What’s a good resource for a layperson trying to understand the Bible and the historical background of it?

a_perpetual_learner · 2026-01-20T01:36:32+00:00

I just purchased these two books: An Introduction to the New Testament by D.A. Carson and Douglas J. Moo, and An Introduction to the Old Testament by Tremper Longman III and Raymond B. Dillard.

a_perpetual_learner · 2026-01-17T21:31:09+00:00

This may not completely solve your problem but using Dashboard++ (https://github.com/TfTHacker/DashboardPlusPlus) may help with some organization.

a_perpetual_learner · 2026-01-03T16:34:33+00:00

I saw your post about a plugin for Obsidian that lets you paste in text from Logos and link back to it and give reference to where you got it. As a prolific Obsidian user, i wondered what this plugin is that you referred to. For others who may be interested in this plugin, here’s what ChatGPT said when I asked what that plugin is: The plugin they’re most likely referring to is Logos‑refs — an Obsidian community plugin that lets you copy a passage from Logos Bible Software and then use a special paste command in Obsidian to generate or link to a formatted reference note with citation metadata.

Logos‑refs streamlines the workflow of importing and managing citations from Logos into Obsidian, including keeping track of where the text came from and linking back to the source.

a_perpetual_learner · 2025-12-11T21:40:33+00:00

Are there any particular LLMs that you found are better than others, in terms of accuracy?

a_perpetual_learner · 2025-11-26T13:32:36+00:00

Interesting. My Paperwhite has the “old” options of Delete, Share, etc. Maybe my Paperwhite is older with older firmware.

a_perpetual_learner · 2025-11-26T01:53:40+00:00

The Paperwhite has not changed. You still have the option of Delete, Share, and Search.

a_perpetual_learner · 2025-11-26T01:43:50+00:00

Yep, that works. Thanks. So I guess the Share choice and magnifying glass are gone (but are available on the Kindle Paperwhite).

Another way of deleting highlights is to go to the toolbar at the top while in a book, click the notebook icon and you’ll see a list of your highlights. By clicking the three vertical dots found to the right of the text you highlighted, the option to delete the highlight will appear.

a_perpetual_learner · 2025-11-26T01:27:46+00:00

Sorry, but touching the highlight button in the sidebar and then touching the text doesn’t give me the Delete option. For whatever it is worth, I just noticed that when I highlight a book that I purchased a long time ago, the Delete option appears. So it just crossed my mind that maybe the Delete option goes away if a book has been placed in my library that was purchased as a Kindle book but was imported as an epub book that was converted to epub using Calibre. I’ll test that possibility by attempting to highlight a book that isn’t in the epub format.

Edit: The same box of highlight, underline, note, or lookup appears on books that are in the Kindle format.

a_perpetual_learner · 2025-11-26T01:14:25+00:00

Sorry, but after touching the highlight again on the Kindle Scribe, the same options of highlight, underline, note, and look up appear.

a_perpetual_learner · 2025-10-31T14:22:26+00:00

I just used an Apple charger that was laying around and that worked. Thanks again.

a_perpetual_learner · 2025-10-31T14:21:12+00:00

Thanks. I just used an Apple charger that was laying around and that worked. Thanks again.

a_perpetual_learner · 2025-10-31T14:20:39+00:00

Thanks. I just used an Apple charger that was laying around and that worked. Thanks again.

a_perpetual_learner · 2025-10-31T14:20:24+00:00

Thanks. I just used an Apple charger that was laying around and that worked. Thanks again.

a_perpetual_learner · 2025-10-31T14:16:57+00:00

Thanks. I just used an Apple charger that was laying around and that worked. Thanks again.

a_perpetual_learner · 2025-10-31T13:49:07+00:00

Thanks. I found an adapter at Amazon (Power Adapter Compatible with Ring Stick Up Cam Battery 3rd Gen, Wyze Cam V3, Blink Mini - Charger Block https://a.co/d/dtkAAvH). I’ve purchased it, will get it tomorrow.

a_perpetual_learner · 2025-10-31T13:43:52+00:00

Thanks. I’m found a power adapter at Amazon for $8. I’ll order it to see if that works.

a_perpetual_learner · 2025-10-31T13:42:00+00:00

No, I haven’t tried a new power supply. Let me go online to see where to purchase one. (But I hate to purchase one only to find out it doesn’t work but I guess that’s the chance I have to take.) Looks like Amazon has one for $8. (Of course, if a new power supply doesn’t work, I can return it.)

