Is there a best single book?

[Archbob]

Most influential? Definately the bible.

 

[NickyJ]

Escaping Locked Prison Cells for Dummies

Duh.

But to be serious, I'd pick the Bible. If, for some strange reason, I can't, then...... Pilgrim's Progress.

 

[Syterion]

*Is there a single best book?

 

[7ronin]

The complete works of W. Shakespeare.

 

[Smellincoffee]

Even as a religious person, I winced whenever someone listed the Christian bible as their favorite book -- as so many do on facebook and similar programs -- because, really. Have you read it? Sure, there are a few nice quotations in there that people like. Some of it is even profound -- but it's a massive book full of ritualistic laws, fanciful 'histories', and tales of utter barbarity that tend to bore and depress with their repetitive primitiveness. I believe many list the bible out of knee-jerk piety. If you view it from outside religion, on the shelf with similar books and codes, I don't think it holds up as well. At the very least, I wish people would mention specific books that are collected WITHIN the bible, because it's essentially an anthology that didn't appear in full until centuries after some of its constituent books appeared.

 

[Zack]

Even as a religious person, I winced whenever someone listed the Christian bible as their favorite book -- as so many do on facebook and similar programs -- because, really. Have you read it?

I was thinking the same thing. In general, it's boring as hell. Not to mention, a lot of people will be surprised what horrific stuff they find in the Old Testament.


Some of my favorites:

2 Kings 2:22-24

23 And he went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head.

24 And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them.

Ezekiel 23:19-20

19 Yet she became more and more promiscuous as she recalled the days of her youth, when she was a prostitute in Egypt.

20 There she lusted after her lovers, whose genitals were like those of donkeys and whose emission was like that of horses.

Deuteronomy 25:11-12

11 If two men are fighting and the wife of one of them comes to rescue her husband from his assailant, and she reaches out and seizes him by his private parts,

12 you shall cut off her hand. Show her no pity.

1 Samuel 18:25-27

25 Saul replied, “Say to David, ‘The king wants no other price for the bride than a hundred Philistine foreskins, to take revenge on his enemies.’” Saul’s plan was to have David fall by the hands of the Philistines.

26 When the attendants told David these things, he was pleased to become the king’s son-in-law. So before the allotted time elapsed,

27 David and his men went out and killed two hundred Philistines. He brought their foreskins and presented the full number to the king so that he might become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave him his daughter Michal in marriage.

Genesis 19:30-36

30 Lot and his two daughters left Zoar and settled in the mountains, for he was afraid to stay in Zoar. He and his two daughters lived in a cave.

31 One day the older daughter said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is no man around here to lie with us, as is the custom all over the earth.

32 Let’s get our father to drink wine and then lie with him and preserve our family line through our father.”

33 That night they got their father to drink wine, and the older daughter went in and lay with him. He was not aware of it when she lay down or when she got up.

34 The next day the older daughter said to the younger, “Last night I lay with my father. Let’s get him to drink wine again tonight, and you go in and lie with him so we can preserve our family line through our father.”

35 So they got their father to drink wine that night also, and the younger daughter went and lay with him. Again he was not aware of it when she lay down or when she got up.

36 So both of Lot’s daughters became pregnant by their father.

Gen. 38:15-16

15 When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face.

16 Not realizing that she was his daughter-in-law, he went over to her by the roadside and said, “Come now, let me sleep with you.” “And what will you give me to sleep with you?” she asked.

 

[Antilogic]

Even as a religious person, I winced whenever someone listed the Christian bible as their favorite book -- as so many do on facebook and similar programs -- because, really. Have you read it? Sure, there are a few nice quotations in there that people like. Some of it is even profound -- but it's a massive book full of ritualistic laws, fanciful 'histories', and tales of utter barbarity that tend to bore and depress with their repetitive primitiveness. I believe many list the bible out of knee-jerk piety. If you view it from outside religion, on the shelf with similar books and codes, I don't think it holds up as well. At the very least, I wish people would mention specific books that are collected WITHIN the bible, because it's essentially an anthology that didn't appear in full until centuries after some of its constituent books appeared.

You have expressed my thoughts in a far more articulate matter than I could have wished. Bravo!

 

[_random_]

Even as a religious person, I winced whenever someone listed the Christian bible as their favorite book -- as so many do on facebook and similar programs -- because, really. Have you read it? Sure, there are a few nice quotations in there that people like. Some of it is even profound -- but it's a massive book full of ritualistic laws, fanciful 'histories', and tales of utter barbarity that tend to bore and depress with their repetitive primitiveness. I believe many list the bible out of knee-jerk piety. If you view it from outside religion, on the shelf with similar books and codes, I don't think it holds up as well. At the very least, I wish people would mention specific books that are collected WITHIN the bible, because it's essentially an anthology that didn't appear in full until centuries after some of its constituent books appeared.

