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Bible study for agnostic/ atheists

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Thread replies: 73
Thread images: 14

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Hi anons,
Do you think that the bible is worth reading solely as literature? I am not religious (more agnostic than anything I guess) and have a fairly limited understanding of Christianity, but it is something that really interests me. Would it be worth reading the bible for someone like me, or would I be better off just researching the religion online? Pic unrelated.
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>>9288327
It seems you're asking two different questions here. Yes, reading The Bible 'as literature' is absolutely recommended and worthwhile. If you want to learn about Christianity, however, and I'm sure many on here would disagree with me here, but you can do just fine with some sort of general, overview text/research. That isn't to say reading The Bible wouldn't help (or isn't recommended regardless), but I don't think it's essential.
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>>9288338

saying the Bible isn't essential to learning about Christianity is a hilarious statement honestly, on par with saying you don't have to do problems to learn physics, don't have to get into proofs to understand math, etc. etc.

don't be a lazy fag, if you wanna understand something then put the work in
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>>9288351
I don't need to study mathematics (do problems) to understand what physics is about, though. If OP said he wanted to become a Christian, I'd agree with you.
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>>9288327
>Do you think that the bible is worth reading solely as literature

Absolutely.
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>>9288327
Dude. The entire European lifestyle, whether you subscribe to it or not, was based upon the bible being the word of God. Ignoring it is like closing your eyes for the entire first half of the book, flipping to the last ten pages and then saying you understand life. It's bullshit. Read the bible.
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>>9288351

depends on what he means by it. from a theology point of view obviously yeah. if you want to learn about the practices of people who call themselves Christian, some baseline knowledge is really all you need.
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>>9288351
The Bible is essential to understanding Christianity for sure, but I'd say the social context of Early Christianity and Roman-Occupied Judea, as well as an understanding of Christianity's growth in its first five centuries of existence are sorely lacking in many modern Christians who have otherwise read and follow the bible.
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bump cuz pretty lady

i guess i read books too but she's my type
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>>9288378
OP isn't asking if he should read it for literature, OP is asking if he should read it as literature.

>>9288327
>Do you think that the bible is worth reading solely as literature?
No.

Nobody has ever opened it expecting a literary experience.

>Would it be worth reading the bible for someone like me, or would I be better off just researching the religion online?
Christians didn't even read it for about 1600 years, and most still don't.
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>>9288327
Yes, it certainly is.

>>9288384
I disagree. Observing people who have the Christian tag on themselves isn't enough to understand the religion.

>>9289658
>Nobody has ever opened it expecting a literary experience.
lol, whyever would you think that?
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>>9288327
I was actually just thinking about this. If you want to learn about any religion, you will need to read many secondary sources, but if you want to read to bible for its most important historical and literary parts, I recommend these books:
Genesis
Exodus
Psalms
Proverbs
Job
The Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)
Acts
Romans

If you want to read more in depth, the "Five Scrolls," Samuel, Kings, and most of the new testament letters are also important.
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>>9288327
Yes, it is.
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>>9288327
aren't you worried about it burning your fingers when you pick it up?
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>>9288338
What are you, a fucking papist?
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>>9290558
>being anti-catholic
>being this snob
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>>9290375
No.
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>>9289826
Shorter prophetic episodes like Jonah are literarily interesting as well.
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>>9288327
You literally cannot fully understand any of western lit without reading the bible

it's themes show up in everything
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>>9288327
The Bible is actually only interesting from a non-religious perspective. It requires a shit ton of secondary lit but it's very much worth it to get into the history and philosophy in it.
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>>9288327
its very worth it to read it from a Petersonian perspective of evolutionary/cultural group psychology
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>>9288327

Yes, The West is cucked by the Christ meme.
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>>9288363
>I don't need to study mathematics (do problems) to understand what physics is about, though.
You do have to study mathematics (not "do problems") to understand physics.
Otherwise, you're just reading fiction about physics.
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>>9288327
>>9288338
>>9288365
>>9289658
>>9289826

Not OP, but I grew up as a very devout Catholic who has since converted to Pantheism after reading a lot of Greek philosophy. I have not read the Bible cover-to-cover, but the project interests me now.

How do I open the Bible, something that is very familiar, as I've read several of its books, theological commentary, and philosophical approaches, as literature?

How do I rid myself of its religious truths so that I may read its literary truths?
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>>9293916
>How do I rid myself of its religious truths so that I may read its literary truths?
What the fuck is the difference?
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>>9290558

Just fuck my shit up why don't you. Church was finally headed in the right way, too.
>>
>tfw have almost finished a cover-to-cover King James marathon
It's a good feel, but Saint Paul's really making the last stretch tough going. I actually find it harder to get what he's on about than a lot of the Old Testament.
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>>9293916
>literary truths
wdhmbt?
>>
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>>9292730
>a Petersonian perspective
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>>9293916
>but I grew up as a very devout Catholic who has since converted to Pantheism after reading a lot of Greek philosophy.

