# Anybody interested in a SDMB weekly Bible study? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [July 24, 2013, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-interested-in-a-sdmb-weekly-bible-study/664376 "2013-07-24T12:59:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-interested-in-a-sdmb-weekly-bible-study/664376/1 "2013-07-24T12:59:03Z")
Does anyone else want to do a weekly Bible study group here on SDMB-Great Debates? The plan would be to have a thread that went through a portion or book of the Bible, talked about what it means/what it meant, why it would be important, translation issues/editions, different perspectives by different sects/branches/people, contradictions/paradoxes, and really all that would encompass that part of the Bible. I’m really not sure what the best way to break it up would be though. Books like Genesis and Leviticus have too much going on for one thread whereas the Book of Job or Revelations could probably be done in one. Any ideas, opinions, or interest? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-interested-in-a-sdmb-weekly-bible-study/664376/2 "2013-07-24T13:05:38Z")
Revelation, not Revelations. That’s my contribution to today’s study! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-interested-in-a-sdmb-weekly-bible-study/664376/3 "2013-07-24T13:45:43Z")
Job (and Revelation for that matter) are actually pretty dense books. I’d suggest focusing a thread on smaller chunks of the Bible, like particular stories/sections/characters of the OT or maybe taking one episode in the Gospels - for example, looking at the nativity or the feeding of 5000 or Jesus’ trial and comparing/contrasting the different gospel accounts. Some of the minor prophets or shorter epistles could be done in one thread, possibly. It depends how broad or how deep you want to go. I think it could be interesting. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-interested-in-a-sdmb-weekly-bible-study/664376/4 "2013-07-24T13:52:43Z")
I’m far from being able to contribute in any meaningful way but I might lurk in from time to time, out of morbid curiosity. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-interested-in-a-sdmb-weekly-bible-study/664376/5 "2013-07-24T14:05:13Z")
I’m interested. Skammer’s idea of taking a passage or story rather than a whole book sounds good to me. ---
**Author:** ![Kable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed655f/32.png) [@Kable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kable)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-interested-in-a-sdmb-weekly-bible-study/664376/6 "2013-07-24T14:13:27Z")
Can we talk about Elisha and the she bears first? ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-interested-in-a-sdmb-weekly-bible-study/664376/7 "2013-07-24T14:17:59Z")
You could set up a control thread for getting topics, like is done for certain game threads. FWIW, the Revelation and Job can be split up easily. For instance, in Job, we have a set up (including a Satan in Heaven scene!), we have several speeches from about 5 different people (Job, three friends, Elihu), some of which are in direct contradiction to previous speeches, we have “God” talking, we have a denouement… ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-interested-in-a-sdmb-weekly-bible-study/664376/8 "2013-07-24T14:22:37Z")
Years ago at work someone put up a notice offering a “Bible Study Group - meeting on Thursdays at 12.30PM in the lower ground floor meeting room.” Ten minutes later there was a notice beside it offering a “Devil Worship Society - meeting on Thursdays at 12.30PM in the lower ground floor meeting room. Bring your own fertility symbol.” Neither group ever eventuated. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-interested-in-a-sdmb-weekly-bible-study/664376/9 "2013-07-24T14:33:47Z")
Might I suggest a book that has probably the widest range of interpretations(perhaps even more than Revelation)-Song of Solomon aka Song of Songs. ---
**Author:** ![Latro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a87d85/32.png) [@Latro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Latro)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-interested-in-a-sdmb-weekly-bible-study/664376/10 "2013-07-24T14:53:42Z")
> [@Kable](#): > > Can we talk about Elisha and the she bears first? I’m in favor of including other myths besides the bible. They need not be real “discussions”, just a telling of a favorite myth would be enjoyable and educational, I’d think. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-interested-in-a-sdmb-weekly-bible-study/664376/11 "2013-07-24T15:01:07Z")
Smallest man in the Bible? Not Knee-High Miah Not Bildad the Shoe Height (from the previously mentioned Book of Job) Peter! When with Jesus in the garden, he slept on a watch. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-interested-in-a-sdmb-weekly-bible-study/664376/12 "2013-07-24T15:07:48Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Revelation, not Revelations. :smack: I’m startin’ off well here. > [@Czarcasm](#): > > Might I suggest a book that has probably the widest range of interpretations(perhaps even more than Revelation)-Song of Solomon aka Song of Songs. > [@Kable](#): > > Can we talk about Elisha and the she bears first? > [@Latro](#): > > I’m in favor of including other myths besides the bible. [23 Then he went up from there to Bethel; and as he was going up by the way, young lads came out from the city and mocked him and said to him, “Go up, you baldhead; go up, you baldhead!” 24 When he looked behind him and saw them, he cursed them in the name of the LORD. Then two female bears came out of the woods and tore up forty-two lads of their number. 25 And he went from there to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.](https://bible.org/seriespage/elisha-and-two-bears-2-kings-223-25) :eek: What about starting off with the Pentateuch as outlined [here?](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weekly_Torah_portion) Maybe a concurrent New Testament book in a separate thread as well? ---
