I have read the Bible. Probably more thoroughly than any other book. And while it is true that some things are much older than people realize, I have real doubts about its modern applicability. Most of the actions people take in the Bible are really dumb, very much including the heroes. We know a lot better now than then.
But if your goal is to get people to read the Bible, I'd note two things. First, reading is not the same as following, so why can't you form a church? Second, you have a blog! Go through it!
although protestants officially do, in practice someone who says they are catholic is much more likely to believe in the virgin birth then someone who says that they're protestant or nondenom or something, don't you find?
I think probably more likely because liberal protestants are the only ones who would openly deny the virgin birth, but most protestants who aren't in liberal traditions would openly affirm it
i guess probably my experience was A little distorted by the fact that Protestants who try to evangelize to Catholics are probably an intersection of the most conservative and the least Marian
The archetypal protestant line of attack is "Do you really think she stayed a virgin after the birth of Jesus, given she was married and the gospels contain passages that refer to Jesus' siblings?"
It is a specific refutation and attack on the marian dogmas established by the catholic church, one of which is the perpetual virginity.
i don't think that everyone who was talking to me about this was as thoughtful or role oriented as you i'm sorry to say, i think it was largely basically ingroup outgroup stuff
will affirm--in the korean-american protestant communities i've been in--they're generally surprised when they learn that catholics believe in mary's lifelong virginhood. the virgin birth is not really questioned. you're way more likely to see someone question the literal seven days of creation and not be completely opposed to the theory of human evolution
The best way I've found to get people to read the bible [start to feel guilty for not having read it] is to find one of their favorite artists (best with: Faulkner, Shakespeare, Flaubert, Schrader, Buñuel, literally any opera) and playfully make them feel like a poseur for not getting the references.
I love this line of thought. I recommend “Let there be Light” by Liana Finck for a hot take on the Old Testament. Her drawings are so expressive and she explores the patriarchal angles in some novel ways.
You know you could take well known people today and write about who they would be in the Bible. Who would Trump be? Musk? Etc.. Of course you could turn it round and ask the question who would be the modern day doubting Thomas? Etc. You could be a gateway, maybe even have online discussions with people? Then again you could put up Twitter polls with contemporary people as a possible specific person in the Bible and see where that goes. Good luck.
I read some every day, and have more-or-less consistently for many years, even as my own faith waxes and wanes. A lack of fluency in the Bible is a lack of fluency in Western culture. I take real pride in knowing I have at least this one thing I can share with my ancestors going back 1500 years or more. It’s the literary spoke around which everything else turns. I can’t imagine I went 30-something years before I ever opened it up in earnest, but once I did I never stopped. Lately I’ve been thinking about memorizing some of it, maybe the Psalter and John.
OK, let's say that I buy the premise: there is actionable content in the books of the Bible not named Ecclesiastes.
A few problems.
First- This book has friction. Harry Potter or Dungeon Crawler Carl it is not. It's probably easier going than Finnegan's Wake (indeed, you have to "import bible as bib" before you can compile the tricker parts of the Western Canon) or Gravity's Rainbow but if you just pick up the Bible and start turning pages, you're gonna get distracted by literally anything in our information ecosystem when you hit the first begats.
Second- The actionable content is widely dispersed. Who gives a crap in 2026 about Levitical laws about shellfish and ungulates? How many of Paul's Super Interesting Letters are we supposed to read? I grew up Catholic, and when this stuff was read in church it would literally bore me to tears, both as a child and as an adolescent capable of parsing subtext.
Third- aren't there just BETTER ways to get the same insight? A lot of extremely well-written fiction can draw you into human foibles and psychological reasoning.
So, no, I don't think I will read the Bible. Familiarize myself with the major incidents of note (i.e. the moneylenders, bears killing children, Lot's wife setting salty...) sure. But plenty of civilizations seems to be doing just fine not having The Bible in their memeplex rotation.
This Comment brought to you by The Brick Bible - summarizing Levantine tribal nonsense on the internet since 2001.
I have read the Bible. Probably more thoroughly than any other book. And while it is true that some things are much older than people realize, I have real doubts about its modern applicability. Most of the actions people take in the Bible are really dumb, very much including the heroes. We know a lot better now than then.