The New Testament is pretty consistently great, but I'll be the first to admit that the Old Testament gets pretty dull and weird at times. That being said, the circumstances described in the OP would make it desirable to have as much reading material as possible, and it would make it possible to discover all the nuanced meanings and symbols that are pretty cool when my Bible teacher points them out but I'd normally never bother to seek for myself because holy crap that book gets really boring. A good Study Bible would probably be ideal for both of those purposes. That being said, here are some possible alternatives:

 

[Graceheart the Leopard]

This.

 

[Mr. Dictator]

À la recherche du temps perdu.

French and English version. Same book, so it counts as one

 

[Narz]

If you were isolated, for example locked in a prison cell, and were allowed to read only one book, as many times as you wanted to, which would it be?

Obviously a book on how to break out of prison.

 

[squall78]

a book with the middle carved out with a lock of the prison cell, and a gun

I'll probably take a very long book on history, or an epic fiction or something. Sadly I don't know any books in these categories.

 

[Narz]

a book with the middle carved out with a lock of the prison cell, and a gun

I'll probably take a very long book on history, or an epic fiction or something. Sadly I don't know any books in these categories.

Or a very heavy book you could use to knock out the guard & steal his key/gun.

If there was no chance at escape a book about law would be second best.

 

[say1988]

Unless I was senile I could never pick one. There are few books I have read multiple times and those were always years apart unless I was desparate enough to read, litterally, anything.

I suppose any really long anthology with lots of stories would be best. In this situation quantity is far mroeimportant than quality.

Genesis 19:30-36

I don't know how many religious people have told me I was lying when I mention that story.

 

[Kyriakos]

Unless I was senile I could never pick one. There are few books I have read multiple times and those were always years apart unless I was desparate enough to read, litterally, anything.

I suppose any really long anthology with lots of stories would be best. In this situation quantity is far mroeimportant than quality.


I don't know how many religious people have told me I was lying when I mention that story.

So you are not senile, but people who actually had something useful to post are. Ok, i would not really see that as evidence of not being senile, maybe even would tend to see it as the contrary

 

[MagisterCultuum]

The question was about the best single book. The bible is not a single book, but 66 books (or more if it includes the deuterocanon) bound together.

 

[classical_hero]

Even as a religious person, I winced whenever someone listed the Christian bible as their favorite book -- as so many do on facebook and similar programs -- because, really. Have you read it? Sure, there are a few nice quotations in there that people like. Some of it is even profound -- but it's a massive book full of ritualistic laws, fanciful 'histories', and tales of utter barbarity that tend to bore and depress with their repetitive primitiveness. I believe many list the bible out of knee-jerk piety. If you view it from outside religion, on the shelf with similar books and codes, I don't think it holds up as well. At the very least, I wish people would mention specific books that are collected WITHIN the bible, because it's essentially an anthology that didn't appear in full until centuries after some of its constituent books appeared.

You mean how people do things that are contrary to God's law? The Bible is full of barbaric acts due to the nature of man.

I will also say the Bible, but as long as it is the one from the Shawshank Redemption, since I then use it to hide a tool that i can use to get out of my cell.

 

[_random_]

The question was about the best single book. The bible is not a single book, but 66 books (or more if it includes the deuterocanon) bound together.

Vawnros said that anything bound as a single volume is acceptable.

 

[Perfection]

The Bible cuz Numbers 7

Spoiler :

On the day when Moses had finished setting up the tabernacle, and had anointed and consecrated it with all its furnishings, and had anointed and consecrated the altar with all its utensils, the leaders of Israel, heads of their ancestral houses, the leaders of the tribes, who were over those who were enrolled, made offerings. They brought their offerings before the Lord, six covered wagons and twelve oxen, a wagon for every two of the leaders, and for each one an ox; they presented them before the tabernacle. Then the Lord said to Moses: Accept these from them, that they may be used in performing the service of the tent of meeting, and give them to the Levites, to each according to his service. So Moses took the wagons and the oxen, and gave them to the Levites. Two wagons and four oxen he gave to the Gershonites, according to their service; and four wagons and eight oxen he gave to the Merarites, according to their service, under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest. But to the Kohathites he gave none, because they were charged with the care of the holy things that had to be carried on the shoulders.

The leaders also presented offerings for the dedication of the altar at the time when it was anointed; the leaders presented their offering before the altar. The Lord said to Moses: They shall present their offerings, one leader each day, for the dedication of the altar.

The one who presented his offering on the first day was Nahshon son of Amminadab, of the tribe of Judah; his offering was one silver plate weighing one hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of choice flour mixed with oil for a grain-offering; one golden dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense; one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt-offering; one male goat for a sin-offering; and for the sacrifice of well-being, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Nahshon son of Amminadab.

