Don’t Know Much About the Bible: Everything You Need to Know About the
Good Book but Never Learned by Kenneth C. Davis

This is a re-read.

Recently, I was asked by my sister-in-law to be the godfather to my
nephew, Frankie Richie (or Frichie, as I like to call him). There was
some consternation about the request… I’m notorious on that side of the
family for my nontheism. I think mostly they were worried I would be
offended; It certainly isn’t because of concern that I wouldn’t step up to
guiding the boy spiritually. I don’t see any of the other kids’
godparents giving Bible lessons.

But I’m taking this seriously. While I’m going to let the kid make his
own decisions about what he believes, I will certainly make sure he’s got
all the data at hand.

This book is a great read. It really brings out the interesting thoughts,
quandries, contradictions, and interpretations of the bible. It talks
about how it was collected, what was left out, when everything was written
and by whom (as far as we know at this point, anyway).

I’d like to learn more about the Gnostic Gospels and how they fit in…
how credible were they as “authentic” records of the times and why were
they left out? Don’t Know Much documents the split of the early
church, and how much of Paul and other’s writings are condemnations of the
Gnostic take on Christianity. But in retrospect, are the Gnostic Gospels
just as valid as the canonized ones? Had Paul not been such a good
marketing director, would we be singing hymns about hot Mary-on-Jesus
action?

Also, I’d love to have a conversation with a fundamentalist and find out
how they rectify the contradictions in the Bible. I mean, just a few
pages into Genesis, there’s already conflicting accounts going on. The
Gospels could have used a committee meeting to make sure they were all on
the same page as well. Often with any debate, there are grey areas and
both sides make good points, but I don’t see how a fundamentalist has a
leg to stand on.