Why is it most Christians haven't read the Bible cover to cover?

Question

Rkbleezy · Accepted Answer

For the same reason that our brains find answers to issues that aren't true. For instance, for a long time we thought the earth was flat, till we found it to be round. I can guarantee you 90% of the people that believed this theory of flat earth, at the time did not have access to research or some type of evidence. Therefore, in order to find peace in their mind on the issue they made up an answer.

Its a pretty normal concept called "Inventing an Explanation". You would basically take what you know or have heard from the bible, and combine it will what you feel would make the most sense to answer the question.

I don't necessarily condone the behavior, mainly because it can be really detrimental. But at the same time you shouldn't be asking just random people in life for deep advice about relationships, faith, future, etc. Either ask a prominent pastor who has proven to follow the core principles found in, 1 Timothy 3:2-7; Galatians 1:6–9; 2 Timothy 4:2. Or find a licensed and highly rated Therapist/ Relationship Counselor whom is proven to not be biased. ( Yes, I have had many biased counselors. They are human too. Nobody is perfect and that is okay.)

I always encourage people to stick to giving advice from which they have read or remember from the scriptures. For instance "Love the sinner, not the sin " is not in the bible. But there are several scriptures that can be pulled from the bible to make this sound true even if its not. We are called to love unconditionally, not just half way because the person is a "sinner" 1 John 4:8; John 15:12; Romans 3:23; And many many others to back this up.

BCRanger10 · Accepted Answer

Three theories immediately come to mind for me.

One reason, and I'm not defending this at all, is that it's very long and dense and most people today have the attention span of a goldfish.

Another is that they often hear the claim that "because of x, y, and z, if they only read the Bible, they'll become atheists". For some, that may be what they're worried about. This argument shows ignorance on both sides of "read the Bible", but that's a different discussion.

A third reason is that some Christians believe the erroneous notion that all someone needs to do is say "I love Jesus, He is my personal Lord and Savior" and then they're good to go. In this case, they simply don't see the need to read, meditate on, or study the Bible.

Msputiton · Accepted Answer

Well most church goers aren't true believers.

Plus the bible isn't the word of god.

That is the biggest lie of the Christian belief.

It is the word of narcissistic leaders who manipulate Christians to follow their rules and not the rules of god.

It's full of contradictions.

God does not believe in vanity but demands we worship him. (Rulers who wrote the bible added the worship him)

God is forgiving but we piss him off and he destroys our cities with plagues and disaster.

(Nope makes no sense why would he send jesus to earth to clean our sins, and jesus a part of him showed that no matter how much you hurt him and beat him he never once wanted vengeance)

God says love all my children unless your gay.(god was talking about child molsters hurting children)

God wants us to be happy but to get into heaven his rules are so strict you become miserable following them.(the rules put in place was rulers trying to use religion as a way to control his subjects?

God tests us to prove our faith. That's why bad things happen. (No again he is not vain. The devil wants to steal us from God. He tortures the ones he think he can steal because their faith is not deep)

All god wants is us to be happy, show him we appreciate his gifts to us, and use the talents he gave us to help ourselves and others.

And most importantly show love and kindness to others.

Everything else is just lies

jennifer_bloom · Accepted Answer

I view the bible as allegorical and I believe some parts are mandatory while others are helpful, I’m also too busy to study every detail such as memorizing genealogies or analyzing the historical books but I try to read it when I have the time and knowledge to understand it but since it’s allegorical to me, I do not believe the bible teaches immoral ideas.

worldscolide · Answer

Never understood that my self. I'm atheist and have read it cover to cover a few times. Including a family heirloom which was written in Latin, and came from the 1500's.

Its unbelievable the number of differences between say a catholic Bible and a king James one. And even more telling the differences between the really old one I read and the catholic or king James bibles. The Bible has been rewritten dozens of times over the years. It usually happened every time a new British monarch came to power.

lynnn · Answer

Yes can someone answer this because how many times do I ask a Christian to explain something to me and they just say “read the bible” and can’t explain anything. And then I realize they haven’t even read the book themselves. And yet they just believe everything anyway.

