Living Literally:

“The Year of Living Biblically” - by A.J. Jacobs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pTDal7XWXI&feature=related

A very witty and enjoyable book by a previously ‘agnostic’ New York Jew who is an editor for ‘Esquire’ magazine.  My oldest daughter gave it to me for Father’s Day, 2010.   “Jacob” as he calls himself during his ‘Literal Year’ (which he extended by two weeks - so it wasn’t truly a ‘literal’ year), tried to take everything in the Bible ‘literally’ (except the year). Of course, that’s what the Liberals accuse Fundamentalists of doing, but even an agnostic like ‘Jacob’ found out that is a false accusation.  In Jacob’s literalism he included beard, clothing, food, drink, and practices. But he too discovered that there are lots of things in the Bible that are metaphors, symbols, and allegories, plus devotional and prophetic material (which is hard to explain away). Many are even said to be such, and are ‘interpreted’ within the Scripture itself.  ‘Jacob’ showed that in his book, and he was relieved that he didn’t have to ‘literally’ gouge out his eye or cut off his hand when he sinned. He did, however, stone an adulterer.  Jacob did a good job of trying to seek out as many sects and denominations, Jewish & Christian, from Hasidism to Snake Handlers.  But, he avoided cults - which is always a good idea!  Jacob did a cursory investigation of ‘creationism’ and the resurrection of Christ, but he even stated that his agnosticism got in the way, and that he “just couldn’t go there”.  He didn’t really address ‘miracles’ or ‘prophecy’ either. It’s too bad that he didn’t take the weight of real, objective evidence to its conclusion. But this is a great book that exposes with wit and humor many foibles and outright errors that all ‘religious’ groups have (yes gasp, even mine).  Throughout the book, AJ’s wife didn’t like his experiment in religion (even if it was for prophet, oops, profit) and he narrated her disdain right up to the end.  It showed to me the weight of a spouse’s attitude upon each of us. After his 54 week year, Jacob shaved off his literal beard, shed his shepherd’s robe, published his book with a ‘secular’ publishing company, no doubt cashed his literal check, and is presumably working on his next profitic work.   Oh yeah, now A.J. calls himself a “reverent agnostic”.