Looking for a good book

brobradh77 · Aug 8, 2011

As the title reads I am curious if there are any recommendations for a good book that addresses all the bibles "facts" and the problems with those "facts". I am what you call an Agnostic Atheist and listen to people quote me bible versus and excerpts all the time and I want to be able to have a intelligent reply... Thanks in advance

AdMan · Aug 8, 2011

Not a book, but are you familiar with this site?

http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/

Uncle Otto · Aug 8, 2011

I read an excellent one a long time ago, and I highly recommend it. It is published by the Freedom From Religion Foundation.

"The Born Again Skeptic's Guide to the Bible", by Ruth Humerence Green. It was first printed in 1979, and the the one I have is a 1999 edition.

It's still in print and available from their website------------

http://ffrf.org/

Just click on the Shop button at the right end of the top banner, then "Freethought Books".

The woman who wrote it is deceased now. She was the daughter of a minister IIRC. It makes a great reference resource for your secular bookcase.

brobradh77 · Aug 8, 2011

AdMan said:
Not a book, but are you familiar with this site?

http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/

No I'm not but I will check it out thanks.

Uncle Otto said:
I read an excellent one a long time ago, and I highly recommend it. It is published by the Freedom From Religion Foundation.

"The Born Again Skeptic's Guide to the Bible", by Ruth Humerence Green. It was first printed in 1979, and the the one I have is a 1999 edition.

It's still in print and available from their website------------

http://ffrf.org/

I will also check this out when I get home...I'm just extrememely interested in this..thanks
Just click on the Shop button at the right end of the top banner, then "Freethought Books".

The woman who wrote it is deceased now. She was the daughter of a minister IIRC. It makes a great reference resource for your secular bookcase.

Leumas · Aug 8, 2011

Here are some of the books I have read....only SOME.....

My favorites are marked with an asterisk....but I LOVE ALL.... I really think that before you go swimming in the shark infested waters you need to learn how to swim VERY WELL and get yourself a chainmail suit. You do this by reading AS MANY books as you can....the list below is a good START.....there are more if you want I can list them too....I have read also the RUBBISH stuff from the other side...just to learn their methods and to see if I might be wrong. But they are BORING and you should only read these if you have read the ENTIRE bible at least TWICE.

BUT....BUT....BUT....there is NOTHING BETTER than to actually read the bible. If you are not willing to read the whole bible...then read

Leviticus...Deuteronmy.... Joshua....Judges... 1 and 2 Kings.... Mathew....Acts.....Revelation

Uncle Otto · Aug 8, 2011

Leumas said:
BUT....BUT....BUT....there is NOTHING BETTER than to actually read the bible. If you are not willing to read the whole bible...

I did read the whole thing, but it took me two years to slog through it. I can't imagine trying it again. I began to read the Book of Mormon----and 7 months later, with only 40 pages under my belt, it's still sitting on the shelf. Jeez what drivel.

brobradh77 · Aug 9, 2011

Thanks guys..I will start my journey

Leumas · Aug 9, 2011

Uncle Otto said:
I did read the whole thing, but it took me two years to slog through it. I can't imagine trying it again. I began to read the Book of Mormon----and 7 months later, with only 40 pages under my belt, it's still sitting on the shelf. Jeez what drivel.

Absolutely....mormonism is a sham.

Ok...since you read the Bible once...that should be enough for now.

What you now need is to read some or all (if you can) of the list I gave.

When you finish them maybe read some of the stuff from Augastine and/or Aquinas.... also some other MODERN apologetics books.

or the one that is most often quoted by christians .... this one is full of logical fallacies...see if you can spot them.

Also make sure you read Bart Ehrman's books (if you can read all of them).

Bikewer · Aug 9, 2011

Bart Ehrman, the New Testament scholar, has written a number of books on biblical criticism.
Good titles include:
Lost Christianities
and
Jesus, Interuppted.

The second deals specifically with irreconcilable differences in the various Gospels, and the reasons for them.

Dr. Keith · Aug 9, 2011

I can't add tom the book suggestions, but I would suggest the Reasonable Doubts podcast. They typically have very good discussions of apologetics.

Dessi · Aug 9, 2011

I really like Truth and Fiction in the Bible by Robin Lane Fox. Generally accessible to a layman audience, prose style could use a little work, but otherwise a very fair treatment of the Bible from a scholar's point of view.

rjh01 · Aug 9, 2011

If you want a history book then Testament: The Bible and History is a good book.

Schrodinger's Cat · Aug 10, 2011

I'd recommend just about anything by Elaine Pagels. She writes mostly about early Judeo/Christian history, and she particularly talks a lot about Judeo/ Christian writings which were left out of the Bible, and contradictory texts. She also talks about how Christian thelogy changed over time, and a lot about early Christianity history, for instance, the Gnostic Christians. In particular I recommend "The Origin of Satan," "The Gnostic Gospels," "Adam, Eve, and the Serpent," but all of her writing is very valuable in this regard.

