We’re waiting in the Atrium on the 5th floor at OSU. The last time I was in this room was in 1998, when my friend Chad was here in the ICU. It’s odd, because that is what started me on the path to becoming an atheist. This is the room where I decided that I was going to spend the summer reading the entire bible from cover to cover. By the time I finished, I was an atheist. Coincidentally, I just ordered this yesterday. I have decided that I am going to read the bible again, and then holy books from several other major religions (the qur’an and the bhagavad gita at least, I’m not sure what else). The last time I read the bible, I viewed it as the infallible word of god when I started reading. Needless to say, I do not hold this view anymore, and am interested to see how reading it from a different perspective may change my view of it as both literature and as a religious text.
If you identify as christian, have you actually read the entire bible? If you’re not a christian, have you read the holy books of your religion? What other religious texts do you think would be interesting to read?
#1 by Becky on 01.18.11 - 17.27
I have read the entire bible both as a Christian and a not-so-much Christian. Some books (NT, gospel, Psalms,Revelations, Job, etc) numerous times.
As a Christian, I had my doubts, although I wouldn’t admit it. When I was in elementary school I was reading Judges (especially 19) and did not like what I was reading. That reading made me question a LOT of who god was. I did not understand why he treated women that way. I tried to let it go as if it were just that one instance. It was not. I didn’t like the Old Testament god.
As I found contradictions, I would just explain the contradictions away with literary evidence (Genesis as more of a mythical explanation, almost like the Greek stories, other books as poetic, etc). I would explain the odd things that I read with “out-there” interpretations from preachers, teachers, etc but mostly with their, “He is god, don’t question his reasons” response. The fear of hell by doubting kept me from questioning for a long time.
As a not-so-much Christian, I started reading it as very symbolic. During the read, it progressed to questioning “who” god was: what the church said he was, or what I was reading. As I allowed myself to interpret it my way, I came up with some interesting perspectives and reasoning. Because of this, I realized that arguing for or against the bible was futile. With every contradiction an outsider finds, a believer can explain away in many variations: mostly as a spiritual phenomenon, sometimes as a translation error,etc. When I read non-believer’s attacks on scripture I find it silly, not because they are wrong, but it won’t get them anywhere. As a believer (and the not-so-much believer) I could defend and find defenses all day long on why it would work.
I would not just read the bible like a book, but disect many passages down to their original written language origin. Each work can mean a hundred different thing and the more I dug, the more defenses and interpretation errors that “could have” been made. The words that we have today may not have been what they wrote.
Oh, and even more fun with translation error came when I researched all of the books of the bible that were retracted by the Catholics in the early 1600s. Verses have been added and removed, and altered: For example, apparently, the verse about the Father Son and Holy Ghost did not originally have “trinity” in there. There are numerous “christian” terms that were added later (which are latin BTW) to push some creed or power pull by the church.
A good place to read the bible is E-SWORD. You have to download it but it is worth it. You can read it verse by verse in multiple translations as well as look at individual words and their origins. (and keep notes etc)
Oy, have fun! (After 100′s and 100′s of hours doing what you plan on doing, i am glad to not be doing that anymore!) Reading it though,as a non-believer has crossed my mind. Part of me can’t because it exhausts me!
#2 by pzer0 on 02.07.11 - 13.06
I can understand why you’d look at reading the entire Bible as exhausting. To a degree, I agree with you. I think that a selective reading of the Bible would probably be more worthwhile, especially if you are reading it while viewing it as literature rather than gospel.
Thanks for the tip of E-SWORD. I also like http://www.bible.cc
#3 by anna garcia on 01.15.11 - 01.00
I have read the Bible, I think it’s hard in America to say you believe in something when you don’t really know what it is you are saying you believe. Other countries are different, but America, we like to say we believe things when we have no clue what we actually believe or follow, its interesting. I went to Seminary so I have studied a lot of religous “Bibles”. Islam is very interesting and loving to be honest, except towards Jews, Mormonism is just interesting, Buddhism I have a harder time because anything can be a god. I think religion is fascinating, people are fascinating. I think the point is to really know God, to really know a Creator, in every religious text there is something that you can point to and say, now that’s God. LIke the way Mormonism values families, or how Islam values respect. There are little things everywhere where I think you can say, “now that’s the way its supposed to be”.
I am a Christian, I do believe Jesus was the Son of God and God, but Christianity leaves a lot to be desired, especially Christian people. I just don’t think everything about the Bible is perfect, it’s still written by people. I believe it’s inspired by God, but no people are perfect and you see that in the BIble, coming out in certain people’s writings and ideas.
I really don’t think you should believe in any religion without questioning it, I don’t think you should believe in God without really questioning it. I have questioned and I’ve almost been broken many times, but for me, I know God exists. I know we as people reflect him, men and women, and those beautiful and complex things we see in people all reflect him. Correctly placed jealousy absolutely reflects God, anger, love, happiness, they all do.
None of us have a corner on who God is, no matter how we would like to think it, there is too much to grasp, and I’m okay with that. I’m okay with not always being right, I’m okay with asking questions, I’m okay with my doubts. But I just can’t believe there is no design to this world and to life, everything is too designed too out of our control to suggest we as people control everything in this life. LIfe is a blessing sometimes, a curse others, it’s fun, sad, complex and confusing, I don’t pretend to understand it, but I believe to core of me there is a purpose to everything. I will stop rambling now, can you tell how much I like talking about and thinking about religion?
#4 by pzer0 on 02.07.11 - 13.01
I truly mean it when I say that I wish more christians were like you, Anna. I appreciate your response… and it did not strike me as rambling at all
#5 by Matt on 01.14.11 - 16.56
I have not read the entire bible.
Maybe it’s the ADD… maybe it’s just my attitude of apathy for such endeavors… who knows.
I did take a class what I was at OSU that looked at the bible as literature instead of as a religious/spiritual text.
It was a pretty interesting class actually. Very well taught. Somehow, the TA managed to get us through the entire quarter without any religious debate whatsoever.
-M
#6 by pzer0 on 02.07.11 - 13.04
“Somehow, the TA managed to get us through the entire quarter without any religious debate whatsoever.”
Wow… when dealing with ANYTHING controversial, that’s impressive. That TA deserves an award
#7 by Tiffany on 01.14.11 - 01.42
Have you ever listened to Tim Minchin? He had some interesting religious opinions. You should check out his YouTube videos. (Warning- he says the F-word sometimes. I know some people don’t like that very much.)
I think it’s neat that you are going to read religious tomes as literature. I understand they can be more interesting when approached that way. (Did you know someone turned the Bible into a comic book? I found it at Sam’s Club.)
#8 by pzer0 on 02.07.11 - 13.02
Hey Tiffany, I have not. I’ll check it out. Thanks for the heads up.
YES! I have heard of the graphic novel bible, but I’ve never actually seen it. Did you look inside at the artwork at all? I’d be very curious to see how they translate some of the more… in-depth… passages in the Bible. For instance, pages of genealogy could be pretty boring, but if someone had a creative enough take on it I think it would actually be enjoyable