OK, Im not saying im non religious like that Atomix guy, who doesnt believe in God,but has anyone actually read the bible here? Its IMPOSSIBLE!!! If anyone has read it, I bow down to you!!!!!!!!! It would probably be interesting, but I just dont have the time! What with killing people, taking drugs and going on ats... Did I just say killing and taking drugs?...I meant playing with children... heh heh.. tra la la That last smiley was just funny, it had nothing to do with the post

... I fear you.

Anyway, I've read Genesis and about half of Exodus.

Man, it is just... repetitive. When God talks, it sounds like Mojo Jojo.

Oh, and I'm "Not religious like that Atomix guy, who doesn't believe in god "

[edit on 23-10-2004 by Solasis]

[edit on 23-10-2004 by Solasis]

Ok children has this thread just turned into a Lets all insult "that atomix guy" party fest shall we call it. I can express my own opinion. I hate you all.

Just kidding you guys are my only friends! ( which shows just how little i get out )

Originally posted by Atomix
Ok children has this thread just turned into a Lets all insult "that atomix guy" party fest shall we call it. I can express my own opinion. I hate you all.

Just kidding you guys are my only friends! ( which shows just how little i get out )

Uhm... I didn't mean to offend you (if I did... I can't tell o.o) ^^;;; I don't even know you ^^;;; I was just playing off of what Paranoid said. because it read really weird...

I'm not exactly sure what this thread is supposed to be about...seems more like the "post as many smilies as possible" thread. Anyhow, I will try and answer it to the best of my ability to translate the original posters message.

I am not a Christian, but I have read much of the Old Testament and a bit of the New, much more for its relationship with history than anything. It's a pretty easy read, so I don't understand what the fuss is about, but I guess after having to read manuscripts from Medieval Europe and hundreds of ancient texts it's probably easier for myself and others like me. The King James version of the bible is written in pretty standard language for 15th-17th Century English, and does not seem to pose a viable "language barrier" to myself. The Bible is a very easy read compared to works out of ancient Assyria, or even 11th Century European texts.

[edit on 23-10-2004 by Jazzerman]

i have read it twice, and my wife has read and studied it so much that she has
worn out several bibles in our 24 year marriage. enough so that the changes in
wording stand out.

I do belive in God or do I not. I don't know what to belive. I guess that makes me an agnostic.

I do not belive in organized religion. Religion in itself was "created" to fearfully keep people in line. Control measure you could say. I also think the bible was and is the best work of fiction ever written.

Most people want to belive in God and Heaven and Hell. Not because they were taught about it but because they are afraid of the unkown. The unkown being what happens after you die. You do not want to logicaly accept the fact that there is nothing. The human cannot really understand nothing. Thats why a databse has NULL.

Religion ( not a belife in a God ) but religion itself has caused more wars, more pograms and more inquisitions than anything in mankind.

Why did they call him TORQUEMADA? Cause you couldnt talk him outta anything.

JB

Been there.
Done that.
A few times, being 1st thru 10th grade Christian school.

Note: I don't disbelieve in "God", I do in fact believe in higher powers, I just don't believe in how the Bible is translated by the church to be as a Christian person.

Misfit

Have I read the Bible? Sure, for whatever that's is worth. Have I studied the Bible with the assistance of the Holy Spirit to make sense out of that which would be nonsense to the disbeliever? Yes, and that is the better question. It isn't a Dean R. Koontz novel, friend.

PS, I find it easier reading than reading posts with excessive and senseless emoticon usage!

Since I dont think god exits ,I arent ever read the bible. With all do respect I have never seen the bible as anything but a book of short stories.

Originally posted by xpert11
Since I dont think god exits ,I arent ever read the bible. With all do respect I have never seen the bible as anything but a book of short stories.

All due respect noted, no disrespect taken whatsoever.
Just between you and me, xpert, some of the stories aren't so short!
Or maybe I'm just a slow reader!

Originally posted by Thomas Crowne

Originally posted by xpert11
Since I dont think god exits ,I arent ever read the bible. With all do respect I have never seen the bible as anything but a book of short stories.

All due respect noted, no disrespect taken whatsoever.
Just between you and me, xpert, some of the stories aren't so short!
Or maybe I'm just a slow reader!

I doubt your a slow reader if you have picked up a bible you would know more about its contents then me.

erm......can't quite figure out what this post is about so i'll just chuck in my opinion (before i do i'd like to point out that i do not believe in any God:

I do not believe the bible should be taken literally....if you do it makes no logical sense whatsoever. It is a collection of metaphores on how to live a "christian" life in the eyes of their "God".

People seem to just want to say "hey this is stupid cos it say x did this and then y flew away"...well take it in the context of how it was written...to explain a concept to people who were still, in my opinion, quite primitve (Hence them being under Roman rule). The best way of doing this was to dress up the concept of forgiving, for example, in a pretty dress to make it easier to understand.

