I’m not OP and I’m not religious. I read the Bible to learn about many of the cultural references to it and to see what the big deal was. I was fascinated by two sections: Ecclesiastes, in which the author explains why “there is nothing new under the sun “, and Relevations which seems to be an incredible drug-induced hallucination about how the world will end. Whether true or not, Revelations is entertaining. I treat it the same way I do reading “Lord of the Rings”. Entertainment and a good story.
Ecclesiastes may be my favorite book of the Old Testament as I find it provides a very pragmatic perspective on modern day materialism and other vices.
I don't want to start a theological flame war here but I think it's extremely unfortunate that the Dispensationalist's view of Revelation is the face of North American Protestantism. It's a rather new theology (mid 1800's) but I think it's what most non Christians, that have more than a passing interest in such matters, ascribe to the faith. For those of us who don't subscribe to this theology, the events predicted in Revelation already happened in 70 A.D.
Well, I still read it multiple times a week :). I wasn't raised in a Christian home but I discovered Christ while I was in college. As many people in this age group, I was trying to make sense of my surroundings and experiences. I read a number of writings during this time and was exposed to different world views in a World Religions class if IRC. I read some eastern philosophy, Zen, Confucius etc. But I found the Bible provided the best description and explanations of what I experienced and witnessed in the world. I also think it provided the best description of our existence, meaning and purpose as a species. However, there was no one big Aha moment or anything like that. It was a gradual process and took many years to come to this opinion.
As a Christian, I believe there is always something to be learned from the Holy Scriptures and that the words themselves have significance beyond just letters on a page. The apostle John started his gospel with these words: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." I take this quite literally.
How has the Bible changed my life? I believe the commitment to Christ's teachings and the seeking of the Holy Spirit's counsel is the primary reason I've been happily married for 25 years and have been blessed with two sons that have grown into very lovable and capable young men themselves. Obviously it's not all been a bed of roses, marriage and life is hard at times. But the teachings, hope and promise provide by Christ Jesus has assisted me immensely in navigating life's hurdles.
