How many people have read the bible?

[Ziggy]

I would like to read at least some of the bible. How many people here have actually read it? What was your favorite book of the bible?

[Roy Hunter]

I read the entire Gideons Bible when I was on tour with a band. It took me about three years of hotel rooms, but I did it. I liked Revalations, because I was doing drugs at the time.

[daftbeaker]

I've read bits. Like Roy, my favourite bit is Revelations just for the sheer f***nuttery of John of Patmos. Clearly tripping balls when he wrote it.

Never read past Revelations though, all the Psalms are very similar, both in content and boredom.

[Ziggy]

I only wish that 1. It was about 1/3 the length

2. It was written by a competent author who didn't have a fetish with the word "and".

I'm on the fence with this, and I'm not sure it's even worth doing.

[Tigger_the_Wing]

Read, studied and dissected to death with the help of a wonderful Nun, Sister Marie-Joseph, back in the seventies.

Of course, the studies are carefully guided so that the contradictory bits are never studied together; passages taken out of context from one book are used to reinforce the lessons of other passages from different books.

And read with a mind-set that all of this is allegorical anyway, except the bits that aren't leaves one with a great deal of confusion.

[pieces o'nine]

Despite years and years and years of rotating liturgies which (ostensibly) covered the whole thing, I never learned about the Golden Mice until I read it on my own. That remains one of my favorite (as in, unexpectedly weird and smile-inducing) ... ah ... passages.

It was instrumental in removing the last vestiges of "but! but! but! it's the WORD of the LORD!" indoctrination.


. . . . . .

[black bart]

Golden Mice?

Is there a treasure map?

[Ubi Dubius]

I've read it, so has Ubi Dubium. We've played some of it for the Ubidubikids: the books of Moses and some of Matthew. UDK#1 was quite amused by bits of it.

I recommend audio recordings so that you can do other things whilst "reading". I also recommend following along in the Skeptics Annotated Bible. It's easy to find on-line, I can post a link if you need me to.

[PKMKII]

Mostly, just bits and pieces of it; a passage here and there, maybe a page or two on occasion. The only part I read as a whole piece was the Book of Job, for a literature class. However, I have read more of the Bible than the Koran, the Torah, any Buddhist holy works, or the Bhagavad-Gita. (I tried to read that once and gave up after 10-20 pages, I should go back and try it again with a more objective eye).

[Qwertyuiopasd]

I've read Genesis, Exodus, Job and Matthew in one of the generic English standard versions.

There can be a lot of fluff and God-loving stuff in the Bible, so I wouldn't say you should read all of it, but assuming you're part of the western culture, it's a good thing to know more about than what you've just heard from people. The early books in the Old Testament are pretty good, albeit rife with "Dude begot Guy, Guy begot Sam, Ham, and Pam, and Pam married Joe, and they begot Steve, etc.." The gospels are also good, because then you have a better idea of what Jesus did actually say, and the full context within the Bible.

I've actually read much more of the Old testament using theLego Brick Testament. Very entertaining way to get through boring scripture. I'd also suggest www.biblegateway.com for all your translation cross-referencing needs.

[Tigger_the_Wing]

I've actually read much more of the Old testament using theLego Brick Testament. Very entertaining way to get through boring scripture.

I like the warning on the front page:

- CONTENT NOTICE -
The Bible contains material some may consider morally objectionable and/or inappropriate for children. These labels identify stories containing:

N= nudity S= sexual content V= violence C= cursing

[Qwertyuiopasd]

Yeah, I'm fairly sure the guy who does them is liberal and loves to make fun of the particular ridiculousities of the Bible (like it being the greatest thing ever, but having whores, rape, incest, etc). He also puts in thought or speech bubbles that aren't from the scripture for comedic effect sometimes.

[black bart]

The Lego brick testament is wonderful...The testament of God killing Aaron's sons is a bit upsetting though....in the words of Homer Simpson "I have learned something today, sometimes you are a loving god and sometimes you are a vengeful god but mostly you are a vengeful god."

[black bart]

Yeah, I'm fairly sure the guy who does them is liberal and loves to make fun of the particular ridiculousities of the Bible (like it being the greatest thing ever, but having whores, rape, incest, etc). He also puts in thought or speech bubbles that aren't from the scripture for comedic effect sometimes.

I am trying to read the whole thing...it's amazing. I think I still prefer the 'Gospel of the Flying Spaghetti Monster'...but it's a close thing.

[Qwertyuiopasd]

It's a great resource. It's an entertaining way to read what can be a really boring mass of text.

I just like how God smites people mostly through literally going down with an axe and killing them.