I didnt read it, I read the quoran and I wouldnt say that it was boring but certainly a waste of time. I read it from a point of view in which I tried to understand the medieval mind of a 8th century person and from that perspective it was rather intersting. But it was a waste of time since I could have simply read some more informative wikipedia entries about these times and the people thoughts of these time.
I guess if I should ever read the bible I would probably do it from the same point of view, trying to understand the mindset of the bronze age religious elite and how they attempted to control the sociaty they lived in and with which means they tried to stay in power.
From a artistic point of view - there is simply nothing to gain. Religious texts simply arent great literature, the quoran may rime in arabic yet it hasnt got a gripping story to tell, le alone a story which would be taken serious as literature if published today.
Religion and great literature generaly clash in my point of view. The fact that the works of the greatest writer of the last century James Joyce were banned and frowned upon due to roman catholic influence in Irealand and by puritan moralists in the US says it all for me. Literature of today is often about social criticism and the most inner and private thoughtts and needs of an individual, something which most religions cannot coop with and mostly reject.
Only religion can create such absurd situations like the one in which Irelands greatest writer being frowned upon in his own country for a long time.
I guess if I should ever read the bible I would probably do it from the same point of view, trying to understand the mindset of the bronze age religious elite and how they attempted to control the sociaty they lived in and with which means they tried to stay in power.
From a artistic point of view - there is simply nothing to gain. Religious texts simply arent great literature, the quoran may rime in arabic yet it hasnt got a gripping story to tell, le alone a story which would be taken serious as literature if published today.
Religion and great literature generaly clash in my point of view. The fact that the works of the greatest writer of the last century James Joyce were banned and frowned upon due to roman catholic influence in Irealand and by puritan moralists in the US says it all for me. Literature of today is often about social criticism and the most inner and private thoughtts and needs of an individual, something which most religions cannot coop with and mostly reject.
Only religion can create such absurd situations like the one in which Irelands greatest writer being frowned upon in his own country for a long time.
