Question:
Christians and Atheists: Have you read and/or thoroughly studied the Bible?
2008-07-22 16:16:36 UTC
I am atheist.
I had studied the bible sincerely and with a pure heart for years. I had notes in the margins and highlighted text all over the place. I've still got a couple of bibles, but my old ones either fell apart or I gave them away along with my concordonces, parallel bible and hebrew to english dictionary.

How about you?
51 answers:
troll to troll
2008-07-22 16:20:18 UTC
Interesting road - isn't it?



Been there - I still study the Bible.
Citizen Justin
2008-07-22 16:24:17 UTC
Yes, I have had a Bible since age 11, bought as a school text (British schools teach Religious Education). Up until I was 16 I did study it, and also on reading it in my spare time was quite surprised at what I found! During my few years as a believer, it was because I had read the Bible that I did not become a Christian.
JonHammFan
2008-07-22 16:32:55 UTC
Agnostic...



yeah i've read it numerous times, there are certain parts of it which i try to study more.I've done the whole notes thing also,I have this green box folder with my own notes and notes,essays etc I've downloaded from internet.



At the end of the day it is THE book that has shaped the society in which we live in today,never has a book been more influential.I think its important whether you're a believer or an Athiest (and everything inbetween) to at least read it once,to not even glance at it is pure ignorance and hypocrisy from all sides.
Eric H
2008-07-22 16:27:19 UTC
I've read the Bible a couple of times.



What I see in it is a history, a description of man's rise to sentience and a primer medical book for quarantine and basic epidemic preparation for an early people that could not understand those terms.



I see the evolution of pagan beliefs and folklore cemented in place through the power of religion.



And I see a very wise man attempting to propel his people past the limits of their time with a message that is still lost on most today.



It's an interesting read, but it doesn't prove what the Christians think it does.
2008-07-22 16:30:27 UTC
I have read the Bible thoroughly, I have read the Egyptian Book of the Dead thoroughly, I have read Greek and Roman Mythos, Sumerian texts, the Koran, the books of the Apocrypha and many many other religious texts past and present.



They all are mythology. Some more interesting than others some obviously plagiarizing from those who came before but in the end...mythology.
2008-07-22 16:21:44 UTC
When I was a believer, I did study the bible. I even read the whole ting once. It is a good book. I admit I didn't go as far as you, though. I just found that it no longer held any real meaning for me any more. I still think it's main message of everyone just being nice to one another and getting along, is a pretty good idea. I just can't believe it was inspired anymore.
2008-07-22 16:21:35 UTC
Studied the Bible 4 times cover to cover. The last time I studied the New Testament in Greek.
JazzAngel_777
2008-07-22 16:30:50 UTC
I was raised LDS until my parents were divorced. My mom raised us born again christian. I have read the bible front and back several times through the years. I am very spiritual. I cant say that I believe in one "true" religion" or the one "true" word. Its a very fine line. I believe in God, Jesus, & the Holy Spirit. I read, listen, study several religions, people & "bibles" or "words of God". I take from each as a lesson or goodness. I think we can all learn from each and everyone of them. Great topic! God Bless!
jm1970
2008-07-22 16:24:39 UTC
Yes, I'm a Christian and I have read and thoroughly studied the Bible for years. I too have many Bibles in the same condition as yours.



You must be familiar with verse "God is Spirit. They who worship Him must worsip Him in Spirit and truth."



God's word is a living thing, not a frog to be cut open, stared and and documented....sure, good study is important, but so is worship.



ETA: I've been praying for you. God is often silent, and I don't know why. I've often cried out to Him and waited months for answers, I've been waiting 14 years for the Salvation of my husband (I disobeyed the unequally yoked command and boy have I paid!).



I've often felt like my ceiling was made of lead and my prayers bounced back and smacked me in the face.



But I choose to believe, just an emotional, not logical choice. I choose to humble myself and believe.



Like all relationships, my love and belief in Christ is stronger at times than others.



