Thomas does a brilliant job explaining all the nonsense with levity, snark and exasperation.

Broken down to stories with help on some of the language. Thomas makes it fun and entertaining. I have a theory about Judas and wondering what Thomas will think, but since I’m just in exodus it’ll be a while. Really excited!

So while Thomas was originally recording this I would’ve avoided it like the plague (one of them...) as I was still a practicing Christian. However, now that I’ve found my way out I can FINALLY listen to the Bible in its ludicrous entirety while enjoying Thomas’s comedy and introspection. I wish I would’ve heard this sooner as it may have contributed to my departure sooner, thereby freeing up a few years of mental imprisonment. Highly recommended; timeless, hilarious and super eye opening. 👍👍

If you’re into that sort of thing

I’ve never completely read the Bible, and having been raised Catholic I’m probably not the only one. I have felt it’s time and this podcast really helps with reason and insight.

Way better than trying to get through the Bible on its own! I was tearing my hair out by Leviticus. Then I discovered T&tB. He’s a critical thinker, easy to listen to, and his commiseration makes the worst parts easier to bear. He does us the favor of skimming over the repetitive parts and speed-mumbling the interminable name lists. Audio quality/volume control improves at Deuteronomy. Not bad to start, but better after.

It's nice to hear another atheists opinion on each individual chapter. All my friends are theists so I can't get that perspective anywhere else.

It's unbelievable how many podcasters there have been and are with the intention of reading the Bible; Thomas seems to be the only person who actually had the motivation to do it. Dozens of Christian groups or coalitions of them start and some don't manage to drop more than a handful. Thank you, Thomas for not being those people. I can't keep myself from repeated binging and enjoying every moment of it. ---- 2/18 I added too many other podcasts to my fiction queue; reading my review is a good reminder to get back to Thomas. Thanks me! 😸

Just picked this up a week ago. Excellent!

I am not an atheist and am reading the bible on my own. I listen to T&TB after every section that I read. At first it was to help me to retain more information, like a book club. It has evolved into a fun game where I try to guess the wise cracks that Thomas will make before I listen.

As a critic of religion I felt obligated to become more familiar with the Bible. This was a very fun way to do that. Sure, it's full of bias that largely reaffirmed my own bias, but it's still way better than arguing from ignorance.

Thomas read all the way through the Bible, something I have never been able to do myself. He deserves five stars just for that. But he also did it while being hilarious and insightful. I can't wait to get to the Apocrypha! What's keeping you? It's not like you have a real job. And the hard work of baby-making is over. Get reading!

If I have to listen to someone read the Bible at least I get to listen to the sweet dulcet tones of Thomas.

Thanks for doing it so we don't have to.

So Person, I seriously enjoy listening to this podcast at Place, and also when I'm at Place or Place. When I'm driving to Place with Person, me, Person, Person and Person, we all end up discussing this stuff. Love it. Thanks for suffering through it Person. You're a better man than I.

Entertaining

Ask a friend to read the bible aloud to you. See how far you get before falling asleep or jabbing pencils in your ears. It takes a special mind and voice to make this entertaining and pleasing to the ear. Thomas inflection and tone make this a delightful listening experience. The jokes are great, but better are the small things like the way he says "anyway" after every tangent as his transition back to the text.

Stories so crazy we couldn't make them up… oh wait. I kind of wish it was the NIV Bible, but I understand his reasons. Most churches swear by the KJV and he does a pretty good job at summing it up and making jokes to help keep us engaged. But to be fair, even though the Barbarian's Handbook is a 2000 page sleeping pill, it's still all a joke. I call it a 5ft joke because theists would get it if they'd get off their knees and lift their heads to see it.

Thomas reads the bible at least twice. Once in order to make notes for commentary and again for our listening pleasure(?). That dedication is a little insane but very appreciated! Especially because there is no way I'm reading it again. Thank you Thomas!

I've tried to read The Bible start to finish on three different occasions and both time the awful book was tossed across the room halfway through Exodus. Now I'm halfway to being caught up with the podcast and enjoying the ride....actually when it gets tedious I still feel the urge to throw something but listening to someone be just as frustrated sure does help.

