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   myrmepropagandist (futurebird@sauropods.win)'s status on Thursday, 15-Feb-2024 02:34:48 JST myrmepropagandist

   The books of the Bible(s) would be extremely challenging ancient texts in the best of circumstances— without complications, or such high stakes they would be very hard to read, even for serious scholars— So, this idea that you can just “go read the Bible” and find wisdom is frankly buck wild and dangerous. I was brought up constantly being told that I should “study the Bible” but of course I didn’t. I don’t think the people who tell you “read the Bible” really expect you to do it. 1/

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     myrmepropagandist (futurebird@sauropods.win)'s status on Thursday, 15-Feb-2024 02:34:46 JST myrmepropagandist

     in reply to

     Thing is I’ve been reading it lately. The first challenge is “which version and which books?” You are already in trouble, you see. American Christians will say King James… but … why? Why not go back to the oldest extant version? Why not some of the newer versions? It’s confusing. But let’s say you pick a few versions to read and get down to it. More trouble— I can tell I’m missing so much context as I read it feels absurd— there are bits that have the feel of inside jokes. 2/

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     powersoffour (powersoffour@mastodon.social)'s status on Thursday, 15-Feb-2024 02:37:17 JST powersoffour

     in reply to

     @futurebird I seem to recall Jack Chick tracts having an awful lot to say about "why KJV" but the specific arguments aren't coming to me right now and I can't bring myself to dig into the website.

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     myrmepropagandist (futurebird@sauropods.win)'s status on Thursday, 15-Feb-2024 22:36:43 JST myrmepropagandist

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     I am starting to think the intended effect of “just reading the Bible” is that you will feel overwhelmed, not educated to the task of understanding the words of these people who lived in a very different world from ours and so settle down and let someone else tell you what it means. Who you choose to trust in this task will determine what you get from it. I think the people who say “just read the Bible” assume you will come back to them for help. But— I’m good. You see, I have studied poetry. 3/

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     Ian Hecht (ianhecht@saskodon.ca)'s status on Thursday, 15-Feb-2024 22:36:50 JST Ian Hecht

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     @futurebird Are you trying to tell me that not every reader will understand Bronze Age allusions translated from dead languages?

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     myrmepropagandist (futurebird@sauropods.win)'s status on Thursday, 15-Feb-2024 22:36:51 JST myrmepropagandist

     in reply to

     Taking the text alone as it is? There are a lot of meaningful nuggets, some of it is very evocative— I could easily make a very convincing case that Proverbs 30 is about how everyone ought to study natural history and be wary of facism. And that what I sincerely get from The Text because such ancient text can only hope to be mirror. Unless we drill down enough to know who “the Augur” was and why he says he’ll list three things but then names 4– or what that bit about a spider in hand means. 4/4

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     myrmepropagandist (futurebird@sauropods.win)'s status on Thursday, 15-Feb-2024 22:36:53 JST myrmepropagandist

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     • Ian Hecht

     @ianhecht listen hear me out— like I always knew “read the Bible” was a bigger ask than the people saying it realized but I think I even underestimated the absurdity— It makes me wonder about those people who talk about their “journey to faith” and how the read the Bible and found their way. Is it just like— meditating on abstract poetry? Did they think they really understood it all? did they just find a little part that they could prop up to mean what they needed?

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     myrmepropagandist (futurebird@sauropods.win)'s status on Thursday, 15-Feb-2024 22:37:10 JST myrmepropagandist

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     • Oscoder

     @oscoder I’m concerned about what’s going on out there if that’s what people are doing if I’m honest.

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     Oscoder (oscoder@mastodon.la)'s status on Thursday, 15-Feb-2024 22:37:11 JST Oscoder

     in reply to

     @futurebird Well, you may try it, but... I think it's a bit impractical.

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     myrmepropagandist (futurebird@sauropods.win)'s status on Thursday, 15-Feb-2024 22:37:13 JST myrmepropagandist

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     • Oscoder

     @oscoder I will probably get in to some of that— but I wanted to first take that advice literally and see what happened— understand the journey.

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     Oscoder (oscoder@mastodon.la)'s status on Thursday, 15-Feb-2024 22:37:14 JST Oscoder

     in reply to

     @futurebird hi, catholic here.
     Idk about the "just read the bible"-people interest other than trying to say they don't need science.

     About your interest on bible interpretation, there are some printings with historical notes and exegesis about some meanings.

     I think that understanding something depends on wich kind of reader you are.

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