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or do atheists have an obligation to hate the Bible?
It’s not that we hate the Bible, but it is just not well written.
Some of the fables in the Bible are pretty good, but much of it is borderline unreadable.
As to values, atheists have stronger values than the Bible. As an atheist, I never understood how the Bible could condone slavery. God should know better
As an atheist, I have stronger ethics than is taught in the BibleCan atheists study and/or practice the ethics taught by Christ in the gospels?
I have read better books and they were written by mere mortal men.The bible is an excellent piece of literature,
Sure they can...Are atheist allowed to enjoy the Bible?
Can atheist dig deeper into one of the bigger influences of English/American development?
Can atheists study and/or practice the ethics taught by Christ in the gospels?
Can atheists gain inspiration from the colorful and powerful stories of the Bible?
or do atheists have an obligation to hate the Bible?
Good pointIt’s not that we hate the Bible, but it is just not well written.
Depends on the language, foreign or otherwise.
Can atheist enjoy the Bible?
Needs a better plotIt's a storybook. Why wouldn't an atheist enjoy it?
I believe the Bible is the work of man and I appreciate it for that. It is one of the best preserved books of the ancient world and is a window onto the history, folklore, ethics, and sociology of that time.Are atheist allowed to enjoy the Bible?
Can atheist dig deeper into one of the bigger influences of English/American development?
Can atheists study and/or practice the ethics taught by Christ in the gospels?
Can atheists gain inspiration from the colorful and powerful stories of the Bible?
or do atheists have an obligation to hate the Bible?
Sure.
I believe even for atheists, embedded deep in Western Culture, the influence of Aquinas is sort of on the nexus, bridging the gap of free inquiry from the religious to the secular.
Epistemology
See also: Double truth
Thomas Aquinas believed "that for the knowledge of any truth whatsoever man needs divine help, that the intellect may be moved by God to its act."[91] However, he believed that human beings have the natural capacity to know many things without special divine revelation, even though such revelation occurs from time to time, "especially in regard to such (truths) as pertain to faith."[92] But this is the light that is given to man by God according to man's nature: "Now every form bestowed on created things by God has power for a determined act[uality], which it can bring about in proportion to its own proper endowment; and beyond which it is powerless, except by a superadded form, as water can only heat when heated by the fire. And thus the human understanding has a form, viz. intelligible light, which of itself is sufficient for knowing certain intelligible things, viz. those we can come to know through the senses."[92]
Thomas Aquinas - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
Cardinal virtues are four virtues of mind and character in both classical philosophy and Christian theology. They are Prudence, Justice, Fortitude, Temperance. They form a virtue theory of ethics. The term cardinal comes from the Latin cardo (hinge);[1] virtues are so called because they are regarded as the basic virtues required for a virtuous life.
These principles derive initially from Plato in Republic Book IV, 426–435 (see also Protagoras 330b, which also includes piety (hosiotes)). They were also recognized by the Stoics. Cicero expanded on them, and Ambrose, Augustine of Hippo, and Thomas Aquinas[2] adapted them while expanding on the theological virtues.
Cardinal virtues - Wikipedia
The Bible says, “We shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.” That has a different meaning to me personally as an atheist than it did as a believer. Now that I have rejected Christianity, the Bible has come alive to me. It is an amazing work of literature, philosophy, psychology, sociology, business, law, order, poetry, and just human nature in general. It has such a richer meaning to me now that I am not obligated to believe it. I no longer view it as a big stick to use to beat myself over the head. It is something for me to love and enjoy. When I find something that makes no sense. So what! I’m just reading. I don’t have to get it. If I don’t understand, it won’t make me bad. If I don’t understand, I am not losing a blessing if. So freaking what if I don’t get it! Christians think I should hate the Bible just because they hate it. I respectfully disagree. The Bible is so much more useful to me as an atheist.
When it says God, change it to Anunnaki and it makes even more sense.
You‘re one of those lizard shape shifting types?
