Kevin's Watch

We've been talking about the Bible a lot lately...so, if anyone doesn't have access to a Bible and is curious, or wants to check quotes and contexts, compare translations, or whatever, here's a site where you can have those curiosities satisfied:
Bible Gateway

I don't think this site has the New World Translation (the translation the Jehovah's Witnesses' Watchtower Association puts out) or the extra books the Mormons use...I'll look for sites with those for people who are curious about comparing them...if anyone has links to those and wants to post them, that would be great.

Thank you for the great reference link Iryssa!!!

I tried to read the New Testament a couple of times. It made no sense at all. Maybe this will help. I've always been curious at exactly what is in the Bible.

You're welcome

I've always thought posting the Bible on the internet is kinda nice for people who don't want to go out and spend the money on a Bible...let's face it, most of them are pretty expensive. Of course, there are organizations (like Gideon's) that give them out for free, but you can never find those people when you need them
A nice thing about Bible Gatway is all the study help you can find there...lexicons, commentaries, and the like...
Happy reading

Here's another one. Plenty of different translations.

bible.crosswalk.com/

Personally, I own at least five translations of the christian bible, as well as major religious texts from many different belief-systems.

Comparative religion was a hobby of mine, while I tried to decide if there was a religion I could agree with. I wanted to give everyone a fair chance of convincing me.

--Avatar

*grin* that's really very wise. I think the "I don't accept [insert religion here] because [insert person here] told me it was dumb" argument is about as stupid as an adult saying "I go to church because my mom and dad told me to." You gotta have more reason than that in either of those. Way to go, Avatar

Thanks

Plus, it's hard to argue with someone about religion if you don't know at least something about it.

I agree with that "because my parents told me" as well. That's what I was talking about in the other thread about "habitual" christianity (or any other religion).

Of course, no organised religion convinced me. The Dis-organised ones are far more my style. I finally found discordianism, and they don't expect you to believe anything. In fact, they prohibit you from believing anything you read.



Take it Easy
--Avatar

woah...I dunno how I'd do in that one...probably not very well...is it actually considered a religion if they don't expect you to believe anything? even a dis-organized one? just curious...

A good question, check out the threads I mentioned, "What you Believe" in this forum, or "The One True Religion" in Gen. Discussion.

If nothing else, it's good for a laugh, (now what religion encourages you to both question them, and laugh at them?) (My kind )

--Avatar

Iryssa wrote:*grin* that's really very wise. I think the "I don't accept [insert religion here] because [insert person here] told me it was dumb" argument is about as stupid as an adult saying "I go to church because my mom and dad told me to." You gotta have more reason than that in either of those. Way to go, Avatar

heh, I told you Avatar. You rule

Erm... as for the link; no thanks, I read enough of the bible when I was younger; and it sickened me (Though some parts were interesting.), I'd rather not read it again.

CovenantJr wrote:I tried to read the New Testament a couple of times. It made no sense at all. Maybe this will help. I've always been curious at exactly what is in the Bible.

One of the most confusing things for me was that there were 4 versions of Jesus's life; Matthew, Mark, Luke, & John.

James was the hardest book for me. It just seems like we're all going to hell and there's no hope of redemption. I never bothered much with Revelation since it won't make any sense until it is already half overwith, then people will be like, it's all right here. Incredible! How could we have missed it.

The Bible is the only book that people need help reading...

1 Corinthians 2:14
The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.



That kind of says a lot. A long time ago, far before Darwin's theories, people often felt above the believers. And, of course, the believers knew, and God knew this. It doesn't really matter if you believe in a tree if you run into it with your car. Or if you don't believe in air because you can't see it. If it is still there, regardless of your belief in it, then you are still sharing the universe with that tree, the air, or God. God doesn't require belief to exist. He requires belief to continue your existence after you have passed on from this world.

There's an easy way to get a New World Translation:

Next time a JW knocks on your door lead him to believe you're ripe for conversion.
He'll come back for a 'return visit' after leaving you with some magazines.
During the discussion drop a few hints like "it's be handy to have one of those bibles for myself to read when you're not here!"
If you've done this right he'll bring a bible on his next visit and give it to you.

The only problem this brings is how to now get rid of him.
I've found hot coffee in the face is often the easiest way, and they rarely come back after that.

LOL!!
The last time there were JWs coming to our door, the dogs were outside...we didn't do it on purpose, they just happened to be out when the missionaries happened to come down the road. I think Dante kinda scared them away *laugh* she doesn't like strangers much.
They haven't come back since.