I was raised in a Catholic family, but Biblical theology eventually made me into an atheist. Years later, after finding God through yoga, I tried reading the Bible again but couldn't stand it. It should be atheists' favorite book, since any sane person who reads it will find it unacceptable.

As Srila Prabhupada wrote in his commentary on Sri Caitanya Caritamrita, " "The sastras of the yavanas, or meat-eaters, are not eternal scriptures. They have been fashioned recently, and sometimes they contradict one another. The scriptures of the yavanas are three: the Old Testament, the New Testament and the Koran. Their compilation has a history; they are not eternal like the Vedic knowledge. Therefore although they have their arguments and reasonings, they are not very sound and transcendental. As such, modern people advanced in science and philosophy deem these scriptures unacceptable."

The Bible is decidedly not the most favorite book. Most of these clowns haven't even read it, know precious little about what it says or means, and use it only as projection fodder for their own fears and fantasies. It is no doubt the most guilt-laden book.

Many years ago I tried to read that book as history. I also tried to read the Book of Mormon to see at what point it diverged from the bible. Both books found a place in my reference library, but remain unread to this day.

How to comment on this. This poll shows how many people are liars? If they are liars doesn't that mean they may be a little lacking when it comes to just how pious and christian they actually are? Pehaps instead of asking the responders for three other books as one poster suggested, how about asking the ones who said the bible was their favorite book to name ten books of the bible? Or how about ask them what five of the ten commandments are. Those who fail, their answer doesn't count. I suppose suggesting they also are beheaded might be a little much. Wasn't there also a poll not long ago that said something to the effect that 80% of americans consider themselves christian. I'm one of the 20% minority then. But I do have a few questions to the other 80%. Another poll was that a large percentage of the population believe in ghost. I tend to believe that poll with how much junk their is on TV with such themes. Does the bible say anything about ghost? Wouldn't that be more of a heathen thing than a christian thing? Or did the poll takers just manage to reach only us 20% of heathens? If 80% are christians, who the hell is watching all the cut throat, winner take all bullshit that is called reality TV? Their whole theme seems a little unchirstainey.

My favorite book......A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving.

With what Bush and the evangelicals have done to Christianity, I took another look at the bible and now I don't believe in Christianity anymore!
The myths don't work. The Jesus story is a fraud to be used by hucksters and charlatens.
The real Jesus was covered up by the early church. The book of Matthew even changed the first Commandment to make Jesus a god.

The Bible is a great work of literature. If it were read on that level, there's a lot which can be learned from it, primarily about human nature as human nature never changes. Unfortunately, most of the people in this survey would probably consider my above statements as blasphemy. They regard this collection of books as something which it was never intended to be.

The Jews and the 1st century Christians never believed that the Bible in its many permutations was factual in all its statements. They certainly would have never regarded Genesis as a scientific treatise on the origin of the universe. The educated among the ancients understood what a myth was, why don't we?

How is it that the people who originated this work so many centuries ago were so much more sophisticated than the people who read it today? What happened that turned the fanatics into the norm in our country? Perhaps the answer lies in what they chose as their number two books here. The first is a complete fantasy about elves and demonic powers. The second is a complete fantasy about the American South.

The Bible and Lord of the Rings. Jesus how depressing. It reminds me of that 'Family Feud' gameshow where you score points by giving the most *pedestrian* answers possible to the questions. Creativity always loses. The tester should've then asked them to name three other books. The men questioned probably would've given blank stares in return. My own favorite book last year was Flaubert's Salaambo and my favorite so far this year is Turgenev's 'Fathers and Sons'. I find it impossible to convince friends and relative that reading in both FUN AND EASY. I joke that I'm the only straight adult male I know who reads more than military histories for entertainment.

Can it be any wonder then why the United States of America has been falling behind other nation of the world and our Children are among the worst educated of the industrialized nations?

I am sure if someone took the time to look into it, they would find a direct link between our increase in Christian fundamentalism and the decrease in our Children's learning reasoning abilities, INDEED.

Never read the Bible. But I believe Man wrote it.
My favorite Books are: Sidney Sheldon. (read all of it)
John Grisham...( read all of it)
Barbara Kingsolver (The Poisonwood Bible)

Wow, what a sad bunch of books on that list. The Bible is fascinating in an academic way, but you know that most of the people who chose it are basically working at a fourth-grade reading level. If they read it at all, they can only conceive of it literally, and it's never occurred to them that the book wasn't written in English.

My favourite book is 'Brothers Karamazov', a choice I base solely on its Wikipedia entry.

What? Having someone tell you what's in the book is the same as reading it, right?

Not to be a nit-picker (!); but I found myself wondering how many of those 2513 adults polled were conscious of which edition of "The Bible" they read, regardless of whether or not it was their first choice. For example most Jewish editions do not include the New Testament (no surprise); and, unless I am mistaken, neither King James nor RSV includes "The Apocrypha." The (Catholic) "Jerusalem Bible," on the other hand, includes all of the above and (male readers take note) includes J. R. R. Toklein in its editorial board!

Is this point worth making? I think that, for polling purposes, it may demonstrate a latent "category error," which confuses "book" and "religious artifact" (trying to use the most neutral anthropology-speak that will serve my purpose). Where religious belief is involved, reading about Bilbo Baggins or Scarlett O'Hara is really not the same activity as reading about Abraham or Jesus, unless one pursues the latter as "literature," which I doubt that many (any?) of the poll participants do. Indeed, the rather muddled results beyond "first place" should be taken as a sign that this poll says more about religious habits than it says about reading habits.

Name brand recognition. Most Americans don't read anyway so there's not much competition. The bible is probably the only book that came to their TV saturated minds.

Whoops, I think the Harris Poll was flawed.

They should have asked people what their favorite book is to READ, not CLUB PEOPLE OVER THE HEADS WITH.

I'm just grateful the "left behind" series was not listed as a "second favorite book."