Day 2 bible reading.

[Lorgar-Aurelian]

So today I've put in far less time to reading the bible than I put I yesterday. I had to cut it short because in all honesty i'm already feeling like this was a bad idea. Not because of the time frame mind you but because i'm clearly getting very little out of this. I already know the bible stories well enough and this mostly just confirms to me that Abrahamic traditions have pretty much no place for me.

I skipped around a bit, as in after Judges I didn't then go to Ruth , instead I went to Isaiah and then to the new testament. Part of the reason behind this was that I was tired of reading about the Jews and what felt like constant arguments for god to choose just about anyone else to be his people. I also thought it would make more sense to understand Jesus since that is who most people (including a good friend) keep trying to get me to believe in.

I rather quickly decided that if Jesus was not God he was essentially worthless. Honestly I was not impressed with his moral teaching and everything about him just shouted CULT LEADER to me. On top of that I just can't take the man seriously, a lot of what he says is just esoteric nonsense not even remotely worthy of the time and money everyone seems to want to invest in it. Failed messiah as well. It's the kind of thing that makes me cringe whenever I hear " Jesus was just a good man."

I may read a bit more tonight but honestly this refresher has seemed more and more pointless. I'm not sure how many people would just go in and read the bible and ever take it seriously unless they already believed most of it.

 

[Kenny]

So today I've put in far less time to reading the bible than I put I yesterday. I had to cut it short because in all honesty i'm already feeling like this was a bad idea. Not because of the time frame mind you but because i'm clearly getting very little out of this. I already know the bible stories well enough and this mostly just confirms to me that Abrahamic traditions have pretty much no place for me.

I skipped around a bit, as in after Judges I didn't then go to Ruth , instead I went to Isaiah and then to the new testament. Part of the reason behind this was that I was tired of reading about the Jews and what felt like constant arguments for god to choose just about anyone else to be his people. I also thought it would make more sense to understand Jesus since that is who most people (including a good friend) keep trying to get me to believe in.

I rather quickly decided that if Jesus was not God he was essentially worthless. Honestly I was not impressed with his moral teaching and everything about him just shouted CULT LEADER to me. On top of that I just can't take the man seriously, a lot of what he says is just esoteric nonsense not even remotely worthy of the time and money everyone seems to want to invest in it. Failed messiah as well. It's the kind of thing that makes me cringe whenever I hear " Jesus was just a good man."

I may read a bit more tonight but honestly this refresher has seemed more and more pointless. I'm not sure how many people would just go in and read the bible and ever take it seriously unless they already believed most of it.

What are you trying to get out of it?

 

[Lorgar-Aurelian]

What are you trying to get out of it?

To be frank that is a good question. I say it's all a refresher but for some reason I still can't deny a tinge of disappointment when I read through parts of the bible and just can't find it in myself to believe it.

 

[bobhikes]

When you started this adventure a few people warned you it is a difficult read.

The way I made it through was as an understanding of the times it was written what the people thought, what they wanted from life. It also has sections on governing which I thoroughly disliked. It also has long boring lists trying to trace ancestry. Again I read for understanding of the human condition, not as a holy interpretation from God.

I do definitely have favorite well written stories of the Bible and New Testament, just like I have favorite science fiction and biographies that I read.

I completed it as a challenge because I could learn about the past and many people today make reference to the book. It was a hard slow read with the old testament but the New Testament went rather fast.

From your comments maybe you should just pass, it doesn't seem to be what your interested in.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

I find the Torah to have an almost boundless capacity to challenge and inspire, but only if one (a) has credible sources, and (b) approaches each pericope as if on a treasure hunt.

 

[Kenny]

To be frank that is a good question. I say it's all a refresher but for some reason I still can't deny a tinge of disappointment when I read through parts of the bible and just can't find it in myself to believe it.

I think "why" is where one has to start. IMO. It seems consistent that we get what we are looking for. Hearing increases when we are looking for something specific. It's like we tune in better when we know what music we want to listen to.

