It was very interesting for me to read the actual text of revelation. I have really never read the bible in any form on my own. I have heard passages from the bible when going to church with distant relatives or certain friends, as well as some of the writings from the old testament in synagogue when I was younger, but I have never really gone out of my way to study them on my own.
The analysis of Revelations was also very helpful in understanding the meaning of the text. I am glad that I read the analysis before reading the actual text. One thing that stuck out to me in the analysis was the discussion of the violent nature of the subject matter. Reading through the actual text, I would have to agree that it is indeed incredibly violent, however it read to me almost in a similar way that a very action packed and violent novel might read. I was very intrigued and enthralled by the action and it was overall very easy to read.
There is one quote which I found to be very interesting. I think it has a lot of significance and a lot of relevance. In my opinion, religious people everywhere (but especially certain fanatical religious people of the modern age) could learn something from this quote:
"Let him who does wrong continue to do wrong; let him who is vile continue to be vile; let him who does right continue to do right; and let him who is holy continue to be holy."
I only have a comment on the selected quote. Not to sound like a fanatical religious person, but I'm fairly certain that within the context of this verse (22:11 if others want to look it up again) the author is stating that the people who are doing "wrong" will continue to do so as a matter of habit. Likewise for those who are vile and holy and for those who do right. I am almost positive that the verse is not a command to readers because those who edited the first Bible would not likely put in something that could be so blatantly contradictory to the 'call to action' style of the new testament.
ReplyDeleteEither way, such a verse becomes quite ineffective in an argument simply because in a case which you would present this verse to a religious defendant (he/she is condemning their opponent), that person basically concedes to being "wrong" or "vile".