Do Atheists typically read the Bible faster than Christians?

Question

Is that the problem.

Do you have to read it slowly to stay Christian.

I've seen some Christians say it took 'em 2 years.

It took me a few months.

Was that what screwed me up?

Answer 1

Well it generally takes a very long time to read the bible when you're only being fed passages by your pastor or religious leader. Most christians have never read the whole thing, or even half of it.

Also it can take a long time to read the more horrid passages and try to come up with excuses/apologies for them. I showed a christian friend Deuteronomy 13:7-11 and he spent literally 20 minutes looking at in somber silence before he finally came up with a rather weak excuse for it.

Atheists tend read through the whole thing and they read it critically. This can take a while (a couple weeks or months) but it's far, far faster than christians can.

Answer 2

Christians study it and meditate on it. Atheists (or at least many I've seen on Yahoo Answers), read it only to try to find "faults" with it, and find these so called "faults" specifically because of what they miss, such as context. It's important to ask yourself to whom something is addressed, why, when, etc. Example: Jim Darwin once claimed that the Bible endorses slavery, and asked where it said that things changed for New Testament times. God specifically allowed the Jews to take specific evil nations as slaves, during a specific time. Not only does it not apply to now, it didn't apply to all people for all times even in the Old Testament. Also, there are stories about people who did things that are absolutely wrong, and people seem to think that God supported those actions! The Bible is also a historical book. Just because it tells the story of something that happened doesn't mean that it's an example to follow. It's very clear what we are to strive for as an example, but if someone is just reading the Bible to criticize it, of course, they won't bother to differentiate.

Answer 3

Maybe, just maybe, it is a simple matter of prejudice - a common atheist is as badly informed as anyone else. So we can presume that when it gets to reading the Bible, an atheist would just run trough it, not looking for much. A Christian won't do that because of his beliefs and because he is open-minded for that particular solution. Do you believe that every book can be read instantly? Why do you (and other atheists) think the Bible can? Do you think that you could read Kant quickly?

Answer 4

Yea...duh...that's like a rhetorical question. On average, slower readers have lower comprehension abilities. The less one comprehends, the more likely they are to take the bible as fact. It's not a big deal though. We live in a society where anyone can practice or not practice any religion. We need people at all levels of the workforce, from CEOs and scientists to the hardworking men flipping burgers and being devout christians. Not to say all people who flip burgers are devoutly religious people...I used to flip burgers at one time and did so with pride, but was never a religious person after the age of around 13 - probably when my reading and comprehension skills started improving. But don't take my word for it....

Answer 5

they have had to place the blinders on as respects the parts of the Bible they or no person else can clarify away. they only forget approximately those aspects and proceed directly to the climate that help them have 'faith'. In different words they seem for preachers, sermons, web pages, different contributors of the congregation to maintain their convictions. that's to those aspects of the Bible they turn to handle non-believers. they'll injury down each word of chosen verses attempting to tutor a element, yet forget approximately an entire e book of the Bible if it in least offends their preconceived comments. maximum who learn the Bible, learn it in peace meal trend. they do no longer handle a undertaking by way of the context of a entire e book, yet by way of random verse skipping from the previous testomony to the recent devoid of lacking a beat. you do no longer could desire to be an atheist to get this reaction from Christians. you may merely be agnostic or maybe a theist and nonetheless get their ire up, by way of no longer submitting to the generic public rule.

Answer 6

I think Jer. 29:11 answers this most clearly from my perspective.

I've seen people accept Christ without having ever touched a Bible.

'stay Christian' is an interesting topic.

Answer 7

It took me about 2 years to read it each time (and read it three times cover-to-cover). I'm not a slow reader by any means. I just didn't particularly feel inclined to read it quicker (meaning I was pretty bored).

I did read Stephen King's "IT" in two days though! Guess I was more motivated with that one.

Answer 8

I too have read the bible and all of my religious friends tell me that I need to read it 1: more than once and 2: slowly and carefully. I do not understand this myself.

Answer 9

What screwed you up is that you read the whole thing, analyzed what you read, crossed referenced it with "the facts" of history and science and came to the well thought out, logical conclusion that it was just a book of myth.

Answer 10

I dont really know what you mean but im gonna basically guess.
It takes so long for chrisitians to read it because they study what they read, they find things they like, read, maybe reread teach it.

When you have a relationship with Jesus Christ, you long to read his word study, teach others about it