The thing that really makes me wonder is the censorship of certain Gospels/chapters whatever, by (I think) one of the earlier popes or emperors....may be Constantine at the Council of Nicea??

I mean if it was the "word of God" why the need to filter what people read??

I read somewhere recently that the Holy Bible could be read from beginning to end in 72 hours. Whoever said this must have used speed-reading techniques to get it done that fast. I prefer to read it slowly and allow the words to sink in deep. I have read it several times over which is a big reason why I’m such a solid Christian. Now when I say, “solid” I mean to say that I know the core truths that the Bible teaches well.

I often read or hear people criticize the Holy Bible but almost to a last man none of them have even read it! This is like finding a man guilty of murder without having a trial. If you don’t want to read the Holy Bible no one is forcing you. But if you want to comment on it with any authority at all you better read it first lest you make yourself look like an idiot. The Holy Bible contains a depth to it that is unmatched in human literature. Don’t write it off until you’ve read it first.

www.equip.org

I have been a christian for about 3 years. Before that I was a drugged out idiot. I only finished year 9 at school. But since I found God I have been studying the bible constantly. I think the bible is a miracle. And it shows us the truth about the state of our heart and teaches us the right way to live. Read proverbs it is full of wisdom.

Also it has helped me greatly with the rearing of my children. They went thru a lot of crap before God found me. They are now being healed in an awsome way.

One thing I suggest is to pray to God for an open mind and soft heart, and to give you understanding before you read the bible.

No offense, but I think that people like rose just turn to the bible because it gives them comfort; they're scared of what they're doing/have become/whatever it is. So they see this nice book that tells them what it's all about, and that it's going to be okay, so they try to make it that way. That is both the bible(actually, religion in general)'s largest strength and biggest weakness.

Originally posted by Paranoid Pain
but has anyone actually read the bible here? Its IMPOSSIBLE!!! If anyone has read it, I bow down to you!!!!!!!!! It would probably be interesting,

I tried to read it several times, a different translation each time. Every time I got to all those Old Testament Laws in Exodus, Deuteronomy and the woeful tone in Lamentations I gave up, although I had read the New Testament several times. My wife bought me a New Century Version. It is the easiest translation I have found to read, almost like a novel in places. It took a year to go cover to cover reading a little each day. Found out that I had to unlearn a few things I had been taught. They were not actually in the Bible. I had to learn a few things that I had never imagined were there. When I found something really outlandish, I compared it to other translations. It was there too, but in different words. I found it very interesting, and insightful. I guess I could say that I felt humbled by what I read, and more importantly learned. I guess I had gone for too many years simply letting people tell me what was there, without verifying it myself as I should have.

Originally posted by Machine
I read somewhere recently that the Holy Bible could be read from beginning to end in 72 hours. Whoever said this must have used speed-reading techniques to get it done that fast. I prefer to read it slowly and allow the words to sink in deep. I have read it several times over which is a big reason why I’m such a solid Christian. Now when I say, “solid” I mean to say that I know the core truths that the Bible teaches well.

I often read or hear people criticize the Holy Bible but almost to a last man none of them have even read it! This is like finding a man guilty of murder without having a trial. If you don’t want to read the Holy Bible no one is forcing you. But if you want to comment on it with any authority at all you better read it first lest you make yourself look like an idiot. The Holy Bible contains a depth to it that is unmatched in human literature. Don’t write it off until you’ve read it first.

www.equip.org

So since you have read the bible and it has made you a better christian doesn't it at all bother you that the God, Yahweh, Elohim, Lord etc... murders and commands others to murder others. I think that if you are in your right mind you should take this into consideration. The bible say you shall know the tree by its fruit. In this case how does this tree produce good fruit. Everything in the bible starts with god, he is the tree. You cant just take Jesus teaching and throw out the god of the OT. Get back to basics. Can someone please tell me what you find good about this god that is worthy of worship?

Some bible quotes to ponder about god. Just some of the FEW instances where god is dispicable murderer.

Under God's direction, Moses' army defeats the Midianites. They kill all the adult males, but take the women and children captive. When Moses learns that they left some live, he angrily says: "Have you saved all the women alive? Kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him. But all the women children, that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves." So they went back and did as Moses (and presumably God) instructed, killing everyone except for the virgins. In this way they got 32,000 virgins -- Wow! [Even God gets some of the booty -- including the virgins. NUMBERS (31:28-29)] 31:1-54 28-29

God travels with people and fights in their wars. DEUTERONOMY 20:4

"But of the cities ... which the Lord thy God doth give thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth." Kill the old men and women, the sick and the dying, the blind and the lame, pregnant mothers, nursing mothers, infants, toddlers, and babies. DEUTERONOMY 20:16

God commands the Israelites to "blot out the rembrance of Amalek from under heaven." A few hundred years later God orders Saul to kill of the Amalekites "both man and woman, infant and suckling." (1 Sam.15:2-3) 25:19