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493 Comments
- UltraMegaFilms, on 02/18/2009, -95/+318You could have made the description shorter by just saying "...do not know mythology."
- acidwinter, on 02/18/2009, -33/+235Technically students don't really know anything
hence all the TEACHING going on in large rectangular structures called SCHOOLS - Dumbledorito, on 02/18/2009, -14/+203I'm not a member of God's fan club, but I'd recommend at least one read-through of the bible to anyone. If nothing else, loads of music lyrics, political speeches, common sayings, and other references come from the text. You might want to skip most of Deuteronomy and Numbers, though. It's the religious equivalent of reading the tax code.
Then there's always Stephen Fry's recommendation from the show, "Q.I.":
Stephen Fry: It's in the Bible...
Alan Davies: I haven't read it!
Stephen Fry: You should - it's hilarious. - Pseudorious, on 02/18/2009, -7/+90I wouldn't be too offended. Many students these days can't read.
- jitterbits, on 02/18/2009, -5/+82Even if you don't care for the Bible, it's impossible to deny that it's shaped much of art and literature over the past couple millennia. If it makes you feel better, think of it like Family Guy. Anyone can watch Family Guy, but unless you're familiar with the pop culture it references, you will not understand much of it nor enjoy it as fully as someone who is.
- keloyd, on 02/18/2009, -85/+147Others can snark all they like about organized religion, but civilization needs SOMETHING to teach kids to not be little lord-of-the-flies savages. The parables/allegories/mythology of the Church has intrinsic cultural value, wherever one draws the line between literal and figurative truth.
I do not know where to begin to respond to people who say we need no "high" culture. Whether it is the Classics, the Church, or NASA, it is our raison d'etre.
Without pride of family, ethnicity, philosophy, literature, proper music, or history, then all that remains is shallow pop culture. There is a seat on the Jerry Springer show with your poorly chosen, poorly spelled name on it. - Yamoth, on 02/18/2009, -38/+97So let me get this straight, by not knowing or caring about religion. That somehow turn us into degenerate imbecile seen on the Jerry Springer show? Why is it so hard for you people to understand that people can be good for goodness sake?
- inactive, on 02/18/2009, -8/+64I didn't know that anyone who seriously read or had a grasp of literature even posted on Digg. Color me pleasantly surprised. Yes, you cannot be prepared for the future without understanding the past, and in order to understand the past, you must understand the literature of the past. That literature is impossible to understand without understanding the ideas and thoughts of the writers of the past. So yes, the Bible and classical mythology are critical. Those who say otherwise are ignorant on so many levels, but that just goes to show you the value of their education and their love of knowledge -- lacking in every way.
- cersad, on 02/18/2009, -2/+52When I first got on the AP track in my high school English class, my teacher said it flat out: "We're not allowed to make you read the Bible but it is an excellent resource to understand the allusions made in the literature," or something along those lines. Since most of our English literature comes from a Judeo-Christian religious heritage, a Germanic linguistic heritage, and a Greek/Roman cultural heritage, it's really hard to get allusions and references without at least some understanding of Greek and Christian literature. It's just the path that our language evolved down.
So I can't fault him for suggesting this. However, in America I know there is a trend towards elective classes teaching "The Bible as Literature." I wouldn't call this battle lost just yet. - pixburgher, on 02/18/2009, -2/+49Ummm... this is a University professor. It's not like this a middle-school teacher complaining that his 8th graders (or whatever the English equivalent) don't already know everything.
"Technically students don't really know anything" ... are you serious?
There is an assumed amount of knowledge which any student should have for a given level, be it middle-, high-, or even elementary-school, or college. The point is that these students are lacking in their assumed prior knowledge. - SkinnerBox, on 02/18/2009, -2/+49Yeah, having been raised really religious, I hate having my obscure biblical references go over peoples' heads. Especially when I'm trying to be sacrilegious and people who should be offended don't even realize it.
- Dumbledorito, on 02/18/2009, -17/+61Given that immorality is practiced by the religious and non-religious every day, I don't see how religion = morality. You don't need a God for the golden rule to apply and make sense, you just need to demonstrate why good behavior is to your advantage in the long run. Merely saying "and God will punish you" gets kind of stale after a while, given how few deserving people are ever swallowed up by the earth or struck by lightning.
