Define "best." (And no, "most likely to make the reader want to worship God by the end of the book" doesn't count.)

Best = Extracting the intended meaning in its metaphor instead of viewing it as a narrative where God is a character.

I just didn't know which side of the crack line you'd fall on WRT God/Abraham=V/Evey.

No, I thought that was an excellent reading. Profound even.

::preens::

::internally joggled by excessive preening, belches horrifically::

NOTE TO PEOPLE WHO DON'T WATCH COLBERT

Thank you! I watch Colbert from time to time but leave with the feeling I'm being yelled at.

The Word is my favorite. Or when he debates himself. I used to identify with Job Way Too Much, ftr. I doubt I could ever be that faithful in actual fact, but as an Arizona Democrat, you'd see where I'd get confused.

I just don't have an investment in reading Job (or, really, most of the Biblical stories) with authorial intent aforethought. For one thing, I don't share the author's presumable faith. For another, narrative is all the power I need out of a story (thus reading God as a character is exactly the speed I'm at). Putting God-the-character in the therapist role, or the sadist role, or the prankster role, or the dad-who-needs-Valium role even, is as close as I can get to relating to a story that involves religious figures.

Besides, even God needs a Secret Pain, don't you think? Okay, possibly that is blasphemy, but I like to think it is empathetic blasphemy!

I see the Bible in general as a recording of a people's history, law, and wisdom and the wisdom parts in particular are conveyed through stories. So the story of Job and of Abraham and Issac don't really seem so terrible to me. The wisdom is the part to take out of it rather than the story.

However, I find people who insist that every word of the Bible is literally true to be odd. In that context, killing off someone's children because God is making a bet with Satan is pretty darn distrubing.

Of course that are many people who think I need to be fixed to see divinity instead of humanity in those stories and histories, but I don't see it, it's not in my worldview. Still an interesting book though.

I watch Colbert from time to time but leave with the feeling I'm being yelled at.

It's why I don't watch Colbert. It's funny occasionally , but he totally wears it out.

Aw, Sean, don't make me repost my cracky V theory again, please?

I liked the theory, though. Even if it is cracktastic.

Actually the two characters in the Bible (yes, I am continuing to treat it as a narrative) I have the most sympathy with are Lucifer Morningstar and Judas Iscariot. In both cases, they were merely doing their Part in the Plan, and really got the crap end of the deal for their troubles.

huh, I never knew that Lucifer had a last name. Thought he was like Prince.