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captainhowdy82 t1_j28ukmt wrote

I’m rolling my eyes so hard at The Bible at number one

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showmeurknuckleball t1_j29drb4 wrote

Have you read it? I'm not religious but the bible is an incredible book. Of course it's many books stitched together, but the amount of literary value held within its pages is remarkable. David's saga in the old testament, Job, Ecclesiastes, and the Gospel of John are my favorite parts

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FeedbackSpecific642 t1_j29iilx wrote

My absolute favourite part of the bible is the bit where Moses is leading his people through the desert for years. Due to lack of food, water and because of sickness a lot of them start dying. They petition Moses to go and have a word with God for some relief which he duly does. Following their conversation God is so angry at the ingratitude of the people that he sends a load of fiery serpents to smite even more of them.

I found that bit hilarious. As if people who were dying in agony from the fiery serpents would die thinking, “Remember the good times when we only died from thirst, hunger and disease?”

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BIGMIKE6888 t1_j2eb5z1 wrote

Yes I also of the mind that whoever put some of these stories together didn't see a time when killing the people that you called your own because they're not in the best of moods, walking through the desert and all. Kinda looks bad. Just saying. And he does some more dick moves. But in the New Testament he's mostly silent or not so smitey. What gives.

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FeedbackSpecific642 t1_j2fga8q wrote

Bible 2, we’ve taken the bits you like and made more of those and the bits you weren’t so fond of, out they went.

If you didn’t have religion basically beaten into you from your earliest days, no-one would fall for any of it.

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Nearby-Definition-40 t1_j2c7dzn wrote

16 These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:

17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,

18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,

19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

20 My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother:

21 Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck.

22 When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.

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BIGMIKE6888 t1_j2ealzx wrote

I too am able to be amazed at the greatness contained in those pages. I'm not overly religious but the words and the symbols just the weight of the story that's trying to be told is heavy. There are many like us.

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captainhowdy82 t1_j29jxgq wrote

I can’t say I’ve read it cover to cover, but I’ve read enough of it to know that I don’t think it’s incredible. Like long lists of lineage? No thanks.

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showmeurknuckleball t1_j29n69v wrote

Job and Ecclesiastes are the best stand-alone and not-too-long books in my opinion. But if you don't like philosophy and/or mythology, you're not gonna get as much out of the bible

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captainhowdy82 t1_j2a22ba wrote

I already told you I’ve read a lot of it. There’s a lot of useless garbage in there that isn’t even interesting from a mythology or philosophy standpoint. Hardly THE greatest book of all time.

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TatterMcTot t1_j2advof wrote

I mean we heard you say that you read it, it's just your synopsis makes you sound like... A liar. I mean, the lineage stuff is even right near the beginning.

But I digress, The Bible is read, re-read and talked about a million times over daily. Why it may not be the greatest piece of literature, it's certainly one of the most influential, regardless of what captainhowdy thinks he read.

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captainhowdy82 t1_j2ayaxh wrote

You know, I used to be one of those people who constantly read and discussed the Bible. I never said it wasn’t influential. Obviously millions of people have been brainwashed into believing God Himself inspired it. Doesn’t make it a good read.

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matreshka-mozg t1_j2atskn wrote

> baseless accusations of lying

> ad populum

Average Bible enjoyer.

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That-Requirement-285 t1_j2c5u3o wrote

Really? From both a mythological and philosophical standpoint, the Bible is extremely influential. Solomon, David, Moses, Judith, Esther, Jesus himself etc have all been portrayed and referenced countless times throughout art and literary history. The philosophy within the book sparked the most influential and largest religion of all time (currently).

I don’t believe in a lot of stuff within the Bible, but it definitely earned it’s place.

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captainhowdy82 t1_j2c73ma wrote

You are all confusing “influential” with “good” or “great.” Yes, it was the ONLY book available to read for many people for a long, long time. Yes, millions of people have been brainwashed into believing it’s real. Is it actually a good book? Nope.

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tetractys_gnosys t1_j2ak3uu wrote

If you've never enjoyed metaphysics, philosophy, religion, ethics, mythology, or the esoteric, then you're not gonna get much from it. If you are into those themes, it's great.

The rediscovered Book or Enoch is a trip that I highly recommend everyone check out. If The Bible usually brings to mind dry, bland, and rambling 'be good boy or smite and hellfire', Enoch is like the Hunter S Thompson side tale.

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captainhowdy82 t1_j2aypw7 wrote

I enjoy those themes and I still disagree that it’s “great.” Like it’s literally not enjoyable to read for long stretches.

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KimBrrr1975 t1_j2bb8vt wrote

I agree, but I also think a lot of my dislike for it comes from being unable to detach from all the awfulness. I can love The Illiad and The Odyssey but they didn't directly contribute to millennia of war and death and destruction. The Bible did, and continues to do so. I can't read it as a story because it's just way too loaded. I knew it was BS (in terms of being "the truth") by the time I was like 7, so thinking I can let go of all that brainwashing via Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, and Confirmation that I was forced into just isn't realistic. I want to be able to read it from a clean slate. Just not possible.

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WholeBeautiful4194 t1_j2cadjj wrote

The Odyssey and the Iliad are joys to read. Besides a handful of the old testament, the plot isn't interesting and the prose is specifically proselytizing which is unenjoyable to most ppl

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tetractys_gnosys t1_j2bt62t wrote

Yeah that's understandable. I've noticed that people who grow up with the same kinda deal as you (the shitty aspects of Christianity/religion/Bible), if they want to rebel against their upbringing or culture, will be attracted to memes (in the technical sense) that're antagonistic towards it (mall goth Satanism, Instagram occult), which is fine but the tragic part is that people are conditioned in a way to not be able to enjoy what value it does have.

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laconicflow t1_j2bvzpq wrote

Well first, enjoyable isn't great, enjoyable is enjoyable. Second. A lot of times if you aren't used to a specific style or genre, you won't like it. I am not a religious person, but the bible was the go to book for oh, fifteen generations of people. It is surely, along with Shakespeare, the book that's influenced writers in English the most. And its ethics are pounded so deep into the bones of our society we don't notice how deep they go.

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captainhowdy82 t1_j2c69np wrote

I’m not denying that it’s influential. Of course it is. I’m saying it’s not great. It’s full of bullshit.

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tetractys_gnosys t1_j2bsr99 wrote

I mean hey that's the way of opinions. I am able to enjoy the ideas and themes of the content itself regardless of the quality of the medium to a degree. But not everyone is wired like that. Some people can enjoy reading it for long stretches and some don't have the patience or time. The Bible is regarded as it is because of what it carries, not for the dissonance of writing styles millennia apart. To each their own!

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Bon-_-Ivermectin t1_j2ekq9p wrote

IDK I think literature/art generally can and often does have value outside of just being entertaining, enjoyable, or even accessible. I feel like being involved in the arts is good for you, like, on a soul-level pretty much so when I hear takes like this it just sounds like an adult say they refuse to eat vegetables or something

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captainhowdy82 t1_j2f3o6s wrote

Wait a second… are you saying that because I don’t think The Bible is a good book, that means that I don’t like “the arts” and I’m therefore not a real adult?

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pizzapastamix OP t1_j2bphen wrote

You can't deny the impact the book had

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captainhowdy82 t1_j2c5tcj wrote

I’m not deny the impact. I’m saying it’s not a good book.

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jupitaur9 t1_j2c461m wrote

Same argument can be used for Mein Kampf. Oh look it’s on the list, too.

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