Bible Support Group, Step 1: Genesis

Loren Michael

Let's read the bible. The Christian Jesus-ey one with all the begats and stuff I mean, the one that everyone's always fussing about. I tried to read it a while back, but it was really boring, and I quit sometime after Genesis or so. That's the kind of task that requires a support group, you know?

So I come to you. Let's read the bible together. Which bible you say? Whichever you please. I'm going to go with the King James version, as I have faith that it's the one true version of the Word Of God. I figure about... maybe a book a week or so is doable, starting with Genesis, then Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, etcetera.

I figure, to make it interesting, let's try to pick a bible and stick with it. By that I mean, I'm going to go with King James, and while I might look at New International out of curiosity, I'm going to fundamentally stick with KJV. Others might go with NIV and peek at other versions for reference or out of curiosity, or whatever.

I plan on starting for realz on Sunday, May 10. I'll be reading Genesis that week, and moving down the line.

I'm only going to be able to do this if I know others are enduring the same. So, post up if you're interested, or have questions or whatever. And let me know what bible you're reading.

Future Christians?:
Loren Michael - KJV
James - NIV
PolloDiablo - NASB
Lizz the Blizz - KJV
Speaker - KJV
SalmonOfDoubt - NWT
Josiah_9 - NASB
Drake - KJV
Element Brian - KJV
Dagrabbit - RSV
Geod - NIV
ph blake - NIV
Anome - RSV
ResIpsaLoquitur - NRSV
Gorelab - NJB
Centipede Damascus - NASB
CorpseRT - KJV
zakkiel - NRSV
Sarksus - NRSV
Hedgethorn - Latin Vulgate
Jragghen - NAB
Doxa - KJV
Asiina - KJV
joshofalltrades - TNIV
RiemannLives - NRSV
SpectralSpork - NRSV
projectmayhem - KJV
Podly - NRSV
Nackmatholn - NRSV
BlackDragon480 - KJV
LightsOut - NIV
ProfMoriarty -
DeadlySherpa -
DasUberEdward -
ElJeffe -
Organichu -

James

I will be reading an NIV.

Witch_Hunter_84

I predict this will not end well.

_J_

Let me know when you get to Leviticus. That is the only book about which I care.

Loren Michael

I predict that it ends with... whatever happens in Revelation.

And I hear that's some trippy shit.

Witch_Hunter_84

Jesus dies

LittleBoots

Witch_Hunter_84 wrote: »

Jesus dies

then he comes back

Fendall

About 6 months ago I stole a gideons bible from a hotel. I'm still not sure if I'm going to hell for that. I was especially disappointed in Proverbs. I was expecting pages full of "man who chase two rabbits" stuff but it was all "If you don't believe in God you suck lol".

DarkPrimus

Fendall wrote: »

About 6 months ago I stole a gideons bible from a hotel. I'm still not sure if I'm going to hell for that.

You can't steal a Gideon's Bible because they are put there for people to take with them.

WotanAnubis

Hang on, hang on.

Not all Bibles have all the same books. For example (and I hope I'm not mistaken in this), Catholics have Makabeeën 2 (don't know the English name), whereas several(/some) Protestant denominations do not have that book.

There may be other books, I don't know. But I do know that not all Bibles are equal, so someone should arrange for that.

Ritchmeister

"And let me know what bible you're reading."

From the OP.

Fendall

Are they though? I've also had people tell me they are put there for lonely travellers to have something to read. And since I've denied someone access to a bible in their time of need I'm damned to hell.

pinenut_canary

No, no. By the time you leave, another will take it's place.

Elki

As someone considering this, could someone link me to an online version of the Bible with a layout I could stand look at for more than 5 seconds?

WotanAnubis

Ritchmeister wrote: »

"And let me know what bible you're reading."

From the OP.

Yeah, but if I'm not mistaken, the whole point is to read the Bible together, one book a week.

This means that, if this takes off and enough of different denominations join in, one group may be reading, say, Luke and the other Matthew and the next week, one group will be reading John and the other Luke. Not to mention those weeks where some are reading a book others don't even know exists.

I imagine this might make the eventual conversation somewhat difficult.

LittleBoots

Elki wrote: »

As someone considering this, could someone link me to an online version of the Bible with a layout I could stand look at for more than 5 seconds?

I'd like this as well. I've been meaning to buy a bible for some time now but I can't find one (haven't put alot of effort into the search) For a reasonable price that isn't pocket size. I thought I might be able to find one at my local Goodwill but no dice...

DarkPrimus

Elki wrote: »

As someone considering this, could someone link me to an online version of the Bible with a layout I could stand look at for more than 5 seconds?

If you know how to read Latin, the Codex Gigas has been digitally scanned...

Loren Michael

WotanAnubis wrote: »

Hang on, hang on.

