Christianism is not Christianity; it's a rationalization of a certain culture and politics.

[kpete]

The Rise and Fall of the Bible: The Unexpected History of an Accidental Book
by Timothy Beal



While there is no denying that the Bible remains central—Beal quotes polls indicating that “65 percent of all Americans believe that the Bible ‘answers all or most of the basic questions of life,’ ”—he notes simultaneously that Americans are surprisingly ignorant of what is actually in it. “More than 80 percent of born-again or evangelical Christians believe that ‘God helps those who help themselves’ is a Bible verse,” he writes. Less than half of all adults can name the four Gospels; only one-third can name five of the Ten Commandments.



Christianism is not Christianity; it's a rationalization of a certain culture and politics.

http://www.tnr.com/book/review/rise-fall-bible-timothy-beal
via: http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2011/03/should-christians-read-the-bible-like-jews.html

[Zoeisright]

1. That's not surprising. This information needs to be spread around.

Because that ignorance is ruining this country, as we race toward a theocracy. Which is what many bible-bangers want.

[roguevalley]

10. you find that verse in the book of Franklin.

[SpiralHawk]

2. Free clue for Republicons: The Bible does not endorse torture

Hello? Do you have even a half clue about what happened to Jesus Christ? Hello? Please re-set your deranged moral compasses.

[Fumesucker]

3. Eh, Yaweh tortured Job just to win a bet with Satan..

The Old Testament is chockablock full of stuff like that.

Where are the Canaanites these days?

[Ikonoklast]

12. Getting killed in Palestine.

[kpete]

7. nice

diptych
peace, kpete

[Patiod]

4. Have you ever listened to "Christian" radio?

It's not Christian by any means. It's just right-wing Southern-Baptist radio.
I listened for a years or two - wanted to learn more about a culture that's completely foreign to me (since I grew up in a Jewish/Catholic/Main-Line Protestant community).

Wow - couldn't believe what went on there.

Catholic-bashing. Mormom-bashing. Not one mention EVER of anti-capitalist scripture: the "eye of the needle" "Christ & the moneylenders at the Temple" or "meek shall inherit" scriptures (which are regularly mentioned at Catholic Mass and probably Episcopal services throughout the liturgical year). Never heard my favorite scripture (Sheep & Goats). An absolutely different take on the same book, which is in itself a rationalization of certain culture and politics itself.

[sufrommich]

5. "it's a rationalization of a certain culture and politics"

Same as every other religion.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

6. I smell porridge. -nt

[darkstar3]

9. Who had 0 in the pool?

[Igel]

8. Such articles are always irritating.

They posit a set of definitions. They explain how their definitions elucidate things. That's fine. They present an argument for a set of definitions. They really have to stop there or be very, very careful. Seldom are they sufficiently careful. They invariably assume, on some level, that their definitions are universal and the Only True Definitions.

In so doing they exclude lots of things from the discussion for the sake of simplicity, then tacitly reintroduce them for the sake of self-righteousness.

Once saw a sabbath-keeping tract that was silly: The Sabbath is the 7th day, Saturday; the Puritans said they kept the sabbath; therefore the Puritans went to church on Saturday. They posit their definition. They assume that their definition is universal. They apply their definition and forget the Sesame Street Song, "One of these things is not like the other."

At the end the reader is either nodding because it's always as they've always believed and they like nothing more than being told how good and smart they are; or they know something's wrong, words have been twisted and they're still sure they're right they just don't understand how they've been made to sound wrong--and they're not savvy enough to parse the illogic. It's hard to understand that different groups have different, competing definitions for the same word and that those definitions can shift over time.

Nicholas Kristoff's NYT column today plays the same silly game to reach the solution that he fervently believes has to be right--otherwise he's wrong, and that's simply impossible. (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/06/opinion/06kristof.html?ref=opinion ) He assumes that there is and always has been just one "Islam." Some sort of Platonic form, unchanging and unalterable--and that anything else can't really be Islam. He's being ridiculous, of course, but it's a really common trait and one that very few people seem to notice.

[MedleyMisty]

11. The Bible is a mirror

I've noticed that barely anyone sees what is actually there. They see themselves reflected back at them - they interpret it to fit the beliefs they already have.

Myself - I tend to think that if you don't believe in and follow the whole book and just cherry pick things that you find important or resonate with, then it's time to admit that you aren't Christian and you're making up your own religion with some parts of the Bible as inspiration.

And if you haven't even read the whole book that your religion is based on - then it's way way way beyond time to admit that you aren't a member of that religion. Or at least that religious identity is a social construction and not actually based on any holy books, and that therefore there is no actual infallible ultimate word of a supreme being. It's just humans making up social groups and social rules and social identities.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

13. Christianity is ANYTHING ANYBODY wants it to be.

There is so much contradictory stuff in the Bible that it is meaningless as a moral guide. Jesus said LOTS of mean, cruel and hateful stuff, condoned mass murder, was just fine with the Old Testament law of the psychotic mass-murdering god.

Anyone who says they are a Christian, IS a Christian, no matter how they act, due to the hateful stuff in the Bible. You can be hateful and mean and still be a Christian.

That's why the Bible is a crappy book to use as a moral guide. Why we use a Bronze Age book written by illiterates who knew nothing of science or nature, as a moral guide, is completely unbelieveable to me.

We don't know if Jesus existed. He is identical to Mithra, Apollo and Osiris. All accounts of his works were written long after he was dead, if he did exist.

Christianity is a syncretic religion made up of pagan elements (Easter eggs, Christmas trees) and has NOTHING ORIGINAL IN IT.

Oh, and BTW, Original Sin is the most harmful and evil doctrine ever invented to crush the spirits of millions of innocent people.

Substitutionary atonement is an unnecessary doctrine. Substitutionary atonement is not necessary because original sin is a myth. Adam and Eve are a myth, not a true story.

I weep for the crushing of millions of peoples' spirits, especially innocent children, who are told they will never be more than worthless pieces of feces. Their potential is destroyed before it ever develops.

Very sad.

:cry:

[Owl]

14. k&R