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While we are on the subject of Bible, I find it a rather interesting reading as retelling of history . . . much as the Homerian poetic chronicles. Much of the issues addressed in the Bible actually have parallels to modern life. e.g.:

Jesus was obviously involved in a period of tax revolt ("give Caesar his own coin") and revolt against religio-fiat money monopoly ("the money changers" charging much higher price than metal content for special coins without icons vs. the Roman coins with icons).

The Old Testament was even more fascinating. Joseph could have been one of earliest Keynesian counter-cyclical interventionists. In order for the Pharoh government to store up 7years of grain surplus, obviously the government had to offer above-market price to buy grain . . . which would have caused over-planting and over-production. i.e. an agro bubble! We can surmise what happened to the farm land price under such circumstances. Eventually the agro bubble bursted after 7years. Joseph's agents were buying up assets on the cheap during the subsequent bust (as explained in the Old Testament). The average Egyptians probably were not too happy about this. Joseph's merry band of central planners were chased out Egypt within 2-3 generations. In the Egyptian records, there was the Pharoh Akhenaten/Moses starting a new religion in a new capital, probably because the Egyptian polytheistic religious establishment providing the leadership to the general popular discontent to the Pharoh/state economic machinations.

Takes a brave Christian to believe their bible is a fallible, human-created and -edited document with no actual divine guarantee of correctness.

Got into an interesting discussion with a fundamentalist friend some years ago, one of my points was why does Paul get the last word on what Christianity is today.

I know for a fact that given the choice, a lion will prefer to eat a Moslim over a Christian. That's all I really know on the subject of religion. I prefer opium to be the opiate of the underclass.

Bellingham Bob says

Takes a brave Christian to believe their bible is a fallible, human-created and -edited document with no actual divine guarantee of correctness.

Got into an interesting discussion with a fundamentalist friend some years ago, one of my points was why does Paul get the last word on what Christianity is today.

“Nessuna soluzione . . . nessun problema!„

The New Testament is filled with flat-out contradictions, like the origins of the "field of blood".

But I find the most humor in the idea that Moses wrote the Torah, on accounta he died in it, and was alone when he died!

Although, Noah getting drunk and dropping trou in front of his daughters is pretty darn funny too!

CL says

But I find the most humor in the idea that Moses wrote the Torah, on accounta he died in it, and was alone when he died!

Torah and much of Old Testament were an oral tradition before Ezra put it down in writing after the return from Babylonian exile. One can read the anti-Egyptian / pro-Persian bias in the writing. Ezra was an agent of the Persian King/Emperor to set up an anti-Egyptian outpost at the land bridge between Africa and Asia.

Reality says

CL says

But I find the most humor in the idea that Moses wrote the Torah, on accounta he died in it, and was alone when he died!

Torah and much of Old Testament were an oral tradition before Ezra put it down in writing after the return from Babylonian exile. One can read the anti-Egyptian / pro-Persian bias in the writing. Ezra was an agent of the Persian King/Emperor to set up an anti-Egyptian outpost at the land bridge between Africa and Asia.

I've suspected, but not researched, that Judaism took on the dualism of Zorastrianism while in captivity.

Do you think that's plausible, or do you think that Ezra made Satan into Angra Mainyu? Either way, Shrek is dead. ;)