Reading The Bible, for Real

THERE IS, AS FAR AS I KNOW, no Bible study group in the world in which the study group begins reading the first words in the bible (in the beginning), and, as a group, reads every word, book, chapter, and verse in order, from beginning to end, all eight hundred and eighty eight thousand words. One can scarcely imagine how long that would take, including providing time for each group member to ask questions, make comments, and analyze the material; possibly several decades. The Bible is one very long book, or rather, sixty six books of sufficient length to occupy one for awhile. Few people are willing to admit that they have not read the Bible, but few people have, mostly biblical scholars at places like Harvard theological seminary. Your average Christian hasn't the time, the inclination, or the endurance. The method of choice is to have someone select one or a few select passages, and focus on them. The ones selected invariably give good advice, contain wisdom, and good guidance. Nothing which can't be found elsewhere though; the Bible has no monopoly on any of the thoughts it contains of value. In fact, all the wisdom that is in the Bible can be found in far older traditions and manuscripts. The problem with this piecemeal approach is that it conceals the real nature of the Bible; which is, as mark Twain said, some noble poetry, clever fables, a vast amount of obscenity, and no less than one thousand outright lies. For an accurate if unflattering portrayal of the Bible, read "The Age Of Reason" by Thomas Paine, written in 1794. According to Paine, who perhaps did more than anyone to incite the American War of Independence with another of his writings, the Bible is more remindful of the Word of the Devil than the Word of God. Anyone who reads it through, with a an objective attitude, will see his point. One interesting project is to count the number of people who are slaughtered in the Old Testament by Jehovah, or Yahweh, as God is variously called. It numbers in the millions. Entire nations are murderer. Few of the people slaughtered are guilty of anything. A single person disobeys the lord's order and takes a quick peek inside the ark of the covenant; fifty thousand and seventy Philistines pay for this horrible crime with their lives. The nation of Israel engages in one killing spree after another, following their God's instructions. You can read all about it for yourself. Someone once told me that the Bible is Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth. A clever acronym, with questionable veracity. Biblical instructions include putting disobedient children to death, and putting to death people who commit the horrible crime of working on the Sabbath.