Lionman95 · Answer

I would say many but not most. The reason I see in modern days is that many people are way too lazy to do so or they feel they are in capable of and are too afraid to admit since the bible is book that is not easily read from to cover to cover since there are different genres in it.

Dana223 · Answer

Because the “set of christians” contain even those who don’t care about their religion but were simply babtized to be either of the christian religion. It would be more interesting to ask, should we call a person christian who is babtized but does not enen attend curch ever or yet have their religion’s beliefs or read the bible in the first place.

TheSimonymous · Answer

Because most christians believe that most of the Holy Bible isn't relevant anymore or many parts are just metaphorical anyway because it doesn't align with science so why even bother reading most parts of the Bible anyway? Therefore, as the Bible says, they'll have the appearance of piety but will deny the power thereof. One should avoid such people.

AviatorTom · Answer

Most people don't read things, especially when they are big and long. When was the last time someone read the complete EULA on a computer, rather than just clicking Accept? Bible stories are spoon fed to people by clerics in sermons and religion classes, so there's no need to read the whole thing.

OlderAndWiser · Answer

for te same reason that most Americans haven't read te full text of the federal constitution or their state constitution. Afraid they won't understand it, or laziness, or both.

aaron210419 · Answer

I've read it six times cover to cover, which is why I believe if there is a God we don't know him. The amount of times the Bible has been modified is crazy, not to mention it wasn't written until 500 years after Jesus. We have a hard enough time today keeping record of the last 500 years.

bigpauly · Answer

I grew up (yea yea I didn’t actually do much “growing”) in a catholic environment. Most people seemed to use church more as a community thing if anything and just had their own bias beliefs they would get confirmed though each other. It was odd. They would behave in manners very against the Bible but still believed they were just in the eyes of the Lord somehow.

purplepoppy · Answer

Because it's huge and not that readable. But more importantly the church doesn't want them too. The bible is full of contradictions and alternative versions of well-known stories that it would lead to people losing faith.

Guy13 · Answer

I don't know where you or other Social justice parishioners attend church but I can guarantee you 3,000 plus out of the 4,000 members that attend on a given Sunday have read the Bible cover-cover at least once.

Smc08 · Answer

A lot of “begots” in there. Pages and pages of who was born after so and so. They told me to read the New Testament first tho. Not sure why, but I should’ve started with genesis.

NotTacocaT6969 · Answer

For the same reason Americans don’t read the constitution or bill of rights.  Obedience is easier than understanding.

TroyDT2 · Answer

Laziness and/or a belief that certain parts are irrelevant. I have read it through several times and am not quite what I would call an orthodox Christian.

call_me_scar · Answer

Because if they did they'd be atheists lol, though when I did believe I always put it off due to laziness and figuring all always have more time to look at it

pewter_moon · Answer

Believing in the bible forces the suspension of critical thinking.

art84 · Answer

I only know the Old Testament like Genesis, Exodus, Judges, Daniel, and New Testament. Though have never read the entire Old Testament just certain books.

jshm2 · Answer

Most Indians haven't read the Gita's cover to cover either.

Andres77 · Answer

Pure laziness and/or they’ve grabbed ahold of one thing they think they understand and that’s enough for them. The rest is too complicated

andreasderjuengere · Answer

Because ''Kings'' and the ''Chronicles'' are so boring and irrelevant :D

Walrus_au · Answer

Because when the utter hypocracy critical mass finally catches up with them, and they do, they stop being christian.

Luopio27 · Answer

I hate reading. Its boring.  But I do love Christmas food, music, decoration, Santa and his gifts.

AngryCarl · Answer

It's longer than Lord of the Rings, and almost as dry. That's why there are preachers to tell you what's in it.

Sixgunsound · Answer

They wouldn't be Christians anymore?

BLP11520 · Answer

They skip over the boring parts...

panamared1 · Answer

I am not a Christian, I have read it twice

Why is it most Christians haven't read the Bible cover to cover?

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Why is it most Christians haven't read the Bible cover to cover?

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