The Bible

HeadPig

Is there any point in reading it? From an atheistic point of view.

Sandals and Shorts

It's really a collection of books, all with different literary styles and purposes.

The King James Version especially has very poetic english.

Also it's eye opening to read first had what Jesus and his followers really said, and to who, and in what context.

Sandals and Shorts

Sandals and Shorts wrote: »

It's really a collection of books, all with different literary styles and purposes.

The King James Version especially has very poetic english.

Also it's eye opening to read first had what Jesus and his followers really said, and to who, and in what context.

Since most of the New Testament was written up to hundreds of years after the lifetime of the historical figure of Jesus, I'm not sure it can be relied upon to be correct to that extent.

Sandals and Shorts

Candie wrote: »

Since most of the New Testament was written up to hundreds of years after the lifetime of the historical figure of Jesus, I'm not sure it can be relied upon to be correct to that extent.

It can't it be dismissed either, but I don't think that's the OP's concern here.

But for what its worth, historians agree Mark was written somewhere between 50 AD and 70 AD, i.e. 20-40 years after his death, and the other gospels between 50-110 AD. That's better than most accounts for historical figures from that era.

The 'Acts of the Apostles' were written before 70 AD

Paul's letters to the early churches are easier to date more exactly, and were written between 51 and 58 AD

As the Gospels clearly record, plenty of people did not believe Jesus in his own time either.

So really it's up to the reader.

Rosy Posy

Some sections are good but there are long tracts of dullardry, pages and pages of x begat y. It's more of a dip in and out book than a cover to cover read. Song of Solomon is worth a read IMO. The King James version is particularly nicely written.

Sandals and Shorts

It is really a mini library of books. In the New Testament I would recommend reading at least one of the Gospels and then the acts of the apostles. In the Old Testament, Genesis, Proverbs, and Psalms. Song of Solomon is also very nice. And Ruth is a nice love story. Job is also interesting.

claypigeon777

Some passages are hilariously bizarre:

11 If two men are fighting and the wife of one of them comes to rescue her husband from his assailant, and she reaches out and seizes him by his private parts, 12 you shall cut off her hand. Show her no pity.

Deut 25: 11-12

Some passages are sublime in their truth about the human condition:

The life of mortals is like grass,
they flourish like a flower of the field;
16 the wind blows over it and it is gone,
and its place remembers it no more.

Psalm 103

Some passages would not be out of place in a Schwarzenegger movie:

15 And he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith.

16 And Samson said, With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, with the jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men.

Judges 15: 15-16

Some passages are deeply moving especially when David hears of the death of his beloved son Absalom who rose in rebellion against him.

28 Then Ahimaaz called out to the king, “All is well!” He bowed down before the king with his face to the ground and said, “Praise be to the Lord your God! He has delivered up those who lifted their hands against my lord the king.”

29 The king asked, “Is the young man Absalom safe?”

Ahimaaz answered, “I saw great confusion just as Joab was about to send the king’s servant and me, your servant, but I don’t know what it was.”

30 The king said, “Stand aside and wait here.” So he stepped aside and stood there.

31 Then the Cu****e arrived and said, “My lord the king, hear the good news! The Lord has vindicated you today by delivering you from the hand of all who rose up against you.”

32 The king asked the Cu****e, “Is the young man Absalom safe?”

The Cu****e replied, “May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up to harm you be like that young man.”

33 The king was shaken. He went up to the room over the gateway and wept. As he went, he said: “O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you—O Absalom, my son, my son!”[g]

2 Samuel 18

Job's stoicism when he meets utter disaster is heroic.

18 While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, “Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, 19 when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”

20 At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship 21 and said:

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
and naked I will depart.[c]
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;
may the name of the Lord be praised.”
22 In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.

Job 1

Jesus final words to his mother and the apostle John have the ring of truth.

25Therefore the soldiers did these things. But standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26When Jesus then saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, "Woman, behold, your son!" 27Then He said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother!" From that hour the disciple took her into his own household.

John 19

All of humanity, good and evil, cruel and compassionate, absurd, stupid and insightful are all present in the Bible.

The showdown between Jesus and Satan in the wilderness in which Jesus, God now in human form, is tempted to use his supernatural powers to upset the space time continuum without subjecting himself to human limitations never mind sacrificing himself on the cross is great science fiction.

4 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.

3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.

4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,

6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;

9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

Paddy Samurai

I started reading it out of curiosity. I'm about 70% through, and that's taken me 3+ years. I recently finished the wisdom of Solomon and sirach and found them to be interesting.
Hope to finish it some day.:)

Manach

As a historical text alone it has significantly influenced world culture. In literature the words and stylings have been a key influence of much of Western thought up to fairly recently so reading the Bible would aid in gaining contextual awareness of such authors.

entangled

I always thought the gospel of John was great literature (in the King James version anyway).
Parts of the old testament as well, if you skip the long lists of rules, ancestry etc.

claypigeon777

The scene in the Godfather where Michael rubs out all the enemies of the Corleone family is partly inspired by the passage in the Bible where Solomon waits until his father David is dead to follow his instructions to kill Adonijah, the rival for the throne and heir apparent, Joab, David's top general, Shimei who cursed David and banish Abiathar the high priest who had sided with Adonijah. Solomon puts his own men in charge of the military and priesthood and other important posts.

--Kaiser--

The Book of Revelations is pretty interesting

tro81

Candie wrote: »

Since most of the New Testament was written up to hundreds of years after the lifetime of the historical figure of Jesus, I'm not sure it can be relied upon to be correct to that extent.

I think a trip to the chester beaty library is in order. There they have copies of the originals dating to the 2nd century that where found in egypt. considering the distance and time it took to make copy
It give evidence of an earlier writing.

rener

HeadPig wrote: »

Is there any point in reading it? From an atheistic point of view.

I believe you should read a bible, I think a person should read several world books throughout a lifetime.

The King James Bible in english is very old and was translated from Greek so has original source.

Caonima

HeadPig wrote: »

...From an atheistic point of view.

Sandals and Shorts wrote: »

... what Jesus and his followers really said....

LOL :rolleyes:

canadianwoman

HeadPig wrote: »

Is there any point in reading it? From an atheistic point of view.

I've read it a couple of times during my 'learning about religion' phase.