If god is Omnipotent don't you think he'd be able to write a better book?

Question

If the bible is the literal word of god, why wouldn't he make it read better?
I mean I'm pretty sure we can agree that there are plenty of books out there that are better written. And I very much doubt that any sensible literary critic would rate the quality of writting in the bible, as the greatest ever.
William Shakespeare's a better writter, as are T.S Elliot, Edgar Allen Poe, Leo Tolstoy, and Fyodor Dostoevsky to name a few. Why would god write a book that by any literary deffinition is second rate?

A few points: Other great writters just had inspiration. The authors of the bible (according to christians) had god speaking directly to them, or a god given inspiration. Now you can't tell me that inspiration handed down by an omnipotent force, doesn't trump regular human inspiration any day. So the question still remains unchanged.
Point#2: Many other Good books have gone through multiple translations, and still stand up to criticism: crime and punishment, and war and peace, were originally written in russian, Kafka's the metamorphosis is originally german, these books are great in all languages.
But you want me to believe that the inspired word of god doesn't translate well? And if it's not an accurate translation why read it?

Answer 1

Hey, are you channeling Carl Sagan? Sagan made this point, too: "God" would have done a better job at communicating. Obviously.

Answer 2

It's a valid question indeed. I've read a few hundred pages of the Bible and it's an absolute sleeper. The characters are dull and undeveloped. The story lines are excruciatingly uninspired. The mechanics of the writing are terrible.

Even if you make the argument that it was inspired by God and written by man, you still end up with a book that has never been proofed. I'd think it's the least God would've done for his flock. Of course the bigger question that comes with the "inspired" approach is who heard his voice and why hasn't anyone questioned the sanity of the men that were "inspired".

Nowadays, when people hear voices we try to get them psychiatric help. We don't hand them a pen and paper and tell them to dictate public policy.

Answer 3

Oh my goodness are you going to bring the bible thumpers out. Going from the premise that god is omnipotent and he lead the various peoples who contributed to it by his own hands (he's omnipotent right) why isn't it better? He could have just once in a while come up with a sequal (god 2, the continuing stories) that someone might want to read. Bored and in a hotel room and need something to read? Tried that and I just can't wrap my mind around something written like that. Yes, it should be a compelling story that you just can't put down. But what can you expect about something that came from the Mid-East. 2000 years and still fighting. The other answer about chariots of iron? Awesome to know that. I guess God can't tow my car.

Answer 4

God does not have the physical hand to write it and prophets does not have time to edit what he hears from God. He writes as he hears and to edit his words is tantamout to making the prophet's own intepretations. And speaking of interpretations, the transliteration of the words from Aramaic to Hebrew to Latin and then to English and many more languages, would you not think that somehow along the translation process some brilliant mind changed some words to confuse us to its meaning? How about the council of Nicea in time of Constantinople, what do you think is the reason for the meeting if it is just for translating and spreading the words of God? Would you not consider others who would like to make a global decision thinking they too are God's messengers? It is not actually the writings because most the words are picked up from stone tablets or old scrolls where many parts were either burnt, broken or missing and many words may have been added or altered just complete a sentence for someone's own advantage.

Answer 5

Nicely put. I agree wholeheartedly - if the Book is indeed the work of an all knowing, all powerful God, he sure cant be all that all-knowing - or he would have known that the book would be misintrepretted by the masses, wars fought over it and hundreds of different denominations would arise from its differing versions and intrepretations.

So, this must mean only one thing - God didnt write the Bible. Because, God doesnt exist.

Answer 6

I'm actually the chosen one to revise it. He wants me to put in some chariot chases, cool ancient devices, and more hot women in it. It's going to be rated R like the old testament, but this time its a little less fire and brimestone and more comedy. He's a little envious about how Austin Powers II got so much attention. I don't want to spoil it for you guys but it turns out that David Blaine is the new Jesus and he's actually going to be doing some pretty important work soon.

Answer 7

The bible was supposedly "inspired" by god, but how do we know that? what if the church is telling us a bunch of lies?
But if you really want to read a book of God, try "Conversations with God", by Neale Donald Walsch and you tell me what you think later....

Answer 8

God is Omnipotent it is true for sure and no one can chnage this truth
one can admit or reject but NO ONE CAN ALTER THIS TRUTH!!!
and he gave Bibel and than Quran which is better book and for all human beings of the world

Answer 9

Better yet, since he knew (omniscient, remember) that humans wouldn't be able to translate it properly, shouldn't he have written it in all languages, past and future? Since he did want *everyone* to read it, right? Seems only polite.

Answer 10

Well obviously, God did not write the bible. Men wrote the bible and then more men translated and re-translated it.