I did not mean to suggest that discussing the Bible is off limits.
How would a person go about "proving" the Bible wrong? What is the point of the excercise? What are you proving? Why would criticizing- or giving a critical reading to the book be offensive? I believe the answers from these questions probably contain the types of parameters I am asking about.
I don't think it is offensive for non-Christians (or non-Muslims, or Non-Jews) to do close critical readings of the "Holy" scriptures of religions. Claude Levi Strausse, Joseph Campbells have done excellent work... and comparing motiffs, images, origin myths can't be done without their work. Looking at the bible historically, comparing what acheologists say with what the bible says, comparing other religious scriptures and contemporary stories such as looking at Egyptian texts, Hebrew scriptures, and Gilgamesh...I don't see how any of this is offensive. Cataloging relious images, miracles, studying the characters in the bible are all pursuits worthy of scholarship.
"Disproving" is one of those near impossible tasks often taken up for reasons not connected with discussion or debate, but for other reasons.
Using such criticism simply as a tool to mock and ridicule religions and religious people however is offensive and I believe should be avoided and reprimanded.
How would a person go about "proving" the Bible wrong? What is the point of the excercise? What are you proving? Why would criticizing- or giving a critical reading to the book be offensive? I believe the answers from these questions probably contain the types of parameters I am asking about.
I don't think it is offensive for non-Christians (or non-Muslims, or Non-Jews) to do close critical readings of the "Holy" scriptures of religions. Claude Levi Strausse, Joseph Campbells have done excellent work... and comparing motiffs, images, origin myths can't be done without their work. Looking at the bible historically, comparing what acheologists say with what the bible says, comparing other religious scriptures and contemporary stories such as looking at Egyptian texts, Hebrew scriptures, and Gilgamesh...I don't see how any of this is offensive. Cataloging relious images, miracles, studying the characters in the bible are all pursuits worthy of scholarship.
"Disproving" is one of those near impossible tasks often taken up for reasons not connected with discussion or debate, but for other reasons.
Using such criticism simply as a tool to mock and ridicule religions and religious people however is offensive and I believe should be avoided and reprimanded.