David Plotz over at Slate recently began Blogging the Bible. It poses the question, “What happens when an ignoramus reads the Good Book?” He says in his introduction:
My goal is pretty simple. I want to find out what happens when an ignorant person actually reads the book on which his religion is based. I think I’m in the same position as many other lazy but faithful people (Christians, Jews, Moslems, Hindus). I love Judaism; I love (most of) the lessons it has taught me about how to live in the world; and yet I realized I am fundamentally ignorant about its foundation, its essential document. So, what will happen if I approach my Bible empty, unmediated by teachers or rabbis or parents? What will delight and horrify me? How will the Bible relate to the religion I practice, and the lessons I thought I learned in synagogue and Hebrew School?
I wonder what “lessons” has he been taught “about how to live in the world” if they were not from the Bible? Reading his posts (he is currently in Joshua), I must say they are frustratingly irreverent and in many ways short-sighted. Then again, he compares himself to “many other lazy but faithful people”; I guess that shouldn’t come as a surprise. But is lazy really faithful?
I plan to address some of the same things from a different perspective. Rather than nonchalantly stumbling upon “how the Bible relate[s] to the religion I practice” I hope to look at the Scriptures as the Scriptures demand to be understood. That is, that what we practice must relate to the Bible. Check back for more (or feel free to subscribe via RSS or Email).
1 response so far ↓
1 Alberto Gonzales Z. // Dec 2, 2007 at 12:56 pm
It`s a good quest, I think the result would be much better if the “ignoramus” started to read the New Testament first and then the Old One, that way, he would understand better the ugly parts of the Old Testament.
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