Peace be with you. I'll keep praying for you!
2008-07-22 16:23:09 UTC
answer: Yes, and still do and I'm not an atheist or Christian. I have several bibles - Study bibles, KJV, Catholic, New International. The Book of Mormon, the Koran, The Tanakh and the Satanic Bible as well.
iLuVMyFaMiLy:)
2008-07-22 16:22:45 UTC
I havent studied it thoroughly, but I did grow up being forced into Christianity and having to go to a Baptist church. I was forced to go to bible study from 2 to about 15 (thats when I had enough).

Why did Lee Lee quote bible scriptures for this kind of question...?
2008-07-22 16:24:59 UTC
I'm an atheist.



I've studied the bible and various aspects of the Abrahamic religions in depth, although I certainly wouldn't call myself an expert. I am fairly confident in my knowledge of the religions, however. I find theology rather interesting, and as someone who enjoys debating the bible (and, more often, evolution vs creationism), it's always good to "know your enemy", so to speak.
2008-07-22 16:19:52 UTC
Yes, I have! I study the Bible daily and I have been a Christian for more than 10 years now.
2008-07-22 16:23:56 UTC
Yes, I have studied it and I continue to,I doubt seriously that you have done so with a Pure heart and without Bias, if you had, you would not have came up with the conclusion you have, Josh McDowel did so, as You say you have and he came up with a Different conclusion, Read his Book Evidence demands a verdict
Red Head Angel
2008-07-22 16:32:34 UTC
Sure, I spend between 1.5 and 2 hours daily reading the Word of God. I couldn't go through the day without it.
2008-07-22 16:25:01 UTC
One of the major reasons for my switch to atheism was the bible. When I finally sat down and read and studied it (yes, the whole thing), I realized how much I didn't agree with it and how much it didn't make sense.
Chaos the Pirate
2008-07-22 16:22:36 UTC
I'm an atheist, and I'm reading the bible for the first time. I'm keeping an open mind, but I just don't get it. My favorite part (so far) is when Jesus smite a fig tree for no apparent reason.
cynical_atheist
2008-07-22 16:23:40 UTC
well im fifteen, but i read the first 120 pages (then just couldnt read any more of the OT) so i started reading the NT. Haven't gotten very far in that, but that is mostly because it is boring as balls on a hot summer day.
That Atheist Lady
2008-07-22 16:20:41 UTC
I grew up in a home where the bible was constantly read and recited. I am fully aware of its contents, and as a child, those were some scary stories.
JTY
2008-07-22 16:23:02 UTC
I'm a Buddhist, but I read the Bible when I was a Christian, and still flip through it on occasion.
Starjumper the R&S Cow
2008-07-22 16:21:25 UTC
Yes, I have. In three different languages. However, reading the NT in Greek is quite an eyeopening experience. The 'feel' of it gets lost in the translations.
2008-07-22 16:21:02 UTC
Still have them, still study them, still finding things of enlightenment. I have found translations from the Greek to be very interesting.
2008-07-22 16:25:29 UTC
Why study the bible if your not going to learn anything from it? if ur still not goin to believe in Jesus then you wasted your time i have studied the bible and it saved my life and i feel sorry for you because without Gods word your nothing.
A Bean
2008-07-22 16:28:45 UTC
I was a christian for 28 yrs. I went to christian elementary school, high school and a christian university. Yes I have, in depth.
2008-07-22 16:19:47 UTC
Yes, a couple times.
?
2008-07-22 16:21:24 UTC
I read the NT when I was younger. Been stretchingly studying the OT, and it doesn't impress me any more.
batgirl2good
2008-07-22 17:20:34 UTC
Yes.....and I am still doing so. I will study it until the day I die and go to Heaven.
ღBadBi.tch™ღ
2008-07-22 16:20:49 UTC
You are atheist don't believe in God nor the bible? You must be a biblist?
MusicIsMyLife
2008-07-22 16:24:24 UTC
No I have not. That's one fairy tale I choose not to read.



