Dark Bible Stories That You Never Heard | Joe Rogan & Michelle Dowd

Summary

The speaker shares their childhood experience of moving from San Francisco to Florida, where they encountered a starkly different environment and culture, including alligators and religion in public schools. They recount reading the Bible in its entirety at a young age, highlighting the complex and sometimes contradictory nature of its content. The discussion touches on specific biblical stories, such as David and Bathsheba, and Tamar's plight, emphasizing the historical and cultural contexts that are often overlooked. The speaker reflects on the challenges of interpreting these ancient texts and the importance of critically engaging with their messages.

Takeaways

• 😀 The speaker grew up in a hippie, anti-war environment in San Francisco before moving to Gainesville, Florida at age 11.
• 🐊 In Florida, the speaker experienced a stark contrast with alligators, swampy weather, and a more religious community.
• 📚 The speaker attended Bible class in public school and read the entire Bible by the age of 8, noting the mix of beautiful and violent passages.
• 🤔 The speaker highlights the contradictions and complexities in the Bible, often due to its compilation by different authors over time.
• 👑 The story of King David is discussed, including his affair with Bathsheba and the subsequent consequences, which are not commonly taught.
• 👩 The narrative of Tamar is mentioned, illustrating the harsh realities and moral dilemmas present in biblical stories.
• 📖 The speaker emphasizes the importance of understanding the historical context and not taking biblical stories at face value.
• 🤷‍♀️ The speaker questions the teachings of the Bible, such as condoning slavery and the treatment of women as second-class citizens.
• 📚 The existence of additional biblical texts, like the Apocrypha, is mentioned, which are not part of the standard Bible but offer different perspectives.
• 💭 The speaker concludes by acknowledging the need for a nuanced approach to interpreting religious texts and their messages.

Q & A

What was the speaker's experience moving from San Francisco to Florida?

The speaker experienced a significant cultural shift, moving from a 'hippie, anti-war' environment in San Francisco to a more religious and conservative setting in Gainesville, Florida.

Why did the speaker's stepdad move to Florida?

The speaker's stepdad moved to Florida to attend the University of Florida at Gainesville after switching careers from a computer programmer to an architect.

What was unusual about the environment in Florida compared to San Francisco?

In Florida, the speaker encountered alligators, swampy weather, and a more prominent presence of religion, which was a stark contrast to the environment in San Francisco.

How was religion incorporated into the speaker's school experience in Florida?

In Florida, the speaker experienced Bible class in public school, which was a new and different experience compared to their previous schooling.

What was the speaker's approach to reading the Bible as a child?

The speaker read the Bible cover to cover using a pin light at night, trying to understand it in its entirety despite finding parts of it tedious.

What did the speaker find in the Bible that they found beautiful?

The speaker found many beautiful passages in the Bible but also noted the presence of violence and contradictions within the text.

Why do some parts of the Bible not get taught in religious education?

Some parts of the Bible are not taught because they are difficult to explain, contain violence, or have historical and cultural contexts that are challenging to interpret.

What is the story of David, Bathsheba, and Uriah as mentioned in the script?

King David saw Bathsheba bathing, had an affair with her, and when she became pregnant, he tried to cover it up by getting her husband Uriah killed in battle so that the child would seem to be Uriah's. However, God killed the child as punishment.

What is the story of Tamar and her father-in-law as described in the script?

Tamar was married to two of her father-in-law's sons who both died without giving her a child. Her father-in-law then refused to give her to the third son, so she disguised herself as a prostitute, became pregnant by her father-in-law, and was initially sentenced to death but was later protected when she revealed his staff as proof of their encounter.

What does the speaker suggest about the interpretation of the Bible?

The speaker suggests that the Bible should be read with a critical eye, acknowledging the historical and cultural contexts, and that not all parts of it may be applicable or justifiable today.

Why does the speaker mention the Apocrypha in relation to the story of a woman before Eve?

