Why do so few Americans read the Bible they value?

Argue for and against Christianity

Moderator: Moderators

Post Reply
User avatar
Tcg
Savant
Posts: 8487
Joined: Tue Nov 21, 2017 5:01 am
Location: Third Stone
Has thanked: 2141 times
Been thanked: 2293 times

Why do so few Americans read the Bible they value?

Post #1

Post by Tcg »

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:

Image

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
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

User avatar
Miles
Savant
Posts: 5179
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2009 4:19 pm
Has thanked: 434 times
Been thanked: 1614 times

Re: Why do so few Americans read the Bible they value?

Post #2

Post by Miles »

Tcg 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."



.

User avatar
JehovahsWitness
Savant
Posts: 21073
Joined: Wed Sep 29, 2010 6:03 am
Has thanked: 790 times
Been thanked: 1114 times
Contact:

Re: Why do so few Americans read the Bible they value?

Post #3

Post by JehovahsWitness »

Tcg wrote: Wed Oct 27, 2021 3:25 pm
This leads to these questions for debate:
Why do so few Americans read the Bible even though it is held in high regard?
Im 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.

Tcg wrote: Wed Oct 27, 2021 3:25 pm Is it possible that it is viewed highly because few have read all of it?

Anything is possible.




Image




Jehovahs Witness

To learn more please see other posts related to...

THE BIBLE , HERMENEUTICS* and ... BEST TRANSLATION
* bible interpretation
Last edited by JehovahsWitness on Wed Oct 27, 2021 5:25 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

User avatar
Tcg
Savant
Posts: 8487
Joined: Tue Nov 21, 2017 5:01 am
Location: Third Stone
Has thanked: 2141 times
Been thanked: 2293 times

Re: Why do so few Americans read the Bible they value?

Post #4

Post by Tcg »

JehovahsWitness wrote: Wed Oct 27, 2021 4:55 pm
Tcg wrote: Wed Oct 27, 2021 3:25 pm
This leads to these questions for debate:
Why do so few Americans read the Bible even though it is held in high regard?
Perhaps they do not in fact hold it in as high a regard as one might assume.
Then why do 9 out of 10 households own a copy of the Bible?
Tcg wrote: Wed Oct 27, 2021 3:25 pm
Is it possible that it is viewed highly because few have read all of it?
Anything is possible.
No, it isn't. Regardless, the question is if this 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.

- 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

User avatar
JehovahsWitness
Savant
Posts: 21073
Joined: Wed Sep 29, 2010 6:03 am
Has thanked: 790 times
Been thanked: 1114 times
Contact:

Re: Why do so few Americans read the Bible they value?

Post #5

Post by JehovahsWitness »

Tcg wrote: Wed Oct 27, 2021 5:01 pm Then why do 9 out of 10 households own a copy of the Bible?


In 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

User avatar
JehovahsWitness
Savant
Posts: 21073
Joined: Wed Sep 29, 2010 6:03 am
Has thanked: 790 times
Been thanked: 1114 times
Contact:

Re: Why do so few Americans read the Bible they value?

Post #6

Post by JehovahsWitness »

Tcg wrote: Wed Oct 27, 2021 3:25 pm
Is it possible that it is viewed highly because few have read all of it?
Tcg wrote: Wed Oct 27, 2021 5:01 pm ....the question is if this is possible.
Yes 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

User avatar
Diagoras
Guru
Posts: 1392
Joined: Fri Jun 21, 2019 12:47 am
Has thanked: 170 times
Been thanked: 579 times

Re: Why do so few Americans read the Bible they value?

Post #7

Post by Diagoras »

Tcg wrote: Wed Oct 27, 2021 3:25 pmIs it possible that it is viewed highly because few have read all of it?
I 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.

User avatar
Tcg
Savant
Posts: 8487
Joined: Tue Nov 21, 2017 5:01 am
Location: Third Stone
Has thanked: 2141 times
Been thanked: 2293 times

Re: Why do so few Americans read the Bible they value?

Post #8

Post by Tcg »

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...
Please note the O.P. title: Why do so few Americans read the Bible they value?


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

User avatar
JehovahsWitness
Savant
Posts: 21073
Joined: Wed Sep 29, 2010 6:03 am
Has thanked: 790 times
Been thanked: 1114 times
Contact:

Re: Why do so few Americans read the Bible they value?

Post #9

Post by JehovahsWitness »

Tcg wrote: Wed Oct 27, 2021 5:33 pm
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...
Please note the O.P. title: Why do so few Americans read the Bible they value?


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

Athetotheist
Prodigy
Posts: 2690
Joined: Sat Nov 02, 2019 5:24 pm
Has thanked: 14 times
Been thanked: 484 times

Re: Why do so few Americans read the Bible they value?

Post #10

Post by Athetotheist »

I 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.

Post Reply