The Bible

Also be sure to read Tolstoy and Dostoevsky.

I've read a lot of it and it's boring as fuck. Christians don't read it except the few that want to signal extra hard.

It's mad boring and most of the stories are really stupid. I'd suggest The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, A Door into Summer and Glory Road instead.
>What did it teach you?
That if your brother dies you have to marry his widow to take care of her.
Marrying your sister is bad but Abram did it so it can't be too bad.
But the NT is boring as fuck. OT is all the good stories.

The first half is like Game of Thrones and the second half is like Robin Hood.

I read it everyday with my wife and do personal reading as well everyday.

Its taught me countless things and it has made me a better person. The person I was before I came to Christ is a monster in my own eyes.

As for studying the Bible, some of the other posters made good points. You won't understand it if you're looking to disprove it or aren't looking at it as God breathed which it claims to be. Its not going to change you or your life or give the possibility of eternal lfie if you aren't willing to investigate and have enough faith to pray to Christ to help you in your unfaith.

There are many that conclude with a cursory reading of the Bible that it has contradictions and such but an in depth study will astonish anyone with how accurate it is.

it gives you a really fascinating perspective of how late-bronze age mythology was assimilated into an iron age monotheistic culture

>My parents where JWs
How was growing up JW? I heard they don't do birthdays and stuff.

I know quite a few Christians who do read it. What are you talking about?

yeah, whatever you believe in you should read it

probably not everything, some things are unclear, you can start with Genesis, Psalms, Ecclesiastes, Book of Wisdom, Isaiah. Then the NT. Protip: the letter are worth reading.

Reading it front to back is probably the best thing anyone can do. Even reading aloud the obscure names as best you can will exercise your brain at the very least.

The bible is an allegory. It should be read once front to back. You'll pick up stories and motifs that prevail throughout. What you hope to gain though are questions, questions that relate your life to God, the stories to human nature etc. Then it will begin to red pill you as you make connections.

My favorite red pill is that those 10 commandments are human nature. Take away society and rules and everyone would be circle jerking and killing.

>allegory

>Take away society and rules and everyone would be circle jerking and killing.
bullshit.

It will change everything about you if you can understand it and follow it through with prayer and a good church. Read luke and john and romans then read all the new testament, don't trust your own understanding of the bible though, research all the stuff as you go along and find a bible study, notice how all the things god forbids come naturally to non christians like racism and adultery

This really is the only book that can help people

Yeah.

The bible doesn't make me feel good about my self. Its not supposed to though. Its a double edged sword which cuts away the bad and heals the good, and gives the antidote.

Audible is the way to go. So much easier to absorb listening to someone else reading it.

I learned that most of the people who overly praise or overly criticize the Bible are either idiots, or haven't read much of it.

Pic related is the most beautiful, and readable translation I have come across. And don't mistake readable for contemporary. Lattimore is a brilliant poet and translator, who translated the NT without any pretensions of biblical scholarship.

I highly recommend that you do NOT read study bibles, whichever you may choose. The annotations distract you. First just read the word, and let it affect you as it might. As you go through and reread, get a study bible to learn more.

I am reading pic related right now and am totally captivated by it's beauty, and elegance, and power.

2kings 19:25
'Have you not heard? Long ago I did it; From ancient times I planned it. Now I have brought it to pass, That you should turn fortified cities into ruinous heaps.

It's a lot easier to listen to the audio version on YouTube. Skip to the new testament the old testament is boring.

Isaiah 45:7
The One forming light and creating darkness, Causing well-being and creating calamity; I am the LORD who does all these.

It's a book, you read it left to right, top to bottom, front to back

You're welcome.

The OT gives reason for the NT. A lot of the parables in the NT are related to the OT. Probably all.

declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’ Isaiah 46:10

yeah Book of Job too stupid me

>Take away society and rules and everyone would be circle jerking and killing.
I'm glad I don't live in your neighborhood.

It's easy to read. Nothing hard to understand. Follow Gods laws, pray and repent. Catholicism has nothing with Bible.

