Beetow
Active
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2020
- Messages
- 2,538
FAQ: I'm thinking of reading the Bible; where should I start?
REPLY: The Bible can be a tedious chore for people new to it; so I highly recommend
that someone who's only looking to indulge their curiosity skip the heavy books for now
and try the short stories of Ruth, Esther, and Jonah; and then for sure the
philosophical book of Ecclesiastes. You gotta love Solomon's pessimistic world view: it's
spot on.
* When my teen-age son first started reading the Bible, he became discouraged. When I
asked him what the matter was, he said he couldn't figure out the hidden messages. So
I told him: Son, forget about hidden messages. Just read the Bible like a novel or an
encyclopedia and you'll get more out of it that way; and he did.
FAQ: Which version would be best for me?
REPLY: I recommend avoiding linguistic antiques like the Douay-Rheims, the
Confraternity, the American Standard Version, and the King James version which
are no longer practical because their language and grammar are obsolete.
For English-speaking inquirers I suggest contemporary versions in common use like the
New International (NIV), New American Bible (NAB), the New American Standard (NAS)
the English Standard Version (ESV) and/or the New Living Translation (NLT)
FAQ: Where can I find a Bible?
REPLY: Just about any book store carries a selection of Bibles, and even some
department stores; and of course Christian book stores. Amazon dot com has them too.
If you're on a limited budget, you might try shopping a thrift store like Good Will and/or
Salvation Army.
* No matter whose version of the Bible you choose, some all-knowing armchair expert
will eventually come along and insist it's no either no good, corrupt, and/or inadequate
so be ready for that. Actually it's probably best you don't tell a Christian what you're
doing lest they muddy the waters with unsolicited spiritual counseling that's appropriate
for a proselyte but quite out in left field for someone who's only mildly curious.
Buen Camino
Pleasant Journey
_
REPLY: The Bible can be a tedious chore for people new to it; so I highly recommend
that someone who's only looking to indulge their curiosity skip the heavy books for now
and try the short stories of Ruth, Esther, and Jonah; and then for sure the
philosophical book of Ecclesiastes. You gotta love Solomon's pessimistic world view: it's
spot on.
* When my teen-age son first started reading the Bible, he became discouraged. When I
asked him what the matter was, he said he couldn't figure out the hidden messages. So
I told him: Son, forget about hidden messages. Just read the Bible like a novel or an
encyclopedia and you'll get more out of it that way; and he did.
FAQ: Which version would be best for me?
REPLY: I recommend avoiding linguistic antiques like the Douay-Rheims, the
Confraternity, the American Standard Version, and the King James version which
are no longer practical because their language and grammar are obsolete.
For English-speaking inquirers I suggest contemporary versions in common use like the
New International (NIV), New American Bible (NAB), the New American Standard (NAS)
the English Standard Version (ESV) and/or the New Living Translation (NLT)
FAQ: Where can I find a Bible?
REPLY: Just about any book store carries a selection of Bibles, and even some
department stores; and of course Christian book stores. Amazon dot com has them too.
If you're on a limited budget, you might try shopping a thrift store like Good Will and/or
Salvation Army.
* No matter whose version of the Bible you choose, some all-knowing armchair expert
will eventually come along and insist it's no either no good, corrupt, and/or inadequate
so be ready for that. Actually it's probably best you don't tell a Christian what you're
doing lest they muddy the waters with unsolicited spiritual counseling that's appropriate
for a proselyte but quite out in left field for someone who's only mildly curious.
Buen Camino
Pleasant Journey
_