Minarvia · Aug 13, 2011

This is a wonderful thread and one I'm glad I found. I am in the same position as the OP in that I am soon going to be having discussions with an old friend about his being christian and me an atheist. We are friendly and not combative at all, but I want to understand the christian's position better.

Often, I don't know the best books or sites. I just had to say thanks for the suggestions, everyone.

I recall the "Why does god hate amputees" site, and that there are others like it that got me thinking and looking.

Uncle Otto · Aug 14, 2011

Minarvia said:
We are friendly and not combative at all, but I want to understand the christian's position better.

Often, I don't know the best books or sites. I just had to say thanks for the suggestions, everyone.

I recall the "Why does god hate amputees" site, and that there are others like it that got me thinking and looking.

If you liked the amputees site, you'll love "Kissing Hank's Ass", it parody's a couple of JW's knocking on your door------you gotta love it---------

http://www.jhuger.com/kisshank.php

Enjoy!

Minarvia · Aug 14, 2011

ROFL! That was hilarious! You're right, I LOVED that! If only that was a YouTube video.

Oh, btw, when I first joined this site, I thought "JW's" stood for "Jesus Woos." I was so embarrassed to find out what it really meant! LOL

Minarvia · Aug 14, 2011

Leumas said:
Here are some of the books I have read....only SOME.....

My favorites are marked with an asterisk....but I LOVE ALL.... I really think that before you go swimming in the shark infested waters you need to learn how to swim VERY WELL and get yourself a chainmail suit. You do this by reading AS MANY books as you can....the list below is a good START.....there are more if you want I can list them too....I have read also the RUBBISH stuff from the other side...just to learn their methods and to see if I might be wrong. But they are BORING and you should only read these if you have read the ENTIRE bible at least TWICE.

BUT....BUT....BUT....there is NOTHING BETTER than to actually read the bible. If you are not willing to read the whole bible...then read

Leviticus...Deuteronmy.... Joshua....Judges... 1 and 2 Kings.... Mathew....Acts.....Revelation

Here are the books .....good luck and have fun

*http://www.amazon.com/Age-Reason-Thomas-Paine/dp/1603863419/ref=pd_sim_b_76
*http://www.amazon.com/God-Human-Bei...=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1312835014&sr=1-1
*http://www.amazon.com/Jesus-Interru...-Contradictions/dp/0061173940/ref=pd_sim_b_21
http://www.amazon.com/Atheist-Unive...-Fundamentalism/dp/1569755671/ref=pd_sim_b_20
*http://www.amazon.com/101-Myths-Bible-Invented-Biblical/dp/1570718423/ref=pd_sim_b_32
http://www.amazon.com/Gods-Problem-Answer-Important-Question-Why/dp/B001FOR5CG/ref=pd_sim_b_35
*http://www.amazon.com/God-Delusion-Richard-Dawkins/dp/0618918248/ref=pd_sim_b_40
http://www.amazon.com/Biblical-Nons...1829/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1312834319&sr=8-1
http://www.amazon.com/Atheists-Introduction-New-Testament-Christianity/dp/1432726919/ref=pd_sim_b_1
*http://www.amazon.com/God-Hates-Hate-Back-International/dp/095642760X/ref=pd_sim_b_4
http://www.amazon.com/Drunk-Blood-Gods-killings-Bible/dp/145366291X/ref=pd_sim_b_5
http://www.amazon.com/Reasons-People-Give-Believing-God/dp/1591025672/ref=pd_sim_b_9
http://www.amazon.com/Christian-Essays-Religion-Related-Subjects/dp/0671203231/ref=pd_sim_b_44
http://www.amazon.com/Liars-Jesus-Religious-Alternate-American/dp/1419644386/ref=pd_sim_b_46
http://www.amazon.com/Atheist-Camel-Chronicles-Arguments-Non-Believer/dp/1439236976/ref=pd_sim_b_61
*http://www.amazon.com/Why-Believed-Reflections-Former-Missionary/dp/0578003880/ref=pd_sim_b_62

I only have and read the God Delusion, and I have a book by Hitchens to read. But these...they are on my Amazon Wish List! Well, except Voltaire, which was free for Kindle.

ingoa · Aug 14, 2011

I am currently reading "God hates you - hate Him back".

Not exactly scholary, but really funny.

Leumas · Aug 15, 2011

ingoa said:
I am currently reading "God hates you - hate Him back".

Not exactly scholary, but really funny.

Great book.... it is full of SOME of the numerous problems in the Bible expounded in a very funny way.

Finn McR · Aug 15, 2011

To expand on the theme of Bikewer's response, I am currently re-reading (and re-enjoying) Bart Ehrman's Misquoting Jesus, a HarperCollins edition ISBN 978-0-06-085951-0.

Also entertaining is Randel Helms' Who Wrote the Gospels ISBN 0-9655047-2-7.

For a really hearty belly-laugh, though, read any published Bible or fragmentary manuscript from which "it" was assembled.

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