the bible is pretty gruesome, but it's an iron age text - no less gruesome than the illiad, and really just as well written. it's really an elaborate justification for the jewish state, nothing more or less. "why do we have kings? why don't we kill them?". here, read this, kid...
....and the part about cutting the concubine up into 12 pieces (each representing a tribe of israel) is meant to describe the period of violence and anarchy that occurred before there was a centralized state, tying into the text's central purpose as a justification for that state. it's a hobbesian fairy tale. in fact, the village responsible for the crime was then burnt down by the israelites - which is a problematic reaction and everything but indicates it was taken seriously. in fact, the burning of the village is also presented critically.
so, it's one thing to point out there's a lot of gore in there. it's another to understand why it's in there.
ghenulo
It's impossible to understand why people live their life by this barbaric ancient fairy tale.
deathtokoalas
well, it's a little confusing why people still hold to it, sure. but it's really not hard to understand why the stories were written as they were written. there are entire departments at universities for this, and they present compelling arguments.
i'll admit the idea of the jewish scriptures as a justification for the jewish state is partially an original idea - the idea is danced around frequently, but i'm being far more explicit than anything i've read. it's also blatantly obvious if you sit down and actually read the damned thing.
ghenulo
If people took it as ancient literature, these satires wouldn't be necessary. But alas, we live in a crazy world in which horrible things are done in the name of these writings. Perhaps you heard about the man in Iran who got beheaded for doubting the story of Jonah. You don't see satires of the Iliad because everyone knows that it's historical fiction.
deathtokoalas
well, not everybody interprets it as fiction, but the people that don't tend not to seek power.
what i'm getting across is that disarming it means rationalizing it.
Damian Freeman (TheExceeder)
I really do think things like the Bible should probably be put in the Adults-only section. Knowing half the content of it makes me feel disturbed when I see those fluffy "Children's Bibles".
Also, am I the only one who finds it rather off that they never sell the individual books separately? They always force you to buy the damned compilation. I'm pretty sure if the books were all separated and presented individually we'd be able to find, on average, which ones that Christians actually endorse.
