What would you recommend?

Does anyone know a good bible to start myself on? I'm 17 and hate reading as it is, and even more if I don't understand what I'm reading. I'm trying to make things good in my life. I was just kind of a druggie, I cuss constantly, and lately I've been fixing my problems with fighting whoever cause it. Is there any version of the bible thats specifically for teens that isn't really boring?

 

You don't need a bible man, you just need a little self control.

You could always watch that stupid fucking movie, Passion of the Christ.

 

I agree with Fire Monkey. I always hear "I am going to start going to church to get my life right". You don't need church. You don't need the bible. You don't need religion. Self control and self discipline are what you need.

If you MUST go the bible route, I heard 'The Message' was pretty good. I actually have it... never touched it. In perfect condition. Search on Amazon.com for the keywords 'teen' and 'bible'. Check out the reviews.

 

A "bible" isn't going to change your nature. The bible itself says this, in many places. Specifically, for instance, the question is posed, "Can a leopard change its spots?"

Only life can change you.

The only profit that can be made from reading the bible, ANY version, is if anything of LIFE gets through. Life is intrinsic, internal, vital, and real. It is fresh, potent, and vibrant. It is genuine, tangible, and yet invisible, except in it's outward effect on any who receive it.

The law, on the other hand, invites only death. It was never intended to be the focus, bible or not.

Choose, between life, and death. That's all.

 

The Bible does NOT teach goodness. Preachers teach goodness based on the parts of the Bible that teach goodness.

The Bible teaches you that it's a sin to masturbate.

The Bible teaches you to kill gentiles.

The Bible teaches you to sacrifice your livestock, and even your children, if that's what God wants.

The Bible teaches you that slavery is a-ok

And knocking up your slaves is fine, even if in doing so you cheated on your wives. However, the Bible teaches you it is not okay for women to cheat. Actually, here is an absolutely hilarious video explaining what a Christian marriage is.

The Bible even teaches you to obey the government!

When I was in confirmation class, I read the Bible, all it did was make me hate Christians for a few years and reaffirm that my faith had long dried up.



Instead of reading the Bible, do something positive. Read some good books. I suggest Philip K Dick or Julian Barnes - they always make me feel more confident as they help me to understand the world, and then I am more comfortable in the world and I have less reason to act against it.
If you really feel you need a good positive influence, really - Mr. Rogers.

 

Hey, if the druggie wants to find jesus let the druggie find jesus. Some types of people are better off believing something even if it's totally false. Especially if it fixes their lives.

 

Yes, I would like to know how much thought you've given to picking up a Bible. You're talking about something that is really going to effect your personality if you devote yourself to it. It's not something to be taken lightly at all. Given that you're already prone to doing drugs and such...this time, give the matter more thought perhaps.

 

personally I would get a Qur'an ... .. oops..

 

...or any book from any of the far east religions. Why do so many people think it's the bible or nothing at all?

 

I was going to make the same point. Why The Bible?

Not that I think the OP needs any sort of holy book at the moment, but I say discover many religions first and see if any is right for you. It may well be nothing.

Also, the Qur'an is great. And no, I'm not Muslim.

 

The Qur'an is good if its material isnt taken out of context, it like someone using a harry potter book to make a methamphetamine potion and turn the neighbors into frogs ..... comes on... Can I get a Allah Akbar..:hurray:

 

Bartender, allah, allah have another beer. :cheers2:

Another night at the Allah Rock Bar

 

OMA its daylight and It Ramadan.. *sips some coffee*.. :willy_nilly:http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/astronomy.html?n=418 oh one more minute Im cool.. that was a close one..

how good is that

 

yum, no virgins for me..

 

Lol wonder how all these people found the Christianty forum if they clearly hate it so...
To the OP, there isn't a special teen "version" of the Bible. Only different translations which update the language used. Ie. King James version which was translated in 1604, the Good News Bible, from 1976 and the English Standard Version from 2001. The only difference is a slight difference in translation, nothing will make it more or less "interesting" to read.

 

:cheers2: You can always get an Allah Akbar. 'Allah Akbar'. See?

 

You should give that to charity, they'd probably rather that than gold.

 

I find it fascinating that people think the Qur'an has great appeal while the Bible doesn't. I find that view hard to defend. I admire the Qur'an and I admire the Bible, but if you read it you'll notice (as al-Qaeda has) many passages just as bloodthirsty, intolerant, and boring as those in the Torah. In particular, I find it unlikely that reading the Qur'an is going to be a positive experience for the ordinary non-Muslim American teenager. I prefer Marcus Aurelius and the teachings of the Buddha, but I don't think they're going to do wonders either.

I think the OP deserves a lot of credit in trying to turn her life around, and think it's sad none of us can give her better advice about spiritual readings that could help. In the twelve step recovery programs there's an emphasis on a Higher Power as the participant defines it, which could be a higher self, the group, Good Orderly Direction (G.O.D), etc. Maybe that's the kind of approach she might take.

 

My last sentence was just a comment, I was just agreeing- I think the Qur'an is great. I can't speak for the Bible, I don't know it well it all. And I didn't mean to suggest anywhere that the Bible is less appealing generally.

Also, I couldn't find said passages. I looked, I researched and I spent time trying to understand different interpretations and different translations. Whilst some of the Qur'an's teachings may be old fashioned, it's about peace and love. I find it unfortunate that a select few in the world have misinterpreted many parts of the Qur'an. I read it and I liked it, there were things I didn't agree with and things I thought were too old fashioned to work these days, but the Qur'an is an incredibly old book that remains unchanged. When I tried to understand it for myself, I didn't find anything bloodthirsty. Having said that, I don't speak Arabic. I think the only way to completely understand it would be to be bilingual in Arabic and I can only just write my name and say basic words. Can't say anything about the Torah, on that I know nothing.

 

In my case: "New Posts"