Not all Bibles have all the same books. For example (and I hope I'm not mistaken in this), Catholics have Makabeeën 2 (don't know the English name), whereas several(/some) Protestant denominations do not have that book.

There may be other books, I don't know. But I do know that not all Bibles are equal, so someone should arrange for that.

PLEASE DO NOT USE THIS THREAD TO ADVOCATE WITCHCRAFT

...

@elki: blueletterbible.org

Just search for Genesis and navigate from there. It's a handsome blue and white layout.

http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Gen&c=1&v=1&t=KJV#top

WotanAnubis

Loren Michael wrote: »

PLEASE DO NOT USE THIS THREAD TO ADVOCATE WITCHCRAFT

Who said anything about witchcraft?

I was talking about heresy. :P

L|ama

Witch_Hunter_84 wrote: »

I predict this will not end.

I've tried reading the KJV a few times and realised that I just don't care enough each time.

Loren Michael

In all seriousness, heretical and/or satanic texts... we'll deal with them as they arise, I suppose. I think we need to see who is interested and in what books first. And anyways, the first seven or so books are generally agreed upon, I think.

PolloDiablo

This is really interesting. I'm in. I've got the New American Bible. Is that like a localized version of the NIV?

Loren Michael

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_American_Standard_Bible

Sounds good.

Lizz the Blizz

I'm interested in joining this. As a pretty recently "awakened" atheist, after reading the bible through christian eyes for over 20 years, it'll be interesting to have a new look at it.

I'll probably dig up some old copy I have laying around somewhere (Dutch translation), or join Elki in reading it online.

khain

PolloDiablo wrote: »

This is really interesting. I'm in. I've got the New American Bible. Is that like a localized version of the NIV?

The NAB would probably be closer to the KJV as they both attempt to translate the text word for word, though the texts they use for translation differ. I may be mistaken, but I also believe its the version used by the Catholic church. The NIV on the other hand tries to convey the meaning of the text without adhering to a strict word for word standard and is usually regarded as easier to read than most other versions.

Koolaidguy

They sould rewrite the bible and make it about the emperor going around killing things.

Falx

Here's a link to pretty much every (in the public domain) bible ever.

Download and install them.

I mean there's even a Welsh bible. Welsh.

Loren Michael

Welsh isn't a real language.

Lizz the Blizz

Yeah, it looks like the Bible I always used to read was one of those "not so literal" translations with a whole bunch of implied interpretation, so I'll be reading this.

Speaker

Great thread Loren.

I've been doing a lot of reading about the English Civil War and I've been thinking of finally getting all the way through the Bible so I can get a better handle on the Protestant theology. I'm totally signed up.

I'll be going with the King James, because everything else is wretched devil's handicraft of course.

Speaker

It's not hard to find an online King James.

Perhaps I'll wander down to one of those disreputable looking religious bookstores and find a bible with font and paper that is to my liking. I've had this travel bible for a long time, but it's one of the small ones with the onion skin paper and the two columns of text per page - hard to really read for any length of time.

Loren Michael

I'm putting you down for KJV then?

Duffel

If you all are interested in the translation actual scholars are most likely to use then go for the NRSV, since the translations are the most up-to-date.

Speaker

Loren Michael wrote: »

I'm putting you down for KJV then?

I'm assuming the V is for SATAN?

But seriously, what is the V for?

Lizz the Blizz

Speaker wrote: »

Loren Michael wrote: »

I'm putting you down for KJV then?

I'm assuming the V is for SATAN?

But seriously, what is the V for?

I always assumed it stood for Version.

sportzboytjw

Elki wrote: »

As someone considering this, could someone link me to an online version of the Bible with a layout I could stand look at for more than 5 seconds?

http://www.biblegateway.com/

It's not perfect, but it's fairly straight-forward. I use it when I'm at work sometimes and don't want to be all, "Look at my Bible everyone I'm reading it."

sportzboytjw

Oh, and I read KJV regularly.

wwtMask

Hmmm, I may be down for this. It's been like 15 years since I tried reading the bible from front to back.

Of course, after we're done here, the Koran ought to be next.

SalmonOfDoubt

This might be interesting, so I'm in for it. I'll be reading the New World Translation, since that's the one I'm most familiar with.

Josiah_9

Put me down for The NASB.

Podly

khain wrote: »

PolloDiablo wrote: »

This is really interesting. I'm in. I've got the New American Bible. Is that like a localized version of the NIV?

The NAB would probably be closer to the KJV as they both attempt to translate the text word for word, though the texts they use for translation differ. I may be mistaken, but I also believe its the version used by the Catholic church. The NIV on the other hand tries to convey the meaning of the text without adhering to a strict word for word standard and is usually regarded as easier to read than most other versions.

The NAB is what the American Catholic churches use, yes. However, the best Bible I know of -- I hear that the Hebrew translations are pretty spot on, and I verify that the Greek is quite good -- is the New Revised Standard Version, specifically the Oxford Annotated Bible.