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Originally Posted by TheDom
The Bible for better or for worse is a reference point for a multitude of art and culture. There are plenty of reasons for reading the Bible, or any religious text, outside of being a student or pastor. Even if one is not religious those stories can still be beautiful, relatable and wise.
I respect any study of religious texts. It is a great source of inspiration and critical thinking if read the right way. How many great paintings, novels, films or even song lyrics mirror or reference the Bible? Even speeches.
And regards to having time for Ulysses: it's a marathon not a sprint. A chapter a day or every other day. It was serialized just like any TV show and can be read that way. Plus if you arent trying to unturn every stone in the book it's actually fun as hell (in my opinion at least). I think this can apply to most of the marathon books.
As far as painting goes I would find it hard to appreciate something like a Rothko without investing enough time in it.
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Oh, I see the appeal of reading the Bible. I've never read it straight through, but I've read passages, psalms and epistles aplenty. For me, it's a hunt and peck kind of thing. If I skim through enough pages, I'm bound to find something interesting, if not outright beautiful, as you suggest.
But I don't
think I would ever pick up the freaking Bible and read it straight through like a novel. Though I might, because I have a massive appreciation for religious texts and studies myself, and I am fascinated by religion in general.
Several times though? Really? That, I just don't get. It's like ... I don't know... Watching The Godfather trilogy for months on end. Sure, it's quite a thing. But what do you gain from saying, "I'm in the mood to read/watch a movie, and even though there's an infinite number of books/movies I've never read/seen, for some reason I'd rather just read the Bible/watch the Godfathet a bunch of times. That'll be sweet.
Do not get.