Do you feel reading through the bible in the past has benefited you at all?

by Hope4Others 39 Replies latest jw experiences

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  Moxie

  "It is truly unfortunate that the bad experiences that many have had while being a JW has also turned them away from the Bible. It is definitely throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

  There are so many bitter comments on this site from people burned by the WTS. "

  To NoMoreMeetings, I can appreciate your point of view. Yet I'd like to add that for many it is not simply the JW's that turned people away from the Bible, that in many cases is the catalyst, but is often a result of careful study and research. I myself have investigated, studied and read much, which has lead me to become an Atheist. This is not a bitter stance against the Watchtower, but rather my choice after much consideration.

  I for one, respect each individual's right to believe what they wish; what makes sense to them (whether I believe it's correct or not). I do not presume to have the be-all-end-all answer for everything.

  I think that people come here to vent their frustrations and to share in a community of non-judgement... if they want to make bitter comments, I say: so be it :)

  ... just my opinion

  "Moxie"
• 

  flipper

  HOPE 4 OTHERS- Good subject ! I feel when I was a witness I liked the book of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes - they were like reading good psychology books. Just a lot of common sense stuff in there I go by anyway. Also the book of James condemned class distinctions in people - not being prejudice towards the poor or others. So, I agreed with some of those takes. But other than that - I feel the Bible was just an interesting history book
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  berylblue

  No desire to read the Bible cover to cover. There are better works of fiction to be read.
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  FairMind

  The Bible is the greatest book ever written! It reveals the source and power behind everything that exists, what our relationship with that power is and what it can become. The wisdom in the Bible if followed will make one happy, healthy, well off and emotionally balanced. The problem of course is following Bible principles even when one knows them.
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  fjtoth

  The Bible is the greatest book ever written!

  I agree. There are lots of good things to read these days. We can join book clubs, read magazines and even wade through an extensive encyclopedia. Then there are newspapers and the internet. Reading is a source of joy, and that's true of reading the Bible. And why not? All of us enjoy the creation that surrounds us in nature, and the Bible speaks of how all of this was meant for our good right from the beginning. Much of human history is sad, but the Bible explains and illustrates why. It assures us of better days coming, perfectly beautiful days that will last forever. It stresses that the source of all good things, including the book itself, is God. Billions of people are convinced that God is for real, so a book from him ought to be the best book there is. That's easy to say, but we can't know for sure until we open it up and examine it for ourselves. If we do, and if we stay with it for awhile, we begin to sense that a relationship has begun to develop between ourselves and the God who gave us the book. There is nothing in life more exhilarating and heartwarming than that.

  God's book contains all the elements that make literature great. On almost every page there are amazing characters, engrossing stories, and surprise endings. The themes of life and daily living run through the book, and even more importantly, so do the teachings about God and how to draw closer to him. We sometimes come across beautiful poetry, some of which was intended for lofty music to be performed by large orchestras. There are no better topics and there is no better book to motivate us to rise above ourselves and to experience God's care and concern for our eternal welfare. We ought to be vitally interested in reading that kind of book. If we once had that interest and then lost it, now might be a good time to rediscover the joy of reading the Bible and to get better acquainted with the God who gave it to us.
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  Reefton Jack

  Not by one iota!
  
  Jack.
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  Alpaca

  Like many things in life the Bible's influence on me has been a mix of good (comparatively little and it could have been acquired at far less costly price) and bad (who can put a price on it?).

  It was beneficial only to the extent that the Bible echoed the expressions of, what the Greeks refer to as "eternal truths" or "axiomatic truths," which are found in all great philosophies and religions. The Bible's object lessons in its stories and parables and its wisdom for living life in way that is honest, considerate of others, truthful, etc. cannot be discounted.

  Having said that, the great harm done by teaching little kids that the Bible is a factual account of the history of the world and an accurate representation of how humans fit into some grand scheme is the epitome of dishonesty. Unfortunately, I fell for it as so many others have. The Bible has been applied as the ultimate mental prison to generations of humans. The same is true for the Koran.

  Anything that shackles people unjustly and so completely is evil.

  Thanks for enduring a little rant, here.

  Cheers to all,

  Alex
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  Rapunzel

  The Bible is the foundational text of Western civilization and culture. As such, there are nearly countless allusions and references to the Bible in much of the world's litertature, in many languages. The problem is when people forget that the Bible is a human artifact; problems occur when people develop an exclusionist and dogmatic attitude with respect to the Bible. Problems occur when people come to view it as the " inerrant Word of God." The Bible is actually an anthology of many books; the English word "Bible" is derived from the Greek word meaning "books" [biblia]. The Bible contains a lot of sound moral principles which remain valid even today. It also contains a lot of curious, vulgar, and abhorrant nonsense. The Bible was written, edited and re-edited over at least a millenium by people living in various cultures and speaking various languages. These people held a pre-modern viewpoint very different from that of modern society.

  However - like it or,for good or for bad - the Bible is indeed the foundational text of Western culture. Ideally, everyone should have a knowledge of it. Moreover, I think that people should also have an awareness and knowledge of the foundational texts of other cultures, such as the Qur'an, the Vedas, and Buddhist texts. It's been estimated that Christians make up only from 20 to 25% of the world's population. Therefore, it becomes important for them to read and learn about other cultures and religious traditions by reading their foundational texts - their scriptures and wisdom literature.
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  choosing life

  Yes, the Bible has been claimed to be many things. How would you know what the Bible really is if you had never read it? What I regret is letting one small group of men tell me what it says.

  Reading it wthout their bias, including their translation, is beneficial. Then you get to decide for yourself what importance it has in your life.
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  Hope4Others

  I thank each and everyone of you for expressing how you feel about the bible. There is

  such a variety of thoughts, that's what makes us all unique.

  

  hope4others