Most of the stuff are boring filler like genealogies of people you don't give a crap about, but there are a few interesting tibits like Hosea 2:2-4. If you want to read it, Skeptic's Annotated Bible is a good source since it highlights all the absurd and cruel parts.
It's not that it's a bad book to read. It's a book of stories written by man. Like any it's influenced by the writers of the time. Doesn't age well in areas. It gives peace and comfort to millions so I'm not knocking anyone's path to peace. Just doesn't do that for me.
Yes. There’s some fantastic stuff in there. Genealogies get boring, but reading the Bible front to back will make you realize how lame Christianity is and how few Christians actually follow the Bible on any level.
no it was so boring and dry and horrifically out of touch, and that's just the old testament. The new testament is just weird and also the same story told over and over again.
However as an atheist i did appreciate this one really weird flex moment where some scholar or some shit was conversing with jesus then a crazed prostitute bursts into the room and starts rubbing oils into jesus's feet with her hair, then the scholars like yeah this is weird and jesus is just like nah your weird for questioning this and the scholars is just like oh, alright then.
I think version is a personal choice based on your beliefs & goals. KJV and NIV are two popular versions. KJV was written in the 1600s, is more poetic, can be taken more literally. NIV is easier to read, more modern, readability & word-for-word content is more of a balancing act with this one.
Absolutely. It’s Ana amazing record of many things and will absolutely transform your life for the better. And in addition to reading it I suggest studying as well.
If you want to understand the meaning behind certain scriptures, it helps to have context. I’d say reading the whole thing helps with that tremendously, but even if you don’t, there are other resources online which can explain any difficult passages for you.
Definitely, If you're born christian/catholic then shouldn't you care about whether your beliefs are true or what's written in the bible makes sense or not?
Reading the bible made me drop my belief.
I've read both the KJV and the NRSV. Whether you buy into what the Bible is selling or not, it's still the most influential piece of literature in history. I'd say it's worth the effort for personal enrichment and knowledge.
I’d have to agree with OP. It’s 2023 in a modern society, and swaths of people still believe the stories in the Bible actually happened. Zombies, floods, animals in a boat, talking fires, etc.
That seems pretty influential if you ask me
Depends on your perspective. If it’s just “for fun,” you probably won’t have much.
Pretty much this. Had to read through it as a teen at my parents insistance. A teen's not going to understand what's in there. Most adults don't.
Most of the stuff are boring filler like genealogies of people you don't give a crap about, but there are a few interesting tibits like Hosea 2:2-4. If you want to read it, Skeptic's Annotated Bible is a good source since it highlights all the absurd and cruel parts.
To be perfectly honest, it's boring as shit... with the exception of The Book of Revelations: that chapter's nothing short of fucking badass.
It's not that it's a bad book to read. It's a book of stories written by man. Like any it's influenced by the writers of the time. Doesn't age well in areas. It gives peace and comfort to millions so I'm not knocking anyone's path to peace. Just doesn't do that for me.
Yes. There’s some fantastic stuff in there. Genealogies get boring, but reading the Bible front to back will make you realize how lame Christianity is and how few Christians actually follow the Bible on any level.
no it was so boring and dry and horrifically out of touch, and that's just the old testament. The new testament is just weird and also the same story told over and over again. However as an atheist i did appreciate this one really weird flex moment where some scholar or some shit was conversing with jesus then a crazed prostitute bursts into the room and starts rubbing oils into jesus's feet with her hair, then the scholars like yeah this is weird and jesus is just like nah your weird for questioning this and the scholars is just like oh, alright then.
1000% yes. I say this because it transforms you as a person. Best investment I’ve ever made.
Is the version important?
I think version is a personal choice based on your beliefs & goals. KJV and NIV are two popular versions. KJV was written in the 1600s, is more poetic, can be taken more literally. NIV is easier to read, more modern, readability & word-for-word content is more of a balancing act with this one.
Yes. Know your enemy.
I'm a huge fan of fiction but just couldn't get thru the Bible.
Absolutely. It’s Ana amazing record of many things and will absolutely transform your life for the better. And in addition to reading it I suggest studying as well.
It’s a record in the same way Jurassic park was a record, but yeah.
Careful not to cut yourself on all that edge.
?? How was that edgy
The finest morality fairytales.
If you want to understand the meaning behind certain scriptures, it helps to have context. I’d say reading the whole thing helps with that tremendously, but even if you don’t, there are other resources online which can explain any difficult passages for you.
it depends on your purpose. even if you aren't a christian or religious there are many positive takeaways.
Children's books have positive takeaways and are more to the point IMO.
Definitely, If you're born christian/catholic then shouldn't you care about whether your beliefs are true or what's written in the bible makes sense or not? Reading the bible made me drop my belief.
I've read both the KJV and the NRSV. Whether you buy into what the Bible is selling or not, it's still the most influential piece of literature in history. I'd say it's worth the effort for personal enrichment and knowledge.
> it's still the most influential piece of literature in history. That's quite a big claim, got a source for that?
I’d have to agree with OP. It’s 2023 in a modern society, and swaths of people still believe the stories in the Bible actually happened. Zombies, floods, animals in a boat, talking fires, etc. That seems pretty influential if you ask me
Who is to say that there aren't more swaths of people that don't believe any of that actually happened? Having said that, I see your point.
What’s that have to do with my comment?
Not believing in its nonsense does not equal being dismissive of its effect on real life historical events.
I’ve read most of the *main* religious books, and it all boils down to be a good mf.