But....
most of it is inconsequential rubbish. There are huge swathes of it that are just half-remembered histories of tribal wars (that just go on and on and have no bearing on anything other than remote Jewish history).

I would suggest that very little of the important history of the 20th Century is directly related to the Bible, King James or otherwise. I agree with the Cicero quote, but a good knowledge of 20th Century events is FAR more relevant.
(Seebeedee, Mon 23 Mar 2009, 11:49, 2 replies)

I'm not suggesting that the Bible is a factual historical document
although some might suggest that.

But without knowing the Bible then so much remains a closed book to you...

Shakespeare, Milton, Chaucer...

As far as history is concerned it's impossible to look at any period in total isolation - one needs to be aware of what has gone before and what motives were behind their actions.
( chickenlady b3ta's very own Elizabeth Taylor, Mon 23 Mar 2009, 11:58, closed)

Shakespeare is a closed book if you haven't read the Bible?
Pffft. If that were true, his plays would not have their truly global appeal.

As for history - when was the Bible ever truly used as the guidebook for people's actions?

Like any large, complex religious text, it just gets used to excuse the actions - it's so large and obtuse that it's never really hard to find a quote in there to justify whatever you're doing. People throughout history have decided what to day and then justified it by interpreting the Bible as they see fit - you're better off looking at what actually happened than looking at how they excused it at the time.
(Seebeedee, Mon 23 Mar 2009, 21:48, closed)

Ah, such pearls:
www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezekiel%2023:20;&version=31;
:-)
(Seebeedee, Tue 24 Mar 2009, 13:10, closed)

Oh this is a shame...
You probably won't like these references that I've got...because they're honest to goodness academic ones.

www.shakespearefellowship.org/virtualclassroom/StritmatterShaheenRev.htm

muse.jhu.edu/login?uri=/journals/shakespeare_quarterly/v052/52.1curren-aquino.pdf

www.shaksper.net/archives/1998/0697.html

Now go away, read your Shakespeare and your bible and learn something about the history of western literature.
( chickenlady b3ta's very own Elizabeth Taylor, Wed 25 Mar 2009, 17:59, closed)

And understanding the 20th century comes from where?
It's not enough simply to know facts. You need to know whence they spring.
( Enzyme is powered by sunlight, Mon 23 Mar 2009, 11:59, closed)