Isaiah 14:24
The LORD of hosts has sworn saying, "Surely, just as I have intended so it has happened, and just as I have planned so it will stand,

If you burn in hell you have no say so.
Fuck this book

Isaiah 48:3
"I declared the former things long ago And they went forth from My mouth, and I proclaimed them. Suddenly I acted, and they came to pass.

>Skip to the new testament the old testament is boring.
But it's the opposite. NT is boring shit, nothing ducking happens. OR stories might all be stupid and/or nonsensical but at least they're fun and shit happens.

Whats not to like about the book of Job? He received twice as much at the end and prayed for those that condemned him and was a righteous man until the end.

The Lord giveth and taketh away.

I agree. OT is interesting in how fukt it is

I suggest you reread the entire Bible but you've probably never read it. We all have free will but to rebel against God is foolishness because he will laugh in our faces and destroy us for our rebellion.

Its like the ant trying to bite the boot of a man and the ant saying he is now his own god and the man laughs and smashed the ant.

Do you want to draw the ire of God to your doorstep or would you rather walk in his abundantly offered gifts and blessings? Including eternal life.

He was probably emotionally scared for life tho.
It still doesn't make up for the family he lost who he had grown to love dearly.
What, did he just completely forget about his dead children?
Fuck that gay shit

Irate user. The word of God pricks us all in the hearts because its not written to be pleasing to us but to teach us the truth.

2 Timothy 2:15 KJV
15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Hebrews 4:12 KJV
12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 KJV
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
Ephesians 6:13-14 KJV
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

Why did the Israelites fall into demon worship so darn often? Jeremiah 7:25 says that God send prophets every single day. Every day, the prophets are speaking God's own words and performing miracles. How can they be so damn stupid?

>I'm holier than thou
Oh look, a Christian supremacist.
It doesn't take a scholar to read the Bible and draw a sound conclusion from its straightforward passages. Also you didn't refute anything, because you can't. It's in your Bible and you know it and your just triggered by people speaking truthfully.

They did because they felt the law of God was too burdensome.

Read the Bible user. It is explained.

>Withstand the evil of the day
Right, like the evil god originally sent upon you?

My gf sent me one because she's a religious nut, so I thought wahey, why not? It's a lovely book and all that, with the silver foil edges, super thin paper and leather binding, but honestly, it's a complete load of bollocks. I mean, seriously, who the fuck wrote the first few pages about God creating all this and then making Adam and eve? Who witnessed that? No fucker.

You just can't understand an Eternal creator who created beings in a space outside his own place, which have made choices according to their own will that were or were not good choices.

Its not a hard concept user.

That's the specific reason? Quotes? They thought that sacrificing their children to demons was easier than not eating pork?

So what did he create the rest of the universe, planets, solar systems etc?

But ((you)) understand it, right?
Lol

You're confusing two different types of evil present in the Bible. God sends evil to the unjust. Such as earthquakes, pestilence or curses so that they may come to repentance. Only if these people will repent at all or be an example to those that will repent.

Whereas an individual who has a poor or diseased life is promised much reward in heaven because they did not receive their reward in this life.

When Christ says to lay up your rewards in heaven he is both telling us to not take pleasure in this world and also to learn as much spiritually as possible because nothing here will come with us. The rich man cannot enter heaven with his riches, thus it is difficult for him to part with those goods because it is all he has invested his time in.

Just read it. Parts of it can be boring, because it's not a fiction book written for your pleasure. The best books are those written by or recording the words of prophets (those who can speak with God) such as Moses, Jeremiah, and Jesus. There are also letters and histories involving godly men which are worth reading also. You'll find what God says to be much more reasonable and red-pilled than what you hear at many churches. (unfortunately.)

Sometimes I just close my eyes and pick up my bible, and open it randomly. Whatever scripture I see first is where I start reading. That is how I started reading the bible, and I believe God guides you op. I could have started out with genesis and worked my way through revelation, but you do not always have to start at the beginning is what I am saying.

I have a lot of comfort through the scriptures using my particular method. Especially when I have had rough days and I end up in Job, Psalms, or the gospels.

I will share a few of my favorite scriptures that have really helped me, and I believe God does speak to us through the scriptures, and seeing what Jesus endured along with the OT prophets and NT apostles.