Yes, he is; the world is just one great Conspiracy theory for the lad. At least it's easy to sell him any sort of nosnense and make some money, so don't depress the lad until he's been cleaned out.
The answer - to all of these questions, I think - would be it depends upon their motivation for reading the Books of the Bible. It would also depend upon how one defines enjoyment. After all... sadists enjoy tearing the wings off of live flies, right? Not saying atheists are sadists but if they are reading these accounts to make themselves feel superior for their own enjoyment, then the answer for all of the questions except the last one is no.Are atheist allowed to enjoy the Bible?
Can atheist dig deeper into one of the bigger influences of English/American development?
Can atheists study and/or practice the ethics taught by Christ in the gospels?
Can atheists gain inspiration from the colorful and powerful stories of the Bible?
or do atheists have an obligation to hate the Bible?
Ding is slippery as pond algae
I have read better books and they were written by mere mortal men.The bible is an excellent piece of literature,
You would think a Supreme Being would be a better writer
The answer - to all of these questions, I think - would be it depends upon their motivation for reading the Books of the Bible. It would also depend upon how one defines enjoyment. After all... sadists enjoy tearing the wings off of live flies, right? Not saying atheists are sadists but if they are reading these accounts to make themselves feel superior for their own enjoyment, then the answer for all of the questions except the last one is no.Are atheist allowed to enjoy the Bible?
Can atheist dig deeper into one of the bigger influences of English/American development?
Can atheists study and/or practice the ethics taught by Christ in the gospels?
Can atheists gain inspiration from the colorful and powerful stories of the Bible?
or do atheists have an obligation to hate the Bible?
Ding is slippery as pond algae
Sure.
I believe even for atheists, embedded deep in Western Culture, the influence of Aquinas is sort of on the nexus, bridging the gap of free inquiry from the religious to the secular.
Epistemology
See also: Double truth
Thomas Aquinas believed "that for the knowledge of any truth whatsoever man needs divine help, that the intellect may be moved by God to its act."[91] However, he believed that human beings have the natural capacity to know many things without special divine revelation, even though such revelation occurs from time to time, "especially in regard to such (truths) as pertain to faith."[92] But this is the light that is given to man by God according to man's nature: "Now every form bestowed on created things by God has power for a determined act[uality], which it can bring about in proportion to its own proper endowment; and beyond which it is powerless, except by a superadded form, as water can only heat when heated by the fire. And thus the human understanding has a form, viz. intelligible light, which of itself is sufficient for knowing certain intelligible things, viz. those we can come to know through the senses."[92]
Thomas Aquinas - Wikipedia
Cardinal virtues are four virtues of mind and character in both classical philosophy and Christian theology. They are Prudence, Justice, Fortitude, Temperance. They form a virtue theory of ethics. The term cardinal comes from the Latin cardo (hinge);[1] virtues are so called because they are regarded as the basic virtues required for a virtuous life.
These principles derive initially from Plato in Republic Book IV, 426–435 (see also Protagoras 330b, which also includes piety (hosiotes)). They were also recognized by the Stoics. Cicero expanded on them, and Ambrose, Augustine of Hippo, and Thomas Aquinas[2] adapted them while expanding on the theological virtues.
Cardinal virtues - Wikipedia
The Bible says, “We shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.” That has a different meaning to me personally as an atheist than it did as a believer. Now that I have rejected Christianity, the Bible has come alive to me. It is an amazing work of literature, philosophy, psychology, sociology, business, law, order, poetry, and just human nature in general. It has such a richer meaning to me now that I am not obligated to believe it. I no longer view it as a big stick to use to beat myself over the head. It is something for me to love and enjoy. When I find something that makes no sense. So what! I’m just reading. I don’t have to get it. If I don’t understand, it won’t make me bad. If I don’t understand, I am not losing a blessing if. So freaking what if I don’t get it! Christians think I should hate the Bible just because they hate it. I respectfully disagree. The Bible is so much more useful to me as an atheist.
When it says God, change it to Anunnaki and it makes even more sense.