I've been really enjoying Thomas's reading of the bible. He makes one of the most miserable books ever written both comprehensible and funny. I'm only just approaching the halfway mark - he just told us he'll be done by April 2015 (ha ha). Warning for others - it got pretty bad when he was trying to do a live video feed (somewhere around 2 Kings) where he spent more time trying to get it to work and interrupting himself trying to keep up with live chat, but he abandoned that, fortunately, so hang in there.

Thanks for saving me from a lot of repetitive reading. Your fun to listen to

Too bad my catechism classes weren't this much fun. I'm hooked!

I'm still in Leviticus, but I'm still hanging on. You really make it possible to stick with it. Thanks for that!

I have been wanting to read the bible for a long time but I couldn't get myself past the middle of Exodus. Now with Thomas I get to enjoy the horrid monotony and repetition of the Old and New testaments. Thanks to Tom and Cecil over at Cognitive Dissonance for introducing me to Thomas and thanks to God Awful Movies for reminding me to check out this podcast. Keep it going!

Thomas' take is right on. I've enjoyed catching up.

I’ve tried to read the Bible on my own and always got tired and bored and just couldn’t get through it. Having Thomas read it to me and laughing, getting angry and/or rolling my eyes with him makes this chore one I can actually accomplish. I’ve long wanted to be able to argue with my supposedly religious/devout friends; now I actually have a clue as to what they’re referencing, and in most cases, I know more than they do! It amazes me that none of them “get” how truly horrific their “good book” is.

I'm hoping Thomas gets around to The 'Holy Books' of the Church of latter day Saints. Especially the Book of Abraham and the planet Kolob.

So much easier to listen to the bible than to read it myself. Thomas is excellent at recapping the text & does a decent amount of research to help explain the jibber jabber that is the KJV bible. Always wanted to read the bible but found myself in a daze not remembering what I just read. This podcast is brilliant & Thomas is doing all the tedious, boring part for me. Thanks, Thomas!

I first heard about this podcast from the appearance on CogDis, even though I listen to Atheistically Speaking on a regular basis. Though I’m still in the Old Testament portion, I listen to this podcast every day, nearly all day long. Some of the jokes are a swing and a miss, but for the most part, I find the content to be thoroughly enjoyable, and engaging. Certainly he picks up on things that I haven’t picked up on in my readings of the bible. It’s especially entertaining when he cracks out of sheer confused frustration XD

Thomas Smith is, as far as I know, the originator of the layman-reads-a-holy-book podcast, and I couldn't enjoy it more. Having been raised as a Christian and deconverted later, it's difficult for me to read the bible without hearing the apologetics brimming up at the back of my mind. So, it's comforting and refreshing to listen as someone fumbles through the idiocy of the "good" book without fear of pointing out the obvious problems. Thank you, Thomas. I appreciate your work every single week.

I was quite the biblical scholar in my theist days. Taught many sunday schools, bible studies etc.... Listening to someone who'd never read it before is interesting. I have always been around people who knew the history, people and places. They understood the symbolism of the Hebrews and where these stories came from. You have actually made me see it anew. You have made me look at it more in it's fundimental elements. I am starting from the beginning and enjoying completely!

It is really nice to go through the entire Bible with someone who is quite entertaining and relatable. I enjoy it a lot and I want to thank Thomas for doing this. I discovered this podcast through another one I listen to, so I'm not listening to the newer and current episodes, but starting from the start. Right now I'm on Judges with Thomas and I am happy to see that he hasn't stopped reading this. Its the best way to read (well, listen) to the entire bible without having to actually read it or be told about it from someone who is a believer of it.

I simply love this. Fun, smart, wonderful. You will fall in love with the tone of this podcast, and with Thomas. I will never do the bible any other way. An amazing feat of tenacity, 5 years of bible, so far, and more devoted and focused than ever. I have great respect for Thomas, as this is an enormous undertaking for an individual. Through all of the vicious monotony of the bible, Thomas keeps it silly, comfortable, and understandable (as much as is possible anyway). I can't wait for the new episode, it makes my day every time. Also, check out Thomas' other podcasts: Atheistically Speaking, Comedy Shoeshine, and appearances on Cognitive Dissonance, and there's probably more out there. Thanks for everything Thomas, never stop doing what you do.