The speaker mentions the Apocrypha because it contains additional books that did not make it into the standard Bible, and it is where some stories, like the one about a woman before Eve, can be found.

Outlines

00:00

📖 Transition from Hippie Culture to Bible Study

The speaker recounts moving from San Francisco to Florida at the age of 11, transitioning from a hippie, anti-war environment to a religious one. In Florida, they experienced a stark contrast to their previous life, with alligators, swampy weather, and religion being a significant part of the public school curriculum, including mandatory Bible classes. They also mention being paddled as a form of discipline, a new experience for them. Despite the tedious and sometimes violent content, they read the entire Bible at the age of eight, discovering both beautiful and contradictory passages. They reflect on how the Bible's historical context and multiple authorships contribute to its complexity and the difficulty in teaching it accurately.

05:01

🤔 Challenging Biblical Stories and Interpretations

The speaker delves into specific stories from the Bible that are often overlooked due to their controversial nature. They discuss King David's affair with Bathsheba, which led to the death of her husband Uriah and their child, as a story that is not commonly taught despite its presence in the Bible. Another story involves Tamar, who, after being wronged by her father-in-law and brothers, disguises herself as a prostitute to secure her future and have children, which ultimately leads to her being protected and her child being part of the lineage of Christ. The speaker expresses confusion about the moral lessons to be learned from these stories and acknowledges the difficulty in reconciling the Bible's teachings with modern values, such as its condoning of slavery and the treatment of women as second-class citizens. They also touch upon the existence of additional biblical texts, like the Apocrypha, which are not part of the standard Bible but offer alternative narratives.

Keywords

💡Bible

The Bible is a collection of religious texts or scriptures sacred to Judaism, Christianity, and other Abrahamic religions. It is a central theme in the video as the speaker discusses their experience of reading it in its entirety and the various stories and lessons it contains. The video explores the contradictions, historical context, and the impact of the Bible's teachings on the speaker's life.

💡Hippies

Hippies were members of a countercultural movement in the 1960s and 1970s that rejected the mores of mainstream society. In the video, the speaker contrasts their upbringing in a San Francisco 'hippie' environment with their later experiences in Florida, highlighting the cultural differences that shaped their perspective on religion and society.

💡Gainesville, Florida

Gainesville is a city in Florida where the speaker moved to during their childhood. It is significant in the narrative as it represents a cultural shift from the 'hippie' culture of San Francisco to a more conservative and religious environment where the speaker encountered alligators and Bible classes in public schools.

💡Architect

An architect is a professional who designs buildings and other structures. The speaker's stepdad's career change to an architect is mentioned as part of the reason for the family's move to Florida, illustrating the personal circumstances that led to the speaker's exposure to a new cultural context.

💡Alligators

Alligators are large reptiles native to the southeastern United States. In the video, alligators symbolize the exotic and somewhat frightening new environment the speaker found themselves in upon moving to Florida, contrasting sharply with their previous life in San Francisco.

💡Bible Class

Bible Class refers to a class where the Bible is studied, often in a religious or educational setting. The speaker discusses attending such classes in Florida, which was a new experience for them, and it highlights the differences in religious education between regions.

💡Paddling

Paddling, in the context of the video, refers to a form of corporal punishment where a student is hit with a paddle. The speaker recounts being paddled as a form of discipline in school, which was a shocking and foreign practice to them, adding to the cultural contrast between their past and present experiences.

💡King David

King David is a central figure in the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament, known for his bravery and leadership. The video discusses his story, including his affair with Bathsheba and the moral complexities it presents, to illustrate the darker and more nuanced aspects of biblical narratives.

💡Bathsheba

Bathsheba is a biblical figure, the wife of Uriah the Hittite and later the wife of King David. In the video, her story is used to explore themes of power, morality, and the treatment of women in biblical times, as well as the consequences of David's actions.

