Most atheists have never read the bible

[McCulloch]

Most atheists have never read the bible and so I believe that if they had, the basics would be the same. Clearly they do not speak as if they have this knowledge.

I throw down the gauntlet. Faith has made a positive claim. Either back up this claim with evidence or withdraw it.

On a less confrontational note, do atheists reject religion and God because they are ignorant of religion as many staunch religionists claim?

[Cephus]

Virtually every atheist I know has an extensive knowledge of the Bible, in fact I'd wager that most atheists know the Bible better than Christians do, that's why we reject it.

If more people would read the Bible, more people would realize what ridiculous nonsense it is and toss it out in the refuse heap.

[Zzyzx]

One of the gross errors made by Christian debaters is assuming that Non-Christians are ignorant of the bible. Underestimating the opposition is often fatal (or at least very disadvantageous).

Bible promoters and defenders appear to disregard the preponderance of irrational statements contained in the bible AND the great emphasis upon atrocities supposedly committed by “god� or approved by “god�.

It is not surprising that many who have studied the bible thoroughly reject it completely.

GE 6:11-17, 7:11-24 God is unhappy with the wickedness of man and decides to do something about it. He kills every living thing on the face of the earth other than Noah's family and thereby makes himself the greatest mass murderer in history.

GE 19:26 God personally sees to it that Lot's wife is turned to a pillar of salt (for having looked behind her while fleeing the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah).

GE 38:9 "... whenever he lay with his brother's wife, he spilled his semen on the ground to keep from producing offspring for his brother. What he did was wicked ..., so the Lord put him to death."

EX 9:22-25 A plague of hail from the Lord strikes down everything in the fields of Egypt both man and beast except in Goshen where the Israelites reside.

EX 12:29 The Lord kills all the first-born in the land of Egypt.

EX 17:13 With the Lord's approval, Joshua mows down Amalek and his people.

EX 21:20-21 With the Lord's approval, a slave may be beaten to death with no punishment for the perpetrator as long as the slave doesn't die too quickly.

EX 32:27 "Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.

EX 32:27-29 With the Lord's approval, the Israelites slay 3000 men.

LE 26:7-8 The Lord promises the Israelites that, if they are obedient, their enemies will "fall before your sword."

LE 26:22 "I will also send wild beasts among you, which shall rob you of your children."

LE 26:29, DT 28:53, JE 19:9, EZ 5:8-10 As a punishment, the Lord will cause people to eat the flesh of their own sons and daughters and fathers and friends.

LE 27:29 Human sacrifice is condoned. (Note: An example is given in JG 11:30-39)

NU 11:33 The Lord smites the people with a great plague.

NU 12:1-10 God makes Miriam a leper for seven days because she and Aaron had spoken against Moses.

NU 15:32-36 A Sabbath breaker (who had gathered sticks for a fire) is stoned to death at the Lord's command.

NU 16:27-33 The Lord causes the earth to open and swallow up the men and their households (including wives and children) because the men had been rebellious.

The list continues at http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/ ... ocity.html

Those who are being encouraged to worship the “god� depicted in the bible and those who promote such worship might consider WHY anyone would worship an irrational, genocidal, egomaniac.

[JoeyKnothead]

At the risk of throwing the numbers off, I have not read the entire bible, nor do I think it necessary to do so to argue its many errors, to wit...

I have made several attempts through the years to read the bible, but it is just so silly I can't get through it. There are plenty of religious messages in society for me to have a good understanding of it though. When arguing against specific passages I can look the passage up through many avenues, so that I am informed in my position.

Further, I learn plenty about the bible, and theists, when I hear of the 'war on christmas', 'the gay agenda', 'gay marriage will destroy the family', 'expelled: no intelligence allowed', 'obama is the antichrist' (got that little gem in an email), 'no beer sales on sunday', 'you're an atheist? oh you're gonna burn in hell', 'god hates america', 'god caused katrina', 'this nation was founded as a christian nation', 'this bill is to ensure intellectual freedom', 'you're not a true christian because...' the list goes on and on and on and on.

