With what attitude (or mindset) do you read it?
Do you read it looking for answers or looking for contradictions?
If you look for answers and do not find them, do you conclude that the answers are not there?
2007-02-05 07:02:06 · 13 answers · asked by Doug 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I spent 9 years in a christian school. Between that, and another 6 on a personal level, I used to read the bible trying to find a connection on a spiritual level. I kept myself very open when reading it, and still came up with nothing. Throughout that time, I started to see the inconsistencies. As I began to find my place in the world, I started to see some of the 'fail-safes' built in (such as telling you to rely on faith not logic-Proverbs 3:5; multiple instances of claiming that you weren't supposed to 'get it' if you didn't...things like that). I began investigating other faiths, because I wasn't finding answers there. I kept myself open to information from many sources...science, Buddhism, politics, satanism, wicca...you name it.
What I determined was that all religions teach basically the same core rule: Do what you will, harm no-one else (or do unto others...). They took other roads from there, but the core was the same. I saw that the holy books/writings/thoughts all came from a lack of information about how things really worked. I came to one conclusion above all others. God didn't create science, as I was told. A lack of science created gods.
I tend to hold more with Buddhism than any faith. I disagree with the 'spirit/soul' parts, but the basis of its philosophy is the most realistic...to me.
2007-02-05 07:18:30 · answer #1 · answered by Bill K Atheist Goodfella 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually neither. I started my academic carreer as a Philosophy major. Most of the more interesting philosophers were theoligians....and I felt I'd need to read the bible to have a more firm background in understanding them. I read the Bible as an academic excercise to try and better understand theologians, philosophers, and modern society. I did not read it looking for contradictions, or for answers/faith.
2007-02-05 07:06:46 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I haven't read the entire Bible, although I think Sam Harris has.
I've read parts of it three times:
(1) When I was a kid in church. I read it because that's just what we did. I didn't really understand it.
(2) In college, I read the Bible for comparative religion classes. Mostly Matthew, Mark, Luke, etc. It didn't seem to bad, because I kind of rolled my eyes.
(3) Later, I read parts of the Bible guided by Karen Armstrong's "A History of God". I wasn't specifically looking for contradictions, because those are already well-documented. I was looking at it with a fresh perspective though.
2007-02-05 07:07:36 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
I read the bible to look for answers, and have found many answers. Why would people read the bible looking for contradictions? The bible is a very good cultural book, whether you believe in God or not.
2007-02-05 07:06:51 · answer #4 · answered by Please help me 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Many start off christian and read the bible. After reading the bible, they become atheist. I have heard that the bible is the number one atheist maker out there.
Some research it. They are bombarded by people using the bible as the only proof of god. So they use fire to fight fire. If someone wants to pull out the bible and tell the atheist how he/she is going to hell, then the atheist can pull out the bible and show how this holy book should be called the holey book because of the contradictions and silliness.
2007-02-05 07:08:23 · answer #5 · answered by A.Mercer 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I've read most of it. I was looking neither for answers nor for contradictions, but simply for information about what it is that so many people believe in. For the same reason I've read the Quran as well.
2007-02-05 07:15:57 · answer #6 · answered by Elly 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've read the bible twice. Once on my own and the next time as part of a bible study group. Having done so has only reinforced my beliefs that the bible is nothing more than christian mythology.
2007-02-05 07:21:43 · answer #7 · answered by ndmagicman 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
exciting question. sure, i discover that the Bible is an exceedingly exciting e book to verify. there is information for existence's issues, uplifting encouragement interior the Psalms, and an outstanding sort of information of folk's adventures. of course there is a lot extra, the Bible is many books in a single so which you get alot of categories of writings. there is even romance!
2016-09-28 11:17:16 · answer #8 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I read it in college as part of a comparative theology class. At the time, I was a believer. Looking at it objectively changed my mind about it.
2007-02-05 07:11:22 · answer #9 · answered by lcraesharbor 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When I was reading it I was a Chrisitan. I read it wanting to become a better Christian. I found answers and now I am an atheist.
2007-02-05 07:07:02 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