Can one read the Bible, objectively?

[Deidre]

Since I find value in a variety of faiths and religions, I've decided to read some ancient texts, one such text being the Bible (again). When I've read it in the past, I was a practicing Christian, so I wonder if it's possible to read the Bible objectively and still be moved to believing that it holds truths for our lives? Thoughts?

 

[Sundance]

Of course! Isn't that the way it ought to be read?

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

May I recommend ...

 

[Deidre]

Of course! Isn't that the way it ought to be read?

Welllll...lol if you're a follower of Christianity, you might read it with assumptions or bias, I'm pretending like I'm reading it for the first time.

 

[Stanyon]

If you already were devoted to a belief system at one time it would seem that no matter how objectively you tried to read the instruction manual there would still be the whisper in the background therefore nullifying true objectivity. You stated you were a Christian at one time so I would recommend the Jefferson Bible, I bought one of these a while back pretty much out of historical interest (how often do you get a chance to read a copy of a book in the Smithsonian? ) and how Thomas Jefferson's mind worked. He attempted to compile as much as was possible what he felt was the true moral code of Jesus without the supernatural aspects. Amazon has the hardback for $20 or so, well made book., these guys can give you a far better explanation in far more coherent language than I can:
How Thomas Jefferson Created His Own Bible | Arts & Culture | Smithsonian

 

[corynski]

Since I find value in a variety of faiths and religions, I've decided to read some ancient texts, one such text being the Bible (again). When I've read it in the past, I was a practicing Christian, so I wonder if it's possible to read the Bible objectively and still be moved to believing that it holds truths for our lives? Thoughts?

It's impossible to read the Bible objectively because it's not an objective document. It's fiction and should be read as such. Start at the beginning.... God creates Adam, then Eve. Who then produce Cain and Abel. Cain kills Abel and is banished..... but then at Gen 4-14 Cain says "I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me." "Whoever?" Then the Lord says "Not so, if anyone kills Cain,...." So where did 'whoever' and 'anyone' come from? And on and on virtually every page has some problem. By the time you've read the old testament you realize you're reading an account of a military conquest, a genocide in fact, where even God is throwing down hailstones to kill people. This genocide has continued to this day in Israel....... The Bible is just another made up story like the thousands before it. Were it not for the absolute brainwashing from birth of the populace perhaps religions could be put into a better perspective.

 

[metis]

so I wonder if it's possible to read the Bible objectively and still be moved to believing that it holds truths for our lives?

Yes, but only if one's objectivity reflects the fact that all scriptures are subjective.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Since I find value in a variety of faiths and religions, I've decided to read some ancient texts, one such text being the Bible (again). When I've read it in the past, I was a practicing Christian, so I wonder if it's possible to read the Bible objectively and still be moved to believing that it holds truths for our lives? Thoughts?

Of course you can read it objectively. I agree with @Stanyon, though, that once you were christian, the bible will always have a different view and in my words would probably be hard to look objectively depending how close you were to it. It's like trying to imagine your biological loved one is no longer your loved one even though you two grown up together and knew no one else.

On the other hand, when I practiced, Catholics, well, we don't use the bible like protestants do. It's more about devotion and prayer rather than reading and studying. So, when I read the bible, I was pretty shocked The Church was founded on a lot of things that one didn't make sense and others I disagree with.

So, yeah, you can learn from it and be prepared for things you may be uncomfortable with and those you are. Don't let that stop you if you really want to keep the words in your life since everything we learn has it's roadblocks.

Don't let us stop you. How far have you gotten?

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Since I find value in a variety of faiths and religions, I've decided to read some ancient texts, one such text being the Bible (again). When I've read it in the past, I was a practicing Christian, so I wonder if it's possible to read the Bible objectively and still be moved to believing that it holds truths for our lives? Thoughts?

Of course you can read it objectively. I agree with @Stanyon, though, that once you were christian, the bible will always have a different view and in my words would probably be hard to look objectively depending how close you were to it. It's like trying to imagine your biological loved one is no longer your loved one even though you two grown up together and knew no one else.

On the other hand, when I practiced, Catholics, well, we don't use the bible like protestants do. It's more about devotion and prayer rather than reading and studying. So, when I read the bible, I was pretty shocked The Church was founded on a lot of things that one didn't make sense and others I disagree with.

So, yeah, you can learn from it and be prepared for things you may be uncomfortable with and those you are. Don't let that stop you if you really want to keep the words in your life since everything we learn has it's roadblocks.

Don't let us stop you. How far have you gotten?

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Since I find value in a variety of faiths and religions, I've decided to read some ancient texts, one such text being the Bible (again). When I've read it in the past, I was a practicing Christian, so I wonder if it's possible to read the Bible objectively and still be moved to believing that it holds truths for our lives? Thoughts?

Of course you can read it objectively. I agree with @Stanyon, though, that once you were christian, the bible will always have a different view and in my words would probably be hard to look objectively depending how close you were to it. It's like trying to imagine your biological loved one is no longer your loved one even though you two grown up together and knew no one else.