💡Tamar

Tamar is a biblical character who is a daughter-in-law of Judah. The video references her story to discuss the treatment of women and the complexities of moral judgments in the Bible. Her narrative challenges traditional interpretations and provokes thought about the Bible's messages.

💡Onanism

Onanism, in the context of the video, refers to the act of coitus interruptus, where a man withdraws before ejaculation to prevent impregnation. It is mentioned in the story of Tamar and Judah, highlighting the cultural practices and moral judgments of the time.

Highlights

The narrator's childhood experience of moving from San Francisco to Florida and the cultural shock of encountering alligators and Bible classes.

The contrast between the narrator's upbringing in a hippie, anti-war environment and their exposure to religion in Florida schools.

The unusual experience of having Bible class and physical punishment in public school.

The challenge of reading the entire Bible and the tedious nature of its historical and genealogical content.

The narrator's personal journey of reading the Bible cover to cover at a young age and the mixed content found within.

The presence of violence and contradictions in the Bible, attributed to its compilation by different authors over time.

The practice of teaching the Bible selectively, omitting difficult or controversial parts.

The story of King David, Bathsheba, and the moral complexities it presents.

The narrative's exploration of power, loyalty, and divine punishment in the context of King David's actions.

The story of Tamar, her plight, and the unconventional means she took to secure her future and her place in the lineage of Christ.

The theme of women's rights and status in biblical times, as illustrated by the stories of Bathsheba and Tamar.

The narrator's critical reflection on the Bible's endorsement of slavery and the treatment of women.

The existence of additional biblical texts outside the standard 66 or 69 books, such as the Apocrypha, which includes the story of Lilith.

The importance of interpreting biblical stories through a modern lens, acknowledging their historical and cultural context.

The narrator's call for a nuanced understanding of the Bible, recognizing both its divine and human aspects.

