Do you think you'd still be a believer if the bible were more pleasant/accurate?

[Edwardo Piet]

I'd believe the Bible if it had citations to scientific evidence.

[Crossless2.0]

Well, don't forget that Jesus sometimes fell into fits of madness which spawned such unfortunate sayings as:

I mean, sure, apart from his utterly grotesque message of the perils that await nonbelievers after death, and his advocating blind adherence to authority rather evidence or reason, he was a "cool guy."

Some of the things he says are wrong. Like abandoning your family, and giving away every one of your possessions. Of course most people can say some things that are wise, and then some things that are stupid. My church didn't focus much on the stupid things Jesus said.

Many of the things Jesus is claimed to have said really don't make much sense unless the reader bears in mind that Jesus and many of his contemporaries seemed to believe that the present order of things was about to pass away and that the Kingdom of God would be imminently inaugurated. And this wasn't some nebulous "It could happen any time in the next few millennia" belief. They seemed to think it could happen any moment. There's a frantic quality about much of the preachings. Time is short. Repent and accept the Good News before it's too late.

Of course, today's believers try to have it both ways. Jesus doesn't "really" want them to abandon their families or sell their possessions -- that would be crazy! Meanwhile, they carry on with the nonsense about the End Times: it's coming really soon, any minute perhaps! Be ready! Repent and accept the Good News!

The elephant in the room of Christian claims is the obvious sense in which Jesus (and Paul and John the Baptist) were wrong about the coming Kingdom. Yes, I know that modern believers have devised all kinds of excuses why the plain meaning of the Gospel passages in which Jesus speaks about the time being short and how some would not taste death until they've seen the Kingdom arrive is not to be taken literally. But no matter how often they bleat about 2 Peter and how a day to the Lord is a thousand years, they can't quite disguise the fact that their "god" is a failed prophet.

[Athene]

A beautiful lie is still a lie. 
I no longer have use for lies, but I can hardly blame anyone who does, at times.

The question of whether or not certain people are/were better off believing, might actually be something worth discussing.

[RozKek]

Naah, when I deconverted from Islam I wasn't really aware of the cruelties, I simply deconverted because of lack of evidence and I like my life better now. I'm having it good enough, I don't want a religion to find life pleasent.

[Aroura]

Inaccuracies aside, there is still no evidence for any of it. If you took out all the parts that are clearly un true (the flood, the exodus from slavery, magic virgins and talking snakes) and the parts that are unpleasant, what would even be left? Jesus would have to mostly be deleted. His magic birth, and violent death and magic rebirth are the mainstays of the story.

The entire old testament would have to go, and most of the new testament as well. So that would leave a slim volume about a man who preached to love thy neighbor. A fine thing and no harm at all to believe in. So I think the question is sort of moot.

[Pat Mustard]

Inaccuracies aside, there is still no evidence for any of it. If you took out all the parts that are clearly un true (the flood, the exodus from slavery, magic virgins and talking snakes) and the parts that are unpleasant, what would even be left? Jesus would have to mostly be deleted.  His magic birth, and violent death and magic rebirth are the mainstays of the story.

The entire old testament would have to go, and most of the new testament as well. So that would leave a slim volume about a man who preached to love thy neighbor. A fine thing and no harm at all to believe in. So I think the question is sort of moot.

The Jefferson bible then?

[Angrboda]

"The Good Book, The Good Parts Version"

[ErGingerbreadMandude]

I didn't like consciously think, "There is no scientific evidence to believe in anything in the Bible, therefore I shall no longer believe in any of it."

I just kind of stopped believing in it, the same way we stop believing Santa was real,the same way we stopped believing it was a good idea to grab a candle flame. I didn't ask for evidence, I asked God to deliver on his promises and he didn't,not once.

So I think I just kind of grew out of it. It no longer became significant to my life whether anything they taught us at church were true.

[LastPoet]

"The Good Book, The Good Parts Version"

I have took my share of masses in my youth. they pick the better ones and have it underlined in the wholy book. To me it was heartbreaking to know the priest drank white wine in the blood of christ BS. I mean, at least use RED wine.

[Edwardo Piet]

Already exists:

http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/good/long.html