I’ll go with the low-hanging fruit: Mein Kampf. I’ve read it, cover to cover. As a piece of propaganda, it’s good. As an example of good writing? Absolutely not (though I will admit I have only read it in translation). Oh, and the whole fascist, racist, and generally shitty worldview of the author that he infuses into the text. And the fact that the author is literally Hitler. You 5-star that book? You’re a Nazi. Period. And as a Jewish person, I don’t look too kindly on them.
Can I include the bible?
I’m gonna add the original Greek and Hebrew to my answer please.
Let’s put the Quran on that list.
But that is 66 books by different authors, and you haven’t even said which translation yet. If you say King James, I won’t like you, if you say the original greek and hebrew, the I will like you.
And if you stan hard for Ecclesiastes I’ll love you.
There might be an exception for if they are a historian or something of that level for me.
Here’s another example—when I rate a book such as the Bible which has been published in countless editions and is available in so many forms, my rating is more so for the quality of the edition itself than the content of the book.
Rating something as a product on a dating profile would be weird though lol
Am an atheist but I’d say there’s worse answers, given they’ve actually read the damn thing. I know a fair few believers, but none that have, to my knowledge.
Would you have the same view if their favourite book was the Q’uran or is it specifically the Bible?
Opposing opinion here, but I actually think there are a lot of good reasons out there to a have a browse through the bible.
For example for people from countries with a long history of christianity it would be useful given it’s part of that countries history and the content provide some context for historical events (for example, it‘s kind of good to know basics about the bible, it‘s content and meaning in society to understand the reformation).
Reading the bible doesn‘t automatically turn you into a reactionary hardline christian. Same way that this is not true for other religions. I‘d argue that knowing the bible actually helps standing up against reactionary hardliners, since they tend to cherry pick the bible and mold the words to further their own use. They can do that because not many people read the bible. If more people read the bible themselves I think less people would become reactionary hardline christians.
I feel like thinking your ‘rating’ of The Bible (not you personally, but the hypothetical 5 star rating date) makes any difference is a red flag of it’s own.
Unless they are rating the quality of the binding, printing, etc of a particular edition.
le epic reddit moment
DAE think believing in sky daddies and jewish zombies is dumb???
I was born and will die an atheist who doesn’t entertain the slightest belief or even interest in the supernatural, but Saturday morning Torah study with a good rabbi is a fine way to spend a morning hour. I typically duck out for coffee rather than attend the following service, however. 😀
Unless they specifically single out any of the following books: Jude, Philemon, Victor, and / or Armaments
I know a guy who thinks “other books aren’t worth reading” because the Bible is “the only book worth reading.” That told me everything I needed to know about him
I think you need to be a bit more specific. As an agnostic who is very interested in biblical scholarship I would say you would have to know what translation they rate 5 stars. If they rate the New Oxford Annotated Bible that high then it’s not a red flag they probably are just interested in Bible scholarship. I would be careful though if they seem to love the English Standard Version.