I believe in the fairy god in the center of the earth. O.o
Dark-River
2008-07-22 16:20:21 UTC
No, I haven't.



If I had enough free time to study the bible, I would instead spend it doing something useful.
Pastor Art (((SFECU)))
2008-07-22 16:20:57 UTC
Yes I have read it and studied it.



And by studying it I have gotten to know God!
2008-07-22 16:19:54 UTC
Yes, growing up I studied the bible intensely. Lines and notes all over the place. I read it several times. I still have my old bible with custom binding.



And that's why I'm an atheist.
Dream Fear
2008-07-22 16:22:20 UTC
i dont need to study the bible its obvious god doesnt exist :)
mommaknowsbest
2008-07-22 16:27:34 UTC
I agree with Lee Lee.



btw You are very ignorant
DiDi Doubter
2008-07-22 16:19:52 UTC
I haven't studied the Bible thoroughly (yet), but I have read and read, listened to sermons, etc. Of course, all of that was before I 'lost' my faith.
señorchipotle
2008-07-22 16:22:40 UTC
yes i have... for about eight months i was obsessed with it. then i finally realized that what i was searching for could never be found. because it didn't exist.
2008-07-22 16:21:41 UTC
when i was still christain i tried to, but then said 'screw it. i'm not reading this' after i got past the first couple pages .
sjcbamag
2008-07-22 16:20:17 UTC
I am a christian and have many bibles in my home. i don't go to church. but i'm still a christian.
2008-07-22 16:19:47 UTC
Atheist, read it a few times, and keep one for reference.
Inscrutable [Anti-Matter]
2008-07-22 16:43:36 UTC
Only the lolcatbible.



http://www.lolcatbible.com/index.php?title=Main_Page
2008-07-22 16:21:08 UTC
That thing was boring, violent, gruesome, and sexualy explict. So no.
2008-07-22 16:21:10 UTC
So, what you're saying is you're better than me at my religion, despite not being part of my religion?
Jason W
2008-07-22 16:26:08 UTC
I am a born again Christian and have read and studied the Bible. The Bible is like a loving letter from a Father to his children.



When someone sits down and really honestly reads the Bible it will touch your heart.



2 Timothy 3:16 states that the Bible is "God-breathed." In other words, it is God's Word to us. There are so many questions that philosophers and people have asked that God answers for us in Scripture: What is the purpose to life? Where did I come from? Is there life after death? What happens after death? How do I get to heaven? Why is the world full of evil? Why do I struggle to do good? In addition to these "big" questions, it gives a ton of practical advice in areas such as: What do I look for in a mate? How can I have a successful marriage? How can I be a good friend? How can I be a good parent? What is success and how do I achieve it? How can I change? What really matters in life? How can I live so that I do not look back with regret? How can I please God? How can I gain forgiveness? How can I handle the unfair circumstances and bad events of life victoriously?



We should read and study the Bible because it is totally reliable, without error. The Bible is unique among so-called "holy" books in that it does not merely give moral teaching and say, "trust me." Rather, it gives us the ability to test it by checking the hundreds of detailed prophecies that it makes, by checking the historical accounts it records, and by checking the scientific facts it relates. Those who say the Bible has errors have their ears closed to the truth. Jesus once asked which is easier to say, "Your sins are forgiven you," or "Rise, take up your bed and walk." Then He proved He had the ability to forgive sins (something we cannot see with our eyes) by healing the paralytic (something those around Him could test with their eyes). Similarly, we are given assurance that God's Word is true when it discusses spiritual areas that we cannot test with our senses, by showing itself true in those areas that we can test (historical accuracy, scientific accuracy, and prophetic accuracy).



We should read and study the Bible because God does not change and because mankind's nature does not change - it is as relevant for us as it was when it was written. While technology changes around us, mankind's desires and nature do not change. You find, as you read the pages of biblical history, that whether you are talking about one-on-one relationships or societies, "there is nothing new under the sun." And while mankind as a whole continues to seek love and satisfaction in all of the wrong places, God, our good and gracious Creator, tells us what will bring us LASTING joy. His revealed Word, the Scriptures, are so important that Jesus said of them, "Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4). In other words, if you want to live life to the fullest as God intended, listen and heed God's written word...it is even more important than eating!



