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37. I am a Nonbeliever Who Was Raised Christian as Well

Tue Jun 17, 2014, 12:43 PM

Jun 2014

and took Christianity very seriously for almost ten years beginning in college.

The Bible is by no means the dominant influence in my life, but I can't think of another book that would come close. I love the Bible, but it takes a while to really understand it in something like its historical context.

It is predictable but troubling that the harshest criticism tends to come from the least hermeneutically aware people. So much of received cultural wisdom and psychology comes through religion that it is a shame to discard it with really nothing to replace it.

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Actually the Bible is probably the most important book in my life too. [View all] nolabear Jun 2014 OP

Native Americans read the land the way Christians read a book... Tikki Jun 2014 #1

Yes, it's a wonderful way to view the world. nolabear Jun 2014 #4

native Americans have long blended Christian beliefs with their own expressions of spirituality bigtree Jun 2014 #10

We are talking about the time of history when the bible was written... Tikki Jun 2014 #14

He says Jesus was in New York for three days Nevernose Jun 2014 #23

Dude was out there....not to rag on anyone's beliefs, but I could do better than that and make it... Tikki Jun 2014 #25

The Mornon religion is fascinating to me Nevernose Jun 2014 #26

Wasn't he fourteen when he revealed his vision? nolabear Jun 2014 #30

i saw this really good, but sad movie about a French priest who went to Canada to convert tribes to dionysus Jun 2014 #34

Me, too. But I use mine to prop up a laptop ChairmanAgnostic Jun 2014 #2

LOL! I don't know where my old one is, but R. Crumb's Genesis is nearby! nolabear Jun 2014 #5

And on the 8th day The Lord created curly haired brunettes with enormous muscular thighs. LeftyMom Jun 2014 #13

Crumb is always about Crumb. nolabear Jun 2014 #20

I was a catholic, born again christian and now atheist randys1 Jun 2014 #3

Yes, me too. It's too bad people are so inclined. nolabear Jun 2014 #6

the answer is in "self proclaimed". Most Christians don't wear their faith on their sleeves KittyWampus Jun 2014 #9

Well, when you put it that way... Iggo Jun 2014 #7

... nolabear Jun 2014 #8

I think there may be some actual history in the "old testament"........ meti57b Jun 2014 #11

You have to remember that ALL history was written from a particular point of view. Viva_Daddy Jun 2014 #12

And of course the bible has gone through many iterations. nolabear Jun 2014 #22

So it is the biggest influence on your thinking? Bluenorthwest Jun 2014 #15

Maybe. I think religion is fascinating and it likely began there. nolabear Jun 2014 #17

Belief itself is an object known only by faith, that is I do not know what others 'believe' Bluenorthwest Jun 2014 #19

True dat! nolabear Jun 2014 #21

I was raised Evangelical and the Bible is not the most important text for me... Gravitycollapse Jun 2014 #16

Nor mine. I actually resonate more with Buddhist thinking. nolabear Jun 2014 #18

The interesting thing with the Bible is with those that use it as a rule book. bluesbassman Jun 2014 #24

It would certainly be more valuable, wouldn't it? nolabear Jun 2014 #28

I think labeling one book "most important" is kinda ignorant Scootaloo Jun 2014 #27

But you're conflating. The most important is far from the be-all and end-all. nolabear Jun 2014 #29

No, that's EXACTLY what "Most Important" means Scootaloo Jun 2014 #31

I still disagree. "Be-all and end-all" excludes everything else. If I had a pie chart nolabear Jun 2014 #32

I doubt pie charts were involved in this statement Scootaloo Jun 2014 #33

But the Yale Law Review, maybe. Seriously, nolabear Jun 2014 #35

I read a book called Conversations With God. In some ways that God was much Autumn Jun 2014 #36

I am a Nonbeliever Who Was Raised Christian as Well On the Road Jun 2014 #37