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Actually, I found Lord of The Rings to be far better organized than The Bible, which I dallied with when I was a Christian! It obviously hired much more accomplished and logical continuity editors. (Not to mention it's superior interest and spiritual ideals...)
Now as for Ayn Rand? She's a bit of a headache.. PS: I'm still struggling with Atlas Shrugged! As well, it's still a lot more interesting than The Bible...
Well, great fiction always has some degree of pedantic headaches, and we will not all agree on every book.
We will agree I bet that the Bble is Fiction.
Now the thing that the Bible lacks, which Atlas Shrugged, Ulysses and Iliad all have is some degree of organization and some resemblance of a plot.
However, when we read any form of literature, we must remember the context and purpose for which is was written, taking into account the styles and the methods brought about. The first section of the Bible, the Old testament, is a collection of "folk Tales" and myths taken from Jewish culture, borrowed heavily from Sumerian and other cultures, mixed with retelling of a few historical/cultural tales. These tales too have their fair share of embellishments.
The second section, the New Testament, seems to have different protagonists, the first four books of which are written in an allegorical style, reading like a retelling of Egyptian and Roman sun mythology. The middle books seem to be rambling commentaries of an individual suffering from severe personality disorders and mild bipolar disorder. The final book makes no sense at all, seems to be an account of a hallucinogenic induced dream, possibly opiate in nature.
All in all, I would give the book a poor rating. There are so many better things out there in all subjects for one to read. It is useful for a person studying socio-cultural mythology, but past that, it remains a Snooze fest.
To what other type of fiction did you compare the Bible in order to arrive to that conclusion?
Quote:
Originally Posted by LargeKingCat
Now the thing that the Bible lacks, which Atlas Shrugged, Ulysses and Iliad all have is some degree of organization and some resemblance of a plot.
The Christian (read Greek) part –or the first section as you call it- of the Bible does have a plot and a very good at that. Quite a lot of great movies were based on its plot.
The Hebrew part of it does not have a specific plot as most tradition based accounts do not have one and so I do agree with the following:
Quote:
Originally Posted by LargeKingCat
However, when we read any form of literature, we must remember the context and purpose for which is was written, taking into account the styles and the methods brought about. The first section of the Bible, the Old testament, is a collection of "folk Tales" and myths taken from Jewish culture, borrowed heavily from Sumerian and other cultures, mixed with retelling of a few historical/cultural tales. These tales too have their fair share of embellishments.
The Jews borrowed heavily from Sumerian and other cultures!!
Whom the Sumerians borrowed from?
There is only one source: their own folk tales!
So, the Jews had not enough folk tales or what?
The Greeks also borrowed from the Egyptians; all the nonsense about souls, after life and immortality entered the Greek tradition through the Orphics and Pythagoreans.
So, the Greeks too were as empty headed as the Jews were since they both had to borrow their traditions and folk tales.
It was only the theologians, my friend, who did the borrowing or you’ll have to argue that the Aztecs and the Mayas also borrowed from the Sumerians.
Peoples do not borrow their cultures. Stop comparing the theological fantasies of the gospel writers with the recorded traditions of the Jews.
The Old Testament was written before the Homeric epics and was not intended to appear as a fairy tale as the case is with the Greek epics.
The Old Testament was written to serve as the book of history of a nation and it deserves to be respected.
The only book of any worth in the Christian literature is the Revelation and the reason is that it copies the Old Testament.
I attended church for many years with people who often talked about how many times they read the bible, and how quickly they accomplished their mighty and blessed task. Some even had those little lines with a diagonal line through four of them every five reads boldly displayed on the front pages of the bible.
I always wondered how they missed that part about boasting
It can be read cover to cover in One Year by reading every day for 35 minutes without interruptions. I have done it 3 years this way. Amazing - what happens after; God by His Grace speaks to us through His Living Word. I encourage you.
I find it takes less than 35 minutes, and only read it 6 day's a week. I am sure it also depends on which translation one is reading. There are a group of us who meet together for bible studies that go through the bible with the same readings each day. It makes our bible studies very interesting.
Hmmm... bible studies, huh? Is that where a group of people all get together under the unquestionable tutelage of a supposedly knowledgable leader, to try to decipher exactly what the bible is trying to say?
Since after all, it's meaning hardly leaps off the page for the reader, now does it?
Hmmm... bible studies, huh? Is that where a group of people all get together under the unquestionable tutelage of a supposedly knowledgable leader, to try to decipher exactly what the bible is trying to say?
Since after all, it's meaning hardly leaps off the page for the reader, now does it?
So you encourage cherry picking this most important book of christianity?
Interesting.....
Actually, what do you think the majority of the clergymen do anyway. I see parables that relate to me and my family in a postive way and we follow them. This also can be applied to the Koran and the Torah as well. Why should I take imbelished stories such as Noah's Ark and try to make sense out of them when in many cases they are obviously not true?
It can be read cover to cover in One Year by reading every day for 35 minutes without interruptions. I have done it 3 years this way. Amazing - what happens after; God by His Grace speaks to us through His Living Word. I encourage you.
I agree. If more Christians would read the entire book, except only the parts that the preacher reads, they would be surprised about what is actually in the book and how most of it isn't applicable to our daily life in the 21st century. I read it when I was a Christian and "spirit-filled" which helped contribute to me leaving religious beliefs behind.
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