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Biblical Nonsense: A Review of the Bible for Doubting Christians

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After I had done much bible studying as a christian and became gradually overwhelmed by the lack of consistency, out of a desperate need for answers I decided to level the playing field and venture into the world of skeptical biblical scholarship including my study of the writings of former christians, ministers, and pastors who have left Christianity, including this book by Dr Long, Biblical Nonsense. I knew that if the bible is the remarkable document it is heralded to be, surely it can stand up to the most rigorous critical analysis. After pouring over thousands of pages of information from both sides of the issues including this book by Dr. Long, I have learned that the average skeptic has a much deeper and broader knowledge of the Bible than most average people who claim to be christians. An exhaustive reading of the comparative literature from both believers and former believers that is widely available in print and on the internet for all to see, proves this to be true. The real truth of the bible skeptic is that he is ultimately led by a search for the truth, not for the blatantly dishonest reasons parroted by the likes of JP Holding and other christian apologists. I have discovered for myself that Christian apologists will begin with the fundamentalist-driven conclusions or assertions (that the bible is inerrant, the bible is the spirit-written word of god, every word in the bible is true) and try to find any facts or evidence in support of these three assertions(and many others), conveniently ignoring strong and often irrefutable evidence that contradicts their haughty preconceptions. At the very least, this mannner of biblical analysis only seeks to support an intelectually dishonest and uncompromising foregone conclusion.

The hungry truth-seeker reads the bible from an objective, unbiased viewpoint, eventually discovering for himself what the text says, not what smooth talking evangelicals assert it says, thereby drawing his own conclusions and comparing them to a wide range of commentary and areas of well established facts. Considering the many different denominations in the apologetic business that quibble over what they think the bible says and means, this is a very wise approach to bible reading.

Virtually all of Dr. Long's many points raised as to the demonstrable fallibility of the bible just simply cannot be honestly, successfully refuted. The arrogant, highly disrespectful leaders of the modern apologetic movement such as Jason Gastrich and James Patrick Holding(Robert Turkel) can only resort to evasion, circular reasoning, endless question begging, endless how-it-could-have-been scenarios filled with nothing but conjecture, flawed and even intentionally deceptive biblical interpretation, outright dishonesty, and even rank personal insults when attempting to smear any scholars with opposing viewpoints like Dr. Long in their increasingly futile attempts to keep afloat the thoroughly debunked myth of biblical inerrancy. This book is an absolutely must read for any struggling christian not able to believe in the dogma of fundamentalist christianity.

This book is simply irrefutable. Dr. Jason Long does an excellent job in substantially proving the Bible is not the divinely inspired "Word of God," but instead of mishmash of humanly inspired words attributed to a god. Dr. Long does an excellent job refuting the Bible on many grounds and he does it in an easy to read style that would even penetrate the hard heads of Fundamentalists should they choose to accept the challenge to their faith by actually reading this book. Dr. Long attacks the Bible from scientific perspectives, logical perspectives and he challenges the common Christian claim that it is infallible. He shows the Bible is rife with contradictions that haven't been effectively handled by Biblical apologists, despite their reaching for straws and claiming otherwise. He also exposes several mistranlslations of the original text that change the whole meaning of the commonly accepted scripture. These errors in translation are still evident in many Bibles to this day. To make the correction to some of these mistranslations would change all of accepted Christian dogma! So much for inerrancy. Some Bibles are translated more honestly than others and Dr. Long goes into this quite well.

This book lays it on the line and in my opinion will put Christian and Jewish apologists out of business. It is simply that good. Read it and find out for yourself. I'm sure you won't be disappointed in the sophistication of scholarship that went into writing and presenting this little gem of a book. Even the "great" Christian apologist J.P. Holding came here to put up a review on this book and his review couldn't even come close to refuting Biblical Nonsense. It makes me wonder how these apologists stay in business and keep fooling the believing masses with their non-scholarly baloney slicing (B.S.) Dr. Long's book will be thoroughly inspiring and thoughtfully absorbing to anyone willing to review the Bible with close scrutiny and a bit of common sense.

In this debate between believers and non-believers, this little book goes a long way to defending the arguments of non-believers against the banal accusations from Biblical apologists of every stripe. Believers certainly couldn't accuse Dr. Long of poor scholarship, because he backs up everything he says with examples and thoughtful analysis of what appears in the Bible. He covers many of the discrepancies between what apologists claim about the "holy scriptures" (prophecies, inerrancy, geneologies, etc.) and what skeptics know about those same scriptures point by point. In short, this is a marvelous read and I encourage any thinking person to buy this book. As Ernest Hemingway has said "All thinking men are atheists," and I'm sure all thinking individuals will really enjoy this book. If you have ever entertained doubt for the authority of the "Holy Bible," then Biblical Nonsense is the best place to start your own scholarly search into the facts about the best selling, but least read and most misinterpreted book of all time. Welcome to reality!

I am 38, have been a conservative Christian all of my life. This book was the first exposure to me of anything concerning the Bible other than what I have been conditioned to believe. Dr. Long makes this simple to understand yet gives totally irrefutable evidence as to why the Bible is a man made fiction. The realization that comes with knowing that Hell is a myth created by men wanting to frighten people into certain behavior is very liberating. I only wish I had the first 38 years of my life back to not waste on fantasies.

Unlike so many others in the field Dr Long has succeeded in writing a well structured and concise yet remakably comprehensive critique of the Bible, not just for Doubting Christians (as the sub-title suggests) but for everyone who has ever been at the receiving end of religious indoctrinations (i.e. just about all of us). The text is easy to read, and despite the seriousness of the topic a very light dusting of sarcasm gives just the necessay spice to elicit a chuckle every now and then.

