Yes I,
I just recieved this book and have checked it out, but not actually read it thru yet.Seems it is full of all of the facts about the biblical tradition that people have supressed,ignored and covered up in order to continue to believe what they WANT to believe.
A real problem with this subject matter is that material usually falls into one of two categories:
(1)it dimisses fact in order to maintain tradition
(2)it dimisses tradition because it is not objectively factual
Both of these positions assume that myth or metaphor is diametrically opposed to truth. This is not the case, I have studied the Bible for years now, I recognize that it is a collection of diverse writings based on ancient oral traditions from a wide variety of different places and different times. It contains many revisions, mistakes, additions and contradictions. It is not factually, historically accurate and probably was never intended to be taken as such. However, it also is the most influential and important piece of literature in the Western world. It is full of beauty, wisdom and inspiration.
As a Rastaman I cannot turn away from the Bible just because people before me have misinterpreted and misused it, or because of its internal flaws. Instead InI embrace it as an aid in helping I to be a better person and to give a deeper sense of meaning to I life.
consider:
If I say that Ark I is the salt of the earth, one could argue with I that he is not salt he is a human being. BUT, does that mean that I was wrong?
This illustrates my overstanding of biblical scripture, it is not untrue even though it is not factually accurate.
It is my opinion that one should niether dimiss the Bible because it is not the inerrant word of God nor dismiss science and history because they don't align with the Bible, but rather recognize that myth is a universal pre-requisite to any culture. Let us give myth it's rightful place in the human experience alongside science and history and not opposed to them.
ONE LOVE
A great introduction to the art and science of critical/historical analysis of the Bible (specifically the Torah and O.T.) can be found in the new book "How To Read The Bible" by Marc Brettler, and Ehrman's "The Orthodox Corruption of Scripture" discusses analysis of the N.T.
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