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Feb. 8, 2008
Taking the Bible at its word
A.J. Jacobs tried to live a holy life in 21st-century New York City.
CYNTHIA RAMSAY
Imagine trying to follow 72 pages of rules every day – the more than 700 rules, guidelines, suggestions or pieces of advice found in the Hebrew and Christian bibles, from Genesis through Revelation. This is exactly what writer A.J. Jacobs, editor-at-large of Esquire magazine, did for one year (and two weeks), starting in September 2005, with amusing, sometimes touching, results.
In his year-plus, Jacobs not only attempted to follow the Bible's rules as writ, but he also met with representatives of various faith groups that profess to taking the Bible literally, such as the Amish, the Lubavitch, Jehovah's Witnesses, creationists and others. He chronicles these encounters and his day-to-day experiences in the recently published The Year of Living Biblically (Simon and Schuster, 2007).
Jacobs set out on his journey for pragmatic, spiritual and academic reasons: so that he could (a) write the book, (b) see if he, a self-described agnostic, "had what they call a God-shaped hole" in his heart and (c) explore biblical literalism, to which some 33 per cent of Americans say they adhere, according to a 2005 Gallup poll he cites.
"But my suspicion was that almost everyone's literalism consisted of picking and choosing," writes Jacobs. "People plucked out the parts that fit their agenda, whether that agenda was to the right or left. Not me. I thought, with some naiveté, I would peel away the layers of interpretation and find the true Bible underneath. I would do this by being the ultimate fundamentalist. I'd be fearless. I would do exactly what the Bible said and, in so doing, I'd discover what's great and timeless in the Bible and what is outdated."
Jacobs' naiveté was quickly exposed. Even before his biblical year began, he found, during his preparation research, that there were hundreds of rules, some of which weren't "just baffling, but federally outlawed. As in: Destroy idols. Kill magicians. Sacrifice oxen." Nonetheless, he put together a plan of attack and, with the reluctant support of a seemingly very patient and understanding wife, as well as a few spiritual leaders as guides, Jacobs started on his mission.
Given the impossibility of following all 700-plus rules all the time, Jacobs tried to observe as many as possible, concentrating on a specific rule(s) each day. He heads each chapter with a biblical quotation describing the day's focus. Appropriately, on Day 1, the quote is "Fear God and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man." (Ecclesiastes 12:13)
"It's the first day and I already feel like the water is three feet over my head," he writes. "I have chosen Sept. 1 to start my project and, from the moment I wake up, the Bible consumes my life. I can't do anything without fearing I'm breaking a biblical law. Before I so much as inhale or exhale, I have to run through a long mental checklist of the rules.
"It begins when I open my closet to get dressed. The Bible forbids men to wear women's clothing (Deuteronomy 22:5), so that comfortable Dickinson College sweatshirt is off-limits. It was originally my wife's.
"The Bible says to avoid wearing clothes made of mixed fibres (Leviticus 19:19), so I have to mothball my poly-cotton Esquire magazine T-shirt.
"And loafers? Am I allowed to wear leather?..." And so Jacobs' harried first day goes. But he calms down somewhat, becoming more comfortable as the proverbial waters become more well known. And there are many, many moments of hilarity – for example, when he attempts to execute the directive to stone people for any number of offences, including adultery and breaking the Sabbath, and his wife's reaction when he balks at taking a photo of her and her mother on her mother's birthday: "... Julie said, 'Can we have a sidebar conference please?' The result of that tense negotiation: I'll take this photo but, after that, I'm done."
The photo chapter ends with a thoughtful rumination of iconography – how images are overtaking the written word and how "there's something to the idea that the divine dwells more easily in text than in images. Text allows for more abstract thought.... Imagine if those original scrolls came in the form of a graphic novel with pictures of the Lord? I'd never come close to communing with the divine." Jacobs' conclusion is that the Bible is right in this instance: "A deluge of images does encourage idolatry. Look at the cults of personality in America today. Look at Hollywood. Look at Washington.... I know we're missing out on some potential Abe Lincolns because they'd look gawky and gangly on TV."
The funny-wise back-and-forth style comes naturally to Jacobs. For example, the chapter headed "Let your garments be always white," begins with his recognition that "I looked in the mirror today and decided it's official: I've become someone I'd cross the street to avoid." He goes on to discuss King Solomon's statement in Ecclesiastes 9:8 and gets right back into the comedy, describing the reactions he gets from his wife and fellow New Yorkers to his white clothing, then notes that he's enjoying it: "My white wardrobe makes me feel lighter, more spiritual. Happier. It's further proof of a major theme of this year: the outer affects the inner. Behavior shapes your psyche as much as the other way around." But Jacobs can't stay deep for long and he's quickly thinking that his life would never seem that bad if he always dressed like he's "about to play the semifinals at Wimbledon or attend P. Diddy's birthday party."
It's this mix of humor and profundity that makes The Year of Living Biblically such an easy read. It doesn't seem to be challenging readers that much intellectually, but it is. And while much of it feels like a light read, there are poignant moments that inject a level of seriousness and pathos, such as his reaction to wearing tefillin, how affected he is by his encounter with Amos, an Amish man, and his regret about failing a neighbor.
While none of Jacobs' conclusions are earth-shattering, The Year of Living Biblically is a well-written, enjoyable, thought-provoking and occasionally sentimental read. For those of us who've never managed to get beyond Deuteronomy, it's a great introduction to the logic behind the beliefs and practices of many North Americans. For those of us looking for more laughter in life, it's required reading.
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