When Did the Bible Start to Fail


I read almost daily on Christian sites that Christians should read and use the Bible in all aspects of their lives. This is in their politics, personal and professional lives. It is often said that U. S. Christianity is "Bible Based." I have seen billboards along highways advertising individual churches which say, "Ours is a Bible-Based Church." It is my understanding the two broad branches of Christianity, Catholic and Protestant, approach the Bible differently, Catholics relying on clergy to explain the Bible's message while Protestants are to read it directly. With all this focus on the Bible, why do surveys show people are reading the Bible less than in previous times?

Some historians conclude U.S. society has been far more focused on Bible reading than was Europe. In the U.S. the founding fathers liked the community harmony they thought the Bible taught and spoke well of it. The ebb and flow of the Bible's influence and the various directions of the public's faith was reviewed in a recent book which tried to generalize about what has happened and what is happening today.  

We all know that before the Civil War there was slavery. During that period two sides were certain absolutely they knew what the Bible instructed about slavery. Did the Bible approve or disapprove of it? The link author mentions a historian who thinks the pro slavery Christians actually had the strongest case between the two. Surely those on both sides and those in the middle had to conclude the Bible was working for both sides while at the same time religious people found it the source of "truth." The link author concludes the Bible has never held the same authority in the U.S. as it did before the Civil War.

Maybe this is part of the explanation for Susan Jacoby's book where she wrote about what she found in U.S. newspapers during the last half of the 1800's. She found the country awash with atheist organizations and participation in atheist causes. A block from me is a street called "Ingersoll Avenue." I assume it is named after Robert Ingersoll who was an orator during that period attacking huge crowds. He was an agnostic and gave famous speeches on the topic.

The 1900's saw a big influx of Christian Europeans, however, and the Bible was back on the coffee table. Yet, the conflicting message in the Bible on slavery has never been resolved. It's no surprise its stock price has fallen. 

Comments

  1. Ardy BMarch 17, 2023 at 5:10 AM

    How about a “Bible Based” rationale used by some Oklahoma Republican lawmakers for voting down a bill that would have banned school personnel from hitting, spanking and slapping disabled students as a form of discipline. This s—t just keeps getting sicker. These Christian legislators are spoiled by their Book and need the rod.
    https://www.huffpost.com/entry/oklahoma-corporal-punishment-legislation-disabled-students_n_6413ad41e4b0a3902d2fc0b6

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. JonMarch 17, 2023 at 7:18 AM

      Ardy B "How about a 'Bible Based' rational..."

      To paraphrase the founding fathers who refused to make Christianity the state religion, "If you let religion and its advocates people run government, things go bat $hit crazy." From Trump's appointees to the Supreme Court to local school boards, that's what is happening.

      Delete
    2. Ardy BMarch 19, 2023 at 9:42 AM

      The seeds of disenchantment with the Christian faith are sown in Sunday School and Catechism. Memories of ill-tempered nuns, “Say what we say when we say it. Say it again then you can go home to your toys.”, bizarre tales of supernatural beings, scary statuary, bleeding hearts wrapped in thorns, threats of perdition, all for some, given the chance, make it easy to walk away. Good for those that find comfort in the message. Better for all that find their own way.

      Delete

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