 

[ADigitalArtist]

Imo you might get more out of it if you managed your expectations in a different way. Instead of looking at it to confirm or deny a belief you're already pretty well in the denial of, look at it from the perspective of historical relevance, poetry, literary devices and cultural perspective. Much of English classic literature and artwork is saturated with theming from the bible, direct quotations, archetypal characters and overall themes. As an atheist there's still a lot to be gained from the bible and other religious texts.

 

[Lorgar-Aurelian]

When you started this adventure a few people warned you it is a difficult read.

The way I made it through was as an understanding of the times it was written what the people thought, what they wanted from life. It also has sections on governing which I thoroughly disliked. It also has long boring lists trying to trace ancestry. Again I read for understanding of the human condition, not as a holy interpretation from God.

I do definitely have favorite well written stories of the Bible and New Testament, just like I have favorite science fiction and biographies that I read.

I completed it as a challenge because I could learn about the past and many people today make reference to the book. It was a hard slow read with the old testament but the New Testament went rather fast.

From your comments maybe you should just pass, it doesn't seem to be what your interested in.

See that is the thing though it's not really difficult for any of the reasons they listed. It's a difficult read because I go from laughing to being so bored it hurts. I think part of it too is that I've read it so many times in the past that I'm not really seeing anything I haven't seen before.

It's like the Qur'an, as a muslim I read through the thing so many times that it become difficult to approach it in new light and it's almost impossible to read now.

 

[Lorgar-Aurelian]

Imo you might get more out of it if you managed your expectations in a different way. Instead of looking at it to confirm or deny a belief you're already pretty well in the denial of, look at it from the perspective of historical relevance, poetry, literary devices and cultural perspective. Much of English classic literature and artwork is saturated with theming from the bible, direct quotations, archetypal characters and overall themes. As an atheist there's still a lot to be gained from the bible and other religious texts.

I find the Torah to have an almost boundless capacity to challenge and inspire, but only if one (a) has credible sources, and (b) approaches each pericope as if on a treasure hunt.

I think "why" is where one has to start. IMO. It seems consistent that we get what we are looking for. Hearing increases when we are looking for something specific. It's like we tune in better when we know what music we want to listen to.

Honestly i'm trying to figure out what I have to gain from this. I can't say it's anything new since I've read it before. I like to stay fresh but at the same time I don't even try to debate people these days very much. It's feeling pretty pointless overall but now I've started so I may as well finish it.

 

[Kenny]

Honestly i'm trying to figure out what I have to gain from this. I can't say it's anything new since I've read it before. I like to stay fresh but at the same time I don't even try to debate people these days very much. It's feeling pretty pointless overall but now I've started so I may as well finish it.

GO FOR IT! And may God speak to you through it.

I know you will end up doing it how you feel you want to. You can throw this in the garbage if you want... how about reading it and simply ask "Who is God and who is Jesus"?

Remembering how an investor read the Bible with just the question of "what does it say about finances" and got a lot of answers.

 

[bobhikes]

See that is the thing though it's not really difficult for any of the reasons they listed. It's a difficult read because I go from laughing to being so bored it hurts. I think part of it too is that I've read it so many times in the past that I'm not really seeing anything I haven't seen before.

It's like the Qur'an, as a muslim I read through the thing so many times that it become difficult to approach it in new light and it's almost impossible to read now.

Then why read it? I've read it completely once and only go back to the parts I liked. I will never read it completely again.

 

[Lorgar-Aurelian]

GO FOR IT! And may God speak to you through it.

I know you will end up doing it how you feel you want to. You can throw this in the garbage if you want... how about reading it and simply ask "Who is God and who is Jesus"?

Remembering how an investor read the Bible with just the question of "what does it say about finances" and got a lot of answers.

If I can gain faith by the end of this i'd be lying if I said that wouldn't make me a happy man.

 

[Lorgar-Aurelian]

Then why read it? I've read it completely once and only go back to the parts I liked. I will never read it completely again.

Well now it's mostly to complete it since I've started it. I think I may of been trying to gain a bit of faith at the start but that has seemingly gone down hill.

 

[Kenny]

If I can gain faith by the end of this i'd be lying if I said that wouldn't make me a happy man.

