by Carl Howard | Jun 12, 2012 | Atheism and Religion, Blog Topics, Super-Abridged Bible
I’ve made this summary a bit more detailed since it contains a lot of ideas not expressed in other books of the Bible, the following should express every major idea in the text. [The words of Kohelet: the text says this is King Solomon.] All is vanity! Generations...
by Carl Howard | Jun 5, 2012 | Atheism and Religion, Blog Topics, Super-Abridged Bible
Ahashverosh (king of Persia) gives a 180 day banquet to his nobles, with Vashti (his wife)giving a parallel women’s banquet. Ahashverosh orders Vashti to come so he can show her off, she refuses. His advisors say that because of her wives around Persia will feel...
by Carl Howard | May 29, 2012 | Atheism and Religion, Blog Topics, Super-Abridged Bible
Traditionally attributed to the prophet Jeremiah, this book laments the destruction of Jerusalem and the First Temple as well as the Babylonian exile (see 2Kings). Jerusalem, once great among nations, is like a widow. She weeps but no-one comforts, all her friends...
by Carl Howard | May 22, 2012 | Atheism and Religion, Blog Topics, Super-Abridged Bible
In the days of the judges [see Judges], there’s a famine. Elimelech and Naomi and their two sons move to Moab. Elimelech dies. The sons marry Moabite women (Orpah and Ruth) and die. Naomi hears the famine in Israel is over now and wants to move back. Orpah and Ruth...
by Carl Howard | May 17, 2012 | Atheism and Religion, Blog Topics, Super-Abridged Bible
The text does not indicate who is speaking so my labels are based on one particular translation and are bound to be wrong at times, especially in attributing to the man and woman what’s really meant to be spoken by third parties. The main thing to know about this book...
by Carl Howard | May 7, 2012 | Atheism and Religion, Blog Topics, Super-Abridged Bible
[Introductory note: The book of Isaiah is an appalling mess. I’ve done my best to avoid repetition and to insert labels as to who’s speaking to whom. I have also changed between 1st, 2nd and 3rd person for ease of skimming so it’s often different in the original. But...
