What would you recommend?

Ditto. Thought I don't HATE it in the slightest.

 

zombie.,

In case you haven't figured it out by now, the "Christianity" forum is really the ANTI-Cristianity forum here. If you want any actual information about Christianity, you need to post and read in the "Sanctuary" sub-forum. It seems that we are all required to respect all the rest of the world's religions on Hip Forums, but Christianity is permitted nothing but disrespect in the "Christianity" Forum. The rules from [thread=232007]the "sticky" post[/thread] above all but ensure this. However, the "Sanctuary" sub-forum has been created so that one can have an actual discussion about Christianity, mostly harassment free. Again, read and post there.

(end of rant.)

To answer your question, see post number 15 by honeyfugle. If you want to understand what the Book says without all of the thee's and thou's and begat's, get one of the "Teen Study Bibles," preferably in the Living version. Much easier to read and understand. Start in either Matthew or John. Skip around until you find something you like.

Despite all of the anger and vitriol some other posters have dumped on your idea, I have seen what you propose actually work in people's lives. It's not a magic bullet, but sometimes a real change emerges subtly and quietly when you are not looking. The one sure way to ruin the effect is to think that you are somehow better than others because you're "on the team" now. Just read and learn for love's own sake. Maybe you see results, maybe you aren't aware yet.

Good luck.

To all of those who propose "self control," well... I can't really explain it, but one of the central tenants of Christianity is that we are all incapable of making ourselves better. But by turning towards God, we give him permission to re-make us from the inside out into better people, more like we are intended to be.

Maybe that's not your path, but if you believe in the hippy ethic of live-and-let-live, then please don't trash a brother or sister for their effort to follow this path instead of yours. Your anger and hatred doesn't fit with whole "peace and love" thing. Dig?

/me sits back and waits to be trashed for this post...

 

Actually I think that needed to be said. There's a nice little culture to trash Christian beliefs, and I presume if he'd said I wish to buy the Qur'an, or the Guru Granth Sahib or a Hindu holy book it would be different response. I tend to see people who troll around religion forums like the Christianity forum spouting nothing but harrassment as being as insecure in their beliefs as the evangelical Christian types you get "converting the heathens" (bunch of hypocrites most of em). Correct me if I am wrong but it seems pretty clear to me. Besides this, the way I see it is if you have some pathological hatred for another person's way of life you either accept it and have a civil conversation to understand what they believe in or you should leave them be, not go into their places of discussion and drone on that their ideas count for nothing, when in the opposite case they would be offended at it too.

PS. the /me at the end reminds me of self-emotes in World of Warcraft (yes, I play WOW, and have got a level 80 druid )..

 

I could spend time citing the numerous passages in the Qur'an preaching hatred and violence, but to save time, you might check out the Muslim forum, where Islam is attacked as vigourously as Christianity is here.

 

Yeah, I think advising the OP to practice self-control, while fine in theory, is likely to be as effective as to advise the average teenager to practice sexual abstinence only, or to tell an overweight person they just need to push themselves away from the table. Changes like that need a program, support and reinforcement. A good self-help book could be useful, a support group would be better. Most Christians have the advantage of both--the Bible and fellowship. Buddhism offers the dharma, which is not just a bunch of ideas to be learned but an approach to life (mindfulness) to be practiced. I follow Christianity and Buddhism, and find both to be useful and not in conflict.

 

To the OP:

If you want a good bible that is 1) easy to understand, 2) has a number of good footnotes and explanations of confusing concepts get a nicely footnoted Revised Standard Version or New Revised Standard Version. The major difference between the two is that the NRSV has gender inclusive language where it is implied but not present in the original.

Reading the bible alone will not change your life, as many have said. The fact that you want to is the first real step.

EDIT: I didn't really read the first post. My suggestion was pretty bad considering

 

It's all misinterpreted. There aren't numerous passages in the Qur'an that preach hatred and violence. If you come across these passages, do you know where they come from? Do you know who translated them? Islam is the second biggest religion in the world and the fastest growing. Millions of people wouldn't choose to convert if they were converting to a religion of hatred and violence. There are a select few that have interpreted the Qur'an in the Extreme way that are only a tiny minority of the thousands of millions of Muslims that exist. There are some cultures and traditions that do horrible things to their people and traditions that affect ones own family blood in terrible ways, but these people are barbaric in their own right and not Islamic. Islamic Extremists have clearly misinterpreted these teachings, and are a small minority with a lot of power that have ruined things for everyone and given Islam a bad name. Even you seem to have a bad idea of it.

Anyway, my intention wasn't to bombard the thread of a teenager with a question with posts arguing about Islam. I haven't checked the Islamic forum here, and I haven't actually checked the Christianity forum either. I ended up in this thread because I searched 'New Posts' at the top. I imagine most people did this, and although some people have pretty strong views on religion the main response to this teen wasn't so much to actually slate the religion (though unfortunately this did happen) but to suggest that the Bible won't change this person over night. Zombie needs to learn some control and respect and face some problems, not just delve into an open book expecting incredible results.

Also, the people who suggested the Qur'an among other books were merely trying to say: Why the Bible? Why not other Holy Books? But this seemed to upest a couple of people, unintentionally.