Matthew 6:6
>But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

Matthew 17:20
>And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

Psalms 91:14-16
> Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.

>Matthew 6:25-34 speaks on worry, and no to do so.

Just my opinion here Op, but Matthew maybe the easiest place for you to start and you can work backwards or forwards from there. Mark, Matthew and Luke are synoptic(similar accounts) so those may be easier if you just want to set down and read. Best to you Op.

Why were the innocent people afflicted in this life? Who originated the evil in this case? And why?

New International Version
In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,
Ephesians 1-11

He created the stars also. In genesis.

So yes.

People sacrificed their child to idols because they sought to seek favor from a fallen angel and have reward in this life rather than the after life.

They weren't satisfied living for God and living for the next life. Also in 1st and 2nd Kings it explains also that their Kings did most of the bad choices.

Just because you get a response doesn't mean its from a good spirit and there is only one good, which is God.

Acts 13:48
When the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and glorified the word of the Lord, and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.

Only some were "appointed" for eternal life

Look at the parable of the rich man and the beggar. The beggar received greater reward and the rich man none because he did not help the poor even though he could.

God witnessed it. He showed/told Moses. The description of the creation of the world matches what an observer would see (and the correct order) if he saw a short summary of it.

Those appointed are those who choose to believe in God.

God already knows the beginning to the end. He appoints only those he knows who will make it.

You didn't answer the question.
Why do some suffer NOW? Where did THIS evil originate and WHY? Was it just apart of the "plan"?
Could they do anything otherwise to avoid it?

I was a Catholic UNTIL I started reading the Bible.
Catholic dogma states Mary was a virgin, but it clearly states (in Matthew iirc) that Jesus had brothers and sisters and that Joseph "knew" Mary, an old term for having sexual relations with. "Oh but you have to interpret those words figuratively, he didnt mean literal brothers and sisters." Once you open one part of the Bible up to your personal interpretation, the entire thing becomes open to subjective interpretation and you make it mean what you want it to mean. Either the Bible means what it says or it doesn't mean what it says.

This.

I assume you just want to make a emotional argument against your creator. The evil either has origin from God or from man. Either way God has allowed a person to suffer yes. For their own good or because of their own rebellion.

If a person curses God and expects to be treated well in this life... Well you should be able to understand that.

If a person loves God but is diseased and poor. They will receive great reward in heaven.

>Those he knows who will make it
So it was already decided who would be saved and who wouldn't be saved. Because god already knew before he created everything and set it into motion. They could only do what god already knew they would, hence they were "appointed".

Yes yes For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten son and whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but shall have everlasting life.

You are confusing this on purpose I guess. God chooses those who love Him. He already knows who will choose to love Him.

The choice is ours. God simply obliges our choices either way.

I had a Christian confirmation (do you even have that in the US? Never seen it referenced in movies/TV-series etc.) and we had study groups and read maybe half of it.

I didn't pay attention. I remained a shitkid until I grew out of being one.

God created Earth for us. He handed over dominion of it to Adam, with the stipulation that he does not eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. When Satan convinced Adam to defy God, he usurped dominion of Earth from Adam, to himself.

2 Corinthians 4:4 "In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not..."

When Jesus fasted in the desert, Satan came to him and promised to give him all the world if Jesus would only bow to him. How can Satan give the world? Because it's his, he stole it.

It is ironic, or rather scary, that today people decide not have children just for their own comfort.

It gets you if you think long on it. Even if you believe only in "science".

I like the allegories about early human history, like the neolithic revolution.

>catholic
>interpreting the bible

You are doing it very wrong.

The bible means whatever the Pope/Bishop/Priest tells you it means.

No, you just refuse to accept whats in the Bible. It's not emotional for me, just logical. Everything originated from one creator, one creator is responsible for ALL things. How hard is it for you to grasp this simple cause and effect reasoning? You just want to make an emotional argument because you don't like hearing the truth for whatever reason. Don't get angry with me because I'm showing you things out of your Bible that you refuse to acknowledge.

Fellow Catholic here.

