I agree with Johnathan that even agnostics and atheists should read it. Although, I recommend reading certain parts of it, at least once in a while.

skepticsannotatedbible is a website that has a list of what they think to be ‘Good stuff’ in the Bible, while they have other Bible passages listed under ‘absurd, and whatnot. For non-religious, I would recommend reading the KJV rendering of Luke and Ecclesiastes.

To Rob Fisher, I think there to be good reasons for the KJV terms ‘bondservant,’ and ‘servant’ rather than the word slave.
I would not read a pro-slavery Bible. If not for the KJV, all I would have to pick from are versions that have the word slave every other chapter.

Fanatics abound. Pseudo-clergy and unreasonable people do stupid, awful things. Put a Bible in the hand of a fanatic, or a cruel person and all you’ve got is a cruel fanatic with a Bible. Put a translation of any thing that justifies slavery in the hand of a statist clown, and you’ve got another set of fatalities waiting to happen.

I think it better not to risk it.
The KJV only has the word slave mentioned in Jeremiah and Revelation. Nothing good is said about being a slave in either passage.

If the KJV rendering ‘bondservant’ or ‘servant’ read ‘slave’ in Greek, I would depart from the Greek too. In fact, I would avoid it like the plague.

If it’s a distortion, I’ll pick distortion over slavery any day of the week.

I’ll take a distortion that lets me keep my freedom, rather than ‘accurate translations’ that puts people in bondage. If an absurdity gives a person more respect for life and the boundaries of others, I’ll take the absurdity.

Besides, I’m not a Greek and Hebrew scholar. Don’t have time or money. It’s a little too late now any way to be looking for an original-which nobody really has.

In her lesser known writing ‘Key to Uncle Tom’s Cabin,’ Harriet Beecher Stowe relates that the early Church had in fact condemned slavery, and found ways of freeing slaves, that often included making them clergymen.

In spite of pro-slavery clergy in the ante bellum United States, religious AND NON-RELIGIOUS people in Britain, France, and the Northern states decided that slavery was evil, and had to be abolished.

Christian religion, and the Bible, have both been misused, and abused.

But it has survived attempts to warp and twist it. It has endured in spite of the misuse and abuse of it by fanatics.

I think it important to note that people do gravitate toward literature that reflects what they already think and feel any how. Thus, I do not insist on my rightness, or any one else’s wrongness.

I encourage the study of Christian ethics, and ethics generally.

I appreciate the input that the other commentators made above. Thank you all.

All serious writers, be they agnostic, Christian or atheist, should read the KJB and Book of Common Prayer at least once.

Vast sections of the Old Testament, the Psalms most notably, are verse, for chapters upon chapters, and I rather think the title slights the verse. Consider the lilies, yes, but consider the influence of the KJV 23rd Psalm…

Incidentally, “Thou shalt commit adultery” sounds like the work of a mischeivous typesetter to me.