We should read and study the Bible because there is so much false teaching. The Bible gives us the measuring stick by which we can determine truth from error. It tells us what God is like. To have a wrong impression of God is worship of an "idol" or "false god." We are worshiping something that He is not! The Bible tells us how one truly gets to heaven...and it is not by being good or by being baptized, or by anything else we DO (John 14:6; Ephesians 2:1-10; Isaiah 53:6; Romans 3:10f., 5:8; 6:23; 10:9-13). Along this line, God's Word shows us just how much God loves us (Romans 5:6-8; Isaiah 53:1f.). And it is in learning this that we are drawn to love Him in return (1 John 4:19).



The Bible will equip you for serving God (2 Timothy 3:17; Ephesians 6:17; Hebrews 4:12). It will help you know how to be saved from your sin and its ultimate consequence (2 Timothy 3:15). Meditating on it and obeying its teachings will bring success in life (Joshua 1:8; James 1:25). God’s Word will help you see sin in your life and help you get rid of it (Psalm 119:9,11). It will give you guidance in life, making you wiser than your teachers (Psalm 32:8; 119:99; Proverbs 1:6). The Bible will keep you from wasting years of your life on that which will not last and does not matter (Matthew 7:24-27).



Reading and studying the Bible will help you to see beyond the attractive "bait" to the painful "hook" in sinful temptations, so that you can learn from others' mistakes rather than making them yourself. Experience is a great teacher, but when it comes to learning from sin, it is a terribly hard teacher. It is so much better to learn from others' mistakes. There are so many Bible characters to learn from, both positive and negative role models, both often coming from the same person's life at different points. For example, David, in his defeat of the giant, Goliath, teaches us that God is greater than anything He asks us to face (1 Samuel 17). David, in his giving in to the temptation to commit adultery with Bathsheba, reveals just how long-lasting and terrible the consequences of a "moment's pleasure" can be (2 Samuel 11f.). Knowing the Bible gives us a real hope and peace when everything around us seems to be falling apart (Romans 15:4; Psalm 112:7; Habakkuk 3:17-19).



The Bible is a book that is not for mere reading. It is a book for studying so that it can be applied. Otherwise, it is like swallowing food down without chewing and then spitting it back out again...no nutritional value is gained by it. The Bible is God's Word. As such, it is as binding as the laws of nature. You can ignore it, but you do so to your own hurt, just as you would do so to ignore the law of gravity. It cannot be emphasized strongly enough just how important the Bible is to our lives. Studying the Bible can be compared to mining for gold. If you make little effort and merely "sift through the pebbles in a stream," you will only find a little gold dust. But the more you make an effort to really "dig into it," the more reward you will gain for your effort.



Love a born again Christian
2008-07-22 16:20:09 UTC
For 36 years. The difference is... I believe it.
neil s
2008-07-22 16:30:39 UTC
Yes, that's why i don't believe it.
2008-07-22 16:20:07 UTC
I've tried to read it, but I find it dull. Very, very dull.



I honestly cannot believe that the "one true word of god" could be so poorly written.
2008-07-22 16:20:37 UTC
i have read a lot of that tome of hatred, misogyny and violence actually. it made me loathe christianity even more
nature freakk....
2008-07-22 16:21:27 UTC
i dont understand this...you are atheist but you studied the bible???
chopsaw
2008-07-22 16:26:55 UTC
No.......I don't want to give mine away yet kool aid........but all the best to you.............If all i had was me...........what a mess...sorry........enjoy yourself.
2008-07-22 16:24:30 UTC
LeeLee's answer says it all.
2008-07-22 16:19:41 UTC
1Cr 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [them], because they are spiritually discerned.



1Cr 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.


This content was originally posted on Y! Answers, a Q&A website that shut down in 2021.
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