This book is not just a rehash of old arguments but an excellent addition to any clear thinker's library, particulalry those whose children's intellectual development are dear to them. It should stand up there with the best of the books of enlightenment, including The Origin of Species and Ideas; From Fire to Freud.

With dream analyses having been put to bed after Freud's ramblings on the matter Dr Long could perhaps have dismissed prophetic dreams as simple conjecture and instead spent some time on the question of whether ministers deliberately lie to their flock, deceive themselves before they deceive others or are taught that "the end justifies the means". Believers of yesteryear might have been forgiven because "they knew not what they did", but no modern-day minister, who during their studies must surely be exposed by the critical arguments from Dr Long and others, can still pretend to spread "the truth". In short, should preachers be regarded as leaders of the intellectually oppressed or deceitful politicians of faith?

The (albeit brief) discussions on the social indoctrination of our children and the subjectivity of apologetic replies are very welcome. But perhaps the most endearing feaure of the book is that it not only throws the bible on the bonfire of critical analysis but also refrains from peddling some weak alternative to religion such as the Eastern mysticism in Sam Harris's "The End of Faith". Even Daniel Dennett and Richard Dawkins, admirable as they are, tend to bury faith but then offer a tissue to the widow. Like Joseph Campbell said, those who can live without myths are but the very few, and Dr Long is certainly (and commendably) one of those few.

I can only hope that Dr Long's publication will be one of many still to come, and that his writings will have a lasting effect on humanity. After the Bible we owe it to ourselves.

The author is a man who knows how to communicate biblical nonsense to the reader in an interesting,common sense way. Some books are written in nonsensical jargon - not this book. I have several books that attempt to explain why the authors are skeptics (they all do a good job of it), but this book is exceptional, in my opinion. Actually, this is my number one book over another book, "The God Delusion", which is also excellent, but more suited to a scholar reader willing to take some time to understand it. If you are trying to decide which of the several skeptic books to buy, I recommend this one! The only negative is the cover which could have been done better.

Jason Long's book is a tough read. It is not very well written...stilted, repetitive in parts and not always convincing in its arguments. Nevertheless, he attacks the Bible on multiple fronts with relentless, mostly logical and detailed criticism. It's clear he knows his stuff. If you can stick with it, you will learn a lot about the Bible and its obvious contradictions and errors. The overwhelming conclusion that he draws: The Bible was not written by an inerrant God. Either He made lots of mistakes and was ignorant, or it was written by humans, with all the ignorance and superstition of their time. He hammers that point until any but the most devout believer would have to admit its truth.
Too bad he didn't use a ghost writer.

I found it hard to disagree with almost all his points. He has done his research. He knows his bible. The book is full of scientific information but Long writes so smoothly and clearly that I can't imagine anyone with grade 10 or better having much trouble with it. Not for the faint of heart if you are a Christian with an open mind. I heartily recommend this book if you are a Christian teetering on the edge of leaving your faith. Read this book and you will have no doubts about leaving your faith.Biblical Nonsense : A Review of the Bible for Doubting Christians will give you the moral strength to walk right out the door.
Most importantly, I believe, Long's book arrives at a time in which we need a strong voice of reason in the face of a rising agressive Christian Right.

When I first realized the absurdity of the bible, I was deeply saddened. My family, myself, friends, and others have nowhere to go after death. This revelation came to me at around the age of ten (10). The promise of paradise was gone forever and along with it, the threat of eternal damnation. Many things in the bible are bogus. It's pointless trying to argue with the fanatics, because their brainwashing is complete and you can't make them see it. As Dr. Long pointed out in the book, if the Islamic God were to show up and proceed to demonstrate that he is God, the Christians still won't believe it. I throughly enjoyed reading the book. I seriously doubt if any of the Christian fanatics will read it though. Their MO is simply dismiss and cast aside any dissenting viewpoint. Come on, arguing that other religions and/or regimes have done similiar things, does not justify what's in the bible. I suspect the rapes, murders, virgin obsessions, and other perversions were simple the order of the day during those ancient times and the authors were simple trying to justify them. Thanks for the book, Dr. Long

Mr. Long has written another classic in the destruction of blible fallacies and lies.He attacks the bibles infallibility like only a former brain washed fundamentalist can.This book has many old arguments I have read in other books and many new ones I hadn't yet seen.He starts out with 25 illogical arguments Fundamentalist use to defend their faith and why they are illogical.he has a whole chapter devoted to why noah's arc is pure mythology using dozens of scientific arguments.He discusses why people believe,I think he owes something to richard Dawkins here.he has a hitchens chapter on why god isn't good and shows how different writers created a new improved god who is more lovable in the new testament.Hfe points out the many provable historical fallacies of Jewish bible history using archelogical evidence and he points out how different authors have created different views of what god stands for on different issue so we really don"t know what god stands for if he did exist.After reading this book with its scientific,psychological,historical evidence if you have a brain to think with you will not be able to say the Bible is God's infallable word

I have been going through de-conversion from Christianity because I have been finding all kinds of problems,absurdities and contradictions in the Bible. I have read the Bible extensively and have read many other reviews and commentaries from both sides of the argument. However, many of these reviews were lacking for various reasons but then I discovered Jason Long's book and it has confirmed many of Biblical problems, and more, that I have discovered through my studies. The book is very well written and he tackles many issues that most Christians are ignorant of, or choose to willfully ignore. I am therefore very glad that I was finally able to find a fair, honest, and thorough review of the Bible that should be read by people in and out of the faith!