Read the Douay Rheims with Haydock notes and commentary. You can either start with the NT or start with the OT, it's up to you. I recommend against treating the OT as unnecessary background information like many do. You can read it online here:

haydock1859.tripod.com/

>I am Catholic but never even read the first page.

They discourage you from reading it by telling you that it's too spooky and mysterious and leads itself to too many (30,000) different interpretations.

That you have to listen to their Magisterium.

GTFO of that "church" before it's too late.

>God CHOOSES those who love him
>He ALREADY KNOWS who will "choose" to love him.
Ok

>They discourage you from reading it by telling you that it's too spooky and mysterious and leads itself to too many (30,000) different interpretations.
You're pathetic, really.

Question: why was it a sin for humans to know good from evil?
>Tree of knowledge

What are even on about now? I told you the answer and if its too much for you to accept for whatever reason. Take it or leave it. Looks like you've decided to deride me with presumptions about my character instead of continuing the conversation.

Because sin entered the world when Adam disobeyed God, and died.

Sin brought with it death, and pain, and sorrow, and suffering, and evil.

One would demonstrate one's intensity of worship to a god by sacrificing one's children to said god.

You know what I meant. God already knows who to anoint because he already knows the choices people make concerning Him.

Yes.

It all makes sense if God is external to time. (There are a number of passages that hint at this, so it's quite plausible.) Like if you were looking at a simulation on your computer, you would be external to the "time" in the simulation. The simulation could still be non-deterministic, so it effectively has free-will, but you would know the final outcome of any and all alterations you make.

The knowledge is knowing that choosing against what God has commanded to do is death and sin is death. The wages of sin are death.

I find telling the truth refreshing. You should try it some time.

Only every now and then

God says a day is as a thousand years to Him, and a thousand years is as a day.

>I find telling the truth refreshing. You should try it some time.
Or perhaps you should take your own advice, as you are lying - knowingly - through your teeth.

Not the only suggestive passage of this nature of His but yes you're right.

Isaiah 57:15King James Version (KJV)
15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

Many of the same passages of the confused user about determinism suggest the same thing.

Time really isn't a thing to God because he is the one who created it in the first place.

But if you know the final outcome always, can the inhabitants of the simulation do anything differently?

Have you heard of martyrs, and no I do not mean suicide bombers? Christ suffered while he was here friend, and he was the embodiment of purity/innocence, and what did the world do to him? What does the world do now to the kind, sick, orphans, widows, and poor? Think about that for a moment.

>But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.
1 Peter 3:14

>He was despised and rejected by mankind,
a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.
Like one from whom people hide their faces
he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.
Surely he took up our pain
and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
stricken by him, and afflicted.
Isaiah 53:3-4

>But you will be betrayed even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death, and you will be hated by all because of My name.
Luke 21:16-17

Where did evil start for mankind in the garden with the serpent's deception. The beginning of free will.

Why do some suffer now- see the above.

You also have to understand god's ways are not our ways, and his thoughts are not our thoughts but what we go through does serve his purpose to some extent, and no he does not cause it to happen when others freely choose to do evil but sometimes he does allow it to happen. This is where you have to pray to understand.

I'd start at Matthew and then Romans. Those have helped me the most.

That's nice, believe whatever you like. But what's in the Bible is what's in the Bible and if you don't like it tough shit, now fuck off. No sense arguing with the stupid ones. I bet you know that one.

This is a bubble of reality God created. Not a simulation. He gave us choice. Those choices are determined by us alone. God is the only judge of those choices but He has already paid for the fine which is death. So if you choose to accept Him and His mercy extended towards you. You will receive eternal life instead of the death penalty for your transgressions.

No need to get angry.

Just start with the first word, read left to right. Be warned. You might get the most out of it.

>The knowledge is knowing that choosing against what God has commanded to do is death and sin is death. The wages of sin are death.
So you eat a lobster, die and be tortured forever?

SIGN ME UP!!!

Crappy writting, bad characters, marry sue main character, shitty pantheon who seems bipolar until you realize that its 2 different deities, both of equal power, boring setting.

