Atheist Appreciation of Biblical Wisdom and Inspiration

Sure. But what I am looking for is some insight into why the bible specifically is considered a great work of literature/art/inspiration/whatever even if one is not persuaded by the overtly religious message. Even many of those who condemn the religious beliefs that the bible is obvioulsy so closely related to seem to consider it something a bit special just as a book. No? It has doubtless had a profound effect on Western civilisation and thought. But is that just a case of right time right place?From your comments I am getting that you don't actually think the bible is anything that should be considered particulalrly special outside of it's overtly religious teachings. Is that right?

In what sense?Or was that a facetious answer?

You'll just have to read it and find out. Of course not. James is a fun one.Jon

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Check out Apollo's Temple!

The Bible is important, because of its historic role in western civilization. However, if you are looking for something insightful, you are more likely to find that in the writings of Shakespeare.

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Jesus was a liberal hippie

Yeah. Too true. But the bible is a book that many seem to consider contains great wisdom. Even many who are not Christians might say that.And we are here at EvC where there are a decent number of biblically knowledgeable people who I thought might be able to explain to me why they persobnally think that is.Apart from anything else I am in one of my less argumentative periods having just finished a couple of lengthy discussions. Sometimes I like to kick back and start a thread where I don't expect to be actually fundamentally disagreeing with anyone but where I can instead try and "get" where others are coming from. This is one of those.Having said that I should also say that these periods tend not to last very long.......

Cheers Buz. I expected you to reply. I must say I also expected someone to mention the sermon on the mount. But nobody has as yet. At the risk of completely derailing my own barely started topic I just wanted to ask: What would you ask for Buz? - If you were given that offer now?

Why do you think it has had such a historical role? Right place right time? Christian missionary methods?Or is there something about the bible (as opposed to other aspects of Christianity) that lit people's imaginations in some way?

Not as "A Book". It really is not a book as we normally think of a book, a tome that has some consistent purpose or thread throughout.The Bible is a collection of books or stories, as I often say, an anthology of anthologies. It has no single purpose, instead it has a variety of purposes, often ones that directly contradict other portions. There are sections of poetry, some great, most mediocre, parts that were meant as laws or rules, parts that were meant as historical epics meant to develop an identity (actually several different identities over time) and still others that serve as a snap shot of the time or period, much like old faded tintypes. Absolutely. Remember that the creation of "a Bible" was a state decision, a matter of a state decision to create one unified manual that would be used in all of the churches built by the State Religion. The Christian concept of a Bible was something new, even the Jewish practice of Canonization only extended to a list of scrolls, and not the compilation of a single authorized version.It was not the only example though. Zoroastrianism as another example was the official state religion of Persia and as such dominated much of the area for about a thousand years until the Persian influence fell to the influence and power of Rome. There are other examples too, the spread of Hinduism under the earlier Indian subcontinent powers, the official recognition of Confucianism.The West though was most definitely the result of the rise of Christian powers as Rome expanded throughout western Europe, imposing it's state religion and later carried on by the political powers that arose after Rome faded away. Not exactly. I think that the morality and ethics in teh Bible can also be found in almost every one of the various religions mentioned.I think a major significant feature of the Bible is that it goes beyond just the ethics and morality. If we look at the Bible as something more than just a book, and look at all the great variety found within it we can see something really profound, one of the best examples of the evolution of theistic thought over an extended period that survives.

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Anyone so limited that they can only spell a word one way is severely handicapped!

The very first chapter of Proverbs, verses from King Solomon to his son contains a classic example of a significant timeless wise and meaningful passage to inspire insightfulness. The above brings to mind the thousands of youth gangs and cartel drug war criminals, all void of wisdom and insight, whether athiest or religious who die young, not to mention their hapless victims and families who suffer so much.

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BUZSAW B 4 U 2 C Y BUZ SAW.
The immeasurable present eternally extends the infinite past and infinitely consumes the eternal future.

That makes a great deal of sense.Cheers.

Quickly, off the top of my head, that when I walk through the pearly gates, inside I will find some of those for whom I've prayed for over the decades and to whom I've had a role for enlightment unto salvation.

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BUZSAW B 4 U 2 C Y BUZ SAW.
The immeasurable present eternally extends the infinite past and infinitely consumes the eternal future.

The point is that the canonical books were collected together because they were already considered to contain wisdom. It was extra-Biblical human wisdom that decided what was wise in the books. So, if there's a high concentration of wisdom in the Bible, why don't people who believe the Bible exhibit an unusually high degree of wisdom?

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"It appears that many of you turn to Hebrew to escape the English...." -- Joseppi

Mmm, not so, Jar.The Bible was essentially completed by A.D. 100. A couple of books, including Revelation were not included until later. The apostolic church relied on the teaching of Jesus' about God, Heaven, doctrine and how to set up the church. This was given to the apostles, compiled and handed down from them to the church bishops and deacons throughout the apostolic era.

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BUZSAW B 4 U 2 C Y BUZ SAW.
The immeasurable present eternally extends the infinite past and infinitely consumes the eternal future.

I see a correlation of the Biblical wisdom and the cultural advancement of Western civilization, especially in nations where the Bible is freely read and taught.OTO, we observe nations like Quranic Muslim indoctrinated, secularistic communistic cultures and Eastern block nations who's cultural life are all to often oppressive, impoverished and unbenevolent in times of disaster.

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BUZSAW B 4 U 2 C Y BUZ SAW.
The immeasurable present eternally extends the infinite past and infinitely consumes the eternal future.

Come on Buz.The various books were written by early in the 2^nd. Century certainly but they were NOT compiled or assembled into the new creation, a Bible, until the Committees of Canon under Constantine.Remember that the issue in Canonization was primarily excluding books, including ones that Jesus seemed to be familiar with and used such as the Book of Enoch.It's really well into the 4^th. Century that the final decisions were made to include the current 27 books in the New Testament.Unless of course you can show evidence that supports some earlier Canon or Ecumenical Councils?AbE:mostly for the general audience.The issue of what was included in a Bible was a serious contention during the period between the first and fourth centuries CE in both the Jewish and Christian communities. For example, while we normally think of there being 39 books in the Old Testament, Josephus said there were 22, Jerome states 22, 24 and even 27, the Babylonian Talmud mention 24.Edited by jar, : add more info

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Anyone so limited that they can only spell a word one way is severely handicapped!