A Good Bible for a Catholic Atheist

Antigone said:

Oh, definitely. The Old Testament needs a lot more context, what with all the vengeance and animal sacrifice and the oddly specific instructions on how to build an altar.

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That's the best part.

CatholicAtheist said:

I've posted this on another thread in this forum, but had a recommendation to try it here too.

I am a thirty-something Atheist. Raised Catholic and educated in the Catholic School system, it wasn't until pursuing an upper level degree that my questions about the validity of a super-natural creator graduated into doubts, to denial, then into a stable non-theistic worldview. Now I have two children, and the question of whether or not to raise them as secularists or as Catholics - my traditional family religion - is constantly on my mind. Despite my current outlook I know that my religious upbringing and education had a considerable impact on me.

I've decided to continue my journey of non-faith. To reopen the case, as it were, to confirm my position for the benefit of my children. As a product of upper -level education my first stop is in research. I'm planning on reading the Bible cover-to-cover. My thought is that tunneling into the founding scripture of the big B might be just the activity to reignite the process.

However, at Barnes and Noble, I ran into my first road block; stacks of thousands of Bibles. KJV, NIV, study Bibles, side-by-side Bibles, red Bibles, blue Bibles, pink Bibles, annotated Bibles, large print Bibles?

So what would be the best bible to choose from a research standpoint? I'm leaning toward an annotated Bible with historical and geographical reference in footnotes alongside the text. But I also need one that is hardy, can withstand lots of highlighting and underlining? Please tell me why you like the Bible you suggest.

Thank you for your help in this, my continued journey of either faith or non-faith.

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You have courage. I respect you for wanting to know for sure: Does God exist?

I was raised by atheists, believed atheism, lived atheism and liked my atheism until I was about 37 years old with two daughters. At 37 I had two thoughts, “Is what I have been taught really true? How do I know that atheism is true?" I now attribute those thoughts to God, but at the time I had a low, vague unsettled feeling. I still loved my atheism, but now I wanted to know beyond doubt.

During the next two years I reviewed everything I had been taught. Here is what helped me, and I pass it along for whatever it may be worth:

• While in college I had one teacher mention in an epistemology class (a class on how we know) that "Christians have a different epistemology from what we have been discussing, but of course, it is incorrect." As I began my review of what I had been taught, the professor’s comment kept coming to my mind.

• I looked for the assumptions in any claim and I rejected claims that beg the question in the atheist/materialist worldview

• I discounted straw-man arguments

• I returned again and again to the question of how we can know rather than what we can know

Looking back I now see that I developed the deep, unshakeable desire to know the Truth no matter what the cost and regardless of whether I would have to admit I had lived a lie and had been wrong, my parents were wrong, and "all my friends" were wrong. The desire to know was another key element to my journey to dwell with God. Only that strong desire could overcome my pride which is still a horrible sin I struggle with every day. But I was driven to know absolute Truth no matter what.

I eventually had an encounter with God and became a Protestant for about 20 years. The best proof of God’s existence is God himself, not logic.

A chance visit to a Catholic Benedictine monastery led my wife and I into the Catholic Church where we focused on the Desert Fathers – something I wish I would have started when I first became a Christian. It seems obvious to me now, but it was not until over 20 years later that I began reading them.

As to which Bible to read I like the Douay Rheims Haydock version which is available online here, but is also available in print versions, here and here. I like the Douay Rheims for its Catholic beauty and the Haydock commentary because it has no 20th-century taint.

Catholic Tradition is key to Truth and you may want to check out these Bible Study CDs (most are also available in DVD versions).


You seem like a strong man, mature in responsibility and discernment. God always keeps his promises to every heart that seeks him.



May Christ's glory beheld by Saint Mary Magdalene
also call us to penance,

The Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition, either the 1st or 2nd edition are both really good. They are my favorite translations. The New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition is also a good one and I think it is the official liturgical Bible of Canada but I am not sure.

OSB (Orthodox Study Bible).

I wanted to get a large-print Bible for my brother whose vision has been impaired by MS. At the time he was still lectoring at church, and although the lectionary was in large print it was difficult for him to practice at home beforehand.

I went to a website called AllBibles.com and was astonished at the huge variety of Bibles in every translation, language, and media form, for every religion and every age group. If you can't find it here, I don't think you can find it.

Bibles: Buy Discount Bibles, Bible covers and more at AllBibles.com

There are courses given in "The Bible as Literature" and "The Bible as History" and if you could obtain curriculum guides for these they might help you to introduce the Bible to your children in a way you are comfortable with and in a way you might both enjoy.