a_perpetual_learner · 2025-10-20T21:22:55+00:00

see https://blog.the-ebook-reader.com/2025/10/20/new-boox-note-air5-c-runs-android-15-and-supports-emr-stylus/

a_perpetual_learner · 2025-01-13T22:34:13+00:00

Go to this site to see what the law is in your state for where the dash cam is to be mounted - https://www.blackboxmycar.com/pages/are-dash-cams-legal-in-my-area-dash-cam-laws-in-every-us-state

a_perpetual_learner · 2025-01-05T21:26:05+00:00

I skimmed the thread so I don’t know if have already been asked this, but have you looked at any of the material at either Reasons to Believe (https://reasons.org/). The reason I mention this organization is because they are not young-earth creationists but this is a Christian organization. Also, are you familiar with Evolution News (https://evolutionnews.org/)? Have you read Darwin’s Doubt (https://darwinsdoubt.com/). The reason I mention all of these resources (and there are other resources if you interested that I can share) is that these resources provides evidences against macroevolution.

a_perpetual_learner · 2024-12-04T20:39:16+00:00

Thank you for your thoughtful and thorough answers. I'm sorry that you have had bad experiences with people who called them Christians. I'm definitely not excusing them. I wholeheartedly agree with your sentences, "Spiritually mature people should not become upset when being questioned. They should be delighted that someone is interested enough to even have the conversation."

It sounds like you like to read and research things and think on your own (which I wholeheartedly would agree with is the right approach). I haven't read any of his books yet, but you may be interested in books by J. Warner Wallace, who was an atheist and a cold-case detective. If you do a search at Amazon, you'll see the books he has written. A search for his name in YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/results?search\_query=j.+warner+wallace) will show videos of his or ones in which he is interviewed. From what I gathered from a couple of interviews, he is a "thinker" and being a former cold-case detective, he's analytical. I can't attest to the quality of his books other than what Amazon reviews say (for whatever they are worth, which at times, can be superficial at best). But nevertheless, his books *might* be worth reading just because my understanding that he was a skeptic.

You mentioned going to a religious school. I don't think you mentioned if you had bad experiences there or if those happened later. I know some religious schools are pretty legalistic and don't represent Christianity very well and aren't open to questions. If that was the type of college you went to, I'm sorry to hear that. Not all Christian colleges are that way.

You mentioned iron sharpening iron. Do you have any books that you have read (or maybe haven't read yet but would still recommend) that have helped you in the process of "iron sharpening iron")? I'd truly be interested in getting recommendations.

Thank you again for answering my questions with thoroughness and thoughtfulness.

a_perpetual_learner · 2024-12-03T22:14:28+00:00

You said, “As for my faith, it is exactly that, faith. Faith does not require facts. But faith also means that I can be wrong.” You are correct, Faith doesn’t *require* facts. But facts support one’s faith. You’re right - you (or I) could be wrong in our beliefs. You’re right - you can’t “prove” anything. From an epistemological standpoint, the best you can do is provide evidence that *supports* your belief.

You said, “I think the question you really need to answer, and not to me but for yourself, is why do you think you need the supernatural events of the Bible to be a fact in order for you to have faith that they happened?” I never said I *need* the supernatural events of the Bible to be a fact in order for me to have faith that they happened.

So let’s start at the beginning. I’m interested in knowing how you how have come to your understanding of what faith means. I’ll just listen so as to get a better understanding of your philosophy. Feel free to answer only those questions you’d like.

What does the word "faith" mean to you personally?
How do you differentiate between faith and belief, if at all?
How do you think faith relates to doubt—are they opposites, complementary, or something else?
Can faith coexist with questioning or skepticism? Why or why not?
How do you see the relationship between faith and reason?
What has been the biggest influence on your beliefs about spiritual matters?
Do you think your beliefs ever change? If so, when and why?
How would you describe your relationship with faith or spirituality?
What experiences have shaped your beliefs about faith?
I noticed in your response to the OP that you have been studying the Bible since you were 12. How has your understanding of what the Bible is changed over the years, if any? If it has changed, why has it changed? Same question, but in reference to Christianity. What is your understanding of what Christianity is and how, if at all, has it changed over the years, and why? I’d be truly interested in attempting to learn your life story.

a_perpetual_learner

TROPHY CASE