The Bible, and reasons why not to allow kids to read it

[HydrogenBond]

I think reading the bible is fine for kids, if one puts it in the context of history and the evolution of humanity. Things were different then and so were the methods used and the lessons needing to be learned.

 

As a way of analogy, the Magna Carter, was written centuries before the Declaration of Independance and gave voting rights to land owners. If one takes the Magna Carter out of the context of history, and assumes it applies to today, it would look like a step backwards allowing only people with land to vote. In the proper context of history is was a step forward. The people of ancient history were not us with old clothes, they were somewhere between animals and modern humans. Secondhand campfire smoke was the last of their worries.

[Lancaster]

So, out of over 3000 pages you could only find 57 results. In all actuality that is quite sad.

I cannot remember one book that we have read in school that does not have a controversial conflict once every 50 or so pages, they are what keep you interested. Why the double standard?

 

What kind of crazy school did you go to? One controversial subject every fifty pages? Were you reading the banned book list?

 

Forget controversial subjects. The Bible tells you, under the Authority of God, to kill homosexuals. God is commanding it. Name one book that you read in school that ordered you to kill someone.

 

 

...

 

 

...

 

 

[cricket chirping]

 

 

What's that? No answer? That's because children are not meant to read that kind of garbage. Heck, most adults would throw down any other book that spoke that way.

 

You're right, there is a double standard. Look at the banned books list. Does any one of those books order you to murder everyone in a city that does not have the same religion as you? Does a single book on that list say that if you do not do what it says that you will burn in agony for all eternity? No.

 

Look at those verses! Many of those are the laws of Moses, the same set of laws from which the 10 Commandments are derived. Where's the morality? Where's the loving God in those verses?

 

Hosea 13:16 - "16 The people of Samaria must bear their guilt, because they have rebelled against their God. They will fall by the sword; their little ones will be dashed to the ground, their pregnant women ripped open."

 

Where is your God in those verses?

[Pyrotex]

is it supportive of all these things listed? In my reading of it...I only find it teaching against all that..It talks about the history of man..and the consiquences of their perversion...you seem to look at it as an evil book...why?...

How supportive does it have to be to be "supportive"? That list of horrors pretty well describes what the Hebrews did over the course of the Old Testament stories. Now, in a few (a VERY few) cases, God was displeased with that kind of behavior. But by and large, God approved or even insisted on that kind of behavior. What the Hebrews did to the inhabitants of Jericho would make for an XXX movie. Only virgin girls were permitted to live and they were "given" to the Hebrew generals to serve as personal "handmaidens". This term is used frequently in the OT to mean a sex toy.

 

It's not a matter of "interpretation". If the stories told in the OT were factual, they represent an age of ongoing slaughter and rape. The Hebrews engaged in it without protest or recriminations. Typically, they did it either at the behest of Jehova, or with his acceptance.

[BEAKER]

Lancaster "...You must purge the evil from among you."

 

When you consider that the original sin of Adam - eating a piece of fruit, (the fact that it was the the knowledge of good and evil is another issue in itself), which would seem so benign in the face of things most people would generally agree are "bad" ie (sin), but it boiled down to rebellion against The Creator;

 

your lack of faith in Him equates to the same measure of rebellion.

 

By the mercy of God, men are free to be as evil as they like; until the day of judgement. - And evil boils down to nothing more than rebellion against the Creator.

 

and it can seem as good and wholesome as a piece of fruit.

[Lancaster]

Lancaster "...You must purge the evil from among you."

 

When you consider that the original sin of Adam - eating a piece of fruit, (the fact that it was the the knowledge of good and evil is another issue in itself), which would seem so benign in the face of things most people would generally agree are "bad" ie (sin), but it boiled down to rebellion against The Creator;

 

your lack of faith in Him equates to the same measure of rebellion.

 

By the mercy of God, men are free to be as evil as they like; until the day of judgement. - And evil boils down to nothing more than rebellion against the Creator.

 

and it can seem as good and wholesome as a piece of fruit.

 

This isn't in response to my latest post, is it? Ah, well, I doubt Fatstep will reply.

 

In response to your post, my (do you mean me?) "rebellion" is only a rebellion if you can rebel against something that you do not believe to exist. I can equate it to rebelling against the government when living in an anarchy.