Transcripts

have you read the whole Bible by the way

I did when I was a kid I actually had

Bible class in Florida when I moved from

when I moved from uh San Francisco to

Florida I was 11 years old and it was a

complete polar opposite experience of

the country I lived in San Francisco

with two parents that were hippies in

hate ashbery so we were in the middle of

like we live near Lumbard Street we were

in the middle of like the hippie

anti-war revolution of the

1960s and then I moved to Gainesville

Florida my stepdad was going to uh he

was becoming an arch he was a computer

programmer and then he switched careers

became an architect and so he was going

to a University of Florida at

Gainesville and so we were there so now

all a sudden I'm around alligators

there's alligators everywhere I

was like what are you are you people

why do you have Giant Monsters

Everywhere this is so ridiculous

so we had alligators um super weird

swampy weather and religion religion was

in the schools like in public school you

had Bible class and they also paddled

you was the first time I'd ever been hit

by a teacher they I got in this fist

fight with this kid and they whacked us

with a paddle one of the things that a

lot of people who have read the Bible or

they have read a portion of the Bible I

definitely don't think I read the whole

thing well yeah that's the thing is not

very many people do and that's why I

asked because because a lot of it is is

kind of tedious history and there's a

lot of Heats and there's a whole line

you know of Christ all the ancestors and

the the whole delineation of all that

and um where I come from we were

encouraged to read like a verse of the

Bible but they would always tell you

what it meant right and so I kind of

went against I used this little pin

light and like did it like late at night

but I read the whole thing cover to

cover when I was eight and if you read

like every single book in order you

start to find that there's a lot of

really beautiful beautiful beautiful you

know places in the Bible but there's a

lot of stuff that's really violent and

then there's a lot of stuff that

contradicts itself and it's because it

was written in different time periods by

different authors and different

languages and it also has a historical

context and so generally there's a lot

of stuff that people leave out when they

teach the Bible because it's really hard

to explain like what stuff well there's

um for example I mean this one's taught

a little bit but David King David I'm

sure you've heard of him like as of

David and Goliath but then he became a

powerful King and he saw this woman who

this woman is often talked about basba

he sees her bathing on a roof and where

we came from we were tiau like she

shouldn't have been bathing on the roof

no I

don't right anyway he he demands that

she come to him and she is the wife of a

soldier of his named Uriah a top Soldier

and He commands her to lie with him and

she becomes pregnant and then King David

who is the same guy who had the

slingshot of David and Goliath decides

that he's got to figure out how to get

her husband back so that her husband can

go sleep with her and her husband won't

do it because he's loyal to the Army and

he's he comes back but he sleeps like at

the floor of the castle you know trying

to wait a minute he's trying to get the

husband to go back with the wife so that

she the pregnancy will seem like it's

his oh boy yeah so in the Bible in the

Bible dirty David yeah exactly and it

doesn't even in there so Uriah won't do

it cuz uriah's loyal to David oh boy and

so then David sends him to the front

lines to have him be killed oh boy so

that he can marry his wife and get away

with that child's not being um B child

illegitimate oh boy and then God kills

the child because you know needs to make

the point that David was and think about

poor bath Sheba I mean she's just been

like rung around her husband gets killed

all these things her GID dies because

God is punishing David and her husband

got killed because he was loyal to the

guy who got her pregnant absolutely

that's not a story a lot of people hear

oh my God but you can fact check that

one if you'd like oh no I believe you

I'm good at that I'm good at just okay

now I'll go argue it want to hear

another Bible story sure there was a

woman named Tamar and she had been

married to uh one of three sons I think

there was three and uh her husband died

before giving her a child so as was the

custom in the time and perhaps the law

she married the brother of her dead

husband and that man would not give her

a child because he didn't want to have a

child in his brother's name and so

they're allowed to have more than one

wife but this woman was not allowed to

have a child so he does something they

call onanism so he like spilled his seed

on the ground instead of inside of her

that she couldn't have a baby and so God

gets really mad because Odin will not

impregnate her and so Onin gets killed

too and so then her father-in-law

decides not to marry her off to the

youngest brother because two of the

brothers are already dead right and he

doesn't want to lose his only son so he

just banishes her and she has nothing

because what does a woman have at the

time when she doesn't have a husband or

a child she has no ability to make a

living in the world and so this man is

um the father-in-law is really unkind to

her in a way that she decides she needs

to take something into her own hands and

so she dresses up like a prostitute and

goes to the side of the road and as he's

traveling on the road she puts herself

in front of him and and offers her

services and he sleeps with her and he

does not have payment on him for some

reason and so he gives her his staff

which is is um a token of his word or

something so at least he's paying his

prostitute and uh she gets pregnant from

this and he orders her when he finds out

she's pregnant to be stoned to death you

know to be killed and executed because

you know she's not allowed to have a

baby outside of wedlock and she said

okay but let me just return this staff

to you that um I got from the father of

the baby and so then he ends up

protecting her and she gets to have the

child and that child is in the line of

Christ whoa yeah so really interesting

things I don't know what you're supposed

to learn from that story um when I was a

kid reading this I would ask and of

course no one really wanted to tell me

because she was rewarded for that that's

the interesting thing it's the stories

are crazy it's it's just if you're being

honest and if you believe in God but you

also know that people are full of

you have to put all this stuff through a

filter you just have to and it doesn't

mean that there's no

God of course it doesn't mean that it

just it means there's probably something

in these stories but we have to be real

careful with what that something is well

and I don't profess to know I don't I

don't know why they condone slavery the

Bible condone slavery like flat out it's

in there all the

time yes women are essentially second

class citizens and you know what I found

out recently that there was a woman

before

Eve depending on who you

ask yeah so what what was that one well

that's not in the 66 books of the Bible

that most people are taught in the

Protestant tradition or the 69 or

whatever in the Catholic tradition um

that's part of the Apocrypha so the

these are books of the Bible that didn't

make it

into you know Christianity as such that

we the editor's cut today yeah was an

editor's cut exactly

[Music]

[Music]

[Applause]