It's just a book
Many
years ago, people learned to read by using the Bible. To be fair, there were
not a lot of other books. Yet, literacy was common. Many of the best-selling
books of the past are influenced by the Bible. Verses are quoted all over the
classics. I don’t believe it’s a moral issue. Were classical writers
Christians? Not necessarily. Yet, the words in one simple book seemed to affect
them enough to quote it.
Possibly, classical writers were influenced
by good writing. Ecclesiastics, Psalms, and Job are literary masterpieces. Sure,
the Pastors call in God’s word. Yet, the writing and quotes are astounding. I
would hope the good word influences morals and character. However, it’s more
likely that reading the Bible influenced writing. The main push in English
courses is to study the classics. Why are they so revered? It’s because those writers
were amazing. The Bible writers were too.
The Bible is not just a religious
book. God uses stories to improve our understanding of right and wrong. The stories
further our relationship with others. Were encouraged to look inside our hearts
rather than at the ever-changing world around us. Beyond all that is great
writing. Great story telling. People look at the gospels as religious text. They
miss it completely. Those books are an arrangement of stories that make a
point. It’s not based on historical timelines. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John
were pointing out aspects of Jesus they wanted to show through certain stories.
What does God have to say. Two things.
One is the writing. Ephesians 3:4 “By
referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery
of Christ.” People scoff at the Bible. Yet, most have never read any of it.
Reading one verse and getting angry does not count. Writing things down was
important to God. Reading, understanding, and learning was important to God.
The Bible was always far more than a bunch of rules.
Secondly, it’s about community. In
history, the Bible is usually read in groups. So that they become cults? No,
far from it. It was to commonly understand together. To talk and discuss God’s
word. Yet, a literate society can talk and discuss. A nonliterary society is
angry, confused, and presumptuous. The Bible was meant to instruct and inspire
a nation far more than an individual. It begins with learning to individually read
using the Bible.
We are most certainly a presumptuous
society. I have called it the era of non-truth. Maybe we are more illiterate
than we know. When people read a quote on the net, it can enrage them. Literary
people search, seek, and find the truth. They look and check for facts. People think
non-literary people can’t read. Take a look back at the verse I quoted. Two things.
One is that they could understand. That means they knew the Bible. They also
knew the truth. They understood. Secondly, written thousands of years ago, they
could read. God chose written form. Why? He wanted us to know. To understand
and read.
Why leave the Koran in Arabic? So,
you hear it but are told what it says. We are told what it means. The Bible was
put in language that anyone could read in their own tongue. It was never meant
to be hidden, told, and used for hatred. Yes, we have seen it that way. Yet,
over the centuries humans pushed back against religion. Why? Because, they read
the Bible and made up their own minds about God. God wanted it that way.
Read! Read the Bible if you want. I
hope you do. Learn right from wrong. Challenge people on what they believe. Challenge
people on what they know. Where are the truths? Where are the facts? Real science
has turned into quotes. It’s turned into conjecture and theory. Facts? Truth? We believe is a common statement in Christian
circles. Community, church, and spending time with people is a Christian thing.
Believe it or not, God purposely placed his beliefs in the open to be debated,
argued, scrutinized, and believed. We have been given free will to read. What do
you think would make society safer, smarter, and nicer?
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