 

And why is rebellion against God instantly considered evil? Maybe I don't agree with what God is saying. Maybe I think that my neighbor's wife is really hot, and I cannot help but covet her. Is that really evil? I'm just disagreeing with an egotistical figure who seems to take joy in being self-contradictory by his very nature.

[Lancaster]

is it suportive of all these things listed? In my reading of it...I only find it teaching against all that..It talks about the history of man..and the consiquences of their perversion...you seem to look at it as an evil book...why?

 

What does the world have to offer?

 

The Bible supports:

1. Murder of captured prisoners

2. Murder of innocent children

3. Rape of women whose husbands have been murdered during war

4. Genocide (Religious and Racial)

5. Religious intolerance to the point of death

6. Murder of all workers who work on Sunday (including me)

7. Murder of anyone who contradicts God's will.

 

I cannot fail to notice that you have failed to respond to my list of terrible Bible verses. Surprised that you have been promoting a book that condones such terrible things? I was.

 

 

TOP TEN REASONS

 

the Bible, and reasons why not to allow kids to read it...

 

10. You're afraid it might be true.

9. You're not afraid at all ..."I ain't skeered!"; merely foolish.

8. You're trying to perpetuate your own lack of faith.

7. They might discover you're an idiot.

6. You just can't face the truth, and you don't want them to either.

5. A religious person let you down in the past and you hold a grudge.

4. You're mad at God because you think He let you down.

3. You don't care if the whole world goes to hell.

2. You can' get the log out of your eye long enough to read it yourself.

 

... And the number one reason why not to allow kids to read the bible...

1. Your friend satan said it not to.:evil:

 

This is pure dogmatic nonsense that has no place in a science forum. I would never allow my children to read the Bible. Here are my five reasons:

 

5. The Bible is a literary mess, and is certainly not on the reading level of any children.

4. The Bible offers nothing to children, unless they ignore the blatant contradictions and mistakes, they might be able to find some morals somewhere in the New Testament, but I would certainly fear what perverted things they might find on the way.

3. The Bible contradicts rational scientific thought.

2. The writers of the Bible make no effort to censor acts of violence and sexuality.

1. The Bible condones the things listed above.

 

And for the record, I am not friends with the devil, I do not believe him to exist; I do not think that reading the Bible might show that I am an idiot; I am not angry at any Christians who "let me down"; I do not think that God let me down, unless being nonexistent is a let down; I have no logs in my eyes; and I do not believe in the afterlife, or for that matter, a hell.

 

I would certainly be frightened if what was written in the Bible was true, it would seem that a curtain of evil and blackness would befall life.

[BEAKER]

In response to your post, my (do you mean me?).

 

If the shoe fits...

[BEAKER]

The Bible supports:

1. Murder of captured prisoners

2. Murder of innocent children

3. Rape of women whose husbands have been murdered during war

4. Genocide (Religious and Racial)

5. Religious intolerance to the point of death

6. Murder of all workers who work on Sunday (including me)

7. Murder of anyone who contradicts God's will.

 

I cannot fail to notice that you have failed to respond to my list of terrible Bible verses. Surprised that you have been promoting a book that condones such terrible things? I was.

 

If you notice, these terrible things were going on in the world by men who chose evil rather than good -before God "condoned" them in certain situations. There's something to be said for fighting fire with fire.

[Lancaster]

If you notice, these terrible things were going on in the world by men who chose evil rather than good -before God "condoned" them in certain situations. There's something to be said for fighting fire with fire.

 

If these actions are evil, then God chose evil. Since when does the loving God of Christianity fight evil with evil? And who has ever claimed that fighting evil with more evil is a just action? And if you look, he often simply states that, for example, you come to a town (any town) that is practicing another religion (any religion) you should kill everyone (everyone) in that town. Not very specific from my viewpoint.

[Pyrotex]

[...but it boils down to rebellion against The Creator;

your lack of faith in Him equates to the same measure of rebellion.....

Yes, yes, yes. I'm all too familiar with that. I've heard pulpit-logic like that from the ages of 6 to 26.

 

But you are wrong on a very important point. That point is this: Does the Creator of the Old Testament deserve my faith and worship?

