The Bible is...

[Rogers]

The Bible is... nothing more than A history of the Jews.

At least that's my opinion. Please feel free to strengthen or weaken my belief.

As an agnostic who had a strong Christian upbringing, I have no intention of offending anyone here, only in sparking an informed debate. Please try and keep it clean, and no preaching, please!

[SmashysmashY]

I think history is kind of a strong word to be using here. I remember someone posting on slashdot that Christianity is the belief that a cosmic jewish zombie who was his own father will make you live forever if you symbolically eat his flesh and telepathically tell him that he is your master, so that he will remove a curse from you that was placed there when a woman made out of a rib was convinced by a talking snake to eat from a magic tree.

If the bible is a history of the jews then I guess clash of the titans is a history of the greeks.

[Rogers]

If the bible is a history of the jews then I guess clash of the titans is a history of the greeks.

Thanks for the reply, SmashysmashY. I did state, "A history of the Jews". I'm not claiming it is a definitive history. Although I think more than a few people are claiming that it is unquestionable history.

[North_of_60]

I always try to stay away from these religious threads since I've been known to offend many believers and faithfuls around me.
But I must say they constantly offend me with their nonsense. So, what the heck, it's Sunday...

The Bible is no history, it's a tool.

An irrelevant one, aburd and...yes, repulsive.

[muhmuh]

well you will have to admit that it contains a few novel ethical ideas for the times which havent really lost much of their novelty and truth in todays world

[LG]

Not the Bible, just the Old Testament. And not really a history but a small selection of truths and of myths present as truths and told with a religious agenda.

[North_of_60]

well you will have to admit that it contains a few novel ethical ideas for the times which havent really lost much of their novelty and truth in todays world

Meaning ?
Such as... slavery, sexism and lapidation ? This is what we learn from the ten commandments.

Of course, no occidental can deny his "jewish" heritage ; opposing hope to ancient greek fatalism. But, come on, you know what I'm talking about : "(...) one must imagine Sisyphus happy." Who can rely on a very old book written by men who lived so long ago they thought they were 900 years old or something ?

The Bible is irrelevant in our modern times.

[muhmuh]

Meaning ?
Such as... slavery, sexism and lapidation ? This is what we learn from the ten commandments.

1) old testament != the whole bible
2) most of leviticus != 10 commandments... most of it is thrown right into the trash in the sermon on the mount anyway
3) be resonable or this will lead nowhere

Who can rely on a very old book written by men who lived so long ago they thought they were 900 years old or something ?

excuse me what ?

The Bible is irrelevant in our modern times.

how exactly are
Thou shalt not murder
Thou shalt not steal
Thou shalt not bear false witness
and several other core teachings irrelevant today?

[North_of_60]

Reasonable ? Reason and faith are like water and oil.

Thou shalt not murder... but stone everyone who dosen't believe in God, commits adultery or curse the name of his faher.

The Bible demands that you :

- Kill everyone who works on the Sabbath
- Kill teenager who drink too much
- Enslave people of other nation
- Oppress women
- Kill people who happen to be homosexual
- The list goes on and on.

That's what I call irrelevant

Who can rely on a very old book written by men who lived so long ago they thought they were 900 years old or something ?

excuse me what ?

That was some kind of humoristic to me... Maybe just an idiomatic error from a non-english speaking person. Sorry. How old was Abraham, déjà ?

[muhmuh]

Reasonable ? Reason and faith are like water and oil.

Thou shalt not murder... but stone everyone who dosen't believe in God, commits adultery or curse the name of his faher.

The Bible demands that you :

- Kill everyone who works on the Sabbath
- Kill teenager who drink too much
- Enslave people of other nation
- Oppress women
- Kill people who happen to be homosexual
- The list goes on and on.

That's what I call irrelevant

1) old testament != the whole bible
2) most of leviticus != 10 commandments... most of it is thrown right into the trash in the sermon on the mount anyway

a theologician once taught me that the only thing the bible tells you about ethical decisions (after throwing everything from leviticus right out the window in the sermon on the mount) is "Love your neighbour as yourself."
whichever way you play it this is a pretty good commandment and this would be a much nicer place to be if everyone actually lived according to it

That was some kind of humoristic to me... Maybe just an idiomatic error from a non-english speaking person. Sorry. How old was Abraham, déjà ?

no idea how old hes supposed to have been and i dont care much either