What do you think of the Bible—that is, the sixty-six books revered by Christians? Do you consider it relevant to your own life or to the problems that society faces today? Do you consider the Bible to be a collection of fables spun by superstitious men in the past to control people? Or do you consider the Bible to be a provocative set of moral teachings?

Perhaps you think it is merely a book sometimes held up by extreme right-wing politicians trying to persuade you to listen to them.

Or perhaps you never consider the Bible or its contents.

However, if I asked if you liked ice cream, and you said, “I hate ice cream”, I might ask you why?  Did you find it too cold or too sugary? If you replied, “Oh, I’ve never tasted ice cream”, I might ask you why you hate something you have never tasted.

If you told me that you couldn’t open the lid off the ice cream container and that frustrated you, I would reply, “Well, let me open the ice cream for you.”

This series of meditations is my attem...