Dr Simon Reads The Bible (An Atheist Explores Sacred Texts). Introduction

My main series for now is going to be me working my way through the Bible and commenting. I'm taking it roughly 5 chapters at a time (sometimes one or two more or less if books end on a number not divisible by five), and hoping to post something more or less daily on week days.

Now, since this is potentially a contentious issue my aim is not to set out to "disprove" or insult the Bible, or any other sacred texts I may get to. I will, however, most likely offer some robust criticism from time to time of sentiments expressed therein or logical inconsistencies that crop up. From that standpoint, however, I'm treating it as any other kind of mythology - the exact details don't really matter compared to the concepts expressed. Out of respect I'll be capitalising personal pronouns when they refer to God or Jesus.

On a personal note, I'm not a believer. I was raised in a nominally CofE environment, and my primary school took its CofE denomination quite seriously - we had weekly visits from the local vicar and classes in "scripture". But the idea never took hold with me. Perhaps being a reader from an early age, I was already familiar with ideas of myths and fantasy, and it just never occurred to me that the tales of Noah or Daniel or Jesus were supposed to be any more true than the adventures of Pooh and Piglet or Professor Branestawm. 

 I have read some of the Bible before - we were given personalised copies of the New English version of the New Testament at my school (I said they took the religious part seriously) for the Queen's Silver Jubilee, which I eventually read twenty years later. I also read part of the Old Testament in the New English Version, getting as far as 1 Samuel, as I recall. Plus, of course, there were those "scripture" lessons, so its not entirely alien to me.

I'm also interested in the Byzantine Empire, and "dark ages" history, and so have become quite familiar with the early Christian Church through works by John Julius Norwich (his histories of both Byzantium and the Popes), Judith Herrin, Robin Lane Fox (particularly his "Pagans and Christians" and "Augustine"), Tom Holland (especially In the Shadow of the Sword) and also James George Frazer's "The Golden Bough" as well works such as "The Golden Legend" by Jacobus de Voragine and the Oxford Dictionary of Saints. I'm no stranger to epic poems from Christian-themed ones like The Divine Comedy and Paradise Lost to those based in other religions like the Kalavela and Ovid's Metamorphoses. On top of that, a voracious appetire for mythologies and mythological themes. Overall, religion is to me more of an intellectual pursuit than a personal and emotional one.

I've chosen the King James Version as my go-to source for a couple of reasons. I found the language of the New English versions bland, and, opaque as it sometimes is, the language is much more poetic, and also it gives rise to many vernacular expressions we still use today. It's also the most well-known of the various English translations. I've used this site https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/ which also offers other translations of verses and Matthew Henry's commentaries, both of which prove useful from time to time.

Comments are open for intelligent discussion. I appreciate that some people will have very strongly felt beliefs and may take this is an excuse for delivering abuse to myself or other commenters (assuming, vainly, that there might be any). I ask you, politely, not to engage in such behaviour. You can probably also save yourself the effort of telling me that I'm reading the Bible the "wrong" way, and if you feel the need to tell me that you'll pray for me, why not make a donation to Save the Children or some cancer research charity of your choice instead. It'll have more obvious concrete benefits to people who need it more than me. Similarly, let's not go around telling people that they are ignorant and superstitious for having a faith, eh? We know we can all get along really.

How will this read-through go? Will I be born again? Or will I lose the will to live halfway through Numbers? Read on and find out...

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