New Look at a Very Old Book

How could anyone buy a two thousand year old house, move right in without re-evaluating its existing structure and fixing what was unsound? This book is about re-evaluating Christianity, correcting misinterpretations and suggesting repairs.

There's something dysfunctional in the human psyche that buys into a hand-me-down Christianity without questioning the contemporary beliefs. That dysfunction is called "pre-critical naiveté" and good old human "perception" (you buy it because some authority told you to, but you don't understand how it works). That's chapter One. To make matters worse, the rituals and doctrines are in an out-dated language and literary style (you can't read through the legends and myths). That's chapter Two. So far, are you getting the point. "Me thinks" a lesson in Sacred Scripture reading and interpretation is in order. Let's examine eight of the World's Holy Scriptures that were handed down to us. That's chapter Three. Now you are prepared to tackle the real problem- the Bible. However, there's a special treat waiting for the reader. The heart of this book will be the most controversial analysis of the New Testament in 1600 years. You are going to read the Christian Testament in its chronological order of authorship. Wow. What a difference it makes. Some of what you learned will not now be what you thought you believed. That's chapter Four. What the Bible demands has some errors. We have to fix them. But first, let's find them. And, that happens in chapter Five. So, what's the fix. Back to basics. Let's discard all the legends and myths to help us discover what the first guy was trying to tell us. Low and behold, we find the real teachings of the man from Nazareth, the carpenter named Yeshua (his real Aramaic name!). What a surprise. There are no doctrines, no rituals, no legal smeegals and most of all, no gatekeepers. We have always had a direct "line to the Divine". "We are truly free, free at last!. Just call the Chief Designer at 1-800-GOD or send emails to daddy@god.or. (You may get Her attention quicker by replacing "daddy" with "mommy". That's chapter Six. Last comes the "How To" part. Maybe you could use a plan to organize a community of like-minded people. Now you're actually prepared to do some serious choosing from that Good Book. Let's look through the yellowed pages of that very old, dusty Bible that has a plethora of suggestions and directions. That's chapter Seven.

And, there ain't no more. You are on your own. Well, maybe a few Appendices to whet your intellectual curiosity. Happy reading!

It all started on the second of December 1975 after I had finished two lectures on Nuclear Plant Chemistry and Radioactivity (I already had a Master's in Nuclear Physics). I was at the Ramada Inn in Russellville, AR close to 2 PM reading "I'm OK, You're OK" by Thomas Harris. U jad an epiphany of self-worth. Two days later my Baptist friend introduced me to his idea of the Bible. After reading the Good Book several times, I was off and running to get a formal education. Twenty-five years later, after two more Master's (Religious Studies and Pastoral Counseling), 2 years studying Koine Greek, a year of Biblical Hebrew and a PhD (Psychology), followed by intensive library and Internet research, the seeds of this book grew sprouts. Since I had long ago left the Catholic Institution and Fundamental Protestantism, my future pointed towards understanding the religious mind and its search for meaning and spirituality. I documented my journey so that others might benefit and shorten theirs.