Sunday, July 22, 2007

Isaac Asimov nails it.

“Properly read, the Bible is the most potent force for atheism ever conceived.” - Isaac Asimov

I have struggled through this book twice in my life.

Whenever I hear that people are inspired by it I always wonder if we read the same book. I read it once, and then ten years later, read it again. Neither time did it make me feel anything except confused and frustrated by how poorly written it is. It was not until I read the book "Who wrote the Bible" by Richard Elliot Friedman and came to realize that there were many versions of the Gospels and that each had their own supporters who were fighting for space in the official book, and that political considerations of the day had much more to do with the final product then any real truth, that I began to understand why the Gospels seem to be so contradictory.

And as a book to provide moral direction, I truly feel that "Aesop's Fables" does a better job of teaching life lessons then the Bible does.

But I guess that is why I spend my Sundays writing on this blog rather then sitting on hard wooden benches and being told I am going to hell.

3 comments:

  1. You made me laugh..thank you...I feel the same way...I just don't get it...I have tried, and I have sat late at night and read parts of it to my patients and I have been glad that it brought them comfort- but it didn't really bring me comfort or wisdom or feed my soul....for along time I just thought there was something wrong with me....

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  2. No in my opinion there is something right with you.

    You know there is some research that suggests that belief in God, and being prone to religion might have an origin in genetics.

    Wouldn't that be a kick in the ass if all of us were genetically predisposed to think and believe the way that we do, and that it had nothing to do with intellect?

    That would certainly humble my arrogant ass.

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  3. genes again....oh but what would the Evolution Bible thumpers do ? OMG....they would just stroke that some cells determined their ways of thinking...believing.....

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