Americans value the Bible and as many as 9 in 10 households own a Bible. Some own as many as three or four. A recent survey suggests that slightly over half think America would be worse off without the Bible. source Presidents are sworn in using the Bible and in some cases courtroom witnesses are sworn in using the Bible. Clearly, the Bible is held in high regard.
This regard, however, doesn't result in equal levels of reading the Bible. Only 1 in 5 Americans have read all of it and only 9% have read all it more than once:
This leads to these questions for debate:
Why do so few Americans read the Bible even though it is held in high regard?
Is it possible that it is viewed highly because few have read all of it?
Tcg
Why do so few Americans read the Bible they value?
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Why do so few Americans read the Bible they value?
Post #1To be clear: Atheism is not a disbelief in gods or a denial of gods; it is a lack of belief in gods.
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Re: Why do so few Americans read the Bible they value?
Post #2Tcg wrote: ↑Wed Oct 27, 2021 3:25 pm Americans value the Bible and as many as 9 in 10 households own a Bible. Some own as many as three or four. A recent survey suggests that slightly over half think America would be worse off without the Bible. source Presidents are sworn in using the Bible and in some cases courtroom witnesses are sworn in using the Bible. Clearly, the Bible is held in high regard.
This regard, however, doesn't result in equal levels of reading the Bible. Only 1 in 5 Americans have read all of it and only 9% have read all it more than once:
This leads to these questions for debate:
Why do so few Americans read the Bible even though it is held in high regard?
Of those Christians I know/knew most, I think, find it booooring and reading the whole thing entirely unnecessary. "Okay god, I got your message: Praise Jesus and love thy neighbor . . . . unless, that is, he happens to be actively gay, in which case I should kill him."
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Re: Why do so few Americans read the Bible they value?
Post #3Im not American and I cannot say for sure, perhaps they do not in fact hold it in as high a regard as one might assume.
Anything is possible.
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"For if we live, we live to Jehovah, and if we die, we die to Jehovah. So both if we live and if we die, we belong to Jehovah" - Romans 14:8
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 81#p826681
"For if we live, we live to Jehovah, and if we die, we die to Jehovah. So both if we live and if we die, we belong to Jehovah" - Romans 14:8
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Re: Why do so few Americans read the Bible they value?
Post #4Then why do 9 out of 10 households own a copy of the Bible?JehovahsWitness wrote: ↑Wed Oct 27, 2021 4:55 pmPerhaps they do not in fact hold it in as high a regard as one might assume.
No, it isn't. Regardless, the question is if this is possible.Anything is possible.
Tcg
To be clear: Atheism is not a disbelief in gods or a denial of gods; it is a lack of belief in gods.
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Not believing isn't the same as believing not.
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I must assume that knowing is better than not knowing, venturing than not venturing; and that magic and illusion, however rich, however alluring, ultimately weaken the human spirit.
- Irvin D. Yalom
- American Atheists
Not believing isn't the same as believing not.
- wiploc
I must assume that knowing is better than not knowing, venturing than not venturing; and that magic and illusion, however rich, however alluring, ultimately weaken the human spirit.
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Re: Why do so few Americans read the Bible they value?
Post #5In my experience, mostly out of tradition. I cannot speak for Americans but Britain, a protestant country, still has strong Christian traditions which means most housholds have a bible... Or because its one of the free items one tends to accumulate in life (gifts, preachers, school ) . Superstition : religious people might believe having one in the home or in their car protect them in some way and a few people I know feel "weird" throwing out a bible, even if they never read it. It might be one of those things (like watching CITZEN CAIN) everyone thinks it would be good to get round to reading one day but few ever do ...
Last edited by JehovahsWitness on Wed Oct 27, 2021 5:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.
