaphorical or a cultural expression so is often misinterpreted by very vocal and enthusiastic people. :dont:

As Eileen said before, it shouldn't be the absolute and only basis of faith. That would make for a very dull and legalistic experience.

Heather Harrison

15 Apr 2005, 06:43 AM

I have read a few parts of it, and I the first time I read anything from it was when I was in college. Out of what I have read, I find much of it mind-numbingly boring, some of it offensive, and a lot of it silly (especially Leviticus and Revelation). Some of it actually is well-written and a bit interesting, but in general it just doesn't speak to me. I have found more to like in, for example, Theravada Buddhist texts, Mayan creation myths, and Ultima IV.

Heather Harrison

Ascending

15 Apr 2005, 06:46 AM

Apostasius, I think we (I) would like to hear that long story. Feel free to make a new thread.

Read it, and believe it is the word of God. It is a rather complicated story, but I know it works. I've worked with abused children and have seen many familys that would be much much better for it. I've seen intellectuals that disregarded and would have been much much better off with it. In all spectrums of life blatent and subtle I have seen it working into the fabric of life and social interaction. My intuition strongly recommends it.

One of the largest fuels to the anti-bible fire are refutations not to the bible but those who take it hyper literaly.

Architectonic

15 Apr 2005, 07:41 AM

Which versions of the bible are people refering to?

Miss Anthropic

15 Apr 2005, 09:36 AM

Only used it as reference once to needle a fundamentalist christian boyfriend who was convinced I was on the road to hell. Relationship didn't last very long, but there was a lot of chemistry and with it came a lot of guilt and angst on his part. Too bad. Didn't last very long, but it was fun while it lasted! :devil:

Eileen

15 Apr 2005, 12:24 PM

Johnny

15 Apr 2005, 05:15 PM

I've read very little and read very little of the bible. Most of my knowledge of the bible comes from studying the works of Nietzche, Kierkegaard, Kant, Jung, and Campbell as they refer to it to drive some assertion or idea.

When I refer to a bible story here or there, I'm usually doing the same thing - either using it to make a point of my own or to convey something where I don't have other words to describe it...kinda like choosing to carve out a sculpture of something vs. painting a picture of it when I want to enable the viewer to see something a certain way.

Ka.avik

15 Apr 2005, 05:21 PM

When I refer to a bible story here or there, I'm usually doing the same thing - either using it to make a point of my own or to convey something where I don't have other words to describe it. So, if I'm reading this correctly you have no idea what the bible says?

Darren

15 Apr 2005, 05:41 PM

Actually, when you write it out like that in plain language, it doesn't sound quaint. It sounds damn asinine.

I have a "plain language" Bible, called "The Promise".

It sounds damn asinine. :)

Darren

PS - I've read bits of it, I've also read a fair amount of secular commentary (like Asimov's guide to the Bible - so I'm not entirely unfamiliar with the contents). Since I don't believe in the underlying premise of the book (that there is a God) reading it in its dreary entirety seems pointless - it's a damn boring and badly written (and INCREDIBLY overrated) book IMO, full of wickedness and pointless cruelty. Of course, theists ask me "how can you be an atheist when you've never read the bible" .... as though slogging through the stupid thing would magically change my mind.

ohnoaninfp

15 Apr 2005, 06:39 PM

I read it, though not in one sitting. I read it over a few years, a couple sections at night. Revelations is very interesting, but don't read it before you go to bed.

Johnny

15 Apr 2005, 07:18 PM

So, if I'm reading this correctly you have no idea what the bible says?Not a fucking clue! LOL

Just kidding. Of course I have ideas of what the bible says, but I'm not sure it's in your best interests to follow my ideas wholesale rather than seeing if you can generate any for your exposure to it in some way and then getting in the ring with me to do a little boxing and sweating and hugging when we're completely exhausted punching each other silly...

:sombrero:

Pierce

16 Apr 2005, 07:35 AM

I've read it through in its entirety, and parts of it many times. I find it fascinating on many levels. Sifting through the allegorical, artistic, historic, literal, proverbial, mystic, mythic, paradoxical, poetic, prophetic, and symbolic meanings is endlessly entertaining and enriching. Following threads of thought through Genesis to Revelation and finding harmonies that reverberate with some inner human chord produces a kind of wonder that's hard to explain.

Lucinda

16 Apr 2005, 03:39 PM

I've read more than half of it, and I have to say I was horrified by it. All those killings of entire nations including the women and children that god supposedly commanded? I wouldn't have anything to do with such a deity even if I was a believer.