LOL... then read about faith... Mark 4 and others -- pull out your yellow highlighter and start!

Hope the best for you!

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

I can't say it's anything new since I've read it before.

That sentence pretty much says it all and, sadly, you don't see it.

 

[omega2xx]

So today I've put in far less time to reading the bible than I put I yesterday. I had to cut it short because in all honesty i'm already feeling like this was a bad idea. Not because of the time frame mind you but because i'm clearly getting very little out of this. I already know the bible stories well enough and this mostly just confirms to me that Abrahamic traditions have pretty much no place for me.

I skipped around a bit, as in after Judges I didn't then go to Ruth , instead I went to Isaiah and then to the new testament. Part of the reason behind this was that I was tired of reading about the Jews and what felt like constant arguments for god to choose just about anyone else to be his people. I also thought it would make more sense to understand Jesus since that is who most people (including a good friend) keep trying to get me to believe in.

I rather quickly decided that if Jesus was not God he was essentially worthless. Honestly I was not impressed with his moral teaching and everything about him just shouted CULT LEADER to me. On top of that I just can't take the man seriously, a lot of what he says is just esoteric nonsense not even remotely worthy of the time and money everyone seems to want to invest in it. Failed messiah as well. It's the kind of thing that makes me cringe whenever I hear " Jesus was just a good man."

I may read a bit more tonight but honestly this refresher has seemed more and more pointless. I'm not sure how many people would just go in and read the bible and ever take it seriously unless they already believed most of it.

tried to warn you.

So today I've put in far less time to reading the bible than I put I yesterday. I had to cut it short because in all honesty i'm already feeling like this was a bad idea. Not because of the time frame mind you but because i'm clearly getting very little out of this. I already know the bible stories well enough and this mostly just confirms to me that Abrahamic traditions have pretty much no place for me.

I skipped around a bit, as in after Judges I didn't then go to Ruth , instead I went to Isaiah and then to the new testament. Part of the reason behind this was that I was tired of reading about the Jews and what felt like constant arguments for god to choose just about anyone else to be his people. I also thought it would make more sense to understand Jesus since that is who most people (including a good friend) keep trying to get me to believe in.

I rather quickly decided that if Jesus was not God he was essentially worthless. Honestly I was not impressed with his moral teaching and everything about him just shouted CULT LEADER to me. On top of that I just can't take the man seriously, a lot of what he says is just esoteric nonsense not even remotely worthy of the time and money everyone seems to want to invest in it. Failed messiah as well. It's the kind of thing that makes me cringe whenever I hear " Jesus was just a good man."

I may read a bit more tonight but honestly this refresher has seemed more and more pointless. I'm not sure how many people would just go in and read the bible and ever take it seriously unless they already believed most of it.

Before I was a Christian I use to try that. I started in Genesis and quit when I got to Leviticus. When I became a Christian, I not only read it, not straight through, but I also studied it. The only thing that change was now it started making sense.

IMO the best thing for you to do would e to start in the gospel of John, read it through completely. The start again and study sections before continuing.

 

[Lorgar-Aurelian]

tried to warn you.


Before I was a Christian I use to try that. I started in Genesis and quit when I got to Leviticus. When I became a Christian, I not only read it, not straight through, but I also studied it. The only thing that change was now it started making sense.

IMO the best thing for you to do would e to start in the gospel of John, read it through completely. The start again and study sections before continuing.

I've already studied it. I'm honestly not sure that would help the tedium.

 

[Lorgar-Aurelian]

That sentence pretty much says it all and, sadly, you don't see it.

Tell me what I am missing then.

 

[Brickjectivity]

Tell me what I am missing then.

He already said he gets inspiration from the Torah if he pursues it like its a treasure hunt. In other words you are reading for the wrong reasons. You are not looking for treasure in the Torah. You are just reading the Bible for some kind of nostalgic reason. I tend to agree with this. It is a book about Torah. If you aren't not interested in Torah, then its going to be a boring journey.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Tell me what I am missing then.

I'm sorry. You know too much; nothing I might add will prove useful.