- published: 02 Jul 2014
- views: 1680516
Religious texts, also known as scripture, scriptures, holy writ, or holy books, are the texts which various religious traditions consider to be sacred, or central to their religious tradition. Many religions and spiritual movements believe that their sacred texts are divinely or supernaturally revealed or inspired.
The oldest known religious text is the Kesh Temple Hymn of Ancient Sumer, the oldest version of which dates to around 2600 BCE. The earliest form of the Phoenician alphabet found to date is the inscription on the sarcophagus of King Ahiram of Byblos (The Sumerian Temple Hymns) circa 1000 BCE. The Epic of Gilgamesh from Sumer, with origins as early as 2150-2000 BCE, is also one of the earliest literary works that includes various mythological figures. The Rigveda of Hinduism is proposed to have been composed over several centuries between 1700–1100 BCE making it probably the world's oldest religious text still in use. Oberlies gives an estimate of 1100 BC for the youngest hymns in book 10. The oldest portions of the Zoroastrian Avesta are believed to have been transmitted orally for centuries before they found written form, and although widely differing dates for Gathic Avestan have been proposed, scholarly consensus floats at around 1000 - 600 BCE.
Livin' my life like there's no hell
In the drawer there's a Bible at the hotel
I can see it's some kind of pre-planned place
Been fool enough to go play it risky
Wish I thought the Good Lord would miss me
Lord, I wonder what You meant by "saved by grace"
I put Your scripture away, stopped tryin' to find the way
I can't look for truth while I'm lyin' -- that's the worst
I put Your scripture away, I know that crime don't pay
I can't look at truth now I'm cryin' -- yes, it hurts
I called you last night in the hotel
Everyone goes through their slow spells
But your half-started Bible has something you just can't deny
It's been written for you for a long time
You just have to start it and keep tryin'
That ain't hard if you can read and write
I put the scriptures in place, I wrote the words within
I left the Book for you so you'd find it, and you did
Don't put My scriptures away -- I don't care where you've been
I said the Book is true, why not try it? Let me in!
I saw you just today with it open
It was the strangest thing how it happened
Since You called, God, my world's been startin' to change
(Since you called God, your world's been startin' to change)
I decided to read the Bible today
The quotes started jumpin' off the page
When they read it in church
I was often sleeping away
I've thought about you for a long time
It seems as if You read my mind
(It seems as if you read My mind)
That's because the Scriptures are livin', like they say
I finally picked up today
(I'm glad you picked up today)
God's Word and changed my ways
(My Word and changed your ways)
I just called Your name I want to come back home
(I just called your name I want you to come back home)
I just called Your name I want to come back home