The last point I want to make is- What's with all this hate between the religions anyway? If you're not religious then great, you have every right to feel strongly against religion and to be opinionated. If you are religious then that's great too, and although I think you should be intouch will your religion and favour it among others, where the hell is the respect? People shouldn't be offended by someone talking about and suggesting a Bible, and visa versa people shouldn't have a problem with suggesting the Qur'an. By all means have a favourite but don't hate. At the end of the day, those who believe all pray to one God. Has everyone forgotten the connections between Christianity and Islam (and Judaism too)? Islam accepts a lot of the same traits as Christianity and it accepts its people. The Qur'an even says it's premissible for men to marry Christian and Jewish women. People may have developed their own hate, but it isn't written in the Qur'an that way.

 

Okay I think some of you misunderstood what my intentions are.

I know that the bible isn't going to make things better. Its a book. But its also helped lots and lots of people but giving them some guidance. I've seen some pretty low people come up from horrible lifestyles with it. And thats enough to make me want to at least give it a try.

And for people asking "why the bible?", well because thats what I want. I know theres other things to look into and I'm glad that other people chose that way. Its what they wanted. What they felt comfortable with. Their choice. So I'd appreciate it if people would quit discouraging the topic of choice I'm picking christianity.

I love all you guys. And I know that it pisses some people off to have christianity threw at them; I hated it a few days ago. So I'm not going to toss it at anyone anytime. I think its a personal thing and when someone runs around saying "Oh do it this way, its the only way", that person is just trying to reassure themselves, and they also have doubts in what they believe so they're trying to get a bunch of people go down with them in case they picked "the wrong one". If you really believe and you're really comfortable, you don't need anyone else.

Thanks for the suggestions,
Later

 

Thanks for your feedback. I'm not sure how much praise you'll get from most of the people in this thread who seem to hate the idea of someone becoming a Christian, but I'd like to praise you on it. It takes courage to rise out of a bad situation like you are in, but you have made the first steps by deciding what you want to do to get out of it. Identifying a problem and finding a way you feel will solve it if half the solution, the difficult part now is to stick to it. And that is a life long task. As long as you let the Lord into your life and allow him to help change you, you can do this. My life has felt the warmest when I've been close to the Lord and not slacking on my Christian beliefs, and now that I'm slacking my life seems that much more desperate and cold. I need the Lord's help to hold in there for my family's sake trying to find a place to live, (right now we are a husband, wife and our baby daughter living in a small room with relatives and can't afford to move even though we are at breaking point).

To the others, by throwing stick at us for making decisions in our lives it makes me wonder quite how secure you are in yours. Maybe that makes you feel better, I don't know. But if you want to try out the Good Book for yourself it's always here for you to read and learn from. Who knows, maybe you will someday.

 

The bible and the qu'ran are both great books for the openminded reader. If you read with all the typical prejudices you probably will get the same things out of it Duck did...

 

The bible is a great book from which we get such concepts as - "Don't condemn the speck in someone else's eye when you have a log in yours" or " Let him who is without sin cast the first stone" or "If someone ask you for your shirt - give him your coat also" or " If someone slaps your right cheek - give him your left also (paraphrase). All things Jesus (Christ) said. Be a follower of Christ - not a Christian - then read the bible from that perspective - The Living Bible is the easiest I have ever found to read.

 

Don't be a follower, just read and do with it what you want.

 

Maybe follower is not a good word for you - but we all have people we respect and listen to more closely - trust if you will. Maybe your dad, or Obama, or Lindbaugh or Ghandi or MLk or Dylan. I'm saying Jesus is worth taking a close look and listen. I think his philosophy is as close to peace and love and forgiveness as I can think of. You might give him more weight that the multitude of others who you listen to.

 

I don't, I see him just as another wise person and the new testament is not written by him, so it's influenced alot by the apostles who wrote it. I agree, the bible has at least as much to offer as my dad, a guru or Obama but I can't give him more weight at all. I understand of course that if you are a christian you do.

 

Actually, that was a good point made earlier, about following Christ and not being a Christian, although actually I think follow is an appropriate word. We follow a teacher so we follow Jesus, after all he was a teacher. Better to follow Christ and his word in the Bible than to join an organised religion and be at the mercy of human tradition and other people's opinions and ideas which in some cases are the complete antithesis to whats Biblical. I don't follow other people, I follow the Lord.

 

I see the logic in that, but I still think you can just not trust on the bible solely to be the word of God. Yes, it has less strayed away from the original intention than the religion because it did not change much over the years, but it's still a book written by many different people. I guess it takes faith to accept it as God's word.

 

Indeed. I would also say it takes courage and will to accept the Bible as God's word, as has been shown in this thread, so many people criticise and belittle you for it.

 

Wow...I'm liking how everyone kind of opened up a little bit and agreed and disagreed like you did. That was neat

 

What's my prejudice? Logic?

I was a Christian when I first started reading the Bible - those are still the things I got out of it.
If anyone's posting based on prejudice, it's you - because I don't like something I have to be prejudiced against it?

 

well i mean, if you want a bible to read that is easier to read, try the niv new international readers version, its not like king jams with thou and all that kinda old english talk man.

but i m sayin is, maybe you shouldj ust look at yourself man, and just look at the things that havin negative effects on your life and change em, cause you can read the bible al lyou want, but if your not gonna change your not gonna change man.