On the second day Nethanel son of Zuar, the leader of Issachar, presented an offering; he presented for his offering one silver plate weighing one hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of choice flour mixed with oil for a grain-offering; one golden dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense; one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, as a burnt-offering; one male goat as a sin-offering; and for the sacrifice of well-being, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Nethanel son of Zuar.

On the third day Eliab son of Helon, the leader of the Zebulunites: his offering was one silver plate weighing one hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of choice flour mixed with oil for a grain-offering; one golden dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense; one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt-offering; one male goat for a sin-offering; and for the sacrifice of well-being, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Eliab son of Helon.

On the fourth day Elizur son of Shedeur, the leader of the Reubenites: his offering was one silver plate weighing one hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of choice flour mixed with oil for a grain-offering; one golden dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense; one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt-offering; one male goat for a sin-offering; and for the sacrifice of well-being, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Elizur son of Shedeur.

On the fifth day Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai, the leader of the Simeonites: his offering was one silver plate weighing one hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of choice flour mixed with oil for a grain-offering; one golden dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense; one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt-offering; one male goat for a sin-offering; and for the sacrifice of well-being, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai.

On the sixth day Eliasaph son of Deuel, the leader of the Gadites: his offering was one silver plate weighing one hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of choice flour mixed with oil for a grain-offering; one golden dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense; one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt-offering; one male goat for a sin-offering; and for the sacrifice of well-being, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Eliasaph son of Deuel.

On the seventh day Elishama son of Ammihud, the leader of the Ephraimites: his offering was one silver plate weighing one hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of choice flour mixed with oil for a grain-offering; one golden dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense; one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt-offering; one male goat for a sin-offering; and for the sacrifice of well-being, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Elishama son of Ammihud.

On the eighth day Gamaliel son of Pedahzur, the leader of the Manassites: his offering was one silver plate weighing one hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of choice flour mixed with oil for a grain-offering; one golden dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense; one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt-offering; one male goat for a sin-offering; and for the sacrifice of well-being, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Gamaliel son of Pedahzur.

On the ninth day Abidan son of Gideoni, the leader of the Benjaminites: his offering was one silver plate weighing one hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of choice flour mixed with oil for a grain-offering; one golden dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense; one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt-offering; one male goat for a sin-offering; and for the sacrifice of well-being, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Abidan son of Gideoni.

On the tenth day Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai, the leader of the Danites: his offering was one silver plate weighing one hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of choice flour mixed with oil for a grain-offering; one golden dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense; one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt-offering; one male goat for a sin-offering; and for the sacrifice of well-being, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai.

On the eleventh day Pagiel son of Ochran, the leader of the Asherites: his offering was one silver plate weighing one hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of choice flour mixed with oil for a grain-offering; one golden dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense; one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt-offering; one male goat for a sin-offering; and for the sacrifice of well-being, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Pagiel son of Ochran.

On the twelfth day Ahira son of Enan, the leader of the Naphtalites: his offering was one silver plate weighing one hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of choice flour mixed with oil for a grain-offering; one golden dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense; one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt-offering; one male goat for a sin-offering; and for the sacrifice of well-being, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Ahira son of Enan.

This was the dedication-offering for the altar, at the time when it was anointed, from the leaders of Israel: twelve silver plates, twelve silver basins, twelve golden dishes, each silver plate weighing one hundred and thirty shekels and each basin seventy, all the silver of the vessels two thousand four hundred shekels according to the shekel of the sanctuary, the twelve golden dishes, full of incense, weighing ten shekels apiece according to the shekel of the sanctuary, all the gold of the dishes being one hundred and twenty shekels; all the livestock for the burnt-offering twelve bulls, twelve rams, twelve male lambs a year old, with their grain-offering; and twelve male goats for a sin-offering; and all the livestock for the sacrifice of well-being twenty-four bulls, the rams sixty, the male goats sixty, the male lambs a year old sixty. This was the dedication-offering for the altar, after it was anointed.

When Moses went into the tent of meeting to speak with the Lord, he would hear the voice speaking to him from above the mercy-seat that was on the ark of the covenant from between the two cherubim; thus it spoke to him.

 

[Narz]

You mean how people do things that are contrary to God's law? The Bible is full of barbaric acts due to the nature of man.

Oh please, He started it.

Anyway, we're made in His image so if we're f-ed up it reflects on our Father. Judging by the Bible ('specially the Old Testament) Big Papa isn't quite as perfect as He'd like us to think He is.

Re : Perfection, tl/dr sorry but I remember reading some sciency stuff about hallucinations & mountaintops & whatnot which may account for part of Moses's "visions" and stuff (not sure if that's what your passage is about). It also talked about how "haunted houses" almost all had gas leaks.