4/10, would not recommend, only if very bored and nothing else to do.
Don't learn anything from it that isn't obvious.
It made sense when people lived in a harsh time, it taught lessons that were revolutionary back then, nowadays does not add anything, waste of time.

Only those who receive eternal life from Christ have eternal life user. You will simply be turned to ash.

If you're serious, this is a great place to start.

youtube.com/watch?v=YKnzbIMEgwA&list=PLYIk4MAUnGh16HFgsW5rfWXokXQLKFcTS

He's very good and has a ton of stuff on YT. The Books of Genesis, Daniel and Revelation recommended.

Allow to put this in human terms for you.

>Everything originated from one creator, one creator is responsible for ALL things

So when we have children even if we love them, care for them, and guide them properly as children sometimes they will fall into the wrong things, and some may even do horrible things when older, but does that fall onto the parent when the child lives 2000 miles away and is now an adult making his or her own decisions? No.

You are choosing to not accept we have free will and choice with has nothing to do with our Creator.

The issue of Hell is not as clear cut as you might think. Revelation 20:14 "And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire." How do you cast hell into Hell? It's possible that Hell is merely a garbage dump, and incinerator for souls that refused to believe. It's also possible that Hell is reserved only for fallen angels and demons. It's not entirely clear.

And the Bible draws a difference between being unclean and being in sin. Having menstruation is unclean, but it's not a sin. This is all stuff you'd know if you actually read the Bible.

There is a sense in which the answer is yes, and a sense in which it is no. Yes, because their actions are not entirely a result of what came before them in the simulation. No, because the actions can be inferred by what came after them in the simulation. But that is still free will.

In a way, we have that in our everyday life: If we recall out memories about yesterday, and remember buying a chocolate bar, we don't seem (now) to have any free will about this event - it happened. But if instead we are contemplating buying a chocolate bar tomorrow, then we still have free will regarding that. So it just depends on where in time you are when you ask the question.

Since God is outside of time, he may see it the first way, but when he talks to us, may speak in the second way, because that is more relevant for us.

>No it didn´t make me a better person. If you need that book or the Quran or anything that has been written a few thousend years ago to become a "good" person then you are just weak-tier.

Read ancient philosophers faggot. There were people who were searching for how to be a better person.

Bible and Quran are full bullshit like stories of Zeus. You cant learn tips to be better person from those kike stories. On the other hand read
Marcus Aurelius' Meditations and see the difference.

*which

>I told you my interpretation now ACCEPT IT
No, but fuck off

>I am Catholic but never even read the first page.

Oxymoron

>Holy bubble
>jewish fairy tales

To trash bin it belongs

He's I've read it .It starts with an invisible sky wizard.It has a talking snake,a 900 year old man,and strangely,a fucking zombie that nobody freaks out about.

I found it disturbingly amusing.

Right, it's reality and not merely a simulation. A simulation is the closest thing that we have experience with, so I used that in the analogy.

>a great place to start
btw it's Chuck Missler - The Bible in 24 hours. That was a Playlist link of all 24 sessions but it's been snipped with the Embed.

And check 'em.

>You just can't understand this magical book
>Here, let me fuck your sweet little boipussy while I show you the true meaning of this magical book
>Don't be stupid like those "scholars" out there who think they can just read something on their own

This is what you sound like.

inb4 hat meme

Untrue.

Religious people overwhelmingly have not read their holy books.
Atheists read holy books more often.

its just pathetic.

See but your mistake is, god isn't a human. The same rules don't apply to him. He knows the end from the beginning. What you "choose" to do has already been decided and put into place. If you read the Bible in full, you would come across many scriptures proving this point. You are not even going by what the Bible says, you are making things up as you go. Your interpretation is just YOUR interpretation, it isn't objective. Good try :)

>Has anyone here actually read it?
Yes, many times in a few different translations.
>Have you become a better person because of it?
Not really. I lost my faith after my second read-through. I read it a few more times to regain the old magic, but it didn't work. I learned more self-control and composure from stoic philosophy, but there are sections of the Bible that are helpful on occasion.
>What did it teach you?
Off the top of my head... that people have been selfish, manipulative, and cruel throughout history so don't trust anyone even if they claim to be righteous.
>How can I read it and get the most out of it?
Read some sections independently before trying to consume the whole thing. Ecclesiastes, Psalms, Proverbs, and Paul's letters can be insightful on their own. Read some books on the history of Israel to understand what the authors were going through at each stage, then read the whole thing.

