Should you be reading the "Holy Bible"?

Question

If you want to search for life's purpose this book is good for you.:)

Answer 1

some of the people on this website should, they come up with the stupidest questions and answers and its obvious that they have no earthly idea what it is they are saying. seriously people, if you are going to argue the bible either for or against, at least understand what it is you are talking about.

Answer 2

Yes I believe in God and should be reading the Holy Bible. I do know that if you read the Holy Bible you get a crown in Heaven! I have not read the book all the way through myself.

Answer 3

Indeed it is.

Have you considered the reliability of the bible? Ignore for the moment the whole notion of God and just think about the book's content.

Some have claimed that the bible is no more accurate that Homer's Iliad. I respectfully disagree and the table shown at the link below clearly demonstrates my argument that the Bible is one of the most accurate sources for the events described in it.

Investigation will also reveal that there exists NO SINGLE SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY that has been shown to prove error, factually or doctrinally, in the Bible. There is plenty of speculation and hypotheses, but not a single verifiable fact.

To make this claim alone is quite a feat for ancient texts, but when you add to it the fact that the Bible was written over more than 1,500 years by forty vastly different writers, yet every book in the Bible is consistent in its message. These 66 books talk about history, prophecy, poetry, and theology.

No human beings could have planned such an intricate combination of books over a 1,500-year time span. Bible manuscripts (remember, there were no printing presses until 1455) have survived despite weather, persecution and time. Most ancient writings written on weak materials like papyrus have vanished all together. Yet many copies of the Old Testament scriptures survived. For instance, the Dead Sea Scrolls contain all books of the Old Testament, except Esther, and have been dated to before the time of Christ. Consider Julius Caesar’s Gallic Wars. Only ten copies written about 1,000 years after the event are in existence. In comparison, there are over 24,000+ New Testament manuscripts, the earliest one dating to within 24 years after Christ.

The Bible also validates its divine authorship through fulfilled prophecies. An astonishing 668 prophecies have been fulfilled and none have ever been proven false (three are unconfirmed).

An honest study of biblical prophecy will compellingly show the divine authorship of the Bible. Further, archeology confirms (or in some cases supports) accounts in the biblical record. No other holy book comes close to the Bible in the amount of evidence supporting its divine authorship.

Few fail to realize this and show their lack of knowledge in the historicity of the Bible by objecting when folks use the bible to support their own positions. While no one objects when a journal article or some popular book or media piece is quoted, there is always lots of flippant commentary when Christians use the bible as a reference.

When I examine the evidence on both sides, I can only rationally conclude that given the bible's accuracy on so many issues, I have no reason to doubt its validity on all issues it contains, especially when it speaks to God's divine revelations.

To learn how the books of the bible came to be assembled as such see: http://gbgm-umc.org/umw/bible/canons.stm

Catholic and Episcopal bibles have the same number of canonical books. The Catholic and Episcopal bible also includes some non-canonical books, grouped as the Apocrypha.


Many versions of the bible existed before the King James and the advent of mass printing.
See: http://www.greatsite.com/timeline-english-bible-history/

For an analysis of the various translations of the bible see:
http://faith.propadeutic.com/questions.html

For accurate translations of the bible at the literal level use the NASB or ESV translations.

If you run across what you think is a biblical contradiction, please study the two sites' content below for a comprehensive list of so-called biblical contradictions.

http://kingdavid8.com/Contradictions/Home.html
http://www.bringyou.to/apologetics/bible.htm

Accuracy of bible:
http://www.carm.org/questions/trustbible.htm
http://www.carm.org/demo2/bible/reliable.htm

The bible is a message of hope to mankind from its creator.

In the ESV translation (a literal one) the word "love" appears more than 500 times, while the word "hate" appears about 90 times.

There are entire books of the bible dedicated to the expression of God's love for mankind.

How about as an experiment you simply read the bible as you would read a book of fiction. You may say, but wait, I have already read it. Just read it again this time with my precondition that you make no assumptions as you read, but just read the book. It will take you about two weeks to read the 726,109 words, of which 14, 462 are unique of the bible (NIV translation).

Afterwards, honestly ask yourself if you have found the bible to be a work of hate or one of manifest hope. Take the challenge and report back here afterwards.

Answer 4

Yes. It helps but your purpose is not IN the book, it's in YOU.
Try reading "A Purpose-driven Life"

Answer 5

Yes you should be reading the bible. But you must read it at a deeper level. Understand what the author is saying and who he is saying it to. Then apply all that to yourself. If you read and do not reflect on it then you can not draw anything from it.

Answer 6

How completely sad that someone could read the bible and not recieve the life giving, life changing words that are jumping off the pages. Sad, that is what it is to me.
Just plain sad.

Answer 7

Yes, I do...I read the Bible, and listen to it being taught multiple times per day...It is a great book, and it's amazing how realt it is!

Answer 8

AMEN, I REALLY SHOULD BE READING IT RIGHT NOW. But I do read it every day pretty much, love it, it is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.

Psalms 119 is all about the word, Jesus is the word made flesh!!!

Answer 9

Already read it. It was okay, had some good lessons, but it is hardly something that I would live my life by...

Answer 10

that is correct and also gives the individual a proper way of living and helping others. Have a fine day!