THE BIBLE AS I SEE IT. (The Bible)

Member Name: thingywhatsit

Product:	The Bible
Date:	26/04/05 (82 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: It has so much to offer.

Disadvantages: It isn't read enough.

I know that a lot of readers find the subject of the Bible a little uncomfortable and question, in their disbelief of God, the relevance of a book like this in their lives, and that many readers may also question my right to review such a book. I am not going to review in the traditional way, i.e. contents, length, price, etc., too much at all. For me, the importance of telling people a little more about how I believe it can enhance their lives, is far more important.

You could ask yourself if I am significant enough a writer to be able to write a review about such a great book, and here I would argue that the Bible was written for everyone, and without going into the intricacies of the Bible in a "Bible thumping" manner, if I pursuade one person to read it and to change their view about what the Bible offers an individual, then I will have achieved my purpose.

I have researched a lot about what people think of the Bible, and there are those who bore us to death with origins, and theories, and even those who believe that the Bible actually proves that there is no God. Research it yourself and you will see what I mean. I have spoken to many Americans online, who shout "Praise be" and make all the right noises, and then live their lives outside of rules of decency that I actually believe are part of who I am. Read the questions below and see if you are a person that the Bible could help.

Have you ever helped out a stranger ?
Have you ever been helped out by a stranger ?
Have you ever question life changing events ?
Have you ever believed that there is no God ?
Have you ever believed that God is indeed a reality ?

Whichever category of person you find that you are, the Bible has relevance for you. It is not a book that is easy to read like fiction, and one of the most relevant things that I read in the Bible is that people are not supposed to translate the meaning of the Bible. The last page says that if you add to it, so will bad things be added to your life, and if you detract from it, so will things be detracted from your life. This is a pretty hefty warning as to what the Bible is about and a lot of people seem to have missed the point here somewhere.

To me, the Bible is a Menu for life. So, you don't believe that man was made and then woman created from the rib of a man, but have you ever thought that the book could have been written in a demonstrative way, demonstrating possibilities, from the creation of a human being right through to death. There are unbelieveable stories within the Bible, ones that make you question the validity of the Bible, but if you get things into the correct context, the stories that the Bible unfolds relate to everyday events, and have morals that are undeniable, although each individual has to question those morals and see which ones are relevant to their own lives.

There are many pictures conjured up by the Bible of war, death, the wiping out of all the inhabitants of the earth when the world was flooded and when Noah took his ark with creatures of all kinds on it, adrift on the water until the storms had passed. The pictures conjured up by these stories are the ones that count to me, more than the actual story itself. This story was a story of how God forgives. At the end of the storm, he wanted human kind to be sure that he would never do that again, and gave us the gift of a rainbow. How would this relate to our lives ? To me, it does relate to my life. I question events like the Tsunami, and then a couple of months later see a rainbow, and my questions are answered. God is still there, looking after me, even though the movement of the world and the tides that took so many lives made me question my belief for a moment in time.

This book is one of the greatest books ever written, a combination of writers, some taken from spoken word, but it is not the contents that matter to me. It is that over a period of fifty years, I have sought solace in this book, and have usually found the answers to questions that baffle me about my own small existence on this earth. For instance, why do we have different languages, and problems with misunderstanding between different races ? There is a wonderful demonstration of how human beings became too big for their boots, and that language and race was introduced to show humans that the picture was bigger than them, and it certainly is. What people did with that difference in cultures, languages and colours is the fault of human beings, rather than any act of God, and the Bible in its story of the city of Babel makes the whole concept of language and race understandable to me.

I am actually convinced that no matter how small or how large my problems are in life, and no matter how insignificant I am in the order of things, all answers to all questions within my life lie within the pages of the Bible. Of course, churches and religions have translated the Bible to suit themselves from time to time, although here I would say that was human error, rather than an error in the book itself. Frequently in my life, I have sought help of priests and vicars and even our village nuns here in France, and they cannot adequately give me answers, and I am even more drawn into the fact that I know without question, the true answers lie within the pages of the Bible, waiting to be discovered.

My father was a great believer in God, and never questioned his existence, even though he was a scientist and had no scientific proof of the existence of God. The Bible was very important to him, and he guided me through the St James Version, which I now own in leather backed version, which is available from Amazon.com. Which version to read is always baffling, as there are many available, though to me, I chose to stick with this version because of its familiarity. I do ponder upon who makes profit out of these Bibles, and can only imagine that it is actually the publishers, but to my mind, looking at the Bible from a very simple standpoint, it is worth every bit as much as I paid for it at £17.00. I also noted that there were versions for sale on Amazon.com which were really suitable for giving to bridesmaids, or people being confirmed, or simply to a friend that is seeking solace, and the nice thing about these is the white leather cover, and keepsake value of the book.

There are many questions that I have to ask the Bible and I know that over the period of my life, all questions will be answered because I have an inquisitive mind. The poetic value of the Bible is unquestionable as well, and I find hope within the pages of one of the worlds most important books.

Before you dismiss it as not being relevant to your life, the question is not whether or not you are religious. The question is "Do you seek help at understanding the very roots of life, and the ways in which your behaviour during the short time that you are here in earth affects the balance of every person and every creature you come into contact with?". All of this can be found in the Bible.

There are thousands of reviews on the Bible all over the internet. What is different about mine is just that, that it is my view. I have lived a life which insists on questions, a life that many can only imagine and some cannot even do that. Within my seeking answers, I found this book to be a menu for life and have much to learn, much to understand, and perhaps will never fully understand the menu, although the fact that I looked, that I understood what little I looked at, and that it enhanced my life gives me the right to come and tell readers that this is one book that every sighted person should have on their bookshelf.

Rachel

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