[burlesona]

I think you’re over generalizing. I understand you’re speaking from your personal experience, and I believe that’s what you encountered, but still, n=1.

There are, unfortunately, a huge range of people with widely varying beliefs who refer to themselves as “Christians.” Some of them are indeed not actually interested in theology, only in their own subcultural tradition.

But there are also Christians who are extremely interested in textual analysis, understanding the original languages of the texts, seeking out archaeological evidence to understand events better, etc. In my experience these are also the people who follow Jesus’ teaching to love their neighbor, not judge others, and to “give unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s” (ie. don’t be a political movement).

[redwoolf]

I am most definitely over generalizing. I could have been more thoughtful in my word choices to narrow the scope of my comments.

[MisterBastahrd]

You will find no bible more dogeared and highlighted than from an American evangelical, who so strongly needs to justify the reasons for their superiority and hatred that they will beat a concordance to death. They aren't interested in facts, they're interested in their version of "truth," which are two completely disparate and antithetical concepts. Just look at their support for the idea of the Rapture, a concept which is found nowhere in the Bible, and whose very idea has been incredibly harmful given how religion informs voting decisions in the US.