How to read the Bible?

Seriously? On an atheist and agnostic site? Yes, you are reading this here on this site. I know you seemed irked by this. If you are then I suggest you stop reading by now. Otherwise, I will present to you my way of making the Bible reading and fun and mind-blowing.

Even Dawkins is aware of the importance and the impact of the Bible in human though. It has shaped and has changed civilizations for many years (good and bad).

So why read the Bible? I don’t believe anything in it. It’s too outdated and primitive compared to our ideas now.

Really? I think you are putting the wrong perspective in this small library of books (Yes! the Bible is not a book but a library.). If you put aside your presupposition and hate for things that has been tainted and so misunderstood then you will see that you can also find a good reading in the Bible.

So how should I read the Bible? Here are some simple tips:

1.       Read the Bible like the way you read any book.
2.        Read it as if you are reading it for the first time. Like you never heard the story.
3.       You need to set aside your presuppositions about the stories in the book. Do not bring in ideas and teachings you learned in Church or in Theology class.
4.        Humanize the characters in the book and think of them as acting like you and I would (except God).
5.       Put the stories in their proper context and sitz im leben.
6.       Do not refer to any literature explaining things in the Bible. There is a high probability that it’s crap. There is lots of crap written about the Bible.
7.        Let the text be difficult and contradictory. Do not homogenize them.
8.        Do not assume the Bible will agree with you or that it will agree with itself.
9.       Get a good and honest version of the Bible. If your Bible talks about the Bible referring to Saddam or Osami Bin Laden, stop using it and use real Bibles.  
10. .  . . Do not read into the Bible what you have in mind. Let the Bible tell you its story.

I hope this simple guide helps you since as atheist and agnostics we just see the Bible as another literary piece and a piece of man’s contribution.

Enjoy reading the Book. If you have crazy questions you can ask me at http://twitter.com/bornokyo.