How to read the Bible
There are better writers than me out there , and when I find a good one I'll place a link to the site. Bob Just has written an article entitled "Overcoming Bible Trauma". Here is a link to the article below:
http://www.wnd.com/news/printer-friendly.asp?ARTICLE_ID=37976
Personally, I think he should have entitled it "How to read the Bible" because he does a good job of giving some guidance in that area. Im sure I couldnt write anything as good on the subject so why try when its already been done?
My hope is that if you are one of those AA's who have only read the Big Book or an NA who has read only The Basic Text that maybe Mr. Justs article might stimulate you to read something else. You might also check out the link to Dick B's site and his book, "The Good Book and The Big Book.": www.dickb.com
posted by Anon at 12:50 PM
1 Comments:
Dear Ted: Thanks for the comment about The Good Book and The Big Book: A.A.'s Roots in the Bible (http://www.dickb.com/goodbook.shtml). As you know, early A.A. in Akron was a Christian Fellowship and appears to have taken its basic principles and practices from United Christian Endeavor Society, a huge movement by the 1900's and one in which Dr.Bob was active. I have often wondered why early A.A. people, particularly Dr. Bob, repeatedly placed so much emphasis on the Book of James, Jesus's Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5 to 7), and 1 Corinthians 13. Bit by bit I have pieced together the ingredients of those three parts which boldly stand out as influential in A.A. ideas. These three parts of the Bible are like lamps to recovery. James spells out the problem of temptation and how to look to God for the solution. The Sermon spells out the obedience that God expects if one is to "do" His will and enter the Kingdom. 1 Corinthians lays out the simple principles - nine ingredients as Henry Drummond called them - principles of love that are to be the instruments of utilizing the power of God with the love of God toward Him and toward one's neighbor. After fifteen years of research, I've put it in my forthcoming book The James Club: The Absolute Essentials of Early A.A. and look at all three Bible roots verse by verse, citing their relevance to A.A. ideas. In fact, I strongly believe that AAs should have study groups involving the Big Book, preferably the First Edition, and these three parts of the Bible. Just read the Bible. Then read a commentary on the relevance to A.A. And then open the Big Book to see for themselves. What a difference that would make in our understanding of God, of His will, of His love, of His spirit, and of the teachings of His son Jesus Christ. You are doing a great job in putting these things out, and I've enjoyed my exchanges with you over the years. The bottom line is first things first, which comes from Matthew 6:33 in the Sermon. That's how Dr. Bob explained it: Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and the rest will be added. It's a truth that a believing Christian can establish by applying the principle in action. God Bless, Dick B. http://www.dickb.com/index.shtml; dickb@dickb.com
11:03 PM
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