But if your goal is to get people to read the Bible, I'd note two things. First, reading is not the same as following, so why can't you form a church? Second, you have a blog! Go through it!
but protestants do affirm the virgin birth, they just don't always affirm the perpetual virginity of mary
at least this often came up when prots were trying to convert me, "can you seriously believe in the virgin birth in this day and age" etc
although protestants officially do, in practice someone who says they are catholic is much more likely to believe in the virgin birth then someone who says that they're protestant or nondenom or something, don't you find?
I think probably more likely because liberal protestants are the only ones who would openly deny the virgin birth, but most protestants who aren't in liberal traditions would openly affirm it
i guess probably my experience was A little distorted by the fact that Protestants who try to evangelize to Catholics are probably an intersection of the most conservative and the least Marian
The archetypal protestant line of attack is "Do you really think she stayed a virgin after the birth of Jesus, given she was married and the gospels contain passages that refer to Jesus' siblings?"
It is a specific refutation and attack on the marian dogmas established by the catholic church, one of which is the perpetual virginity.
i don't think that everyone who was talking to me about this was as thoughtful or role oriented as you i'm sorry to say, i think it was largely basically ingroup outgroup stuff
sad, I was such an annoying debatelord back in the day (still probably to this day to some extent) our interactions would have been legendary
will affirm--in the korean-american protestant communities i've been in--they're generally surprised when they learn that catholics believe in mary's lifelong virginhood. the virgin birth is not really questioned. you're way more likely to see someone question the literal seven days of creation and not be completely opposed to the theory of human evolution
The best way I've found to get people to read the bible [start to feel guilty for not having read it] is to find one of their favorite artists (best with: Faulkner, Shakespeare, Flaubert, Schrader, Buñuel, literally any opera) and playfully make them feel like a poseur for not getting the references.
I love this line of thought. I recommend “Let there be Light” by Liana Finck for a hot take on the Old Testament. Her drawings are so expressive and she explores the patriarchal angles in some novel ways.
I really love “Jesus Christ Superstar” for this reason
You know you could take well known people today and write about who they would be in the Bible. Who would Trump be? Musk? Etc.. Of course you could turn it round and ask the question who would be the modern day doubting Thomas? Etc. You could be a gateway, maybe even have online discussions with people? Then again you could put up Twitter polls with contemporary people as a possible specific person in the Bible and see where that goes. Good luck.
Please please please read the Bible now that you’re allegedly an adult.
I read some every day, and have more-or-less consistently for many years, even as my own faith waxes and wanes. A lack of fluency in the Bible is a lack of fluency in Western culture. I take real pride in knowing I have at least this one thing I can share with my ancestors going back 1500 years or more. It’s the literary spoke around which everything else turns. I can’t imagine I went 30-something years before I ever opened it up in earnest, but once I did I never stopped. Lately I’ve been thinking about memorizing some of it, maybe the Psalter and John.
OK, let's say that I buy the premise: there is actionable content in the books of the Bible not named Ecclesiastes.
A few problems.
First- This book has friction. Harry Potter or Dungeon Crawler Carl it is not. It's probably easier going than Finnegan's Wake (indeed, you have to "import bible as bib" before you can compile the tricker parts of the Western Canon) or Gravity's Rainbow but if you just pick up the Bible and start turning pages, you're gonna get distracted by literally anything in our information ecosystem when you hit the first begats.
Second- The actionable content is widely dispersed. Who gives a crap in 2026 about Levitical laws about shellfish and ungulates? How many of Paul's Super Interesting Letters are we supposed to read? I grew up Catholic, and when this stuff was read in church it would literally bore me to tears, both as a child and as an adolescent capable of parsing subtext.
Third- aren't there just BETTER ways to get the same insight? A lot of extremely well-written fiction can draw you into human foibles and psychological reasoning.
So, no, I don't think I will read the Bible. Familiarize myself with the major incidents of note (i.e. the moneylenders, bears killing children, Lot's wife setting salty...) sure. But plenty of civilizations seems to be doing just fine not having The Bible in their memeplex rotation.
This Comment brought to you by The Brick Bible - summarizing Levantine tribal nonsense on the internet since 2001.