NationStates Jolt Archive


A visit to Christianity: Favourite Book of the Bible?

Kamsaki
08-12-2005, 18:19
Yet another one of Kamsaki's trains of thought about to be blown way out of proportion...

Most Christians have a favourite book of the bible. Ask them which theirs is and you'll get an answer that may or may not have some sort of profound reason to them. However, experience has shown that you can tell a lot about someone's approach to spirituality from their answer to this question. For example,

Genesis / Psalms: This person looks at his or her faith from a very artistic perspective; they appreciate the stories, songs and metaphors as carrying some sense of applicable meaning for their lives. They might also be of a musical persuasion, but generally they just appreciate the more concrete and personal sense of God that comes from the personal expressions and myths of the Old Testament.

Exodus / Numbers / Chronicles of Israel (Judges/Kings etc.) / Revelation: This person has a somewhat political idea of God as a guider of society. They tend to be more overt with their sense of morality than many other Christians, and focus on the earthly repercussions of their faith as being of great importance.

Isaiah / the Prophets: This person tends to focus on Jesus as essentially proof of God. They, like John, see Divinity as the most important aspect of Jesus's life, Death and resurrection, and view it as evidence that the powers that be really do exist. However, this person might also place noteworthy importance on the Second Coming; a trait not so strong in NT Focus.

Synoptic Gospels: This person is a Jesus analyst, looking at his life and teachings as being of enormous importance in themselves. These are often the more moderate kinds of Christians, and there's a little tweak to each one that tells you a bit about their kind of preference for historical analysis.

John: This person focuses strongly on the interpretation of Jesus as the Divine Scapegoat, and probably feels a lot more strongly about otherworldly repercussions of their lives than the other gospels.

Epistles... Somewhere between the John group and the Politics group. (Getting a little tired of writing all these...)

Judging from what I've read so far in these boards, I reckon I'm going to get a lot of Johns, a lot of Romans-s and perhaps not as many Isaiahs. But let's hear it anyway; What's your favourite book and why?
Dark Shadowy Nexus
08-12-2005, 18:24
I am not a believer

I like Ecclesiates. I think it is the most inteligent book of the Bible.

For every season turn turn turn,,,, ;)
Smunkeeville
08-12-2005, 18:51
I think Romans is my favorite book followed by Ephesians.

what does that say about me?
Cahnt
08-12-2005, 18:55
I am not a believer

I like Ecclesiates. I think it is the most inteligent book of the Bible.

For every season turn turn turn,,,, ;)
And yet it doesn't warrant a mention in the above breakdown.
How strange...
[NS]Simonist
08-12-2005, 19:49
Wow, that's kind of amazing...my favourites, in order, are Psalms, Genesis, and Proverbs, with a little sprinkling of Exodus bringing up the rear. That first sub-genre, the Genesis/Psalms, is kinda like.....if you were to run across the embodiment of my spirit on the internet. That'd almost be me in a nutshell. So very close.

I must ask though, what about the Book of Job? I, as well as many other Bible students, consider this a very influential and important book of the Old Testament....I'm curious that it didn't get an individual mention.
Secluded Islands
08-12-2005, 19:54
I am not a believer

I like Ecclesiates. I think it is the most inteligent book of the Bible.

ditto
Eutrusca
08-12-2005, 19:54
I am not a believer

I like Ecclesiates. I think it is the most inteligent book of the Bible.

For every season turn turn turn,,,, ;)
There's a lot to be said for Ecclesiasties. I once heard a preacher say that he wished the councils had dropped that book from the Bible. Heh!
Ifreann
08-12-2005, 19:55
My favourtie is the one that had all the porn............
Wait, the Bible?
oops
Eutrusca
08-12-2005, 19:55
I think Romans is my favorite book followed by Ephesians.

what does that say about me?
Um ... that you like a somewhat structured approach to belief? :)
Spartiala
08-12-2005, 19:57
I think Romans is my favorite book followed by Ephesians.

what does that say about me?

You believe in predestination?
Liskeinland
08-12-2005, 19:59
Well, there are quite a few books of the Bible that I haven't fully read. But I like Paul's letters. He has a great writing style (translated into English that is), and makes sense. Contrary to what many people seem to believe, he's not full of hateā€¦ his letters are just trying to help people and put them on the right track.
Dark Shadowy Nexus
08-12-2005, 20:00
My favourtie is the one that had all the porn............
Wait, the Bible?
oops

Read Song of Solamon some good porn there. That is actually my second favorite book of the Bible.
Smunkeeville
08-12-2005, 20:01
Um ... that you like a somewhat structured approach to belief? :)
maybe.


You believe in predestination?

I don't. What would make you think that?
Eutrusca
08-12-2005, 20:12
You believe in predestination?
Back when I was a Sunday School teacher, people would ask me, "Do you believe in predestination or free will?" I would always answer "yes." :D
Spartiala
08-12-2005, 20:18
I don't. What would make you think that?

Just seemed to me that those two books had a fair bit to say on the matter, Ephesians 1:11-14 and Romans 9. Why do you like Romans and Ephesians best?

Back when I was a Sunday School teacher, people would ask me, "Do you believe in predestination or free will?" I would always answer "yes."

That's the best answer. And by far the shortest.
The Nazz
08-12-2005, 20:21
Philemon, first because the chances of someone else saying it first are slim, and second because while it's short, I still can't remember anything that was said in it.
Smunkeeville
08-12-2005, 20:25
Just seemed to me that those two books had a fair bit to say on the matter, Ephesians 1:11-14 and Romans 9. Why do you like Romans and Ephesians best?

I take those verses to be more like by your faith you are adopted into God's family and recieve full rights as his child, kinda an uplifting fresh start kinda thing.

anyway, I feel like they are really uplifting books, they have helped me when I have become discouraged as a Christian. All of the talk about grace and love and forgiveness, just makes me warm and fuzzy inside.
Keruvalia
08-12-2005, 21:40
I like I and II Maccabees, The Wisdom of Solomon, and the Megillah.

What does that say about me?
The South Islands
08-12-2005, 21:45
I like I and II Maccabees, The Wisdom of Solomon, and the Megillah.

What does that say about me?

That most of Chirstianity has no idea what books you're talking about.
Qwystyria
08-12-2005, 21:49
Back when I was a Sunday School teacher, people would ask me, "Do you believe in predestination or free will?" I would always answer "yes." :D

ROFL, that suddenly makes you my favorite NSer. That's exactly what I always say to answer that question.
Vetalia
08-12-2005, 21:52
The book of James; for some reason I've always felt that his views on Christianity were the closest to those of Jesus (perhaps because they were brothers) and seem to be more satisyfying than the writings of Paul, who I don't really care for.
Qwystyria
08-12-2005, 21:55
I dunno... I don't really have a favorite. Well, I do, it just varies depending on my mood. Usually its

Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Isaiah, John, Romans, most any of the gospels or epistles, Job or Song of Solomon.

What does THAT say about me?
[NS]Simonist
08-12-2005, 22:04
ROFL, that suddenly makes you my favorite NSer. That's exactly what I always say to answer that question.
If you just actually made Eut your "favourite" NSer.....you've got a lot of learning to do :D

(Please don't hit me....I only kid....two smitings from the other Christian thread are enough for one day....)