Does anyone read the bible just for the historical content?
115247
Historical content? It's a fairy tale!
133740
The thing to look for is what's called the "historical-critical method." This is the method of researching, translating, and interpreting the Holy Scriptures that the bishops at Vatican II approved. In short, it uses not only the texts themselves, but also our archeological discoveries, historical sciences, and human reason to come to the best understanding of the Bible.\n\nMany (but not all) Protestant denominations reject the historical method, and translate and interpret the Scriptures literally and directly. (The King James, New King James, and New American Standard are of this type.)\n\nOther translations try to use modern language to get the ideas across. These are "paraphrases," not "translations," and the Contemporary English and New Living Versions are the most notorious of them.\n\nThe Catholic Church favors the New American Bible or the Revised Standard Version (not the New American STANDARD of the NEW Revised Standard ... those too are paraphrases). The NAB and RSV were translated by committees of Catholic AND Protestant Scripture scholars, and are very sound.
315921
You can say the same thing about the bible.  Other than faith there is nothing to say it is true just because some of the stuff mentioned existed in that time doesn't make the whole book true.
620911
Being an historian I will reserve judgement until I see the evidence personally.  I've NEVER read from a credible source that scientists have stated that the Bible to be one of the most accurate books ever written.\n\n\nShow ME the source and I will decide for myself.
497659
Yes.  The Bible is an amazing book.  Those who are wise will read it and try to understand it.  The fool simply sits back and says "it all a myth"...
630582
Dear Lupis_Noctum,\n\nI view myself as a Christian Moderate, and I recognize parts of the Bible as being literal and parts as being idiomatic and parts as being allegorical.\n\nI use exactly the same methodology that I use in reading any book. As you know, even in day to day speech, we use language and sentences that are sometimes literal, sometimes idiomatic and sometimes allegorical.\n\nSo I am not being inconsistent with day to day use of language when I understand the Bible similarly. (I use the historic-geographic-cultural method of understanding the Bible).\n\nCordially,\nJohn\nhttp://www.GodSci.org
216834
Of course we do, especially if one is a CHRISTIAN, as your name implies.  Remembering important events in history will help us when we read the Bible and see foretold prophesies coming true in this time if the end.
275460
The bible is a book of stories passed down thro generations. Don't take it seriously
87868
I do. I like it, it gives you another  way of viewing scripture. The same meaning in most of it, just worded differently
1177685
No, it's a horrible book. It's definitely a bad book to get your morals from, it's not truth, it's horribly written fiction... the only reason to read the Bible is if you're looking to become an atheist!
1033550
The entire bible?  No.  In fact, there is proof that parts of the bible are inaccurate (like Genesis), and there is proof that parts of the bible really happened (we know many hisotrical leaders and occurances actually happened).\n\n- We've found Herod's palace, and it implies he was as carefree as the bible portrays him as.  One point for bible\n\n- We've found egyptian records that range from acheivements to embarassments.  They were quite meticulous at their historical records...yet no mention of Moses, losing their slaves, losing their first borns, plagues, etc.  One point against.\n\n- We've found evidence of a mass flood, one point for\n\n- It would be impossible for all species alive today to fit on the boat, not to mention carry enough food, deal with waste, etc.  One point against.\n\nSo you see, the bible is much like Greek or Egyptian mythology.  It is what was thought to have been known at the time...some of it was correct, some based on false rumor.
1139287
I have because I think if you're going to follow a religion that's based on a holy text, it's important to know what that text says.  Yes, Proverbs was good; my favorite was the one about how a good wife is worth more than pearls.  I think it's towards the end.  Leviticus, on the other hand, was dry as dust, and the geneologies were seemingly endless.  I liked the Song of Songs  and Esther.  The Epistles were really interesting because they showed the problems of the early Church and how they dealt with them.  It kind of lent a personal touch that I could relate to.    \n\nOne of the biggest things I realized, though, was that the Gods of the Old and the New Testament really aren't radically different.  There's a lot of love and understanding in the OT that frequently gets skipped over, and ditto for some of the sterner stuff in the NT.  That was kind of a revalation to me.  Still, I need to read it again sometime.  I got a lot out of it, but there are more things I need to go over.
278538
The bible is a book of tales much like Grimms that give you examples on how to live.  It isn't accurate and has been changed, chopped apart and had stuff taken out on the whimp of humans.  It isn't a true accounting of history or something that happened.  See links below to get a small part of what has been removed then judge for yourself.
556286
What bible you speak of..Jewish, Christian or Muslim bible? does not matter which one you would use as tolite paper..it is so so so wrong to do that...
473538
No the bible is nothing more then a book, based mostly on fiction but I am sure there is a hint of truth to it. For example I believe someone with the name Jesus probably did exist and was a really great man, but that is it, he was not the son of some God, but as time passed the story took twists and turns and now comes to us in this ridiculous fictional book we refer to as the bible. The bible was actually written in a language where punctuation did not exist so adding periods and commas here and there can corrupt a meaning of sentence entirely.
686693
I have read some in translation.\n\n"If so, what is your opinion on the similarities between them and the Bible?"\n\nClearly the authors of the Bible drew upon a stock of pre-existing stories and oral traditions in order to express their theological views.
569893
Yes, I support this view.\n\nI think all the religious texts have some wisdom in them, but you can't take them literally.  Some bits were written just for that time and aren't applicable, some are true bits of wisdom that stand the test of time.  However all to me is just nice stories to tell a message/moral, not history.