**Author:** ![Kable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed655f/32.png) [@Kable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kable)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-interested-in-a-sdmb-weekly-bible-study/664376/13 "2013-07-24T15:25:50Z")
> [@stpauler](#): > > [23 Then he went up from there to Bethel; and as he was going up by the way, young lads came out from the city and mocked him and said to him, “Go up, you baldhead; go up, you baldhead!” 24 When he looked behind him and saw them, he cursed them in the name of the LORD. Then two female bears came out of the woods and tore up forty-two lads of their number. 25 And he went from there to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.](https://bible.org/seriespage/elisha-and-two-bears-2-kings-223-25) > > :eek: It’s always been one of my favorites. Lots to talk about there, from many traditions, literally and metaphorically. Should we talk about it here or start a new thread. ---
**Author:** ![Kable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed655f/32.png) [@Kable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kable)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-interested-in-a-sdmb-weekly-bible-study/664376/14 "2013-07-24T15:26:58Z")
> [@stpauler](#): > > what about starting off with the pentateuch as outlined [here?](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/weekly_torah_portion) maybe a concurrent new testament book in a separate thread as well? Kind of dull, I would think. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-interested-in-a-sdmb-weekly-bible-study/664376/15 "2013-07-24T15:45:40Z")
> [@Kable](#): > > Kind of dull, I would think. I would disagree. There’s a lot going on in Genesis. The different accounts of creation. I’m curious why the idea of creating Eve out of rib of all things. (As opposed to just creating her, or an animal, or any other bone..) Or how did the fruit in the garden be popularly assumed to be an apple. Cain killed his brother and was sentenced to be a fugitive and a vagabond but ends up just founding a city with a wife who pops out of nowhere. There’s a bunch of tales in there that really don’t make a lick of sense to me. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-interested-in-a-sdmb-weekly-bible-study/664376/16 "2013-07-24T15:48:06Z")
> [@stpauler](#): > > :What about starting off with the Pentateuch as outlined [here?](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weekly_Torah_portion) Maybe a concurrent New Testament book in a separate thread as well? That’s a lot more ground than I like to cover in just one week. In the first week alone, you have creation, Adam & Eve, and all the events leading up to the flood. ---
**Author:** ![Kable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed655f/32.png) [@Kable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kable)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-interested-in-a-sdmb-weekly-bible-study/664376/17 "2013-07-24T15:51:01Z")
> [@stpauler](#): > > I would disagree. There’s a lot going on in Genesis. The different accounts of creation. I’m curious why the idea of creating Eve out of rib of all things. (As opposed to just creating her, or an animal, or any other bone..) Or how did the fruit in the garden be popularly assumed to be an apple. Cain killed his brother and was sentenced to be a fugitive and a vagabond but ends up just founding a city with a wife who pops out of nowhere. There’s a bunch of tales in there that really don’t make a lick of sense to me. OK, but why not start with Elisha and the she bears? Aren’t you at all curious as to what would cause the spirit of the Lord to tear up children with bears? Or does that already make sense to you? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-interested-in-a-sdmb-weekly-bible-study/664376/18 "2013-07-24T16:00:54Z")
> [@Kable](#): > > OK, but why not start with Elisha and the she bears? Aren’t you at all curious as to what would cause the spirit of the Lord to tear up children with bears? Or does that already make sense to you? No one’s stopping you from starting your own thread. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-interested-in-a-sdmb-weekly-bible-study/664376/19 "2013-07-24T16:40:04Z")
Probably better in Cafe Society. I might participate - it depends on my level of tolerance for the inevitable thread shitting. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Kable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed655f/32.png) [@Kable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kable)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-interested-in-a-sdmb-weekly-bible-study/664376/20 "2013-07-24T16:42:03Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > No one’s stopping you from starting your own thread. Good idea and I might, but I am curious why he OP would shy away from it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-interested-in-a-sdmb-weekly-bible-study/664376.md?page=2)