The Bible-Boooooring

[thesummerqueen]

The Silmarillion makes more sense than the Bible and is more entertaining.

[jstrodel]

Tokein was a Christian. There is some deep spiritual stuff in that book.

[Minimalist]

Listen to theologians if you want the intellectual equivalent of a paid testimonial in an infomercial for bra-filling silicone inserts.

Time to recall Dawkins' words on the uselessness of "theology."

What has theology ever said that is of the smallest use to anybody? When has theology ever said anything that is demonstrably true and is not obvious? I have listened to theologians, read them, debated against them. I have never heard any of them ever say anything of the smallest use, anything that was not either platitudinously obvious or downright false. If all the achievements of scientists were wiped out tomorrow, there would be no doctors but witch doctors, no transport faster than horses, no computers, no printed books, no agriculture beyond subsistence peasant farming. If all the achievements of theologians were wiped out tomorrow, would anyone notice the smallest difference? Even the bad achievements of scientists, the bombs, and sonar-guided whaling vessels work! The achievements of theologians don't do anything, don't affect anything, don't mean anything. What makes anyone think that "theology" is a subject at all?

[Ryantology]

If it is so simple, why do you make so many mistakes about it?

On what authority do you get to tell me I am mistaken?

[smax]

I have read the bible from cover to cover numerous times, although I must admit I tended to skim through the genealogies. That said, I found it quite interesting. But that may simply be a product of the fact that I was studying to be minister at the time, and I felt I should know the book thoroughly. So investigative interest may have nullified the potential for boredom.

Ironically, the biggest single contributing factor in my eventual break from the Christian faith was my reading of the bible, and that's why I try to encourage as many Christians as possible to read the whole bible and not just the New Testament.

If you can read that book, and not be thoroughly appalled by the blatant disregard that god has for humanity and basic decency, you might just be as evil as he is painted to be. Seriously, the god of the bible makes someone like Adolf Hitler look like a humanitarian by comparison. And, even if you can stomach the horrible attrocities god does and calls for, your basic sense of logic and reason should lead you to easily see that the book and it's god are merely an invention of ancient man, filled with scientific impossibilities, contradictions, and bogus history.

[thesummerqueen]

Tokein was a Christian. There is some deep spiritual stuff in that book.

Should have gotten him to rewrite the Bible...it sucks as it is.

[CleanShavenJesus]

Translation: It is worthless pulp unless you beef yourself up with a large amount of confirmation bias.

The correct reason to study any work is to examine it critically for truth or falsehood. If you study the Bible so as to justify or dismiss it, you are reading it correctly. If you study it so that you can refine your interpretation to the point that it coexists with your expectations, desires, or morals, you're lying to yourself and you get nothing out of the study except a reinforcement of your own stupidity.

I look not to my own understanding, I seek the wisdom of the eternal, omniscient God of creation.

Yes, and what did wisdom did Allah give you?

[jstrodel]

If it is so simple, why do you make so many mistakes about it?

On what authority do you get to tell me I am mistaken?

Well, when I am talking to you, it must be either science, as you understand it, or things that you like. So I guess that you have proved that your mind can't be changed.

[Minimalist]

So I guess that you have proved that your mind can't be changed.

And you really expect us to be impressed by your personal understaqnding of iron age fairy tales? When it comes to minds that can't be changed you need to look in a mirror.

I began life by having your horseshit shoved at me by well-meaning parents but I decided for myself that it is just horseshit. You need to re-consider your position.

[DeistPaladin]

The main attribute I think of when I think of the bible is just how boring it is. Many Atheists paint the bible as this book of horrors but in truth it's mostly just long and boring. ...

Kind of like "Manos the Hands of Fate". It's boring AND a horror story. And it's badly written. And it contains badly thought out characters with strange motives. And it's impossible to sit through.