Everything Wrong With Genesis 28 in the Bible

Bible study, on what the book actually says. Most people haven't read it.

Capt Gregory Prickett - Roger, Sir

Disappointing. While there are many folks who don’t read/study the Bible, this doesn’t contribute except to deride Bible-based religious systems and their followers.

The title says he’s friendly, rather he’s incredibly condescending (irony?). His study is critical...not in the academic sense but in regards to a clear negative bias.
His exegesis (drawing from the text what the original audience reasonably would have understood, discussing points of cultural and religious significance) is non-existent as his criticism shades everything. He misses clear connections to other passages in Genesis that explain what he posits as contradictions and crazy-ness. Connections someone with a honest academic approach (if this indeed is a study, or even just an overview) would identify.

The only thing of value is his pointing out Jacob’s if-then response to God and his lack of faith or trust. This point in the context further demonstrates aspects of Jacob’s character (lack there of), highlighting the degrees of change and growth that later occur. But this later piece is not noted and more jokes are made about Jacob.

There are folks who don’t religiously believe the Bible—atheist and otherwise—who contribute to good critical conversation. Conversation that genuinely broadens and challenges one’s views and understanding of the Bible. This can be done in a manner that is respectful to one’s fellow people while disagreement exists. This sample does not contribute unless to fuel condescension towards specific religious adherents, and provide a superficial reading presented as insightful and “really” knowing what’s going on.

CH (MAJ) (Join to see)
I do not think exegesis is the objective. I have shared a few thoughts with CPT Prickett in recent times. None of them, no matter the basis, rejected for various historical and scientific reasons. Today, it is not unusual for Believers to be criticized and attacked. I think what makes this approach go beyond that norm is it is confrontational. He want entertain anything scientific, unless it meets his criteria of ‘peer reviewed,’ yet multiple people may have made the same comments. I shared a book with him that was written by an AL judge, and former Judge Advocate, about our laws and their similarities to the Bible. Greg rejected that, and said he could not put much stock in a book that was self-published, going on to share a couple of points that refuted the Judge’s well laid out postulations. I sent him an article that made many quality points, but as soon as he started reading it, the author brought up the passage about being a fool, and he wrote back he would not read anything that calls out people for being a fool, etc...I may not have quoted his response completely accurately on that one. I have shared with Greg that I felt this was more about the need to prove Believers wrong, and how our faith cannot be supported by what the Bible states.

In fairness to him, we have many Believers who do not understand the context and cultural implications of the writings. So often adults hang on to the picture Bible stories of their youth, which when studied, we understand was composed by the writer of the times in a way that others could understand. He does not seem to embrace that in his beliefs about Atheism.

I appreciate your review of the video he posted. I have not watched this specific one. I do not think Greg will find your comments pertinent, but I could be wrong. As I shared with Greg, if I am wrong, nothing is lost on my journey. If he is wrong, it will be an eternal mistake with unbearable consequences.

We continue to lose people who firmly believe in God and Scripture, based on the latest Pew Research I went through for something I was working on about the political system and how at times we have one foot in the world, and the other foot in eternal matters. I wrote that piece specifically for Believers, but I said it applied to Non-Believers as well for different reasons.

Thanks again for a well-articulated response to the post. You shared many things I wanted to share with Greg in our discussions. It was probably naive for me to think I would have any kind of lasting dialogue that might help Greg to see a different view of Believers and their faith walk, and more importantly to see the Bible as not a bunch of stories, but God’s unquestionable Word.