INDEX: More bible based ANSWERS
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 81#p826681
"For if we live, we live to Jehovah, and if we die, we die to Jehovah. So both if we live and if we die, we belong to Jehovah" - Romans 14:8
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 81#p826681
"For if we live, we live to Jehovah, and if we die, we die to Jehovah. So both if we live and if we die, we belong to Jehovah" - Romans 14:8
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Re: Why do so few Americans read the Bible they value?
Post #6Yes it is possibe.
INDEX: More bible based ANSWERS
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 81#p826681
"For if we live, we live to Jehovah, and if we die, we die to Jehovah. So both if we live and if we die, we belong to Jehovah" - Romans 14:8
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 81#p826681
"For if we live, we live to Jehovah, and if we die, we die to Jehovah. So both if we live and if we die, we belong to Jehovah" - Romans 14:8
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Re: Why do so few Americans read the Bible they value?
Post #7I wonder whether there is much evidence of correlation between 'regard' and percentage of the Bible having been read?
If all someone knows about the Bible are a few of the more profound and beautiful passages (and there are several of those), then it would be reasonable (in my opinion) for them to hold the book in some regard.
Learning more of the genocides, myths that contradict basic science, outdated morals, etc. might cause the same person to take a more negative view of the same book.
But for those who take the time to properly read it all and study it, I could certainly see their regard increasing again. Even as a non-believer, I can agree that the Bible is a remarkable book and does contain many things of value. And I'm stating that as someone who hasn't read it all - only maybe about two-thirds all up.
I've read a lot more of it since joining this site. I've gained an appreciation of some of its subtleties, as well as its egregious faults. I expect the answer to why so few Americans read the Bible lies in psychology: to what level do you feel comfortable valuing something when you only know a little bit about it? As a scientist, I'm rarely comfortable if I only have cursory knowledge of a subject. If it's something big and complex like economics or climate change, I'm loathe to place a high value on just one scholarly article that claims to predict future interest rates or sea-level rises.
"I know what I know and that's enough for me" might be the kind of prevalent attitude we're seeing in that survey.
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Re: Why do so few Americans read the Bible they value?
Post #8Please note the O.P. title: Why do so few Americans read the Bible they value?JehovahsWitness wrote: ↑Wed Oct 27, 2021 5:22 pm
I cannot speak for Americans but Britain, a protestant country, still has strong Christian traditions which means most housholds have a bible...
Tcg
To be clear: Atheism is not a disbelief in gods or a denial of gods; it is a lack of belief in gods.
- American Atheists
Not believing isn't the same as believing not.
- wiploc
I must assume that knowing is better than not knowing, venturing than not venturing; and that magic and illusion, however rich, however alluring, ultimately weaken the human spirit.
- Irvin D. Yalom
- American Atheists
Not believing isn't the same as believing not.
- wiploc
I must assume that knowing is better than not knowing, venturing than not venturing; and that magic and illusion, however rich, however alluring, ultimately weaken the human spirit.
- Irvin D. Yalom
- JehovahsWitness
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Re: Why do so few Americans read the Bible they value?
Post #9Tcg wrote: ↑Wed Oct 27, 2021 5:33 pmPlease note the O.P. title: Why do so few Americans read the Bible they value?JehovahsWitness wrote: ↑Wed Oct 27, 2021 5:22 pm
I cannot speak for Americans but Britain, a protestant country, still has strong Christian traditions which means most housholds have a bible...
Tcg
I did note. Indeed I commented that I had noted, but the OP has indeed been duly noted (again). Thanks.
INDEX: More bible based ANSWERS
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 81#p826681
"For if we live, we live to Jehovah, and if we die, we die to Jehovah. So both if we live and if we die, we belong to Jehovah" - Romans 14:8
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 81#p826681
"For if we live, we live to Jehovah, and if we die, we die to Jehovah. So both if we live and if we die, we belong to Jehovah" - Romans 14:8
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Re: Why do so few Americans read the Bible they value?
Post #10I suspect, at least somewhat, that some don't want to read the Bible because they're afraid they might discover that it doesn't say what they want it to say.