Imagine the bible being read by Norm MacDonald, complete with wise cracks.

This podcast is SO good. I'm learning what the bible actually says better than if I were reading it on my own, which I have tried, but failed due to boredom. Thomas' intermittent witty, thought-provoking commentary makes the process palatable and, oddly, very entertaining.

If you ever read the bible straight thru you will become an atheist. This book that so many say is the word of god and I'm taking a quote from Thomas is the "WORST book ever written" and I could say that with any more conviction than Jesus did when he died for your sins. How anybody could think that the bible is the word from god and that is story or stories are true need to have their head check. Thomas' podcasts make learning the bible all the way thru bearable and so so so funny! It's hysterical and Thomas is my new best friend

Who needs a biblical scholar? Thomas is a classic Everyman working his way through the most popular(?) book of all time.

The only way to read this stupid book. Your persistence and determination is commendable

Thomas - Thank you for doing the heavy lifting of reading this thing. I get into arguments with believers all the time and when they say 'well - did you read the Bible' I have to respond with 'No But...' and then have to slink away with my tail between my legs. Not a good look for me. So the work you are doing is *really* inportant to me and many others. I'm way back in your podcast in Judges but I am coming on fast. Keep streaming into my ear to the finish...

This is one of my favorite podcasts, it makes the bible like Netflix: i just binge till i lose track of time. It helps that it’s hilarious.

Dude...Thanks! I read all the way to 1st Samuel on my own before The Lord led me to your podcast. I Praise Thee. In appreciation, I go now to prepare a burnt offering, being careful not use "Strange Fire" lest I be consumed in fire by the All-Loving god.

I just started this podcast a few days ago and I can't stop listening to it! It's brilliant. Thomas definitely has a knack for pointing out the horrible and the hilarious in the bible. I can't wait to catch up to the New Testament. Keep it up, Tom!!!

I LOVE, love, love this podcast. As a 17+ year recovering fundie, and now a freethinking skeptic/atheist, I am just now for the first time ever, hearing someone else read through the Bible. I had read straight through during my believing life no less than 10 times. I read with Bible, highlighters, notebook, commentaries, etc in hand. I am now, 7 years after, hearing and noticing things I never heard with those believing blinders on. Thank you so much for undertaking this endeavour. Your labors are not without fruit. 5 stars and just the highest reccomendations I can pass on. Thank you.

Thomas breaks this extremely tedious book up into digestable, if not tasty. tidbits. I listen to an episode a day while doing my workouts.

I first heard of TATB from Cognitive Dissonance while I was living in Arkansas. Loved the first episode but I only had a 5 minute drive to work and couldn't get enough of a fill during the drive. Moved to CA last month and now that my commute is about an hour (yack...) Thomas is the PERFECT companion!!! I used to be a Christian and in my de-conversion, actually READING the bible myself is what finally pushed me over the edge into atheism. I've been fascinated my religion my whole life and as an atheist I find it critical to stay informed on alternate positions. I love Thomas' comedic but critical and informed commentary. I'm about 60 episodes deep and my biggest fear is catching up and needing to wait a full week (or more depending on how disciplined he's become at being consistent in recording) between episodes. Keep it up Thomas!! Thanks for what you do!!

The best way to get through this without going insane.

I am trying to listen to this podcast, but when he starts reading the bible, I just tune out. The bible is awful. Read "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" instead, Thomas.

Long, boring, and painful is how I would rate the bible halfway through now. Thomas makes the bible just above bearable to tolerable. BRAVO! If you desire to go through the entire bible, and keep your sanity, I highly recommend that you give this podcast a try.

Thank you Thomas! I've tried to read the bible a few times but it is such a monumentally boring read that I lose interest. You bring humor and fun to this ridiculous text. I think I'll finally make it through this time. Thanks.