I read the Bible. I started asking questions about things in the Bible that didn’t match science, I loved science (still do), but nobody wanted to answer my questions, they’d just get mad, so I started seeking information elsewhere and came across atheist or ex-religious sources who answered the questions I had. Those sources also helped me realise the damage that had been done to me mentally, which I’m still working on overcoming.
I admit I haven’t read the entire Bible. I’m not a particularly pious Christian, and I certainly don’t mean to try to convince anyone towards or against religion. Certainly, religion has its problems. That said:
I also love science. I’m an engineer, not a conspiracy theorist. I know the dinosours existed, I know evolution happened, I know the Big Bang was a thing. However, that doesn’t mean Jesus wasn’t a man who lived approximately 2000 years ago. It doesn’t mean he wasn’t a great teacher. It doesn’t mean there aren’t lessons to learn in any of the Bible’s stories.
Because that’s what they are: stories. They’re not 100% perfect recounts of events that happened. Heck, they’re most of the time not even 1% perfect recounts of events that happened. But some of them still have some wisdom worth sharing, just the same. At least, I think so.
I appreciate your response and the other person who replied to you is right as well, but I wanted to add that I can “appreciate” Bible stories the same way I can appreciate other myths or legends, many of which the Bible stories originated from. I love mythology, it fascinates me, especially seeing who borrowed from who, but that doesn’t make them real or worth worshipping.
To your point about who borrowed from who - one of my favourite examples is the story of Noah’s Ark, or less specifically, “The Great Flood”. So many religions and mythologies have a Great Flood story. It’s fascinating to see how similar or different certain people’s recounts were of historical events like that.
Like I say, at this point in my life I’m still of the opinion that a good chunk of the Bible means well, but who knows? One of these days I might run out of sci-fi novels to read and go cover to cover, old testament to new. It’s certainly possible my mind might yet change.
Someone read those books thoroughly and decided they are not worth the cost of staying in a damaging situation.
You have not read them and yet you to want to defend stories you don’t think are true, but might have some little pearls of conventional wisdom? And just gloss right over that the religious trauma caused them serious harm they are still recovering from?
Just pointing out that your luke warm defense of your favorite children’s stories in this context comes across as extremely tone deaf.
I read the Bible. I started asking questions about things in the Bible that didn’t match science, I loved science (still do), but nobody wanted to answer my questions, they’d just get mad, so I started seeking information elsewhere and came across atheist or ex-religious sources who answered the questions I had. Those sources also helped me realise the damage that had been done to me mentally, which I’m still working on overcoming.
I admit I haven’t read the entire Bible. I’m not a particularly pious Christian, and I certainly don’t mean to try to convince anyone towards or against religion. Certainly, religion has its problems. That said:
I also love science. I’m an engineer, not a conspiracy theorist. I know the dinosours existed, I know evolution happened, I know the Big Bang was a thing. However, that doesn’t mean Jesus wasn’t a man who lived approximately 2000 years ago. It doesn’t mean he wasn’t a great teacher. It doesn’t mean there aren’t lessons to learn in any of the Bible’s stories.
Because that’s what they are: stories. They’re not 100% perfect recounts of events that happened. Heck, they’re most of the time not even 1% perfect recounts of events that happened. But some of them still have some wisdom worth sharing, just the same. At least, I think so.
I appreciate your response and the other person who replied to you is right as well, but I wanted to add that I can “appreciate” Bible stories the same way I can appreciate other myths or legends, many of which the Bible stories originated from. I love mythology, it fascinates me, especially seeing who borrowed from who, but that doesn’t make them real or worth worshipping.
Absolutely not, I 100% agree.
To your point about who borrowed from who - one of my favourite examples is the story of Noah’s Ark, or less specifically, “The Great Flood”. So many religions and mythologies have a Great Flood story. It’s fascinating to see how similar or different certain people’s recounts were of historical events like that.
Like I say, at this point in my life I’m still of the opinion that a good chunk of the Bible means well, but who knows? One of these days I might run out of sci-fi novels to read and go cover to cover, old testament to new. It’s certainly possible my mind might yet change.
Someone read those books thoroughly and decided they are not worth the cost of staying in a damaging situation.
You have not read them and yet you to want to defend stories you don’t think are true, but might have some little pearls of conventional wisdom? And just gloss right over that the religious trauma caused them serious harm they are still recovering from?
Just pointing out that your luke warm defense of your favorite children’s stories in this context comes across as extremely tone deaf.