The Bible

Has anyone here read the Bible?  I would very much like to discuss it.  If you are looking for a Bible to read, I recommend the HCSB Bible.

I finished reading the Bible for the first time earlier this year. I'm currently in Exodus right after the Jews have left Egypt. Typically read a chapter a day before heading off to work.

Thank you Visarett.  So what do you think?  How do you compare the Old Testament and New Testament?  I see that you are Christian.  Do you think the Old Testament applies to you?  What do you think of the obvious conflicts between what Jesus said and what Paul said in the New Testament?  Have you read Jesus, Interrupted: Revealing the Hidden Contradictions in the Bible (And Why We Don't Know About Them)?

No, actually, never heard of that book. I may look into it, though, although I'm already aware that there are many contradictions within the Bible.

The New and Old Testament may appear fundamentally different, in that in the Old God appears as a vengeful, jealous god whereas in the New, he's compassionate -- I'm oversimplifying. The reality is that in the New, he's just as vengeful and jealous as he is compassionate in the Old. I take the sum total of its parts, really, and apply what I can to my life. You can't live completely by the word (or law as it's stated within the Bible itself) without some kind of contradiction. Actions are good. So is faith. Both go hand in hand, I find.

As for the Paul/Jesus split, I'm not familiar enough with the whole Bible (only read it through once) to give much credence to your question.

Visarett wrote

You can't live completely by the word (or law as it's stated within the Bible itself) without some kind of contradiction.

Why not?  Example please.

Actions are good. So is faith. Both go hand in hand, I find.

The idea of faith is basically a New Testament idea.  Here is the search result for "faith" in the Bible.  Note how rarely this word is used in the Old Testament and how often in the New Testament.

Visarett, do you think that the laws of the Old Testament apply to you?

No, I don't think it applies. The point of the New Testament was to be that, a new covenant with God's people, and not just the Jews, but the gentiles (basically, everybody else). The Old Testament, if it still does apply (which I don't think it does because it is the basis around the old covenant), would only be applicable to the Jewish people and not the gentiles, as the old covenant excluded everyone else BUT the Jews.

I guess what I mean about living completely by it is due to contradictions. But again, I've only read through once (going for a second). This kinda relates back to the Old Testament, or old covenant, in which you sacrifice animals as a means of cleansing oneself of sin. I could do that, but I'm sure some wing-nut group out there (PETA) would be on my case pretty quickly.

I'm pretty sure I'm digging myself a hole here because I'm not sure how to articulate what I mean.

Visarett wrote

No, I don't think it applies. The point of the New Testament was to be that, a new covenant with God's people, and not just the Jews, but the gentiles (basically, everybody else). The Old Testament, if it still does apply (which I don't think it does because it is the basis around the old covenant), would only be applicable to the Jewish people and not the gentiles, as the old covenant excluded everyone else BUT the Jews.

Everything you wrote here expresses Paul's opinion in direct contradition to what Jesus said.  Nowhere does the Old Testament exclude non-Jews.  The Old Testament laws were given first to the Jews with the intent that they be "a light onto the nations" and spread the word, which Jesus finally did.  Jesus said:

"Don't assume that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.  For I assure you: Until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or one stroke of a letter will pass from the law until all things are accomplished.  Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches people to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever practices and teaches [these commandments] will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.  For I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."

How can you possibly interpret this to mean that the Old Testament doesn't apply to you, unless you side with Paul against Jesus?

I guess what I mean about living completely by it is due to contradictions. But again, I've only read through once (going for a second). This kinda relates back to the Old Testament, or old covenant, in which you sacrifice animals as a means of cleansing oneself of sin. I could do that, but I'm sure some wing-nut group out there (PETA) would be on my case pretty quickly.

Those animal sacrifices ended up being eaten by the priests.  In effect, this was a way to support religion.  The basic idea still applies, that one should support one's religion, but these days you can use dollars instead of dead animals.

Yeah.

And this is why I don't talk about anything involving the fact that I'm a Christian, because there's always others who know more on the subject than myself (case in point, the Bible, which I've only been reading regularly for the past year and a half). I read it, yes, but I haven't ... I guess you could say fully understood everything in there. I don't have years behind it, pouring over everything.