An Atheist's Guide to the Bible
Why would an atheist read the Bible?
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Enjoying the Bible in a world without God
Why would an atheist want to read the Bible at all? Of course, you could get by quite happily without reading it. But there are three good reasons why it is worth while:
1. It is one of the finest products of ancient literature
We can directly appreciate the literary quality of the Bible - who can fail to be touched by the story of Ruth, the orphan girl whose future is secured by her kinsman Boaz, ancestor of King David? Or consider the fable of Noah as he works to save earth's animals from the deluge - not for nothing is the metaphor of the ark used by environmentalists in our own time as we confront the threat of global extinction of species. These and many other stories are there to be enjoyed, some familiar, some unfamiliar. See Five short stories from the Old Testament.
The Bible is a window onto a different age, an ancient world of miracles and prophets, of gods and angels, where the whole of human existence is portrayed as the dramatic struggle of an ever-loving God trying to lead his rebellious creatures to salvation.
As an integral part of our culture for many centuries, the Bible is the source of a surprising number of commonplace sayings - "there is nothing new under the sun" (Ecclesiastes), "don't cast your pearls before swine" (Jesus).
2. For spiritual insight
Most of what is in the Bible was written by people seeking their own spiritual truths. It preserves for us their attempts to define their religious ideas. This kind of sacred literature is still popular among many modern people who do not belong to the major religions. The writings associated with Asian religions such as Buddhism and Hinduism are especially popular in the West - such as the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita and the Diamond Sutra. We should not neglect the Biblical writings in our spiritual search.
For example, the book of Ecclesiastes is part of a tradition of wisdom literature which uses analogies and pithy sayings to make us think about our life and the way we live it. The well-known book of Job is a masterful drama investigating the question of why God allows suffering in the world - although many moderns may agree with Carl Jung in thinking that the answers the book provides are less than adequate.
In the New Testament, the ethical precepts of Jesus, the hopeful blessings of the Sermon on the Mount and the mystical theology of John's Gospel are among the brightest stars in the galaxy of Western religious thought.
Because the Bible was written by many people and then edited in line with successive priestly ideologies, of course it can be difficult to view it afresh. Perhaps because many western seekers have been exposed to Christian dogma from an early age we find it hard to see the Bible for what it is, because we know we reject the conclusions of the church which preaches it.
With religious writing from other traditions this is easier because we feel more free to pick and choose. How many people who find inspiration from the Bhagavad Gita have read the whole of the Mahabharata, of which it is a part? Even fewer will wish to become practising Hindus. In the modern world we have access to so much of the wisdom of the past - we can make our choices based on our own reading and discussion, without being bound to religious dogma.
3. To debate with Christians
A pastime that is not to everyone's taste, perhaps. But if we as atheists believe we have a sufficient spiritual existence without adhering to monotheist dogma, perhaps we can explain that to believers and try to find out why they believe what they do.
A further reason to debate with Christians is the rise in some countries of right-wing movements based on fundamentalist Christian beliefs. Politically, I think it is important to counter this tendency with reasoned argument to promote a humanist approach to ethics and society. See Debates about the Bible.
There are many atheist resources on the web, and of course many Christian sites too. I hope that this site is a useful addition - a detailed guide to the Bible from an atheist perspective.
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