- pensivewombat, on 02/18/2009, -17/+58I went to a small liberal arts college in Alabama for an English degree. One of my professors was a Shakespearean specialist who is well regarded in his field and published in major academic journals, yet he had almost no knowledge whatsoever of the bible and admitted as much whenever his bible belt students would ask if a particular line was an allusion to a biblical passage. My point is, yes it certainly helps to know the bible when it comes to studying literature, but if you can become a leading expert in the field (and in an area with a much stronger biblical focus than say, modern lit) then you probably don't need to stir up a huge fuss over it right?
- gsadamb, on 02/18/2009, -5/+45I wonder how many Christians have read the Bible, cover to cover.
- Larsonal777, on 02/18/2009, -1/+40but for some reason they think they know everything already.
ps. the elementry school near me is a large cylindrical structure. - GunWraith, on 02/18/2009, -0/+37The elementary school near me is a hypercube.
- willrs, on 02/18/2009, -13/+47@ craigcarlyle
you mean
One is destroying our culture, promoting ignorance and has a mindless cult following of mindless retards, and the other is a TV show. - rgon, on 02/18/2009, -7/+41You got the joke backwards, Craig.
- inactive, on 02/18/2009, -5/+38I suggest to everyone to read the Bible at least once, like you'd read any book of mythology.
Skip Numbers and the Chronicles, both of them, they are about as interesting as watching C-Span.
Most of the "mythos" (and thus the interesting part) is in Genesis, Exodus and the books after Ezekiel in the old Testament. The books after Ezekiel are like a compilation of Disney Fairytale with children eating lions threw in.
The Psalms and Proverbs are mostly poetic, and like a book of poems it's not for everyone, but it's interesting to see how many modern western proverbs are the same as those 6000 years old Jewish ones.
While reading the Song Of Solomon, I suggest to make a drinking game where you take a shot every time that you spot an half hidden sexual innuendo*
What to read in the new testament is the Gospels (the first four book) for the story of Jesus, and Revelation, which has some very trippy stuff (best read while high, as it was likely written while high). The rest of the New Testament is more like the minutes of the foundation of a new religion (Epistles) and it's a good read only if you want to have a good laugh at how modern Christianity got it all wrong.
*drunkiness may depend on which version of the Bible you get.)
/Not religious.
//Don't see the harm in reading a book, any books, and the Bible is stories that for the most part. - Hetman, on 02/18/2009, -7/+39I agree with him. I just think schools find it difficult to not offend people when it comes to religion. But everyone should read the bible and classic mythology. You do not have to agree with it. But it is something you should not be ignorant of either.
- duggdowncatisad, on 02/18/2009, -24/+56It's kinda like an american version of the koran
- anexanhume, on 02/18/2009, -0/+30Thank you for posting a coherent analysis without slinging mud on one side or the other of the irrelevant religion debate that is taking place. Reading the Bible and learning about mythology is rewarding even if you don't believe it. Many great literary works of the world fall into these categories.
- kratsnitram, on 02/18/2009, -0/+29I wonder which college that was. I can't believe a Shakespearean specialist would be blind to the bible as literature, much less say so. That's just ig'nant, even for 'bama, and i'm a ninth generation Alabamian...
- Mittens27, on 02/18/2009, -1/+27Actually, there's at least two.
- OutlawSundown, on 02/18/2009, -2/+28 Honestly schools spend very little time on actual literature anymore. Most of the English classes I had focused mostly on writing essays or vocabulary. There wasn't much time left for classic Literature. I mean they were all worried about the big standardized tests. Which I really think is a shame.
- zephc, on 02/18/2009, -1/+27http://www.thebricktestament.com/ makes the Bible less tedious.
- Frankyfan3, on 02/18/2009, -9/+33How DARE they refer to the Roman gods as "mythology"!?!?
/s - Cloned, on 02/18/2009, -1/+24You should read the Bible for the same reason you should read The Iliad and The Odyssey.
- MWeather, on 02/18/2009, -1/+24So you have proof Zeus doesn't exist?
- revpjack, on 02/18/2009, -4/+26Isn't "liberal arts college in Alabama" some sort of overly complex oxymoron?
- MiNGLED, on 02/18/2009, -0/+22And the violence!
