I apologize, then, for misinterpreting your comment. As someone who has studied the Bible at the university level, the comment appeared to be an attack leveled at a field in which I know quite a few respectable scholars. That was what I was responding to, so I would hope my comments would be read in that light, rather than being rejected outright.Darth Wong wrote:What you don't seem to understand is that most of the people who have studied the Punic Wars did not do so at the university level either. But at least they tend to maintain some objectivity about it, while the vast majority of people who claim to be Bible experts do not. That's the point which seems to elude your grasp.
I agree that most people who claim to be experts on the Bible are anything but. After spending four years getting a degree in Biblical Studies, I've seen plenty of proof of that. That is why any major denomination requires at least a Master's degree to be ordained as a minister, or a Bachelor's to work in youth or music ministries. I can only speak for the Methodist church, but it's so relatively rare that there are only 13 Methodist seminaries in the United States, and perhaps half a dozen "similar" denominational schools (Wesleyan in particular) that produce Methodist ministers and scholars.