Should i read the Bible?

[salvador wali]

Should i read it? I'm a little apprehensive . I'm very nearly 40 and was schooled in a Christian school. So much as we prayed and did the right christian learnings and holidays but i never believed in religion, and still don't.

I think what i'm scared of is that if i read the entire thing i may "get it". I couldn't ever imagine that happening but i've got daughters who have read Twilight.

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

Why would you choose to read the Bible over, for example, the Koran? Why would one be more accurate just because you were exposed to it at an impressionable age? If you want the truth (as far as I can see it) , the fanatics within all religions are, in the majority, complete and utter c**ts who abuse the power that is rather stupidly bestowed up on them.

I also was, rather insanely, raised on Christian values. Ones which were hypocritical to say the very least.

All that said, I think your post might be a humorous one - unfortunately I don't know for sure because I don't know what the 'twilight' is that you refer to.

General rule of thumb - if anyone passionate about a certain religion tries to persuade you to 'their' way of 'thinking' then you are best telling them to 'go fuck themselves'. And that really is my honest opinion.

[LJS]

as works of fiction go, it is pretty dull as well as being very long.

The Hitch-hiker's guide to the galaxy is much better and only a fraction of the size!

[t8yman]

Most academic atheists have studied the bible very thoroughly, particularly Hitchen, Dawkins, CJ Werleman and Sam Harris etc.

I think if you did read it, as LJS said above, you would be bored to tears, and would see it for the huge work of fiction it really is. Religion only thrives on ignorance. There's zero chance of you being "converted" IMHO.

[Spindles]

It's mostly unintelligible in the way it is constructed, with some of the books being little more than lists of names. You are better off reading an idiots guide to the bible than the book itself, simply because that explains some of the arcane language better (and is a much better option than trudging through psalms or book of kings and wondering what you are supposed to be learning from that).

[t8yman]

or this "chapter by chapter" deconstruction of the "great" book.

http://www.amazon.com/God-Hates-You-Hate-Back-ebook/dp/B0037Z70H6/ref=la_B002Y8KUDI_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1410595066&sr=1-1

[russycarps]

Some of the Hindu texts are much more inspiring

[eFestivals]

Better novels are available from all good bookshops.

Perhaps you might buy something now from amazon and earn efestivals a commission?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/?ie=UTF8&link_code=hom&tag=efestivals-21

[kaosmark2]

Depends whether you think it'll interest you. There are large elements which are boring as fuck, but there are some interesting stories amidst it. You won't be converted by the words though, the belief that people get in the bible are from being convinced of its worth, not the words inside it.

For all the fact it is a work of fiction, much of it tedious, and with a lot of idiots ascribing excess meaning to it, there are a number of good fables within the new testament, and some decent bloodthirsty nutjob myths in the old. It's not a waste of time to read it, but I imagine you could find plenty of better collections of tales.

[kaosmark2]

Better novels are available from all good bookshops.

Perhaps you might buy something now from amazon and earn efestivals a commission?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/?ie=UTF8&link_code=hom&tag=efestivals-21

Is there a page on efests which gives all the commission links? I keep forgetting who (apart from ticket sites) has ones.

[viberunner]

as works of fiction go, it is pretty dull as well as being very long.

It's only dull if you read the passages they dare read in church.

Otherwise it's full of genocide, rape, and bearded weirdoes.

[viberunner]

Also, the St James version is a masterclass in the English language, one of the defining monuments of the English language.

The content is gibberish and idiocy, of course, but the language is a thing of beauty.

[feral chile]

I did like the Jesus bits as a teen, how he was supposed to have been treated after he was arrested, and the bit where 'God' spoke to someone, and was told not to look as his image would drive them mad, and after 'God' had gone, there was a circle of scorched earth. Both these stories fed my interest in championing underdogs and sci-fi.

[atomised]

I fully agree with viberunner on the language in the king James version assuming that is the one referred to. Reading that gives a real appreciation of the English language

[feral chile]

Did all schools make you learn bits of it at assembly? We learnt some of Jesus' teachings and parables by rote.

The weird thing is, I can remember the rhythm and the cadence of the words, but not the words.

ah, found the most memorable!

'And great was the fall of it'

It's very poetic.

http://www.comportone.com/cpo/religion/christian/parables/matthew/7_24-27.htm

Edited September 13, 2014 by feral chile

[Amy Lawn]

Better novels are available from all good bookshops.

Perhaps you might buy something now from amazon and earn efestivals a commission?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/?ie=UTF8&link_code=hom&tag=efestivals-21

I didn't know there was an efests Amazon page! I rarely use it but I bought something off there the other day. Will bookmark this.

[midnight]

Should i read it? I'm a little apprehensive . I'm very nearly 40 and was schooled in a Christian school. So much as we prayed and did the right christian learnings and holidays but i never believed in religion, and still don't.

I think what i'm scared of is that if i read the entire thing i may "get it". I couldn't ever imagine that happening but i've got daughters who have read Twilight.

And do your daughters believe in vampires now? If so, you should worry about your parenting, not about reading the bible.

Bur seriously, I think you should read it, if you are really interested and if you have time on your hands. It is highly unlikely to convert you if you have got so far already. I am an atheist, and so are my parents. I read the bible when I was hospitalised as a child for several months. I read it because I was bored to tears after I had devoured every other book on the ward I could get my hands on, these were the pre-internet days. There are long boring bits about who begets whom and what biblical (heh!) age they lived to, but that's easily skipped. I found it incredibly useful to have that knowledge base later on, as there are so many cultural references to it, particularly in literature. The cultural impact of Christianity in Europe (and some other parts of the world) is massive, whether we like it or not, and I've found it really helpful to be able to relate some stuff back to that source. I revisited chunks of it as an adult. I also read the Quran, the Ramayana, some Buddhist stuff and condensed parts of the Mahabarata (I've yet to meet someone who has read that whole one, it is properly LONG), and I have found them all useful when it comes to understanding cultures a little bit better, but nothing has ever tempted me to follow a religion. I was in my late teens/early twenties when I did most of that reading, I am in my 40s now, so I think I'm safe.

And I agree with some of the above posters, the King James bible is a work of (English language) art, and worth reading for that reason alone.

Edited September 14, 2014 by midnight

[windy_miller]

Just skip to the end and read Revelations. Its the only vaguely interesting bit.

[5co77ie]

whilst the old testament has some pretty cool characters, and universal human archetypes - I think the Mahabhrata is a much more exciting read with more likeable/hateable central characters. Or The Triptaka - though it's much easier to read Zen And The Art of motorcycle maintenance. All have better star ratings I notice on Amazon than the bible.

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

Of course, you could always read The Beano. It also has some interesting characters, and will be as revelatory as to whether there is some kind of God.

[midnight]

Or this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manga_Bible_%28series%29

Nice pictures might help.

The Ramayana was the most entertaining of the religious lot I've read, but I guess there are reasons other than wanting to idle a few hours away pleasantly behind the original poster's question - correct me if I'm wrong.

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

but I guess there are reasons other than wanting to idle a few hours away pleasantly behind the original poster's question

There could indeed be a variety of reasons. The onset of male midlife crisis springs to mind as one possible example. The descent into lunacy another.

Edited September 17, 2014 by Yoghurt on a Stick