I'm sorry, im not angry at you. My wifi service is fucking awful and makes replying a pain.

>Untrue.

Umm..no?

>Religious people overwhelmingly have not read their holy books.

Yes, but you don't subscribe these people to religions they subscribe to, do you?

What sense does it make to call someone who has literally abandoned the faith in every sense except in name? Because they say so?

You know if you're an unbeliever, instead of complaining about a book that you've never actually read, why don't you actually look at some of the evidence of God's presence in the world? Look at all the evidence of a worldwide flood, and the evidence against evolution. Fossilization does not take millions of years. Oh, you watched a 10 minute thunderf00t video and now you're an expert? Get out of here. Look at what happened to Sodom and Gomorrah. Look at all the miracle healings. I personally know a guy whose brain tumour was cured by God. Miracles happen, and no, CNN doesn't report on them. Seek them out. Demonic shit happens too, but I'd recommend staying away from that knowledge unless you've got brass balls.

If you want to find out who rules over you, simply find out who you aren't allowed to criticise. Well, think about the inverse of that. You are allowed to criticise Christianity and all of it's teachings. Why is that, I wonder?

You're probably catholic because you've never picked up your bible and read it from beginning to end.

Do yourself a favor and read the word of God, then follow his laws and abstain from bending your knee to idols and praying to saints and angels.

Read it as a kid. Didn't make me a better person. Taught me that Christianity is fucking skitzo.

In fact reread it after reading the Koran with some of the fatwas and a fair part of the Torah as well All three of those religions are mental

My biggest gripe is people who 'follow' a religion but don't follow half the rules their holy scripture sets out. I'd have literally no issue with them saying it was their gods word if they actually practised it!

Have read 'the original' version, it's mandatory. Didn't change me, really..

Yes, took me some months.
Yes.
Many things and also strengthened my faith.

Thread theme:

youtu.be/8r-e2NDSTuE

that's what muslims do with the Quran.

they call it taqqiya.

How is it possible to have read the Bible, but only part of the Torah, seeing as how the Torah is a subset of the Bible?

Nevertheless, your point about hypocrites is accurate. And this is called out in the Bible in many places. (Both OT and NT talk about it a lot.) Just because someone says they are a believer, doesn't mean they are, and God clearly recognizes that.

Not to mention Genesis states gods... tha right, plural. It's because Jews are nomadic tribal people, and picked up the religions in the areas they were residing, co-opted a bit here and a bit there, made it their own. The region's they lived and traveled through were polytheistic. The Bible was never one book, but many different stories passed down, by people, then eventually written, down and changed over the millennia. Whole books were left out that were heavily read in their time because it didn't fit with a specific person's narrative or personal rule set.

It's an interesting read, has some good life lessons, and an interesting look into different eras, but really should not be taken literally. To each their own though.

t. Sharia patrol

THE OT PREDICTED JESUS CHRIST'S LIFE WITH 100% LITERAL ACCURACY!

READ
GOD'S
WORD! ALLELUIA!

These other 'gods' are fallen angels. It's... pretty basic biblical knowledge.

The Torah can be translated quite differently to the bible especially the King James bible. There are additional parts to it as well which are quite hard to find translated sources on.

Aye I went to a few 'alpha groups' as they're called over here which are like bible studies for teens when I was that age to raise that point. I was kicked out of each one of them. Modern Christianity doesn't like its roots which is a real shame.

Yes, long story short it saved me from a career of hard drug use and degeneracy. It taught me so much; Psalms, Proverbs, the gospels, Acts taught me the history of the earliest church, Pauls Christian philosophical writings. If I had to pick the most important lesson it would be that we were all born sinners due to our free will, no man is perfect and can achieve salvation by his works, which explained so much. Only Jesus can make us perfect before God. If you are curious, try reading Romans chapter 7.

