How do Atheists pass Literature 101?

Question

I mean when somebody asks a question at R&S lets say about Moses, most of the atheists answers are 'No, he never existed, or it is just a myth'. What did they answer their Lit professor when asked about Romeo and Juliet, Wuthering Heights, or Catcher in the Rye? Those are fictitious stories yet I remember having to write long and painful essays on them. What is the difference between Moby Dick and the Bible to an atheist? Not much. Then why can't they answer a question based on the bible 'stories'?
So there!

Answer 1

They can when the question is logical and strictly about the literature. The problem is when the Christian tries to say that the real answer to a question is something they try to use that was invented by their religion or that is really not expressed in the bible.

For example

Once I asked the question Did god actually walk on the earth in physical form during the days of Abraham? In Genesis it tells of Abraham being at his home and seeing 3 men in the distance that he recognized as God and 2 angels that were on their way to Sodom. He asked them to stop wash their feet and to share a meal with them. He ordered an animal to be killed and cooked, fresh bread and milk for the guests. they did stop and eat with him, after which Abraham had his famous conversation with god about destroying Sodom and Gomorrah.

Christians answered this by saying no it wasn't really god it was a metaphor, or it was really an angel, and some even said it was really Jesus because of the Trinity (which is man made and not in the bible) because they believe that Jesus always existed even though this happened before he was born. This is an illogical answer that is not from the bible but solely from illogical Christian invention. the bible said it was god.

So there.

Answer 2

Yes I don't have to think a story is real to see a character in the story is evil. Like the passages that support: Slavery: (Exodus 21:20-21, Leviticus 25:44-46, Exodus 21:2-6, Exodus 21:7-11, Ephesians 6:5, Luke 12:47-48) Genocide: (1 Samuel 15:2-3, Numbers 31:1-54) Cannabalism: (Leviticus 26:16, Leviticus 26:29, Deuteronomy 28:53, Deuteronomy 28:57, Isaiah 9:19-20, Isaiah 49:26, Jeremiah 19:9, Ezekiel 5:10, Zechariah 11:9, 2 Kings 6:28-29, Lamentations 4:10, Micah 3:2-3, Ezekiel 24:10-12 ) Human Sacrifice: (Genesis 22:2,10, Judges 11:29-39) Rape: (City Rape - Deuteronomy 22:23-24, Country Rape - Deuteronomy 22:25-27, Of an unbetrothed virgin - Deuteronomy 22:28-29, Of prisoners of war - Numbers 31:15-18) Terrorism: (Genesis 35:5, Exodus 23:27, Deuteronomy 2:25, Deuteronomy 4:34, Judges 16:27-30, 2 Corinthians 5:11) Demonizing Handicapped people: (Exodus 4:11, Leviticus 21:17-23) Being against Medical Science: (Exodus 15:26, James 5:14-15, Psalm 103:2-3, Matthew 9:22, Mark 5:34, Luke 8:48, Acts 19:12, 2 Chronicles 16:12)

Answer 3

Well, I would suppose it depends on the questions being asked. If the examination asked for personal opinions on whether a Biblical character existed or not, an atheist would say no--so might a believer of another religion. However, if they are asked to comment or interpret the actual narrative of the text then of course it would be an intellectual exercise in literature.

However, and here's where it gets interesting, are all the stories in the bible 'true' in the sense that those who wrote them might have fashioned allegories not meant to be taken as literal events?

There is something else that is problematical, which translation of the bible is the most reliable: The King James Version ;Tyndall's--from which the KJV gets a lot of text or a direct translation from Aramaic rather than from Greek or Latin?

Answer 4

The difference is that almost no one believes Moby Dick, Romeo, Juliet, etc. in fiction really lived, but many people believe that the Bible is literally true about everything in it. Actually, it is just fiction, and it is important to point that out to people who claim it is true. I made much better grades in all courses than my siblings who believe the Bible. I graduated from college, while they dropped out of high school. Your question is insulting to atheists.

Answer 5

"So there?" Can you say "Straw Man Argument?" Instead of English Lit 101 perhaps Logic & Meaning 208 might have been worth your study.

I answer Bible questions as questions regarding literature when that is how they are posed, which they seldom are. They are usually posed as though referring to god-breathed objective fact, and when they are posed that way, which they almost always are, I answer that way, as do the other atheists here.

And to the poster above, if you could provide any testable proof that wold be one thing, but to assert that no amount of proof would be sufficeint is just your red herring way of ducking the fact that you have NONE, and in fact are too lazy to look for any or you'd already know that.

Answer 6

umm....i'm an atheist and i passed all my literature class. i don't see what ur point is. atheists don't believe in a god. those books u listed are stories, it's fiction. so when asked about them, y won't we be able to answer? oh, and one more thing, schools can't really ask questions about religion since the students might have different religious backdground, so it's unfair to those who don't know the bible.


by the way, we're not narrow-minded. and jesus can't show up one day because a) christians said he's dead, so he can't rise from the dead, and b) we don't believe he existed so he can't possibly show up later.
in my opinion, christians are the ones who are closed-minded because they're unable to accept other people's believes. people can believe and worship whatever they want, and yet christians keep trying to push their own religion upon others.


SO THERE!

Answer 7

They are narrow minded, can't see outside the box. There minds are made up that the bible and god is fictional. It don't matter how much proof you have. Jesus could show up and show them his wounds and they would have some logic answer to saw it was a dream or hallucination. Ignore them.

Answer 8

My best friend passed High School and couldn't even read. Maybe athiests never read. Which is why they have an over-inflated view of their own opinions.