The Christian Bible, which has experienced several revisions over the centuries, is full of fantastical tales, vivid imagery, and timeless life lessons. Although there are about 2.2 billion Christians in the world, interpretation of the Bible has proven to be one of the most controversial subjects within the faith. As a deist, I find it interesting to explain my perspective of the Bible’s place in modern society.
The Bible allows readers to travel though history, back to a time when humans were more primitive and literacy rates were low. The scribes who wrote the Bible were regarded as the most intelligent, and obviously literate, people of their time. Appreciating the work they did offers the modern reader a chance to understand how far humans have come socially and spiritually. It lets someone from 2013 realize that humans were still humans, even in ancient times.
Of course, there are several pieces of now-humorous culture that we can laugh about. The banning of shellfish and required facial hair are two of the most widely known of these. Unfortunately, some adherents of the Bible have failed to recognize the progression of society; they latch on to outdated understandings of the world they live in. Sometimes they even make life harder for those that simply don’t think the same way they do. Though this group is a minority, they have brought much bad press to the Christian faith.
Despite any detriment that the Bible has caused, it has undoubtedly created an immeasurable amount of good in the world. Having a status quo on morality is beneficial. The catch is that there are various, wide-ranging interpretations of the Bible; subsequently, there is no completely standardized understanding. The closest thing the Bible has to a comprehensive message is found in the teachings of Jesus. He preached about honestly, tolerance, and love. He fought corruption, bigotry, and hatred. It can even be said that his teachings contradict most of what was written in the Old Testament. To sum up my perspective on the Bible: I love Jesus. I don’t think he was the messiah, but I do think he represented the most powerful idea in the world: coexistence.
I've often considered, as an athiest, what version of the bible I would end up with if I took one, perhaps as Thomas Jefferson did with his bible of strictly the word of Jesus, and edited it down to the moralistic approaches I agree with and find beneficial. How many words would it be? What lessons or parable would I find interesting? One day I may do that, perhaps in your religious search you will too. Regardless each religion has its obvious virtue and equally its obvious negative. It's up to the individual to find the positive meaning that influences their life for the better.
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