Why Would An Atheist Read The Bible?

[nailit]

Why would a creationist read The God Delusion?

Anyway, Ive set myself a goal (always lived my life by goal setting, it focus's the mind) to read the entire Bible...Genesis to Revelation...in 3 months!
Ive read the entire Bible before, but forgot much of it, and after a few conversations at work (with Evangelicals) Ive decided to read the lot again. After 14 days I am currently at the first few chapters of Deuteronomy. Have struggled (but persevered) through meaningless chapter after after chapter of animal sacrifices in Numbers to meaningless chapter after chapter of ridiculous laws in Leviticus, with endless repetitions of genealogies and the endless repetition of killing animals because it is a *Pleasing aroma before the Lord*

I can quiet understand why Bible believers have never read the Bible.
Its Boring.
Its sick
Its Immoral
Its irrelevant

But I'll read it!
Can Bible believers understand why I will?
(for the next couple of months at least)
;-)

[vulcan42]

If the Bible is as wonderful as the believers think it is, it couldn't be used as a weapon against them. The fact is this book is full of inaccuracies and contradictions and shows just how shaky the whole Christian faith is.

[naomi24]

Vulcan, that occurred to me too. A bit of a contradiction in terms really.

[nailit]

//You may have met a few Christians but you have not met most//
Llanfair, yes that would be safe to say as there are millions of them worldwide.
But as an ex evangelical Ive mixed with a fare few. And most of them were ignorant of the bible, as was I until I sat down and read ALL of it, ironically, to bolster my faith. Ended up losing it instead!

[naomi24]

Reading bits I'd been unaware of changed my mind too, Nailit.

[nailit]

BTW Llanfair, Im not anti christian, Im pro reason.

[nailit]

Problem is naomi, most christians are not aware of what the bible contains. And then they lambast unbelievers for having the gall to read it...

[Llanfair]

Kid yourself all you like, nailit, but you ARE anti-Christian. You cannot rest for five minutes without trying to find ways to castigate Christianity. Even this pointless exercise of reading the bible when you loathe it is just a way of trying to prove 'reason' to your colleagues who have a faith you cannot understand.

[nailit]

//I see what you mean Nailit.....I read a bit. Didn't Moses do well !!!//
Try reading Exodus 36-40 Samuraisan...that will get you off to sleep!

[nailit]

Believe what you like Llanfair, nothing do with me.

[Khandro]

Nailit; I have been involved for 3 years in an ongoing visual project relating to the bible (French as it happens) under my text this morning I'm looking at an image called Le levite d'Ephraim Emmene le corps se sa Femme - you'll have to work that out yourself- which relates to, Judges 19, 28-30 but try reading whole of 19, if you find that boring, then you may as well find something else to do.

[Theland]

Nailit - A sramge way to read the bible, sifting through it looking for bits to criticise and mock.
You won't learn much that way.

[nailit]

//Nailit - A sramge way to read the bible, sifting through it looking for bits to criticise and mock//
Why do you assume thats why Im doing it?

//You won't learn much that way//
And you wont learn much by not reading it will you? ;-)

[nailit]

Theland.
Arnt you glad that Im making an attempt to read your holy book?
What are you afraid of?
When I first became a christian I was directed to read certain portions of the Bible by my pastors/teachers etc.
I went above and beyond and read the lot. My pastor/teachers etc didnt like that. I asked too many questions.
A bit like you!

[nailit]

//A bit like you//
I meant that my pastors and teachers were a bit like you//
(just to clarify)

[nailit]

Just rereading the thread, think Ive finally got it....
Dont read the Bible unless you are already a believer.
If you read the Bible as an unbeliever then you are reading it to pick holes?
Got it. Thanks!

[Llanfair]

Well, you certainly haven't given any reason for it, have you nailit? Three months reading something you hate....for what?

[nailit]

//Well, you certainly haven't given any reason for it, have you nailit? Three months reading something you hate....for what?//
Think the clue might have been in the OP Llanfair.
(If you'd bother to read it)

[nailit]

Started the book of Joshua today. What a hoot that was...
As a christian, no-one told me to read that book of murdering, blood thirsty believeing nutters.

[pixie374]

I haven't read the whole thread yet, but it is ridiculous to suggest that the bible could be used as a 'weapon' to people who believe it (unless you actually hit them with it).
If anyone is that confident with it, they would want others to read it.
The only reason I read it, was because we had to at school, and discuss it.

[Llanfair]

No, sorry, no logical reason that I can see there nailit. Are you like one of those who climbed Everest and when asked why said, "because its there"? Truly, what do you hope to gain? Remembering a few passages here and there?