Does it Matter if Christians no Longer Read the Bible


Quite often on Christian sites there is someone lamenting facts found in surveys. This one laments Christians increasingly are not regular readers of the Bible. A while back about 15% read the Bible daily. Now it is about 10%. 

One of the consequences, the link preacher says, is people go off in many directions instead of staying within their denominations. Haven't they always done this? We have a gazillion denominations passed down from decades past. What is happening now is merely what has always happened in Christianity.

The link tells readers Christians must study the Bible because "it's all we have."

"We have nothing else. We have no pope, we have no structure that keeps us together, no matter what we believe. We need to sit down and study the Bible, know the Scriptures, and be properly equipped for ministry."

The link author was writing about rural preachers, often lay preachers, who volunteer in churches that can no longer afford paid preachers. It could apply to every Christian.

I must admit I do not see why it matters the faithful do not read or know the Bible. Since the Bible was first written readers have been arguing about what it says and/or what it means. If there is not agreement on what it says or means why does it matter that believers don't know what's in there. If they did read it and remember it they would only have to deal with a small army of other Bible readers who disagreed with them as to what it means.

Since we don't know who actually wrote the Bible it stands to reason we can't know who or what it was meant to say. The best thing devout Christians can do is forget about it and develop their own manual for living their faith.

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