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Lorgar-Aurelian

Active Member
So I recently committed myself to reading through the entire bible in 7-10 days.
Read through the entire bible in 7-10 days
I've decided i'll share my thoughts day to day as I go through this. The people who care can check it out and comment and the people who just aren't all that interested can go ahead and ignore it.

Since the power was out today I spent roughly 12 hours reading through the bible and got to the book of judges. I haven't started the book of judges yet but I might be able to get through it tonight if I start reading again before I go to bed. Honestly there are long parts of the bible that I more or less had to force myself to get through. I found myself laughing a lot as I was reading through Genesis and Exodus.

Little things honestly just kept tickling me. For some reason the idea of God looking for two people he knows are naked in a garden and being disappointed to find them in clothes just made me burst out laughing. There was also the whole flood story which I just kept giggling through.

Essentially what I am reminded of is the feeling I get every time I start to consider trying to put a bit of faith in Jesus. I think "Alright so lets try having a bit of faith and reading the bible." The simple truth is I can almost never get through genesis without thinking the whole faith thing has just become ridiculous. As far as I can tell these books almost seem like they are built to squash faith rather than strengthen it.

I find I am really tired but had time to start listening to the gospels while I was doing other things. I can't be the only one who keeps thinking Jesus and Paul just sound like typical cult leaders.

I'm not sure, since I got through so much today I might read less tomorrow and try a different scripture of book.
 

Thana

Lady
I'm not entirely sure why you're bothering, you sound like you're not even remotely open to believing in the biblical God. You've said before that you just want to know what the 'truth' is, and yet instead of approaching the bible as possible truth you treat it as a joke.

Seems like your mind is already made up, you just haven't accepted that yet.
 

Lorgar-Aurelian

Active Member
I'm not entirely sure why you're bothering, you sound like you're not even remotely open to believing in the biblical God. You've said before that you just want to know what the 'truth' is, and yet instead of approaching the bible as possible truth you treat it as a joke.

Seems like your mind is already made up, you just haven't accepted that yet.
No no, I have very little interest in accepting the bible as truth. As far as I can tell it's utter nonsense from the beginning to end. This is mostly done as a refresher thing really.
 

idav

Being
Premium Member
I've thought about doing that. Do you have any recommendations? I have the gospel of Thomas, and the Mandaean John book.
For old testament days, the book of Enoch is interesting, for NT days the Infancy Gospel of Thomas is also. I've found the Gospel of Judas fascinating as well.
 

Lorgar-Aurelian

Active Member
For old testament days, the book of Enoch is interesting, for NT days the Infancy Gospel of Thomas is also. I've found the Gospel of Judas fascinating as well.
The Gospel of Judas is one I've meant to get my hands on. Do you know where I could get a copy or read it online?
 

Geoff-Allen

Resident megalomaniac
I hope you get something out of your reading - there IS a lot of wisdom in Bible along with the parts that make you laugh. :)

If we all acted on the Golden Rule it would utterly transform the world ...

Of course, it's not unique to the Bible -

Golden Rule - Wikipedia

All the best!
 

ADigitalArtist

Veteran Member
Staff member
Premium Member
Imo reading the bible by itself loses a lot in translation, literally and metaphorically. The fact that Hebrew has a lot of nuance that just isn't going to translate into English, and there's a history to how people understood the OT which adds a great deal to the experience. I prefer reading Rashi commentary for the OT. I haven't found a really appealing commentary side by side for the OT from a Christian perspective yet, but in sure one's out there.
 

arthra

Baha'i

omega2xx

Well-Known Member
No no, I have very little interest in accepting the bible as truth. As far as I can tell it's utter nonsense from the beginning to end. This is mostly done as a refresher thing really.

Then you are wasting your time reading it. You will not understand and accept the spiritual teaching found in it and they are the most important things in any religion.

I Cor 2:14 - But the natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.

You will only verify the accuracy of that verse.
 

Brickjectivity

wind and rain touch not this brain
Staff member
Premium Member
I suggest starting like this to get maximum comprehension and enjoyment:

Read Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, and flip through a book about life in the bronze age and perhaps Mesopotamia. Read Exodus. Then read Ruth and Esther. Then read 1Samuel chapters 1 through 4. Then read something about the story of the Jews giving their general history from the time of the Babylonian war to recent times, say 18th century. Read something about Hebrew and learn to write the Hebrew aleph-bet. Begin to read Psalm 119. Now read Exodus, Leviticus and Deuteronomy. As you read them contrast them with Mesopotamian, Egyptian and Greek culture and laws which clash completely against the Jewish ones. After following this regimen you are ready to read the Bible straight through or to start at any point.
 

ADigitalArtist

Veteran Member
Staff member
Premium Member
Then you are wasting your time reading it. You will not understand and accept the spiritual teaching found in it and they are the most important things in any religion.

I Cor 2:14 - But the natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.

You will only verify the accuracy of that verse.
You don't need to be a Christian to read the bible, or any religious text. They are pieces of culture and history, and even if you don't accept them as ultimate truths, you can still appreciate the prose, the metaphors, or the learning about cultures different from your own. I'm an atheist, yet I have read MANY books on religions from world over, and I do not feel like I've wasted my time.
 

omega2xx

Well-Known Member
You don't need to be a Christian to read the bible, or any religious text.

Non Christians can understand the literal truths in the Bible, but they can't understand the spiritual truths and ther are what is important. They also wont believe the miracles or the fulfilled prophecies. Other important things that are needed.

>>They are pieces of culture and history, and even if you don't accept them as ultimate truths, you can still appreciate the prose, the metaphors, or the learning about cultures different from your own.[/QUOTE]

If that is all the Bible is, it is of no spiritual value.

I'm an atheist, yet I have read MANY books on religions from world over, and I do not feel like I've wasted my time.

Reading fr pleasure is never a waste of time, but if there more to e learned and it is missed, it is not a pleasurable as it could be. Both are important but I get much more pleasure understanding a spiritual truth than I do a literal truth.

I will offer you an example and I will understand if you don't care to participate. The Bible says Galatians 4:24-31 is an allegory. Read it and tell me what it teaches.
 

ClearPath

Member
Premium Member
7-10 days is inspirational, however I would consider slowing down a little to fully absorb what the scripture is saying.
Some people have never finished the Bible and have been reading it for decades.
 
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