Poll: How many here have actually read the bible?

[PatboyX]

Originally posted by: Infohawk
There's no spinning on my end. You just have to look at the plain language and not let any of the outside analysis from various non-canon texts tell you what it's saying.

i think that is a noble but almost impossible goal. most people are introduced to the bible at a young age and are "taught" it by various authority figures...which would constitute outside texts, in my understanding. i think the problem is compounded when you read a translated bible. and then there is the matter, as mentioned above, of the editing of the book down through the years.

 

[WhipperSnapper]

Since I don't see any reason to believe that a diety exists and since, in my view, the Christian religion is almost completely irrational and based on an awful means of acquiring knowledge (faith, emotion), I have never seen any reason to waste my time reading it other than as a study in collective insanity and primative philosophy. It might make good reading in a, "Why do people maintain irrational, primative belief systems?" sort of way, but not for much else.

 

[azazyel]

Originally posted by: piasabird
When studying some information on the dead sea scrolls I came across some reference to the book of Enoch which is still missing but beleived to have been seen.

The book of Enoch is widely available and has been for a long time. It was found still in use in a section of Etheopia. Hell, do a search on my name and you'll find it.

The Jesus seminar on eye of the needle..

""Graphic exaggeration is typical of many genuine parables and aphorisms of Jesus. And a humorous hyperbole of this sort is more likely to come from Jesus than from a more serious-minded follower of his.
"The comic disproportion between the camel and the needle's eye presented difficulties to the Christian community from the very beginning. Some Greek scribes substituted the Greek word rope (kamilon) for the term camel (kamelon) to reduce the contrast, while some modern but misguided interpreters have claimed that the "needle's eye" was the name of a narrow gate or pass, which a camel would find difficult, but not impossible, to pass through. The fact that this saying has been surrounded by attempts to soften it suggests that it was probably original with Jesus." (p. 92) "

I have read most of it but I usually just stick with the gospels.

 

[moshquerade]

i went to a Catholic school. we read the bible cover to cover.

 

[ITJunkie]

Originally posted by: Steeplerot
Twice....I don't keep one around though..so boring about who begat who at the start...zzzzzzzzz

Then a bunch of stories with no basis in historical accuracy from second or like 40th hand quotes....

The mormon bible I have read also along with that pearl book...shudders...
big racist bit in there between these weird brothers who became mayans or something..

Read the koran twice, lot of story rule stuff also...better battles

I prefer eastern stuff to read..lot of good ideas there IMO...less preachy rules more of the celebrating of life...

Still atheist or something..but I like to read about peoples cultures though, I meet people from everywhere...

:thumbsup:

 

[Isla]

Read it on my own a couple of times when I was younger (the Old Testament has some hot stuff in it... better than National Geographic or the Sears catalog!) and then did a full study of it at the church I used to go to with my husband. We've got 'Concordances" and all that stuff...

Funny thing is, the more I studied it, the more I felt Jesus would NOT like the Religious Right of today...

Edited for clarity:

Read three different kinds: King James, "The Way" (which was my fave) and some Protestant version (can't remember the name) that was pushed among the non-denominationals we went to church with. LOL, I had a little carrying case and everything, and my Bible had my name engraved on it. But really I like the Precious Moments one...

I think I preferred "The Way" version of the New Testament because it was groovy. It was all about Jesus wanting us to love eachother and stop being so judgemental and yapping about other people's 'sins'...