Athiest, you don't believe in the Bible, how many of you have actually read it?

Question

I can tell by a lot of your questions you havent, or you've read at it, so why keep asking questions or making comments and statements about something you know absolutly nothing about?

I'm not trying to start trouble, just asking a question that "I" am curious about.

Actuallywhat I was getting at was a lot of questions and remarks by athiest about cristians and what we believe and the Bible isn't so, so if they have read the Bible where do they get their stupid ideas about christians and the Bible

Arkangyle: whose this debra?

some of the things they say aren't in my Bible, King James Version, I don't know any chrictian afraid to die. I dont know any christian that is a christian just to not go to hell. And I have never heard of being able to live like you want to the all of a sudden say , oh i'm sorry I want to go to heaven. In my Bible you have to BELIEVE AND MEAN IT GOD WILL KNOW IF YOU DON'T

that's what this question is about

Answer 1

many atheists don't read the bible because they justify it by saying it's not their belief. interesting...i think they're lazy.

But it's the smarter atheists who take the bible and use it to point out hypocrisy and technicalities unobserved.

I Am catholic and i don't interpret the bible literally, i hold more on the gospels than any other book.

Answer 2

Well, I was a christian for over 15 years, and a holy spirit filled tongue talking minister for much of that. I would wager that I've studied and read the scriptures all the way through more then 85% of the believers out there. Actually reading the bible with an open mind has made more Atheist out of Christians then probably any other factor. But, instead of trying to start trouble here, you could get a life ;-)

Answer 3

Atheist here.

I read the bible twice from cover to cover.

I was christian before and read the bible in its entirety once. I read it again from cover to cover when I was agnostic. I informed myself about other beliefs as well before I decided that I was an atheist. Most atheists have religious backgrounds. I've noticed that a lot of atheists/agnostics here have actually read the bible.

I read the Catholic Catechism as well.

You can't reach to any conclusion about wheter people have read the bible or not by the questions made here. A lot of questions aren't always made with the intention to learn something, but they are more thought / argument provoking.

When atheist mention that some christians are christian because "they are afraid to go to hell" is because a lot of christian have proposed the Pascal Wager to atheist. Atheist just use the same arguments to fight back. If you don't know what Pascal Wager is, check it, and you'll know what it is about. A lot of other questions are generated because what christians say and not about what the bible says.

Answer 4

Most athiests HAVE read the bible, and the qur'an, and the torah,and many other religious books which is more than most christians can say. See, athiests are generally looking for answers to questions, whereas most christians don't question what they read in the bible, they just believe what their preacher tells them to. I'm christian, I believe in God and that Jesus was his son, but have been asked not to come back to church because I questioned what I was told. There are lots of others out there just like me. So, don't assume that just because someone questions your beliefs, that they are athiests, or stupid. Its the stupid who follow without questioning why.

Answer 5

I have read the Bible three times. I know more about the Bible than most Christians. The information I, and most atheists, get from the Bible is exactly as is. If you think that what we say is "taken out of context" you need to take off the rose colored glasses and read the Bible with an unbiased eye.

Answer 6

...anyone who reads the bible using their understanding and with an open mind and using the attitude of "if this is true then what is the message and is it a good thing" will inevitably come to the conclusion that God is good and the way is good ... one truth will lead to seeing another until the point of believing and trusting in it cannot be avoided ....atheist are people who refuse to even look at or accept the possibility it could be truth ... they base most of their arguments on "religeon" and religeous people which if the Bible is studied in an academic way it is clearly seen that mans "religeons" have absolutely nothing to do with the bible or Gods word at all. Atheists are ignorant plain and simple ... they seek to blame others for the worlds problems and purposefully ignore and discredit the bible for no founded reason.

Answer 7

Have read it SEVERAL times... that's WHY I don't believe. I was raised Lutheran, baptized, confirmed, etc.

Why do Christians assume that atheists and agnostics haven't read the bible merely because we don't believe? Most have read not only the bible but many other religious texts in their search for peace and truth.

Some people believe everything they read (hence, Christians having problems with Harry Potter... evil witchcraft--which doesn't exist either) and others have the ability to push past the crap and find nothing. I wish more were in the latter category.

Answer 8

I am not an atheist by any means. However, I have studied the Bible to a great extent, and it is the most contradictive literature in the world. It was also translated to please other men, (King James for example). Either Atheists are having the experience they need on this earth, or they will have a spiritual awakening of a more personal nature than reading some book.

Answer 9

I've found that a LOT of atheists have not only read the bible, but most of the leading religious texts as well as the ideologies of alternate spiritual theories and are quite informed as to their decision. I find many of them to be overbearing in their intellectuality, and somewhat pompously academic. But, not ignorant of the facts or the teachings of the bible. Almost too well-informed, if that's possible.

I think that people of all organized religions could take a page from their book though and study the texts of all of the other religions that they do not understand, rather than putting them down out of ignorance of the doctrines.

Answer 10

I grew up in the church as the son of a Methodist minister, I was a religion major in college with an emphasis on biblical studies, I took 2 semesters of New Testament Greek, 1 semester of Old Testament Hebrew, spent 1 year in Methodist seminary, and during college I worked as a summer youth worker in Methodist churches in Tennessee. I've read through the Bible at least once and many books (mostly New Testament, the Torah, and the Wisdom books) multiple times. Do my credentials measure up?

ADDITIONAL NOTE TO ASKER: Surprised at the responses? We may be better studied than you and your pastor put together!

Answer 11

Born and raised in the Church of England. Attended church school from age 5 to 11. Sunday school from the earliest time I can remember. Church choir (Saturdays for weddings, three services on Sundays, choir practice Wednesday evenings) throughout my childhood and teens.

I not only read the entire bible, but also had to learn many sections by heart. I can still recite the books of both testaments in order.

A confirmed atheist since my 20s, when I started applying reason and logic to the myth of Christianity, and realized organized churches are in fact based on politics, greed and power.

I hope that answers your question.