/lit/ - Literature

>>1800722

The KJV translation is very well written. It is a joy to read.

>>1800749

Then you must be blind, you fucking autist

>>1800753
>doesn't appreciate the beauty of the KJV.

LOLOLOLLOL PLEB. Go pick up another copy of the God Delusion.

>>1800766

Job is super.

>The Bible
>poorly written

Which part?

>>1800749
KJV was deliberately made to sound archaic even for its day in age.

The new testament is mostly written by near illiterates to preach to illiterates.

The old testament varies from book to book, but has some decent writing.

That's the problem when you preach to the downtrodden and disenfranchised like Jesus, no one with any talent to write for you, the Jews had priest classes and respected prophets and shit.

I love this thing that atheists think that the Bible is poorly written because they haven't read it.

>>1800774

What is a better translation?

>>1800798
New American Standard Bible

>>1800769
>mfw Dawkins states in "The God Delusion" that the KJV is a great _literary_ work.

>>1800811
I will look into it.

>caring about the bible when you're not writing a paper

>>1800831
Kings, Judges Exodus etc.

There are plenty of excellent stories.

>>1800798
translations are for suckers. Its not hard to get a reading understanding of a language, don't be a pussy.

Besides Song of Solomon and Ecclesiastes, the Bible is pretty shitty, in terms of literature.

>yfw the world of the bible is the single most terrifying dystopia ever written

>>1800791
Actually, I considered myself Christian UNTIL I read the Bible. I'm really not quite sure what people find so inspiring about it. God is kinda a dick. I personally find its style pretty dull and boring, but then, I figure it wasn't really written as a work of literature.

>>1800769
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJtCqjUUHG0

>Richard Dawkins: "We come from a Christian culture, and not to know the King James bible is to be in some small way barbarian"

>>1800791

>he thinks that most atheists haven't read the bible

King James is a great piece of literature.

It expresses more about the human condition than Dawkins/Dennett's simple minds ever will.

Intelligent critiques of religion:
Nietzsche, Marx, Freud, Hegel

>>1800961

>implying Hegel isn't a huge fag

>>1800964
Hegel understood religion. Dawkins and Dennett just claim that religion is irrational and false.

That's not how you critique religion.

>>1800961
>has read none of those authors' works.

>>1800774
John seems pretty educated, so does Luke to a lesser extent.

Paul is Paul. Somehow I feel like I can tell it's him no matter the translation.

>>1800961
Don't forget about Schopenhauer!!!

Is it safe to say the Bible is the most influential book in English Literature? No Bible, no Paradise Lost.

>mfw certain characters in the Bible are mentioned to have lived to over 900 years old
>mfw some people actually read this text seriously

>>1800990
what? god creates the universe out of nothing, breathes life into dust, and judges eternal souls. But living for a few centuries is where you draw the line?

>>1800988
The bible isn't part of english literature, its hebrew/koine greek literature

>>1800990
>unnaturally old people?
>IN THE BIBLE????
AWWWWW nooooo.

>mfw Satan is vilified in the Bible but he didn't actually do anything wrong

The problem with these Dawkinsfaggots is that they assume everyone who believes in God is some crazy fundamentalist when really fundamentalists are a minority.

A very loud minority, but still a minority. Their whole critique of religion is so paper thin, it's only meant to appeal to edgy atheist teens and really reveals nothing about the nature of religion.

I understand why /lit/ loves it, considering /lit/ loves e-readers and tripfags.

>>1801002
The _King James' Bible_ pay closer attention.

>>1801002
It's obviously wasn't written in English, but the King James Translation would have a large influence on English Literature.

There are people who consider themselves tasteful but who don't like the KJV?

Amusing.

I'm godless to the core, but even I think it's a gorgeous read.

>>1801032
So what Crime and Punishment in translation counts as english literature now too? Dante's inferno can be english literature? That's just dumb.

>>1801029
Wrong, we assume the majority of theists are simply going along with everyone else who believes because that's how they were raised and that they enable the fundies.

>>1801029

>he thinks Dawkins is the prophet of atheism

>>1801043
PBUH

>>1801035
How are those in any way related? The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri is obviously Italian/Renaissance literature. What does that have to do with the version of the Bible commissioned by the King James? (Whom I believe was king of England and/or Scotland, certainly one of those. Also pretty sure he was King Henry VIII's cousin or something.)
But still, what was your point? The KJV was translated _in English_ on purpose to be the Bible in English.

>>1801050
Its a translation, not an original work. Its not part of english literature anymore than any other translation. It influenced english literature, but its not "the most influential book in English Literature" because its not English Literature.

>>1801035
I would say they're different texts. The King James Bible was authorized by the Church of England; and its scripture, not literature. Yet, it would have an influence on English Literature. If people owned a book back in those days it was likely a King James translation of the Bible and The Pilgrim's Progress. The archaic prose of the the King James bible has been mimicked in works like "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" for instance.

>>1801029
>The god delusion makes me ashamed to be an atheist-Michael Ruse

Seriously, Dawkins put almost zero research into the thing and then justifies it by saying he "doesn't need to read up on leprechauns to understand them".
Yes you do, you cunt.