Old Testament
This is a comment on a post by sirpaulsbuddy (thread here). I thought there might be some value in pulling my comment out and posting it here.
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At Wake Forest, all students were required, as part of their divisional requirements, to take a religion course. However, unlike the requisites for most departments, there were scads of courses that fulfilled the requirement. The most popular choice by far seemed to be World Religions.
I took Old Testament. I arrived at Wake a fairly devout Southern Baptist, although I was beginning to have some issues with certain of the Southern Baptist Convention’s doctrines. The OT course stands as one of the most important 15 weeks of my life, because it was here that I first learned the history of the OT, which turned out to be somewhat of a departure from the dogma of the OT (especially as taught by literalist-minded Sunday School teachers).
‘Twas a story steeped in irony, I suppose. Southern Baptist kid, Southern Baptist school, Old Testament course taught by Dr. Hamrick, a senior prof who was also, on the weekends, a Sunday School teacher at Wake Forest Baptist Church on campus. And the upshot was that I came away far more educated, far more capable and willing to think critically about religious issues, far more annoyed by the fictions that my denomination had taught me, and far more able to understand the complex relationship between fact and truth.
It was a significant moment in my migration away from Christianity, as it turned out…
lullaby pit 
As Freemasons, we take the Old Testament very seriously. In my opinion, it is the best literature ever produced by man.
Aloha,
Jeff
As Freemasons, we take the Old Testament very seriously. In my opinion, it is the best literature ever produced by man.
Aloha,
Jeff
That was the problem with too many of the Baptists. The OT is GREAT literature. But they thought it was journalism… 🙂
That was the problem with too many of the Baptists. The OT is GREAT literature. But they thought it was journalism… 🙂
OK. Now THAT was funny!
JS O’Brien
OK. Now THAT was funny!
JS O’Brien
I wasn’t required to take a course in religion, and I surprised myself when I did. It happened to be one of the best courses of my life.
It made me an agnostic. And it was taught by a Catholic priest.
JS O’Brien
I wasn’t required to take a course in religion, and I surprised myself when I did. It happened to be one of the best courses of my life.
It made me an agnostic. And it was taught by a Catholic priest.
JS O’Brien
I never did get this new age fancy schmancy christianity thing. Trees and rocks and oceans were always good enough for me. 🙂
I never did get this new age fancy schmancy christianity thing. Trees and rocks and oceans were always good enough for me. 🙂
I guess this is what happens when it’s taught properly, huh?
I guess this is what happens when it’s taught properly, huh?
Ah. So you’re into that REAL old-time religion.
Ah. So you’re into that REAL old-time religion.
We got kicked out of a Southern Baptist church. We ended up going back to the Episcopal Church:)
Aloha,
Jeff
We got kicked out of a Southern Baptist church. We ended up going back to the Episcopal Church:)
Aloha,
Jeff
Had I been raised in an Episcopal church I suspect I’d be a very different person right now. Part of me thinks it would have been nice not to have had to learn so many lessons the hard way. But that requires me to say I’d rather be some way other than I am, and frankly I’m fairly pleased about how I’ve turned out.
So I guess that means I’m glad I was raised Baptist, which is an awfully counter-intuitive thing to hear from me, eh?
Had I been raised in an Episcopal church I suspect I’d be a very different person right now. Part of me thinks it would have been nice not to have had to learn so many lessons the hard way. But that requires me to say I’d rather be some way other than I am, and frankly I’m fairly pleased about how I’ve turned out.
So I guess that means I’m glad I was raised Baptist, which is an awfully counter-intuitive thing to hear from me, eh?
LOL:)
I only ended up at the Baptist church bvecause my wife was a Baptist, and we were married in one. Life has gotten so simple since we we’ve been going to the Episcopal church as there’s no politics in our church. I was raised Episcopal, and my wife has made the adaptation just fine. My son hated the Baptist church to begin with, and he hated the fire and brimstone.
I want to go to one of those churches where they play with snakes………just to check it out.
Aloha,
Jeff
LOL:)
I only ended up at the Baptist church bvecause my wife was a Baptist, and we were married in one. Life has gotten so simple since we we’ve been going to the Episcopal church as there’s no politics in our church. I was raised Episcopal, and my wife has made the adaptation just fine. My son hated the Baptist church to begin with, and he hated the fire and brimstone.
I want to go to one of those churches where they play with snakes………just to check it out.
Aloha,
Jeff
Nah. I just can’t read. 🙂
Nah. I just can’t read. 🙂