Of course I'm here in the bible belt, combating these silly notions so y'all atheists in more modern states can enjoy it, please pray for me

I see many times in these debates where the atheist is informed in the position he takes. I do notice that when the debate is centered around evolution/id, the theist is often uninformed, and more often has never really studied the issue (this can be discerned from the questions asked, and statements made, by the theist). (I know I keep coming back to evo/id, but I have more knowledge in this area than others)

[McCulloch]

My own anecdotal evidence seems to point to those who would call themselves atheists are less ignorant of religion than agnostics.

[cnorman18]

Virtually every atheist I have ever met or conversed with has read the entire Bible.

That many atheists may be unfamiliar with the teachings of a particular religion is quite another matter. Though most of the basic teachings of Christianity are explicitly stated in the NT, not all are for every denomination of that faith.

It is very difficult indeed to infer the teachings of modern Judaism from the OT, as I have stated and proven here many times. Ignorance of those teachings is rather more the rule than the exception among non-Jews in general, never mind atheists.

That is not to say that such ignorance in itself invalidates an atheist's position, or even calls it into question. If one regards the existence of God as unlikely or impossible, the details of a particular set of religious beliefs don't seem to me as if they would matter much.

[Cathar1950]

My own anecdotal evidence seems to point to those who would call themselves atheists are less ignorant of religion than agnostics.

That has also been my experience.
It is often the Christians that are ignorant of the Bible. Some only know passages that are part of their indoctrination and have little knowledge of its history or production.
Many atheist have read and rejected much of the Bible.
Reading it might not be a good use of timme if you hold positions about the Bible that don't make much sense such as being inerrant or even historical.
I suggest if you think it is the Word of Gos as the Word of God is discribed in the Bible you have not read it closely.

[Skyler]

I am a Christian, and I would have to say that probably the one group of people who are the most well-versed in the Bible are those who oppose it, namely atheists and agnostics. Many Christians, unfortunately, don't know where they stand and are therefore unable to stand in the face of the seemingly overwhelming arguments of the opposition.

However, it seems that many atheists also do not know where they stand, as they claim to "not believe in the existence of a God", meaning that they are refraining from taking a position either way--it's non-falsifiable and therefore they are actually taking an agnostic position rather than an atheistic one.

[cnorman18]

I am a Christian, and I would have to say that probably the one group of people who are the most well-versed in the Bible are those who oppose it, namely atheists and agnostics. Many Christians, unfortunately, don't know where they stand and are therefore unable to stand in the face of the seemingly overwhelming arguments of the opposition.

However, it seems that many atheists also do not know where they stand, as they claim to "not believe in the existence of a God", meaning that they are refraining from taking a position either way--it's non-falsifiable and therefore they are actually taking an agnostic position rather than an atheistic one.

I've noticed that in "the real world," but you won't see much of it around here. I guess if you don't care enough to take a stand, you don't care enough to discuss it on a forum. Most of the members here have pretty strong convictions on the subject, one way or another.

About as close as you'll get to what you're talking about are a few members, Iike Zzyzx and me, who have strong convictions but are willing to admit they might be wrong.

[faith]

Most atheists have never read the bible and so I believe that if they had, the basics would be the same. Clearly they do not speak as if they have this knowledge.

I throw down the gauntlet. Faith has made a positive claim. Either back up this claim with evidence or withdraw it.

On a less confrontational note, do atheists reject religion and God because they are ignorant of religion as many staunch religionists claim?

It is a fact that they do not show any knowledge of having read the bible in their posts. The evidence shows this to be case that they cannot have read the bible if they cannot argue on the basis of it's contents. So let us see who has the read the bible.

What is the basis for the bible and what does the whole contents of the bible actually teach. If they have read it then that can answer these questions which all bible scholars can answer. It must not be taked from a site they must answer the question this way we will know if they have read it.......

So take up your Gaunlet and lets do the numbers as they reply....We will see how much they know as we go along.

Love Faith.xx