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Source: (consider it) Thread: "Bible verses atheists love"
Net Spinster
Shipmate
# 16058

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For the Ship's delectation

Valerie Tarico, an atheist, who somehow became aware of Chapter and Worse feature on the Ship decided to ask some atheists what they considered the best Bible verses were (without snark) and wrote up a little article complete with a description of the Ship "Bible verses that atheists love" Some of the atheists asked have blogged on this (see Hemant Mehta's take with comments).

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spinner of webs

Posts: 1093 | From: San Francisco Bay area | Registered: Dec 2010  |  IP: Logged
Lamb Chopped
Ship's kebab
# 5528

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But how charming. [Axe murder] Love to have dinner with those people.

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Er, this is what I've been up to (book).
Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down!

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Alan Cresswell

Mad Scientist 先生
# 31

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The regularly repeated phrase along the lines of "if people took these verses (eg: ones about testing things) seriously the churches would empty very quickly" caught my eye. Mainly because I would say that it's the failure of many to taking such verses seriously that results in churches emptying.

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Don't cling to a mistake just because you spent a lot of time making it.

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SvitlanaV2
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# 16967

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Of course, it's likely only to be atheists who've benefited from a Christian upbringing who'll know the Bible well enough to love anything in it. The rest will only know the bits they can use in arguments against Christians, or won't know it at all.

I agree with some of the atheists in that link that Ecclesiastes is a wonderful book. And in my life I've also noticed that a number of atheists are fans of the KJV, and firmly disapprove of more modern translations. In this, they resemble my late Pentecostal grandfather rather than myself.

Posts: 6668 | From: UK | Registered: Feb 2012  |  IP: Logged
mousethief

Ship's Thieving Rodent
# 953

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quote:
Originally posted by SvitlanaV2:
I've also noticed that a number of atheists are fans of the KJV, and firmly disapprove of more modern translations. In this, they resemble my late Pentecostal grandfather rather than myself.

No doubt because that's what they grew up with, so it "sounds biblical" to them.

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Twilight

Puddleglum's sister
# 2832

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I don't know what it says about us that we find telling women to be silent in church more offensive than genocide, human sacrifice, gang rape, and dashing infants against rocks.
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mousethief

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# 953

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quote:
Originally posted by Twilight:
I don't know what it says about us that we find telling women to be silent in church more offensive than genocide, human sacrifice, gang rape, and dashing infants against rocks.

"We" who? Speak for yourself.

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This is the last sig I'll ever write for you...

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Net Spinster
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# 16058

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quote:
Originally posted by SvitlanaV2:
Of course, it's likely only to be atheists who've benefited from a Christian upbringing who'll know the Bible well enough to love anything in it. The rest will only know the bits they can use in arguments against Christians, or won't know it at all.

Hemant was raised Jain. He chose Ecclesiastes 9:10.

The Biblegateway website commented on the original also
quote:
A few things stood out to me as I read these verses. First, it’s interesting to compare the “atheist favorites” list with the 100 most popular verses on Bible Gateway, which we compile and share from time to time. While the atheist list and our top-100 list don’t claim to be representative of all atheists or all Bible readers, the differences between the lists are noteworthy. Specifically, few of the atheist choices appear near the top of the top-100 verses list.


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spinner of webs

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SvitlanaV2
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# 16967

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I've come across Hemant's website before, and had read about his Jainism. Of course, as a famous American proponent of atheism he'd have had to develop some familiarity with the Bible because he'd hardly be able to argue with American Christians otherwise.

Your link makes a good point about Ecclesiastes. Christian preachers and commentators rarely refer to it. It appeals to my melancholy nature, though. Some atheists would find it too dreary, I imagine, especially the type who like to emphasise that life is more fun without religion.

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Twilight

Puddleglum's sister
# 2832

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quote:
Originally posted by mousethief:
quote:
Originally posted by Twilight:
I don't know what it says about us that we find telling women to be silent in church more offensive than genocide, human sacrifice, gang rape, and dashing infants against rocks.

"We" who? Speak for yourself.
The article in the link credits The Ship of Fools with the list of "Worst Bible Quotes." It has the "Women be silent in church," quote as number one. So "we" equals The Ship of Fools members.
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Nicolemr
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# 28

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Very interesting article, thanks for posting. Interestingly, although I'm not an atheist, I can't really call myself a Christian any more, and my favorite book of the Bible is Ecclesiastes.

[ 15. June 2014, 02:48: Message edited by: Nicolemr ]

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On pilgrimage in the endless realms of Cyberia, currently traveling by ship. Now with live journal!

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ChastMastr
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# 716

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Oh, here I was thinking it was going to be things like, "(The fool in his heart says) There is no God" and the like.

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My essays on comics continuity: http://chastmastr.tumblr.com/tagged/continuity

Posts: 14068 | From: Clearwater, Florida | Registered: Jul 2001  |  IP: Logged
ChastMastr
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# 716

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Kind of like all of those abbreviated movie reviews like "This movie was astonishing (-ly bad)" or "I couldn't wait to see what happened next (because it would be closer to the merciful, merciful ending)" etc.

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My essays on comics continuity: http://chastmastr.tumblr.com/tagged/continuity

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leo
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# 1458

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I am currently reading as biography of Labour leader, atheist, Ed Miliband, who asked, 'Am I my brother's keeper?'

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My Jewish-positive lectionary blog is at http://recognisingjewishrootsinthelectionary.wordpress.com/
My reviews at http://layreadersbookreviews.wordpress.com

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que sais-je
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# 17185

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I agree about Ecclesiastes: "better a live dog than a dead lion" often occurs to me for some reason.

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"controversies, disputes, and argumentations, both in philosophy and in divinity, if they meet with discreet and peaceable natures, do not infringe the laws of charity" (Thomas Browne)

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mousethief

Ship's Thieving Rodent
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quote:
Originally posted by que sais-je:
I agree about Ecclesiastes: "better a live dog than a dead lion" often occurs to me for some reason.

Which is Snoopy's favorite verse.

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This is the last sig I'll ever write for you...

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Palimpsest
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# 16772

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Isiah 2:4 and Joel 3:10 make a nice example of recycling. [Smile]
Posts: 2990 | From: Seattle WA. US | Registered: Nov 2011  |  IP: Logged


 
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