How can I convince someone to read the Bible?

I've got a little situation here.

There's this girl in my class, and she's really amazing! She's funny, pretty, smart, and all the other positive things a human could be, I guess.

But there's only one "problem": She's strongly devoted to God.

I asked her politely if she would like to read the Bible, just to show her that God really isn't that much of a great guy, but she just refuses to read the Bible. She says that she doesn't need some silly book to know her God is the only god and that he is allknowing, allpowerfull, etc...

But I really want her to "get to know" the God she's admiring so much. I want to convince her that he is a massmurderer, rapist, violence-loving kind of....man/woman/thing/beast, and not the loving God she thinks she knows.

What is the best way to convince her, without forcing her, of course?

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Permalink Reply by Claudia Mercedes Mazzucco on December 8, 2010 at 1:20pm

Timothy, I think you should accept this woman as she is. You seem to want to change her before you even really know her. All of the wonderful qualities you find in her are attributes of the experience of God she intuitively knows. You seem to want her to read the Bible in order to assert your perspective. If you like her, you can let her be herself.

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Permalink Reply by Timothy Van Uytfang on December 8, 2010 at 2:03pm

Well, I'm trying to let her be herself, but it's harming her in so many ways, and it kinda sucks to literally see her destroy everything she's got, just for her god.

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Permalink Reply by M on December 8, 2010 at 9:18pm

No offense, but I'm already doubting her intelligence. She doesn't want to actually educate herself on a subject she is so passionate about? Here's to hoping she doesn't want to become a surgeon or something...

In nursing, when someone doesn't want to do something, we ask them if they would please explain to us their reasoning behind it. We don't use the word "why," because it puts people on the defensive, so word your question carefully. Maybe she has a good reason in there, or maybe she has a reason that you can work around.

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Permalink Reply by Shelley on July 3, 2011 at 3:03pm

Or she could of been taught like i was as child

you don't have to read the bible, it is made by man

You don't have to go to church for it is made by man

All You have to do is know that the lord is real, he made you, he loves you, and he is with you no matter what.

Everything else is what you feel like.

all you need is 2 people talking about the lord and he is there.

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Permalink Reply by Lisa on December 8, 2010 at 9:25pm

make posters with the really good bible sayings?

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Permalink Reply by Pope Beanie on December 9, 2010 at 12:16pm

I've been assuming this is in high school, right? These are still impressionable, formative years. Possible heavy peer pressure and worry about "what's proper" before learning from experience and contemplation. Possible personality disorders.

Just mentioning it because I'm seeing comments from adults who might be assuming this girl is already a stable product.

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Permalink Reply by M on December 9, 2010 at 10:10pm

Point taken.

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Permalink Reply by Shelley on July 3, 2011 at 2:59pm

Iknow this is old, but why not just let her believe what she wants? I mean if she loves the Lord good for her. I have read the bible and the only books that seem to give off mix massages to me at least is anything written by Paul, or Saul.

I Have the opposite problem, By boyfriend is Agnostic and I want him to learn about the christian lord so he can choose if he Believes in him or not. But its harder then i thought.

But I believe in my father in heaven like if he was my father on the earth, It makes more sense then anything else. like Evolution. But I do think things were made to change. Like how we can adapt to different places and such. Little things or find but saying a fish turned in to frog which turned in to a this animal, which turned in to a monkey, that learned how to walk, and its brain grew bigger, and that is us over 4 million years ..... Seems Far fetched .....

then this guy who lives for ever, made us... and everything.

SO yeah, Why not accept her for who she is, who she wants to be.... and If one day you find yourself willing to marry her ( If you believe in marriage of course) Then cross that bridge at that time ......

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Permalink Reply by ondrej on July 16, 2011 at 6:07pm

Really? Although you believe that God is the One who created the universe, the One who brought the very space and time into being, the One who fashioned myriads of stars and crafted the Earth, you expect Him, who does everything in the most surprising way – like turning death of His Son, who is still Himself, into the life of everyone who dies with Him – is going to create humankind in some simplistic way? :D I find that much more far fetched than the alternative. :)

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Permalink Reply by ondrej on July 16, 2011 at 6:31pm

I think that reading the Scripture would undoubtedly be very helpful for her. Her attitude towards her life is not destructive because her faith and belief is strong and it is most definitely not because she knows the Christian God. Quite on the contrary – I find it very probable that it is because of how little she knows Him. :)

She would otherwise hardly think that apples are seeds of evil – as mentioned by Jordan, Genesis does not mention apples at all. I would really like to know what Church your friend is a part of as I really do not see how any Christian could possibly say that Bible is not important. That makes very little sense. Does this girl even believe in Jesus Christ at all? :D Or how can she if she refuses to read the book which is basically the only source of information that there is about Him. You know, John the apostle even says that Christ is the Word of God so reading the Scripture is basically one of the ways Christians can meet Him – in fact, this symbolism becomes very obvious in the rite, where you can meet Christ in two distinct ways – the first one is the word: when selected parts of the Scripture are read; the second one is His body in the Eucharist.

Virtually any sort of Christian prayer is to a large extent based on the Scripture as well – whether it is meditation, or oral prayer. Perhaps the greatest lesson of prayer can be obtained from the psalms, which form part of the Old Testament.

You should really help your friend... If she knows nothing about God how is she even sure that it is He to whom she prays? :D :D She might just as well be speaking to the devil... :D

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Permalink Reply by Araina on July 16, 2011 at 7:02pm

She is smart but is devoted to God? Her life is devoted to an imaginary man in the sky that you don't believe in. Why waste time trying ton convince someone of something when you can just find someone that doesn't have dysfunctional rational thinking abilities? Try the smart nerdy girl in the corner.