On the other hand, when I practiced, Catholics, well, we don't use the bible like protestants do. It's more about devotion and prayer rather than reading and studying. So, when I read the bible, I was pretty shocked The Church was founded on a lot of things that one didn't make sense and others I disagree with.

So, yeah, you can learn from it and be prepared for things you may be uncomfortable with and those you are. Don't let that stop you if you really want to keep the words in your life since everything we learn has it's roadblocks.

Don't let us stop you. How far have you gotten?

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

I'm not sure about 'objectively,' because I recognize how everyone brings some prior conceptions with them...but it can be read with a critical eye, neither blindly accepting nor blindly rejecting, but questioning each line concerning the who, what, when, where, why, and how of the text and how it came to be in its current forms--and yes, there are different forms of the set of documents that is currently called "the Bible."

This would include looking to different translations--and perhaps learning to read the originals which appear in several different languages), and realizing that different groups accept different versions of the texts (additional text here, less text there, sometimes different but similar words used in the accepted translations...sometimes entirely separate books...) and different interpretations of those texts...

 

[Kemosloby]

I think you should read it open mindedly. Since it is God's word it may surprise you. The Alpha and Omega is not limited by human constraints. Though the book was compiled over 1000,s of years, there seems to be a homogenization to it. For instance, Moses striking the rock with his staff and water coming out. Jesus "the rock of ages" being struck with a spear. Water coming out, water turned to wine. New wine, new covenants. etc. Sort of loosly strung together like a dream. Puzzling reflections.

1 Cor 13:12 Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.

 

[sayak83]

Since I find value in a variety of faiths and religions, I've decided to read some ancient texts, one such text being the Bible (again). When I've read it in the past, I was a practicing Christian, so I wonder if it's possible to read the Bible objectively and still be moved to believing that it holds truths for our lives? Thoughts?

I randomly picked up the Bible from my grandpa's bookcase when I was six. Knew nothing about Christianity. Read the first three chapters. Thought that this God character was very evil and Eve character was in the right and Adam a wimp for not sticking up for her and punching the God guy in the face. I did not read much more since it looked like a very bad fairytale. The next one in the book case was a ghost story and much better.

I still consider it the most objective assessment of that story.

 

[sun rise]

I think it's possible to read the Bible or any scripture with ongoing questions "Does this make sense to me? Is it meaningful to me?".

 

[Deidre]

I think it's possible to read the Bible or any scripture with ongoing questions "Does this make sense to me? Is it meaningful to me?".

That's it exactly!

 

[Sanzbir]

Is it possible to view anything objectively?? I don't think so, in most cases.

But a computer downloading the text of the bible... that's pretty much an objective reading.

 

[David1967]

Welllll...lol if you're a follower of Christianity, you might read it with assumptions or bias, I'm pretending like I'm reading it for the first time.

Good for you. If you read it without the "assumptions" and focus on the actual words of Christ you will find (at least I have) that it doesn't quite fit a lot of the silly dogmas that we have in many churches.

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

I think you should read it open mindedly. Since it is God's word it may surprise you.

Kind of hard to read it open mindedly if you've already decided that it's God's word. Reading it open mindedly would be to read assuming that it might or might not be God's word, and reserving judgment until it's been fully read and thought about and maybe discussed with others...or at least reading others' commentaries about it...

Perhaps unsurprisingly, there are some people who conclude that it is God's word, while others find it "merely" inspired, and others think it is just a set of writings by a bunch of humans living long ago, then collected and edited by other humans...all reaching their varied conclusions from reading with an open and questing mind...

 

[Kemosloby]

Kind of hard to read it open mindedly if you've already decided that it's God's word. Reading it open mindedly would be to read assuming that it might or might not be God's word, and reserving judgment until it's been fully read and thought about and maybe discussed with others...or at least reading others' commentaries about it...

Perhaps unsurprisingly, there are some people who conclude that it is God's word, while others find it "merely" inspired, and others think it is just a set of writings by a bunch of humans living long ago, then collected and edited by other humans...all reaching their varied conclusions from reading with an open and questing mind...

If you predetermine that it is false you've closed your mind to it. It's based on the premise that it is God's word, so you can have an open mind to that. If not you would never consider anything beyond humanly possible while reading it, and it wouldn't make sense to you.

 

[Deeje]

Since I find value in a variety of faiths and religions, I've decided to read some ancient texts, one such text being the Bible (again). When I've read it in the past, I was a practicing Christian, so I wonder if it's possible to read the Bible objectively and still be moved to believing that it holds truths for our lives? Thoughts?

It is my honest opinion that if you read the Bible as a work of fiction...that is all it will ever be. If you read it to confirm biases...it will. But if you want to find the truth of it, you have to have the same spirit that inspired it.

The apostle Paul tells us why.....
Hebrews 4:12...."For the word of God is alive and exerts power and is sharper than any two-edged sword and pierces even to the dividing of soul and spirit, and of joints from the marrow, and is able to discern thoughts and intentions of the heart."