You‘re one of those lizard shape shifting types?
Yes, he is; the world is just one great Conspiracy theory for the lad. At least it's easy to sell him any sort of nosnense and make some money, so don't depress the lad until he's been cleaned out.
It all depends on their motivation. If they are reading it in context for meaning, that's one thing. If they are reading it to confirm their bias, then why bother at all.The answer - to all of these questions, I think - would be it depends upon their motivation for reading the Books of the Bible. It would also depend upon how one defines enjoyment. After all... sadists enjoy tearing the wings off of live flies, right? Not saying atheists are sadists but if they are reading these accounts to make themselves feel superior for their own enjoyment, then the answer for all of the questions except the last one is no.Are atheist allowed to enjoy the Bible?
Can atheist dig deeper into one of the bigger influences of English/American development?
Can atheists study and/or practice the ethics taught by Christ in the gospels?
Can atheists gain inspiration from the colorful and powerful stories of the Bible?
or do atheists have an obligation to hate the Bible?
Ding is slippery as pond algae
I used to say they should read it first so they wouldn't look so stupid in discussions about it, but it turns out I was wrong; they're so screwed up it just makes them dumber and more ridiculous. My bad.
Lord of the Rings is full of Christian symbolism. J.R.R. Tolkien was a devout Catholic.I have read better books and they were written by mere mortal men.The bible is an excellent piece of literature,
No, you haven't. Lord of the Rings wasn't really that great, no matter what a bunch of hippie stoners say about it.
You would think a Supreme Being would be a better writer
It's way over your head, so you wouldn't know about that either.
Is not believing what you read a bias?It all depends on their motivation. If they are reading it in context for meaning, that's one thing. If they are reading it to confirm their bias, then why bother at all.The answer - to all of these questions, I think - would be it depends upon their motivation for reading the Books of the Bible. It would also depend upon how one defines enjoyment. After all... sadists enjoy tearing the wings off of live flies, right? Not saying atheists are sadists but if they are reading these accounts to make themselves feel superior for their own enjoyment, then the answer for all of the questions except the last one is no.Are atheist allowed to enjoy the Bible?
Can atheist dig deeper into one of the bigger influences of English/American development?
Can atheists study and/or practice the ethics taught by Christ in the gospels?
Can atheists gain inspiration from the colorful and powerful stories of the Bible?
or do atheists have an obligation to hate the Bible?
Ding is slippery as pond algae
I used to say they should read it first so they wouldn't look so stupid in discussions about it, but it turns out I was wrong; they're so screwed up it just makes them dumber and more ridiculous. My bad.
Lord of the Rings is fantasy, much like the BibleI have read better books and they were written by mere mortal men.The bible is an excellent piece of literature,
No, you haven't. Lord of the Rings wasn't really that great, no matter what a bunch of hippie stoners say about it.
You would think a Supreme Being would be a better writer
It's way over your head, so you wouldn't know about that either.
No. Reading to confirm not believing is the bias. And totally unnecessary and a waste of time.Is not believing what you read a bias?It all depends on their motivation. If they are reading it in context for meaning, that's one thing. If they are reading it to confirm their bias, then why bother at all.The answer - to all of these questions, I think - would be it depends upon their motivation for reading the Books of the Bible. It would also depend upon how one defines enjoyment. After all... sadists enjoy tearing the wings off of live flies, right? Not saying atheists are sadists but if they are reading these accounts to make themselves feel superior for their own enjoyment, then the answer for all of the questions except the last one is no.Are atheist allowed to enjoy the Bible?
Can atheist dig deeper into one of the bigger influences of English/American development?
Can atheists study and/or practice the ethics taught by Christ in the gospels?
Can atheists gain inspiration from the colorful and powerful stories of the Bible?
or do atheists have an obligation to hate the Bible?
Ding is slippery as pond algae
I used to say they should read it first so they wouldn't look so stupid in discussions about it, but it turns out I was wrong; they're so screwed up it just makes them dumber and more ridiculous. My bad.
