Does the book change your understanding of the Bible?

Use this forum to discuss the August 2019 Book of the month, "I Will Make of Thee a Great Nation: Old Testament Stories" by Val D. Greenwood.
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Akpome1
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Re: Does the book change your understanding of the Bible?

Post by Akpome1 »

No. I see them as a mere repetition of what has already been said in the Bible. I do not see anything that is new about them. They are only good for the novice not for some of us who are already grounded in the Bible.
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Post by FrankieKelley »

I believe it’s allowed me to see a different viewpoint of how people perceive their faith. Growing up in a religious household, I have experience with reading the Old Testament, and found it very easy to understand, but not so relatable for me to connect with people of the Bible. The references to the Old Testament in this novel have enlightened me on the actual feelings of people within the Bible, from a different perspective than I’m used to.
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Post by DaeReads19 »

While I don't think this is the best stand-alone understanding of the Bible, I do think it is important to take other's opinions into account. Whether or not you agree with them matters not. The beneficial part of this book is broadening your horizons, seeing things from another's perspective, and asking yourself questions such as why you believe what you believe. Even if you dislike something the book said, it still got you thinking on WHY you disagreed, or why you agreed. Books like this one are incredibly important to challenge our thinking minds, and remind us that we don't just go with the flow, we have a set of beliefs for specific reasons (hopefully the primary one being fact). Even an Athiest could learn a lot about this book simply from how the author decodes scripture in a relevant and meaningful way.
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Post by Beatus »

The right wording would be improve on it and not changing it. The change in perception or in how you interpreted some of the words and events before reading this book should not mean that the Bible is different. It means that you have moved a step forward regarding how you want to understand yourself.
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Post by Samisah »

I think the Bible is a unique book. Different from all others. So naturally it is difficult to comprehend on our own. That is why we need help which in this case is in form of an inspired write material like this.
This book, in my opinion actually helps to broaden and deepen our understanding of the Bible. The author even tried to explain the hidden message inherent in certain passages too.
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Post by nchoate12 »

I think it's good to take in everything with a grain of salt, especially when dealing with biblical interpretations.
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Post by LeDiplomatique »

I would not say it changed my view. It rather 'improved' my understanding of the Bible.
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Post by maxiphemmax »

Based on several biblical learning, this book didn't really change my belief but it kind of gives some expanding knowledge and a more comprehensive explanation to some gaps which obviously aid in better understanding of the bible.
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Post by Nkoo »

I think the function of this book is to consolidate on the ideas and teachings in the original story and not to alter them. In answering your question, this book has not changed my perception. What it did was help clarify some issues I found confusing. This book provided explanations for me and made comprehension easier.
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Post by wendilou49 »

I didn't read the entire book, because by the time I had finished part of the creation story I realized that the author did not believe in the infallibility of the Bible. To say that we don't know how many days it really took to create the earth is a mistake that many people make. I believe that the Bible says what it means. It says in 6 days He created the heavens and the earth, and on the 7th day He rested. To me, it's not a question of what a day means. If you believe differently, that is your right and I respect it. For me, this book could change someone's beliefs and understanding of the Bible.
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Post by Jajachris »

ernest kafuna wrote: 01 Aug 2019, 13:35 The book as much as it caries its origin from the old testament,i dont believe it has the ability of changing ones believe in the bible though it might happen just depending on how strong ones knowledge and biblical foundation is.
I strongly agree with you on this. I don't think it has the ability of changing one's perspective too.
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Post by Echezonachukwu »

Not at all, rather I believe it gave me more insight and understanding towards some stories from the bible
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Post by Ify-babe »

Of course not. Rather, it enhanced my understanding of the bible with the way the stories were specially crafted.
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Post by Bennaji »

As a sound christian who has been grounded in the reading of the Bible, I don't think the author's interpretation affected mine in any way.
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Post by Samuel Okoye 2 »

The book does not in anyway change the understanding of the bible. I guess thatsbecause I've previously done a wholistic study on most of the passages discussed.
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