Thumbs up, you're the path. Now you need to read Heidegger.
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>>9288327
>more agnostic than anything I guess
>have a fairly limited understanding of Christianity
So you are not even sure what you believe nor know about the thing you're against but yet still think you're somehow better than it? Thats like 99% of the atheists, the ultimate pseuds.
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>>9294757
I am not against religion at all, and I think most agnostics are the same. I know that I don't know enough to truly know either way. You seem like a cranky asshole honestly. Why would I be asking about learning about the religion if I thought I was above it? You need to calm down and act like a reasonable person mate.
I find it admirable that some people can make reasoned decisions about their religious beliefs, but I am just not there. Obviously there are idiots on both side of the fence, but there are also many people who know what they are talking about. I feel like you are probably one of the idiots based on how you interpreted my comment.
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>>9296450
>says he wants to study bible solely as literature
>still has the nerve to reply and even call me a idiot
Literal retard
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>>9294609
The Old Testament books are very nice to read since they were gestated as Jewish stories for so long before getting written down.
>>
>>9288327
Who is girl?
>>
Agnostics should stay in their basements, they don't deserve to be taken seriously.
>>9289683
Christianity isn't Judaism. Christ is the Word, the Bible is the written word. Christ becomes before the Bible.
>>9296450
Faith isn't about knowledge you fucking pseud.
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>>9297947
And the Christians on this board wonder why atheists shitpost in their threads
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>>9297921
>he doesn't know how to use reverse image search
>>
>>9289826

Samuel and Kings should absolutely be in the core recommended books, IMHO. The stories of Samuel, Saul, David, and Solomon are hugely important in literature and understanding where the Jewish sense of identity comes from... Without David and Solomon there wouldn't have been a unified nation of Israel.

...and that's before even considering that Solomon is considered the author of Proverbs and possibly Psalms, along with another two books that don't show on your core-list.
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>>9297984
I did that and it came up with Cyprien Eugène Boulet, is that her name? I can't really find anything else on her, except some wikipedia page in french
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>>9297999
That's the name of the painter you fucking moron
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>>9298010
I don't care about the painter, i want the name of the girl
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>>9298027
Am I being baited?

The girl doesn't fucking exist you stupid motherfucker. It's a fucking painting.
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>>9298039
No need to be so rude to the guy man. Also I bet she did actually exist, I don't think Boulet could conjure women out from his imagination.

>>9298027
Don't worry bro, I got other pics of her
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>>9298065
I don't think they are the same although they do have a bit of a resemblance
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>>9298027
>>9298065
bros I just got in on this and look what i found, a couple of portraits of a girl by Boulet titled "Vera Alves de Lima"

Looks a bit similar wouldnt you say? I think we found our name.
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>>9298065
>I don't think Boulet could conjure women out from his imagination.
i really wouldn't doubt it
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>>9298100
No her name is Stella I just googled that too
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>>9298105
her name is Vera, it's on the fucking page right next to it
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>>9298113
Get fucked ya hoser
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>>9298120
>posts a different painting

oh wow it's nothing
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>>9298125
That's clearly the same person, or is it being reflected too much for you to handle?
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>>9298129
oh man I wonder how two people with the same last name could possibly look alike

sometimes I seriously question the mental ability of this board
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Can you guys stop your retarded argument for a few seconds to appreciate how my nigga Boulet literally got payed to travel around France and paint qts all day
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>>9298164
>ywn have a threeway with Vera and Stella

why live
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>>9298177
>>9298164
>>9298120
>>9298100
>this is likely a self-portrait

you just know...
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>>9288327
Reading the Bible is crucial for many reasons.

I am a Christian, however, so I am definitely biased.

Still, I think it is worth reading as literature, as history, and even as ethical philosophy.

>Not to mention, it will teach you how to meet God, have a relationship with Him, and live a holy life.

"...and I show you still a more excellent way." 1 Corinthians 12:31
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>>9298164
He's no JSS, but it's cool, ya.
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>>9298164
Quick claim your Bouletfu before theyre all gone
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>>9298195
MOMMY
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>>9288327
No. Reading the Bible is impossible as a purely literary endeavor. Good luck though
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>>9297921
>>9297984
>>9297999
>>9298010
>>9298027
>>9298039
>>9298065
>>9298078
>>9298100
>>9298101
>>9298105
>>9298113
>>9298120
>>9298125
>>9298129
>>9298145
>>9298164
>>9298177
>>9298185
>>9298194
>>9298195
>>9298203
if anyone ever tells me /lit/ is an intellectual board again I will slap the black off of them
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>>9289826
Where the fuck are Ecclesiastics on that list.
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>>9298100
>>9298120
Vera >>>>>>>>> Stella
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>>9288327
the bible is essentially a collection of stories and religious conjecture. My favourite part is the Book of Judges because it's basically jewish superheroes comixx
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Not OP but is this a good version to start with?
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>>9298495
Yes.
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>>9298495
Very good. It's what gets recommended to bible study undergrads.
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>>9298248
Fuck off, faggot
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>>9297985
This. Samuel 1 is imperative.
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>>9292730

>Petersonian perspective

holy kek
>>
>>9292730
>Petersonian perspective

P S E U D D E T E C T E D
>>
Go to a Bible study at a local church.
Thread posts: 73
Thread images: 14


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