I read the books smaller than 25 chapters. For the sake of brevity I'll highlight my favorites.
Joshua
For most modern readers of Joshua, the toughest barrier to embracing this story as sacred is the military strategy of “holy war,” what I have translated as the “holy curse”—killing everyone in the conquered cities and totally destroying all the plunder, both animals and goods. Massacre and destruction. “No survivors” is the recurrent refrain. We look back from our time in history and think, “How horrible.” But if we were able to put ourselves back in the thirteenth century B.C., we might see it differently, for that Canaanite culture was a snake pit of child sacrifice and sacred prostitution.
This isn't from The Bible. It's an introduction from the translation I'm reading, but it means this is book is pro-life. Child sacrifice is abortion.
Except for Rahab the harlot—she is to live, she and everyone in her house with her, because she hid the agents we sent.
I think this can be pro-John. She's from Jericho.
Caleb said, “Whoever attacks Kiriath Sepher and takes it, I’ll give my daughter Acsah to him as his wife.
I like this because it's an arranged marriage
But later, when the Israelites got stronger, they put the Canaanites to forced labor. But they never did get rid of them.
I like this because I think slavery should be legal.
Judges
The people of Beth Shemesh or Beth Anath and Amorites were put to forced labor.
After him, Jair the Gileadite stepped into leadership. He judged Israel for twenty-two years. He had thirty sons
After him, Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel. He had thirty sons and thirty daughters.
After him, Abdon son of Hillel the Pirathonite judged Israel. He had forty sons and thirty grandsons who rode on seventy donkeys.
Although I don't support polygamy, I like that they had a lot of children.
Ruth
“Boaz married Ruth, she had a son Obed, Obed was the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David.”
She dropped to her knees, then bowed her face to the ground. “How does this happen that you should pick me out and treat me so kindly—me, a foreigner?”
I like that Ruth was a foreigner because I'm pro-immigration. She's an ancestor of Jesus. I also like that Boaz, a rich man, helped her. Rich people are good.
He still loves us, in bad times as well as good!
Naomi said this.
Ezra
Separate yourselves from the people of the land and from your foreign wives.”
I like this because it will cause single parenthood. I don't care about fatherlessness. Although I'm pro-immigration, this is interesting because borders are one way to stay separate. This is a divorce from foreign women.
Nehemiah
Why, if a fox climbed that wall, it would fall to pieces under his weight.”
This book is about rebuilding a wall in Jerusalem; however I think I'm pro-immigration so I think this criticism is good.
don’t forgive their iniquity, don’t wipe away their sin—they’ve insulted the builders!”
It's iniquity to criticize building a wall. This is a pro-Trump book.
From the time King Artaxerxes appointed me as their governor in the land of Judah—from the twentieth to the thirty-second year of his reign, twelve years—neither I nor my brothers used the governor’s food allowance. Governors who had preceded me had oppressed the people by taxing them forty shekels of silver (about a pound) a day for food and wine
Nehemiah seems like Trump. Trump chose not to get paid as president.
The total count for the congregation was 42,360. That did not include the male and female slaves who numbered 7,337.
Jews had 7,337 slaves in this book.
all joined their noble kinsmen in a binding oath to follow The Revelation of God given through Moses the servant of God, to keep and carry out all the commandments of GOD our Master, all his decisions and standards
In the same book the wall is rebuilt, people take an oath to obey God.
Esther
I disliked this book because king Xerxes had eunuch servants.
Hosea
Sow righteousness, reap love.
They sacrifice live babies to these dead gods—kill living babies and kiss golden calves!
This is abortion. I think this is talking about Ephraim, a part of Israel. This seems to have made God angry: "I’m going to destroy you, Israel" though this book isn't really anti-Israel: "I, GOD, love the Israelite people, even as they flirt and party with every god that takes their fancy." But I'm not sure if I'm reading it right so I won't make this bold.
Joel
But Egypt will be reduced to weeds in a vacant lot, Edom turned into barren badlands, All because of brutalities to the Judean people, the atrocities and murders of helpless innocents.
Obviously this is pro-life. The preborn are innocent.
Amos
God’s Message: “Because of the three great sins of Tyre —make that four—I’m not putting up with her any longer. She deported whole towns to Edom, breaking the treaty she had with her kin. For that, I’m burning down the walls of Tyre, burning up all her forts.”
I like this because deportations made God angry. Gaza deported too.
God’s Message:“Because of the three great sins of Ammon—make that four—I’m not putting up with her any longer. She ripped open pregnant women in Gilead to get more land for herself. For that, I’m burning down the walls of her capital, Rabbah, burning up her forts.
The most important quote and book in this post because it's obviously anti-abortion.
Everything will be happening at once—and everywhere you look, blessings! Blessings like wine pouring off the mountains and hills.
This is Judgment Day.
Micah
I can take God’s punishing rage. I deserve it—I sinned. But it’s not forever. He’s on my side and is going to get me out of this.
Habakkuk
Who do you think you are— inviting your neighbors to your drunken parties, Giving them too much to drink, roping them into your sexual orgies? You thought you were having the time of your life. Wrong! It’s a time of disgrace
Sexual degeneracy is bad because sex should only procreative for the most part.
Though the cherry trees don’t blossom
and the strawberries don’t ripen,...I’m singing joyful praise to GOD.
Probably my favorite verse from this book. Tbh I want to memorize positive verses.
