Bible Lessons
I have been studying the Bible lately. I highly recommend these tools:
(1) The Brick Testament
This is my primary source. It is an illustrated compendium of Bible passages from both the Old and New Testaments. All quotes are 100% accurate Bible quotes.
There is much to enjoy in the Brick Testament, so it is difficult to select favorites. I have much to study. I am a neophyte. Here is my sampler:
Understand Christian ethics in The Teachings of Jesus.
Understand Old Testament principles of living in The Law.
(2) The teachings and wisdom of Mister Swig.
Mr. Swig [or Rev. Swig as I call him] is embarked on a project of summarizing the Bible, book by book. Here it is, so far, as it has appeared on the Web forum Objectivism Online. I will endeavor to update this post as the Rev. Swig completes new books.
- Genesis
- Exodus
- Leviticus
- Numbers
- Deuteronomy
- Joshua
- Judges and Ruth
- First Samuel
- Second Samuel
- First Kings
- Second Kings
- First Chronicles
(3) Bible Gateway
To look up and verify Bible quotes, I cannot recommend a better resource than the Bible Gateway. You can look up individual passages or entire chapters, just by typing in the name.
I applaud the Rev. Brendan Powell Smith and William Swig (Rev. Swig) who have worked so hard to make the Bible intelligible. What do I think of the Bible? Well, I think the Bible can speak for itself. Everyone should study it, and those of you who are Christians or Jews should carefully consider that what you read here is what you claim to believe in.
As for me, I have stated my thoughts on religion elsewhere.
Keep reading the Bible. Better yet, if you have already formed your opinion, skip the Bible, and work hard at applying reason to understanding this wonderful earth we live in.
3 comments:
I once ran the story from Second Kings by a devout Christian. I mean the one about Elisha having God kill kids with a bear because they teased him for being bald. Was this the work of a rational, loving God? The Christian's answer? "God works in mysterious ways." In other words, the Bible might be filled with nonsense, but we can't judge because God is beyond mere human reason. It sounds like a nihilist assault on rationality to me.
I cannot agree more. It is exactly that, "a nihilist assault on rationality." I guess that is why religion prepares people so well to be nihilist left-wing skeptics, and vice versa. Both types of people are of the same mind.
I wonder how many people become atheists after reading the Bible. I never read it (although I am studying it now), but attending church weekly as a child and listening to sermons was enough to propel me toward atheism. That journey was completed when I read Ayn Rand.
Not sure if you are reading the OT or the new but I believe the Gospels are a fascinating and excellent work of literature. Especially when considered from this perspective: http://www.caesarsmessiah.com/summary.html
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