Jacque

16 Apr 2005, 10:34 PM

http://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com/

[babble deleted] :devil:

http://www.thebricktestament.com/judges/punishment_for_incomplete_genocide/jg02_04-05.jpg (http://http://www.thebricktestament.com/judges/punishment_for_incomplete_genocide/jg02_04-05.html)

Jg 2:4-5
When the angel of Yahweh finished speaking, the people wept loudly and offered sacrifices to Yahweh.

Jacque

16 Apr 2005, 10:54 PM

Couldn't help myself...

How to Keep the Law
http://www.thebricktestament.com/the_law/how_to_keep_the_law/dt06_06-07.jpg (http://www.thebricktestament.com/the_law/how_to_keep_the_law/dt06_06-07.html)

Dt 6:6-7
'These laws I am giving you must remain in your hearts. You shall tell them to your children.'

Eileen

16 Apr 2005, 11:25 PM

heh, heh... The Brick Testament or a spin-off?

Shai Gar

17 Apr 2005, 12:24 AM

what about, "I have read the whole bible, several times, enjoy reading it, but dont beleive it is the word of god, or that there is a god"

booyalab

17 Apr 2005, 02:08 AM

I have read the entire Bible about 5 times. Sometimes I think it's the word of God, sometimes I dont. Right now, I dont know. For those who think it's just another religious documentation, I recommend reading something else: especially the Kuran or the Mormon Bible. Talk about obvious BS.

jimkopelli

17 Apr 2005, 04:41 AM

I read a bit of the Bhagavad Gita on assignment for a class in high school... and I realized where they got the ideas for the style of combat in DBZ.

I've never read straight through the bible... but I read a lot of random sections when I was forced to go to church in my formative years.

Birdsnest

18 Apr 2005, 02:27 PM

I've read little bits and pieces of it. Tried to read Genesis, like John the best. I had some biblical quotes being delivered to my email from www.beliefnet.com (http://www.beliefnet.com/) for about a year and I read them daily, but then I also have Buddhist quotes and Astrology being delivered too, so I kind of like to learn it for the perspective and information, and I'm not zealous about it, but I do like "Christs" words more than any other item. If they could just cut out all the other bull, and give me Christs words only, I'd like that. Stuff like, "Ask and Ye Shall Receive" that type of thing is what I want to be knowing.

Ah, here is that 11:11 thing again!

Welcome, Birdsnest.
You last visited: Yesterday at 11:11 AM

Jacque

19 Apr 2005, 02:07 AM

There's good stuff everywhere.

http://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com/good/long.html

Good Stuff in the Bible

Exodus

Be kind to strangers, widows, and fatherless children. 22:21-22
Value the truth; don't lie. 23:1
Don't do what everyone else does, if what they do is wrong. 23:2
Be kind to your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. 23:4-5
Treat the poor fairly. 23:6
Be honest. Don't kill the innocent. 23:7
Don't mistreat strangers. 23:9
Every seventh year the Israelites were to leave their fields unharvested, so that the poor would have something to eat. 23:11

Star Cannon

19 Apr 2005, 03:01 AM

I remember reading it at 2 o'clock in the morning in 2nd and 3rd grade. I've gotten through it several times, prolly not the whole the whole thing.

In general, the text itself is... pretty much okay. A lot of 'ya-da-duh' about the Word of God and so sayeth the lord towards the beginning but I don't have much against it other than using it alone as a guide is rather limiting. It's got good advice, especially in the proverbs.

Star Cannon

Pedro_The_Lion

19 Apr 2005, 08:56 AM

I've read the whole thing and believe in it.

Bronto

21 Apr 2005, 07:05 PM

Read it and know it is true. But the "know" thing may be an INTJism...

I have a huge problem with most Christians though. I especially love it when an SJ tries to convince an NT it is the word of God. The NT usually knows his stuff and runs circles around teh SJ and the SJ finaly gives up and declares they are going to hell. Don't they realize that this only drives the NT away from Christianity? Hrm

Wilde Mutton

21 Apr 2005, 07:21 PM

The fact that some great literature builds around the world of the Bible, its mythological and moral themes, either in defiance or in a synthetic way, is making it more probable that even people who have never read the Bible know of it or face some of connotations without even being conscious of it. Apart from "getting acquainted" with it during the early years of my life when I actually had to, this is how I prefer to have read and prefer to read the book, if at all. Something tells me it´s overrated...