 

I have read the entire Bible multiple times. I have studied its origin and its history. And the answer is a resounding "NO".

 

I have no desire to be "evil". My life is as moral as the most devout Baptist you can find in Texas. I live that way because it is the best way from a logical point of view. But I will not sacrifice my reason, my logic, my integrity, my mind, my very brain, to worship a Late Bronze Age slaughter-god.

[Pyrotex]

If you notice, these terrible things were going on in the world by men who chose evil rather than good -before God "condoned" them in certain situations. There's something to be said for fighting fire with fire.

As you say, God "condoned" them. End of sentence. End of argument. End of debate.

God "condoned" them

God "condoned" them

God "condoned" them

God "condoned" them

God "condoned" them

God "condoned" them

...

[Fatstep]

This isn't in response to my latest post, is it? Ah, well, I doubt Fatstep will reply.

 

 

Good you didn't put your life on it. We studied The Turner Diaries, which in my opinion, with respect to what is said, is far worse than the bible could ever be, and guess what... we studied it in a PUBLIC SCHOOL, we also have a survey of the bible course, very nice.

[Pyrotex]

Okay, Beaker, let's take a short break, shall we, and look to see where we want to go with this thread.

 

I'm sure you are aware that if you lapse into "preaching" how we should read and believe the Bible, you will get negrepped and we will likely terminate the thread. "Preaching" is against Hypography rules. If you wish to minister unto the "lost" go somewhere else and do it.

 

So, what options does that leave us? We can continue to discuss "horror" verses in the OT, but please, please, please stop "talking for God". You may discuss your opinions and your interpretations. Try to draw a line there, okay?

 

As you were... continue...

[Edella]

When you consider that the original sin of Adam - eating a piece of fruit, (the fact that it was the the knowledge of good and evil is another issue in itself), which would seem so benign in the face of things most people would generally agree are "bad" ie (sin), but it boiled down to rebellion against The Creator;

I've never understood how, lacking knowledge of good and evil, Adam or Eve could have sinned. They were certainly lacking the capacity to intelligently consider the consequences of their actions. A simple fence around this tree would have avoided much suffering. Perhaps God had a reason to tempt creatures who cannot distinguish between good and evil...

 

Christians often claim that the reason God does not reveal himself in dramatic fashion, is that he wants us to have faith and choose to love and obey him freely, and if he manifested himself his existence would be impossible to doubt and our obedience would be compelled. However, this doesn't seem to be true of Adam and Eve. Despite being almost constantly in God's presence, and presumably having no doubts whatsoever about his existence, they were still able to disobey him. ( the same is true of Satan.) This fact alone imo destroys the free will argument.

 

Back on topic. I'm not sure what age group we are are talking about, but I read the Bible cover to cover at 14 or 15, and I am glad I did! The fears of hell I had had since a young child slowly faded away as I realized what a colossal screwup God is if you take the Bible literally. Anyone who reads the Bible can see for themselves that he just can't do anything right, and HIS creations have never failed to disappoint. If there really is an All Loving Perfect God - as unlikely as I consider that possibility to be - A literal reading of the Bible is a slander on him, and I have nothing to fear.

 

This was quite a revelation for a 14 year old who was only told what the Bible has to say. Reading the Bible at young age was good for me, helped allay my childhood fears, and encouraged me to think critically.

[Lancaster]

Good you didn't put your life on it. We studied The Turner Diaries, which in my opinion, with respect to what is said, is far worse than the bible could ever be, and guess what... we studied it in a PUBLIC SCHOOL, we also have a survey of the bible course, very nice.

 

Did "The Turner Diaries" order you, on the threat of eternal torture, to kill everyone that does not follow what The Turner Diaries tell you to do?

 

 

[more crickets chirping]

 

 

I didn't think so.

[BEAKER]

Okay, Beaker, let's take a short break, shall we, and look to see where we want to go with this thread.

 

Were would you like it to go? You da man.

 

Word has it you're "charming".

 

Have a nice day:)

[Lancaster]

Were would you like it to go? You da man.

 

Word has it you're "charming".

 

Have a nice day:)

 

Please address the material at hand, Mr. Ad hominem.