The Year of Living Biblically

I just finished reading The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs. The story, written by Jacobs, follows his one-year journey obeying as many of the Bible's rules as possible. This journey proved to be very difficult for Jacobs, who was baptized Jewish but grew up Agnostic. It is also challenging for Jacobs who must continue following the Bible's commands while living with his pregnant wife and raising his two-year-old son.

One of the funniest moments throughout the book was when Jacobs was following the command in the Bible that he must stone adulterers. As Jacobs is sitting in Central Park one day, an elderly man notices Jacobs strange attire (which consists of long, white garments and an enormous beard). The man asks Jacobs why he is dressed like that and Jacobs proceeds to explain his biblical journey. Jacobs informs the man that he is following the rule in the Bible today that he must stone adulterers. The man tells Jacobs that he, in fact, is an adulterer. Jacobs, following every command closely, proceeds to stone the elderly man with pebbles.

There are a lot of examples Jacobs lives out from the Bible in his book. It is really interesting to see how other people react to such commands that Jacobs must follow.

After reading the book, it really made me realize just how ancient some traditions are in the Bible. It doesn't make sense to take the entire Bible literally because are world is a completely different place than it was in ancient times. As our world grows, we develop new customs and alter existing ones so they fit our modern world. While The Year of Living Biblically explored both the positive and negative aspects of following the Bible literally, it really helps to develop your own view on such an interpretation.