Zeus was pretty alpha.

there is none righteous NO not one! Perhaps YOU are the one signaling? I find in my experience that self-reflection is very important in growing up.

This isnt what i mean. Greek Mythology and those stories are awesome. But no one should live their life according to them. No one should die for make Zeus happy. No one should vote the candidate who says he is true believer of Zeus.

No, but we were made in his image, and as stated his ways are not ours- this I agree with but look at the parable of the lost sheep. So by your perspective correct me if I am wrong no one should bother to evangelize, or even pray for friends or family because it would not matter? Is that what you are implying? Yes, God knows his chosen, but he also gave each individual free will otherwise repentance would not matter.

>Ezekiel 33:11 - Say unto them, [As] I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

Go read this if you do not mind perhaps it will help you understand what is being conveyed. I am not making up anything, and I am willing to stand corrected without hostility.

>people.cs.ksu.edu/~bbp9857/calvinism.html

>The issue of Hell is not as clear cut as you might think

But the bible and Jesus make several specific references to "hell":
"and shall cast them into a furnace
of fire, and there shall be wailing and
gnashing of teeth."
Furnace of fire? And this from people who lived in the desert in some of the hottest parts of the world?

The bible is full of confusing contradictions if you actually read it. Perhaps that's why the verses have to be cherry picked, spoon fed and repeated like all other forms of propaganda.

The word for "gods" is indeed used in a few places, and it means "mighty ones" and is usually used to refer to the various pagan gods. (Which are often assumed to be some of the angels which rebelled, or said not to even be alive in the case of idols.) It does not however imply that The God Most High is just one of their peers!

The idea that the books of the Bible were passed down and modified, etc, is one that I used to believe until I tried to find evidence for it. Sometimes people base that conclusion on stylistic patterns in books, but that is pretty weak. Especially in view of how we do have many, many manuscripts and we can compare the variations over thousands of years. (One of many examples being the Dead Sea Scrolls.) And there are no substantial modifications. This is a serious problem for the hypothesis that they have been edited, re-edited, etc.

I am an atheist and I have read large chunks of it, I thought the KJV translation is undoubtedly a literary masterpiece. I did enjoy reading it, and some parts of it were more thoughtful and interesting than I expected it to be. I think the overall moral lessons you can take out of it are worthwhile, but it is pretty obvious much f it is based on older religious traditions and myths. It didn't make me question my atheism, but I thought it has literary merit and cultural value.

amen :)

i recommend reading other english translations ESPECIALLY the KJV. Cross examine multiple translations and then seek answers for the differences.

>Short for: Making up shit on the fly that suits a worldview and afterlife that fits with what you want to belive
This is irony, friends.

>Christians don't read it
>not understanding what a 'Christian' is

Don't know exact Catholic way to approach it, I think you should ask a priest, if I understand correctly Catholics worked a lot on trying to explain every passage so it's pretty clear dogmatically what they teach you.

Orthodox pretty much skipped analyzing and resolving conundrums and left that to mystery and focused on acquiring the spirit of the original Church and then interpreting Bible through that.
Here's a great teacher explaining it well, guess you can try to take out what seems logical to you or applicable to Catholicism

youtube.com/watch?v=2GHE6oqCc_U

This is pretty much what the Bible is for though. As long as your ultimate conclusion is to respect God, you can apply the stories and moral lessons to anything in life.

It's basically The Oxford Journal of Analogies.

>See but your mistake is, god isn't a human.

You mean his personification is a figment of your imagination. You expect everyone to imagine him according to your very elaborate descriptions.

I agree. I have an NSRV study bible (Oxford Annotated Bible) to use as a reference for comparisons. If I don't understand something in Lattimore's NT, or the KJV I will reread it in the NSRV, and the accompanying notes. To be honest though, the annotations aren't as great as you'd think. At best they provide some historical context, and interesting information, and insights into translation, but I frequently find myself dissatisfied.

KJV is a brilliant, and beautiful translation in it's own right, and it's impact on the world will be forever unparalleled. It's still the most bought and read bible in the world. But if you want accuracy, and clarity newer translations are typically better.

Study Bibles mostly just provide historical context, rather than explaining religious significance.