I expect it will be closed in about six minutes because of the inevitable thread shitting. Having said that, if non-angry atheists are allowed to play I think it would be a cool idea.
My wild ass guess would be personal preference. The OP might not find it the most fascinating verse to start with.
Starting a new thread may be appropriate; however, the answer is pretty simple: the Lord doesn’t take kindly to young persons disrespecting their elders, and especially not a Prophet, and there are consequences if they do. Keep in mind that these were not necessarily “children” - that’s an interpretation thing. In Jewish custom, “children” were anyone not “of age,” and that age was fairly advanced. Also, rebellious children (teenagers) who did not comply were stoned by their parents in this society.
The lesson here is, “Don’t disrespect your elders or the Lord will send a bear to eat you!”
I think a scholarly discussion of biblical topics could be enlightening, if, as Shodan pointed out, the threadshitting is kept to a minimum.
Further, I propose that those that wish to discuss non-biblical “myths” start their own study thread, but not engage in it in a bible-focused study, except where discussion of similarities between biblical stories and other myths would be appropriate.
For example, “We are studying the Noah story. There are many similarities with the Gilgamesh tale, and other cultures also have similar stories. Why do we think this is the case?”
so is it ‘bible study’ or is it a ‘study of the bible as literature’ ? the second can be fascinating, the first is not.
Are you asking why I would want to choose a random passage in the Bible to start from as opposed to go from soup to nuts where it would be eventually hit anyway? Is that what you’re asking?
I’m hoping for more of the latter (I’m an atheist, so while I approach it from a critical viewpoint, the other part of me wants to understand why someone would choose to believe X as well). I’d want to keep the hijacking of other things outside of the chosen chapter and verse to a minimum unless it contributes to the understand of the current chapter and verse.
His choice of verses wasn’t random. He wants to concentrate on verses that offer him the maximum opportunity to repeat “The Bible is stupid” a couple of dozen different ways. That’s all that some people have to say on the subject, and by God they’re going to get it in one way or other.
Which is why a Bible study probably isn’t going to work. It is hard to study something when every other post to the thread is telling you the subject is worthless.
Regards,
Shodan
its really hard for me to remember you’re an atheist with that username - so I immediately assumed this would be a ‘preachy’ discussion.
I think the idea has merit - I do not think it will fare well.
On the other hand, a lot of threads don’t fare well. I say go for it.
FWIW I’d be interested in reading it. Don’t think I’d be able to contribute much, other than ask questions.
asking questions is the best way to contribute most of the time - just be sure to ask the right questions…
I thought Jews considered you an adult after the bar/bat mitzvah. That happens at age 12 or 13, not especially advanced. Where did you get that idea from?
Splitter!
Jewish mothers. In their eyes, their child is not an adult until he graduates from medical or law school.
I’d be interested in stopping by. I’m not sure I could offer anything worthwhile, but I’m sure I’d be able to learn quite a bit from the other posters here with more knowledge and/or different perspectives than me.
As others have suggested, it’s probably inevitable that the thread will get drive-bys. But if there are enough people trying to actually have a fruitful discussion, then I might be able to ignore the trolls. Hopefully. 
There are two milestones of which I’m aware: the Bar Mitzvah which you mention (did this exist in Elisha’s time?), but then also the age of 30, when a Jewish male could assume the mantle of his father’s household.
In either case, these weren’t “children” as we think of them; these were likely late teens or young adults.
I also would be really interested. I do fear that it will be hard to keep threadshitting out.
Have a friend* whose Hebrew Bible discussion group has been going, in order, for thirty-some years. “Sometimes we spend the meeting discussing a single phrase or word.”
“How far have you gotten?”
“Judges.”
“You’re not expecting to finish this in your lifetime, are you?”
“It’s the journey, not the destination.”
I like the idea in the OP, as long as we could keep the thread shitting–by all sides–to a minimum. And I can see it luring in evangelists from across the internet who don’t follow the rules of a simple, friendly, educational discussion. I propose an Instaban[sub]TM[/sub] for the first mention of Hell or Jesus outside the context of the topic.
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- He’s Jewish, his wife’s Lutheran, and her last name is the same as a Norse god. Mixed up, but good people.
Do you think there might be opportunity to review literature of other religions also? At this point I’d probably be more interested in the Qu’ran than the Bible due to my own psychological baggage, but I might well lurk along.