Bible Study

One of the clearest symptoms of an unthinking mindset is a failure to examine an idea before dismissing it. The vast majority of creationists are guilty of this; many of them claim to have "studied" science without having taken a single post-secondary course in the subject, or to have "studied" evolution without reading a single pro-evolution book (in many cases, they actively avoid such materials). Somewhat paradoxically, the majority of them have not even read the Bible; they seem to prefer reading what other people say about the Bible (or about evolution) rather than going to the source.

It would be a mistake for science advocates to behave in the same manner; if one says that the Bible is nonsense, one should read it first. It is the antithesis of critical thought to dismiss an idea without knowing what it is; that is how religions function, by warning you that the other side is seductive and deceptive and you should not listen to them. True skepticism is the rejection of unfounded ideas only after inspecting them to ensure that they are in fact unfounded.

Fortunately, Biblical creationism is entirely derived from the first two chapters of the Book of Genesis, so you can stop there if you want to inspect the source material for creationism. The rest of the Bible is only necessary if you intend to discuss the Bible's utility as a moral guide or historical document.

With the above in mind, click on one of the following links in order to learn more about the Bible.

Skeptic Theology 101

Reference: Old Testament Violence

Continue to Reference: Old Testament Violence

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