- StaticThunder, on 02/18/2009, -2/+23"the bible is probably the most culturally significant book in the world."
To Western culture, perhaps. An arguably myopic view of the world, when most of its population is located in Asia. - drstock, on 02/18/2009, -4/+23It's not "like" mythology. It *is* mythology.
- kakwakas, on 02/18/2009, -2/+20What? The main character is one!
- these3remain, on 02/18/2009, -3/+20Allan Bloom addressed this problem several years ago in his book, "The Closing of the American Mind: How Higher Education Has Failed Democracy and Impoverished the Souls of Today's Students". He is a University of Chicago prof (imagine that!) who recognized back in 1987 the problems inherent with the students then, and now, who lack understanding or any knowledge about the Bible. Much of the world's great art, literature and music all have their basis in the Bible or allude to it. If you haven't read Bloom's book, written by a non-believer, I might add, I would strongly recommend it. I first learned of it at a L'Abri Fellowship lecture given by Dick Keyes, a director of the L'Abri Fellowship in Southboro, MA. Dick Keyes is a Harvard grad, his wife a Wellesley grad, both committed Christians.
- grbruner, on 02/18/2009, -0/+17Students need to have a base of knowledge in order to teach more advanced concepts. You don't teach differential equations to students who know nothing. And you don't teach more sophisticated literature until they grasp the basics.
- Ardiente, on 02/18/2009, -7/+24I agree, there is a need for some recategorization...
- Jeepinator, on 02/18/2009, -6/+22 He was saying that the some of the parables in the Bible are good things for children to learn.
- StaticThunder, on 02/18/2009, -0/+16"civilization needs SOMETHING to teach kids to not be little lord-of-the-flies savages"
Yeah, its called parents. - elnerdo, on 02/18/2009, -2/+18Keloyd never mentioned morality. What the heck are you two talking about? He's talking about the need for culture, which is an entirely separate discussion.
- revpjack, on 02/18/2009, -4/+20"and the other is a cartoon" is the correct line. Thanks for playing. We have some lovely parting gifts for you.
- StaticThunder, on 02/18/2009, -3/+18Did you read up on Hinduism, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism and Wicca before YOU made a decision?
- Cloned, on 02/18/2009, -0/+15Yes, let's stop ourselves from learning history! We should also stop reading about Greek mythology books such as The Iliad, society will be infinitely better once that relic has been weeded out.
- Bisquick, on 02/18/2009, -2/+17I like how the first few comments were thoughtful and showed evidence of reading the article, while comments subsequent to the front page (beginning with thaskizz) are generally ignorant of the subject and obviously stemming from reading only the title and description.
- alais, on 02/18/2009, -0/+14You'll be waiting a very long time.
- Tyrghast, on 02/18/2009, -6/+20Well the Bible, while not to be taken as a moral or spiritual guide, does have a matter of historic importance as a driving force or scapegoat in politics and classical literature.
Western culture is riddled with biblical and mythological references, and while I'm not advocating teaching the principles of the Bible, excerpts as well as stories of Oedipus and Narcissus and the other classical myths should be required reading as much as the Scarlet Letter or Jan Eyre is required in high school. - inactive, on 02/18/2009, -1/+15Finally! A defenitive proof that God exists!
Thank you Faithclubdotnet! - Tyrghast, on 02/18/2009, -1/+15As I said in my comment further down the page, Western culture is riddled with Biblical and mythological references. Many of our common euphemisms in English as well as Spanish, French and a dozen other languages are tied to the Bible and other ancient mythology.
Taking the Bible as a moral and spiritual guide is one thing, but understanding it's role in the last 1500 years of history (from the time the modern books of the Bible were decided upon and compiled, sry Jesus freaks it's a book by men) is important. - aftern9ne, on 02/18/2009, -0/+13The Iliad and the Odyssey ARE taught in schools, though I don't know how required they are.
- SecretChief, on 02/18/2009, -2/+15The Bible was so deeply ingrained in the thought and life of people for such a long time that you cannot understand politics, history, philosophy, literature, etc. if you do not know it. Except if you are only interested in very contemporary stuff. And even then, these disciplines all have some kind of lineage and the authors often write things to respond to the people who came before them. There is nothing you can do in these fields if you are not cultivated...
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