Some quick background… I’m an atheist who’s pro-religion. I set out to read the bible to learn about the morals and values that 1/2 of the world preaches, but from the source. My own morals and values have Judeo-Christian origins, although I’d argue we humans discovered or converged on these morals and values naturally over time, and religion just ascribes them to a supernatural creator.

I love discussing religion, but found that my socratic questioning relied more on other parties’ knowledge of the Bible. Even though it’s fun to find contradictions in religion, it’s not always fun leading others to these contradictions in their own beliefs. Mostly, it’s just rude, so my apologies to folks who’ve fairly taken offense during our conversations. I hoped to my satisfy my religious curiosity by reading the Bible directly so to not feel as compelled to dive in when Religion comes up at the proverbial dinner table.

The below is a set of notes, thoughts, questions, observations I had while listening to The Holy Bible (ESV) on the YouVersion Bible App (P.S. well done to the app developers, it’s pretty slick!). I first started in January 2019, took a break until mid-2022, and finally set a 2023 goal to finish the remaining 50% of the Bible. While I grew up Catholic and went to church every Sunday until age 13, this was my first time “reading” the Bible.

I say all of this because my notes below are 100% guaranteed to contain misinterpretations, misquotes, mischaracterizations, and misunderstandings. If you find any, please reach out and educate me like my girlfriend did on our 1st date (not kidding, lol).

Love,

Josh

• Table of Contents: (click > to expand)

Genesis

• Serpent tells Eve that the apple from the tree will make them like God. Adam and Eve eat apple. God then says they know God's knowledge of good and evil. Is the transcendent knowledge of god simply the ability to discern good from evil? Also, wouldn’t other animals have eaten from a tree that’s just chillin in a park? Do they have this knowledge too?
• Everyone is ~900 years old
  • If this is true and earth is only 5000 years old, then there were only a few generations before Christ
  • Abram and his wife were considered to be super old at 90 when they were to have a child called Isaac
• Noah and sons plus wives are only people to survive the floods. How then were they able to meet others with Jesus? (I recall this from King James, not ESV)