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Improper Knowledge: Atheists, Christians and the Bible

tollo

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Most Christians I have met read the Bible unquestioningly and therefore do not learn a great deal about it.

Atheists tend to study the Bible more thoroughly to find any inconsistencies, absurdities, and immoral acts etc.

In short, Atheists study the Bible very critically, whereas Christians read it just to feel the love of god. They don't want to look too hard because deep down they do not want to find anything that will destroy their faith. Some do not read it at all for the same reason.

But it isn't necessarily true that Atheists tend to know more about the Bible. I have known other Christians who read the Bible constantly and obsessively, and Atheists who brush it aside as silliness and go do something more worthwhile. Like drinking.
 
The Bible is obviously flawed so atheists seeking self-justification focus on an easy target: the Bible.

I voted for this because the Bible is "conceived" as an easy target.

However, you can't attack it based upon what it is which, is merely a remnant of what's been passed down. Sure there are descrepancies, but that doesn't prove anything about how it originated. And this is what we need to get at ... What is the essence of the Bible and Christianity?
 
I've read parts of it as a result of my religious (moderately religious) upbringing, parts of it I have read for religion, culture and philosophy classes, and parts of it I have read of my own interest.

But regardless of its legitimacy as a historical or philosophical text, there is no denying the sweeping influence it has had on western and some non-western civilizations for millenia. I think people should read a good deal of it in order to be culturally literate and informed about the nature of ideologies influencing many of our socio-political movements and conflicts in the world today.

You can probably skip kings, numbers, judges, ester, Isaiah, Joel, Jonas, Habbakuk, Obediah, Nahamuh, Nahum, Amos, and Hosea.

ETA: By the same token I should read the Koran, The magna carta, pax whatever, and orations...but I still have time.
 
Other. Very strongly other. Christians go in looking for faith-affirming passages, while atheists usually go in to find inconsistencies or fallacies. The bible is such a big book that whatever you want to find, you probably will find, for either side. Seek, and ye shall find.
 
"none of the above".

I don't know how anyone can appreciate much of western literature without at least some knowledge of the bible. The KJV is a literary masterpiece in many places.

Besides, the Devil can quote scripture, too. (The Book of Job is perhaps a refutation of the rest)
 
I don't know the Bible particularly well, sad to say. But I would imagine that the impact of running into an atheist that does would cause many fundamentalists begin seeing the overeducated creatures everywhere. :D
 
Actually, shouldn't there be another option? I think many people here have become familiar with opposing viewpoints simply out of fair-mindedness.
 
I couldn't decide on a good reply. They don't seem to form a partitioning.

I'm an atheist, and I know the Bible and other religious texts better than any Christian I've ever met.
 
Okay, if I create a similar poll in future, then I will include the following options:
  • In their quest for a general cultural literacy, many atheists acquire more knowledge of the Bible than the average philistine Christian does.
  • Many atheists judge that, to come to a fair conclusion about the Bible, they need to know a fair amount about the Bible, but, to the average Christian, that degree of knowledge and fairness is excessive.
 
The idea said:
Okay, if I create a similar poll in future, then I will include the following options:
  • In their quest for a general cultural literacy, many atheists acquire more knowledge of the Bible than the average philistine Christian does.
  • Many atheists judge that, to come to a fair conclusion about the Bible, they need to know a fair amount about the Bible, but, to the average Christian, that degree of knowledge and fairness is excessive.
Click to expand...
And don't forget the planet X option; it's traditional. :D
 
Have you ever noticed that many Christians read the Bible by leaping from section to section? It is easy to pretend that it makes sense when you are taught by the preacher to skip around and read the parts you feel like.
 
I voted two options (I wasn't sure if that would work, actually, and I should have noted the counts before and after I voted -- because I didn't, I still don't know for sure...anyway, it didn't gong me or anything).

I liked both of these options equally well:

Most Christians find it easier to believe when they don't think about WHAT it is that they believe.

and:

Those who study the Bible enough tend to become atheists.

I'd say that careful and thoughtful reading of the Bible was central to my becoming an atheist.
 
Zero said:
Have you ever noticed that many Christians read the Bible by leaping from section to section? It is easy to pretend that it makes sense when you are taught by the preacher to skip around and read the parts you feel like.
Click to expand...

That's sort of my view- the average Christian may read the Bible a good deal, but only certain parts. Many times you'll find they can quote, say, the NT pretty well, but when it comes to OT material... a few passages and thats it.
 
Atheists are purposefully misrepresented to create intoleracnce, which makes them an easy scapegoat.
 
Zero said:
Have you ever noticed that many Christians read the Bible by leaping from section to section? It is easy to pretend that it makes sense when you are taught by the preacher to skip around and read the parts you feel like.
Click to expand...

The thing is, the bible is such a jumbled mish mash of different people's writings from different times and different places, it really doesn't make much of a difference.

Yes, you can't go ahead and ignore the parts where God commands somebody to do something attrocious and unthinkable because it doesn't fit your conception of the religion, but in terms of just getting a feel for what was supposed to have happened, you can easily skip like 9 books and be none the worse for the plot.

Because most of it doesn't make any sense anyway.
 
It has been my experience that Christians find it burdensome and unnecessary to get bogged down in the critical analysis of the Bible. In a sense, it's ironic, considering that church groups offer Bible studies all the time. But these studies are led by individuals who are trusted to get certain predetermined points across. Such study groups (almost completely composed of believers) are hardly free to point out the contradictions and mistakes. To do so would make them look faithless in front of their friends and would put doubt in the minds of others, which would hurt their standing in the church. They welcome non-believers to ask difficult questions, as long as no one actually has to come up with answers that honestly explain the weird parts and contradictions. A lot of church groups will say it's good to question your faith, or what you are reading in the Bible, because it will ultimately make you a stronger believer. The unspoken part is that you can question your faith as long as you don't cause others to question, and as long as you come around to accepting what you (supposedly) can't understand. The excuse is that if you don't understand a faith-based matter, it's because of our limited human understanding, not because of any (far more likely) errors in the text or illogicality in the situation. Pretty much, it's ok to question as long as you get over it and keep believing nonetheless. If it means you have to put the questions out of your mind, or pretend the questions no longer exist, so be it. Better to banish doubts than let the doubts separate you from God. You have to get beyond doubts if you want to keep your faith and support network of fellow Christians.
I can say from experience that the stakes are VERY high if your doubts make you walk away from your faith--in a lot of ways, you have to rebuild your life from square one. Very hard to do, too much for some to even contemplate. I did it, but I know a lot of people who couldn't imagine it. Too many strings to unravel. Too much rejection to face. Too much pain.

For many, it's better to keep on trusting, even if nothing makes sense.

It was that kind of intellectual dishonesty (among other things) that drove me away.

Life is worlds better now, but it was a hell of a rough transition.
 
Other

I have been an atheist since I was a little kid.
I never got around to reading the bible - not particularly interested.
I don't personally know any other atheists.
 
Hah. Good post Schubertiad, I've noticed a good deal of that myself, though I came to a different conclusion than you. Critical analysis, a look at all sides of the issues, I've found in college classes though... I'm sure it's not perfect, but it has to be less biased than anything Church-led. At least my teacher/advisor can admit contradictions and errors :)
 
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