My only contact with the Ethical Humanist Society was at a beautiful wedding I attended many years ago (the wife had been raised Presbyterian; the husband Jewish; and they really were ethical humanists who went to work in the Peace Corps). If the Ethical Humanist Society has a website they might be able to help you integrate the Bible into your parenting in a way that is consistent with your current worldview.

bill5 said:

?




Because......

I'm not saying any given "NDE" is or isn't genuine per se; it's obviously impossible to say. But if you don't think such things can be faked, you're kidding yourself.

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You no speaka da English? I see a lot of signs, question marks etc, which suggest to me you're not interested in investigating. Why should you be? We have to make judgments about who's views are worth investigating. It looks like our assumptions are not a good match.

CatholicAtheist said:

I've posted this on another thread in this forum, but had a recommendation to try it here too.


I am a thirty-something Atheist. Raised Catholic and educated in the Catholic School system, it wasn't until pursuing an upper level degree that my questions about the validity of a super-natural creator graduated into doubts, to denial, then into a stable non-theistic worldview. Now I have two children, and the question of whether or not to raise them as secularists or as Catholics - my traditional family religion - is constantly on my mind. Despite my current outlook I know that my religious upbringing and education had a considerable impact on me.

I've decided to continue my journey of non-faith. To reopen the case, as it were, to confirm my position for the benefit of my children. As a product of upper -level education my first stop is in research. I'm planning on reading the Bible cover-to-cover. My thought is that tunneling into the founding scripture of the big B might be just the activity to reignite the process.

However, at Barnes and Noble, I ran into my first road block; stacks of thousands of Bibles. KJV, NIV, study Bibles, side-by-side Bibles, red Bibles, blue Bibles, pink Bibles, annotated Bibles, large print Bibles?

So what would be the best bible to choose from a research standpoint? I'm leaning toward an annotated Bible with historical and geographical reference in footnotes alongside the text. But I also need one that is hardy, can withstand lots of highlighting and underlining? Please tell me why you like the Bible you suggest.

Thank you for your help in this, my continued journey of either faith or non-faith.

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The enemy cannot snatch from His hand.
You'll likely return - stronger than before - because you'll know all the 'arguments' against Him.

I left too - tho not with any arguments against Him - just pure ignorance on my part.

New American.
Its easiest to understand in our terms.
Get one with foot notes.

Tallguy88 said:

We have another poster who, while not atheist, has been very open about her doubts. She still chooses to raise her kids Catholic. I'll see if I can get her to pop in here.

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Hi, that's me, thanks for the note about this thread.

Via Cassian, do you think you would have found faith if not for your personal encounter?

TheOtherHockeyMom said:

Via Cassian, do you think you would have found faith if not for your personal encounter?

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What Bible do you use Hockeymom?

BTW- What Bible is the most popular with laity in Catholicism? Anyone know?

Michie said:

What Bible do you use Hockeymom?

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My most used is the NASB, bit I've spent time recently with the Ignatius Study Bible.

Michie said:

BTW- What Bible is the most popular with laity in Catholicism? Anyone know?

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The Laity aren't allowed bibles, Michie. The Priests chain them to the pulpits, remember?

CatholicAtheist said:

I've posted this on another thread in this forum, but had a recommendation to try it here too.
. . . .
So what would be the best bible to choose from a research standpoint? I'm leaning toward an annotated Bible with historical and geographical reference in footnotes alongside the text. But I also need one that is hardy, can withstand lots of highlighting and underlining? Please tell me why you like the Bible you suggest.

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The Ignatius Study Bible is excellent.
Another one would be the RSC-CE2 bible.

TheOtherHockeyMom said:

My most used is the NASB, bit I've spent time recently with the Ignatius Study Bible.

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I have a St. Jerome Study Bible among others but I do not have a St. Ignatius Study Bible. I'd like to have one though. To be honest I just have not found a certain Catholic Bible I've fell in love with. I use several.

Dylan Michael said:

The Laity aren't allowed bibles, Michie. The Priests chain them to the pulpits, remember?

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Oh gosh! I plum forgot!

I would highly recommend you start with the New Testament, finish it then go back and start the OT. Cuz the OT would be more easier to understand if you read the NT first.

IgnatiusOfAntioch said:

The Ignatius Study Bible is excellent.
Another one would be the RSC-CE2 bible.

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I believe that the Ignatius Study Bible is the RSV-2CE.

CatholicAtheist said:

So what would be the best bible to choose from a research standpoint? .

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Whichever translation you choose, I hope you choose a Catholic version approved by the Church.

Any other translation is at risk of being incomplete.

TheOtherHockeyMom said:

My most used is the NASB, bit I've spent time recently with the Ignatius Study Bible.

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Oops, quoting myself to fix an error, my somewhat dog eared go-to Bible translation ( a Confirmation gift), is the NAB, not the NASB.