danger zone

since the library has reminded me that “the year of living biblically” by a.j. jacobs is due on the 22nd and they won’t let me renew it (it’s on a waiting list) i have had to swap it from the “yet to read” pile to the “currently reading” pile. this means i’ve had to stop reading “house of leaves” by mark danielewski so i can finish “the year of living biblically” (btw, brad you’re right “house of leaves” is interesting – hard to follow sometimes but interesting).

anyhow “the year of living biblically” is about a.j. jacobs’ attempt to live out literally all the rules he can find within scripture. since jacobs is a professed agnostic this makes for an interesting story. i was glad to read early on that one of the spiritual advisors he approached dealt with grace and therefore the fact that the CHRISTian faith is not about following a set of rules. still that’s not what this book is about and therefore jacobs’ is trying to live out the rules that he has found within the old and new testaments.

while i am really just starting the book i have already been struck by the following statement.

to follow the bible literally – at face value, at its word, according to its plain meaning – isn’t just a daunting proposition. it’s a dangerous one.

it just caught my attention. it should be true. i wonder how often it is.

3 Replies to “danger zone”

  1. Your grammar is wrong, it’s either “I already be struck” (ebonics) or “I have already been struck.”

    Kidding aside. How can he take the bible literally and still not take it seriously? If the key command is to love God, who he isn’t really sure exists, what does it profit to follow the ceremonial laws? Sounds like and interesting read. That quote is great.

  2. I met a Messianic rabbi once who still lived by Jewish law. He felt that Gentiles should as well. However, his priority was that we be saved. He also would not use the term “Christian” because Christians had persecuted the Jews for centuries. He preferred “believers”. It was a fascinating evening.

  3. @stephen – thanks. i have corrected it. to answer your question concerning “literal” versus “serious” i don’t know yet. i’m really only 40 pages into the book. while he hasn’t yet discussed how he was change by the experiment he does readily admit that he was changed and that his post-year self would and his pre-year self would describe each other as misguided. i’ll tell you more when i discover more.

    @joy – that does sound like an interesting evening.

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