--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If the bible were published as fiction…" description: "\"If the bible were published as fiction, no reviewer would give it a passing grade. There are some vivid scenes and quotable phrases but there's no plot..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7fb/penn-jillette-1046_amount_if-the-bible-were-published-as-fiction-n_2992953.png" --- # If the bible were published as fiction, no reviewer would… ![“If the bible were published as fiction, no reviewer would give it a passing grade. There are some vivid scenes and quotable phrases but there's no plot, no structure, a tremendous amount of filler and the characters are painfully one dimensional. Whatever you do, don't read the bible for a moral…” quote by Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7fb/penn-jillette-1046_amount_if-the-bible-were-published-as-fiction-n_2992953.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7fb/penn-jillette-1046_amount_if-the-bible-were-published-as-fiction-n_2992953.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7fb/penn-jillette-1046_amount_if-the-bible-were-published-as-fiction-n_2992953.png) > “If the bible were published as fiction, no reviewer would give it a passing grade. There are some vivid scenes and quotable phrases but there's no plot, no structure, a tremendous amount of filler and the characters are painfully one dimensional. Whatever you do, don't read the bible for a moral code. It advocates prejudice, cruelty, superstition and murder. Read it because we need more atheists.” [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. If the Bible were treated as fiction, it would be critiqued for lacking plot and depth, and its moral teachings are seen as harmful; it should be read for literary,, not guidance. **In simple terms:** The Bible is viewed as a flawed narrative with problematic morals. Key Takeaway Read the Bible critically, not as a moral guide. Themes religion literature critique Mood skeptical critical Type analysis philosophical When to use this quote - academic study - literary analysis - secular reading Key Concepts theology ethics historical context Questions to Reflect On - How does literary analysis change your view of sacred texts? - What value can a moral framework provide? A Different Perspective Dismisses the spiritual significance for many believers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Atheist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheist/) [Atheists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheists/) [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Code](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/code/) [Cruelty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cruelty/) [Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [Moral code](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral-code/) [Murder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/murder/) [Prejudice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prejudice/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Reviewers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reviewers/) [Structure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/structure/) [Superstitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/superstitions/) [Vivid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vivid/) ## Related quotes > [People who do not know the Bible well have been gulled into thinking it is a good guide to morality. This mistaken view may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/people-who-do-not-know-the-bible-well-have-been-gulled-into-thinking/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [I think that the Bible as a system of moral guidance in the 21st century is insufficient, to put it mildly. I feel quite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-thompson/i-think-that-the-bible-as-a-system-of-moral-guidance-in-the-21st/) [Emma Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-thompson/) > [“The lessons of the Bible have a moral and religious influence on the character, as they are brought into the practical life. Timothy”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-g-white/the-lessons-of-the-bible-have-a-moral-and-religious-influence-on-the/) [Ellen G. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-g-white/) > [So what is the difference between someone who willfully indulges in sexual pleasures while ignoring the Bible on moral purity and someone who willfully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-platt/so-what-is-the-difference-between-someone-who-willfully-indulges-in/) [David Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-platt/) > [The God of the Bible is a moral monstrosity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/the-god-of-the-bible-is-a-moral-monstrosity/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [I've had botox and fillers in the past, but then I stopped.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-redman/i-ve-had-botox-and-fillers-in-the-past-but-then-i-stopped/) [Amanda Redman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-redman/) > [What was that you gave me to eat?" Winter panicked. 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To be honest, the reality programming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-darnell/last-year-was-the-fourth-or-fifth-attempt-to-get-fall-launched-till/) Mike Darnell > [I had no album title, and the album is like a journey in that it's a complete body of work. It's not just a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-carlton/i-had-no-album-title-and-the-album-is-like-a-journey-in-that-it-s-a/) [Vanessa Carlton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-carlton/) > [Personally, I don't like Botox or fillers because I think it drastically changes the shape of your face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suhasini-mulay/personally-i-don-t-like-botox-or-fillers-because-i-think-it/) [Suhasini Mulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suhasini-mulay/) > [I basically love classical music. 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When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [I intend to do the Penn & Teller show until they pry my cheesy magic wand from my cold dead fingers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/i-intend-to-do-the-penn-teller-show-until-they-pry-my-cheesy-magic/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Part of the experience of being entertained is sitting back and plugging into someone else's vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/part-of-the-experience-of-being-entertained-is-sitting-back-and/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [That whole 99% thing, they are all in the 1% of the world. 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I was 10 when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/i-m-not-bothered-by-the-idea-of-getting-old-or-i-guess-you-could-say/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [I'm always surprised when the corporate world does stupid things, because they're often not very stupid in hindsight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/i-m-always-surprised-when-the-corporate-world-does-stupid-things/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [It's only the losers named 'Dave' that think having an unusual name is bad, and who cares what they think? 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