82 - If God Wrote the Bible, It Should Be Better

If the Bible is supposed to be the perfect word of God, why does it look so much like something written by people?

In this episode of The Unlearning Curve, Stuart Delony, Karl Forehand, and JD take on biblical authority, inspiration, and the assumptions many Christians inherit about scripture without ever being encouraged to examine them.

The conversation starts with a simple challenge: if God wrote the Bible, shouldn’t it be better?

From there, we dig into contradictions, historical context, patriarchal interpretations, and the problem with treating a collection of ancient writings as though it were a single, seamless instruction manual for every person in every century.

We also talk about what gets lost when letters written to specific communities are turned into universal commands. Pulling one passage out of context and declaring it eternally binding can look a lot like grabbing one email from the middle of a long thread and insisting you now understand the whole conversation.

And beneath all of it is a larger question: when Christians say “the Bible says,” who actually gets to decide what the Bible means?

Because interpretation never disappears. Someone is always choosing which passages matter, which context gets ignored, which contradictions need explaining, and which ancient instructions somehow still apply.

In this episode:

• Why biblical authority deserves scrutiny
• Inspiration, inerrancy, and divine authorship
• Reading the Bible as a library rather than a single book
• Why historical and cultural context matters
• Paul’s letters and the problem of universalizing correspondence
• How scripture has been used to reinforce patriarchy
• Contradictions and competing voices within the biblical text
• The difference between valuing scripture and surrendering authority to it
• Who actually gets to decide what “the Bible says”

The Unlearning Curve Podcast

Copyright 2025 - Stuart Delony & Karl Forehand

theunlearningcurvepodcast@gmail.com

While many of us yearn for truth and understanding, the systems we participate in often prevent us from attaining genuine freedom in our everyday lives. As we move away from organized religion, we begin to recognize patterns.

We believe that addressing many of these challenges requires us to examine all aspects of our lives, including:

* Toxic Leaders

* Toxic/Dangerous Organizations

* Our Mental Well-Being

* The Things We Learn on the Journey

Regardless of your belief system, we encourage you to unlearn anything that doesn’t benefit you. This will lead to healing and uncover a new way forward!

JD Forehand is the son of a preacher and an overseas educator. Stuart Delony is a former pastor, podcaster, and blogger for the Snarky Faith community. Karl Forehand is a former pastor who runs The Desert Sanctuary, a home for spiritual nomads, with his wife, Laura.

Disclaimer: We view ourselves as practitioners on a journey of discovery rather than as experts. While we strive to share our experiences and the lessons we’re unlearning transparently, we will also refer you to professionals when necessary. Trusted guides will arrive when you need them.

Feel free to share your thoughts, concerns, and any necessary corrections with Karl (karl4hand@gmail.com) or Stuart (stuartdelony@gmail.com). You can also visit our Facebook page, The Unlearning Curve.