Ka.avik

21 Apr 2005, 08:50 PM

Don't they realize that this only drives the NT away from Christianity? Hrm No. Not their thing, to think about what they can't see.

Mind you, an NTP trying to convince any SJ about the spirit world is going to meet with failure, barring a heavy hand from the holy spirit. Of course, Jesus said as much anyway -- you only learn from the scriptures if it's revealed to you by His spirit.

So, actually, the real question isn't "have you read it?" because you won't be saved by reading a book. The question is "have you asked the author what he's trying to tell you?" That's why pastors always pray before reading scripture; they want god to explain something to everyone there...

Chukamuk

24 Apr 2005, 07:46 PM

Yes, I've read some of the Bible and don't believe it's the word of God

I must qualify this though. I personally don't feel that there is enough evidence to prove the existence of god thus I don't believe any religious writings are the word of god.

Furthermore, I often ponder which is worse. The existence of a god that allows the atrocities of war, famine and pestilence or the non-existence of god and that this is all there is.

DevRock

5 May 2005, 08:12 PM

Ascending's "Essential Books" thread gave me an idea. It would be interesting to see how INTPs view of religion correlates to whether or not they have read all of or any part of The Bible (any version of the bible), or whether their beliefs/religious viewpoints were based on not reading it.

If this were a poll, some of the responses might be:

Yes, I've read the whole Bible and believe it's the word of God
Yes, I've read some of the Bible and believe it's the word of God
Yes, I've read the whole Bible and don't believe it's the word of God
Yes, I've read some of the Bible and don't believe it's the word of God
No, I've not read the Bible, but believe it's the word of God
No, I've not read the Bible, and don't believe it's the word of God
No, I refuse to read the Bible (and maybe explain why?)
No, I won't read the Bible because I believe in Allah/Buddah/whatever
No, I won't read the Bible because I'm atheist

But it's not a poll . . . maybe if this creates a good discussion, someone can make one later. But, damn, isn't it about time we resurrect the "Religion AGAIN"-type debate ;)

I was raised Catholic, but never read the Bible, nor do I have any intention or desire to do so. I've developed some pretty extreme opinions about religion in general, but I will try not to offend anyone.;) I studied philosophy in college and since then, I've grown further and further away from believing in religion of any sort. To me, the Bible is a book written by a cult, religion is the best way to control large numbers of people and religion ws created to explain the unexplainable to people who can't accept the unexplainable.
It seems contradictory that the Bible would be real, yet all other religions are "wrong."
Also, because of the role religion is now playing in the US and the world today, I detest it even more. Judging from my brief stint here, looks like I'm not the only one.
Anyway....rant over... I have not/will not read the book. :)

CosmicDust

5 May 2005, 08:34 PM

I've read small bits of the bible before, out of curiosity. I read some stuff from Revelation in college, and the idea came to me that it could be taken as a metaphor for personal growth and change. Sometimes our worlds as we know them have to end, and then we can be kind of reborn into a new one, with all that was holding us back before burning with the old world and some small portion of good stuff surviving to start us off in our new world. (That's an alternative interpretation of the saved vs. the damned - not necessarily people, but ideas and principles...though possibly people if you have to get rid of bad "friends" and keep the good ones.)

Such writings can be good sources of archetypes. But other than that...I found the perspective taken in a book I read called "The Mind of the Bible Believer" quite interesting. The book was written by an ex-fundamentalist Christian who was born Jewish. He claims that the Bible as we know it was designed basically to be a cult text, and that Paul started his cult of Christianity in the ancient Roman Empire largely as a consequence of the trying times. The cult of early Pauline Christianity, the ancestor of the modern literalist sects in a sense, was a way for people to escape the harsh realities of a Middle East turned upside-down with the brutalities of war and conquest.

MaroonBells

5 May 2005, 09:31 PM

I read the old testament in kindergarden/ primary school. Liked many of the "stories". Started doubting as soon as the teachers (first protestant, later roman catholic school) claimed it as the "word of God who could see and hear everything". Admit: that is a rather funny concept to explain to a child!

Spartan26

8 May 2005, 05:18 AM

Here's a surprise, read it daily. Usually only a couple of chapters or so (pages). I believe it to be the word of God. I do wonder about certain passages' meaning - intrepretation/semantics and the like, if I'm reading too much into something or completely missing the point and passing over something on another.

I usually skip around but have done the scheduled read-the-Bible-in-a-year type thing.