Should you study the Bible before criticizing it?
Yes. Before criticizing or scoffing at the Bible, a person should take time to study it. It is still a book, and it is inconsistent to condemn a book one has never read. The same standard used for other books should apply.
Les explains that the Bible is the most fantastic book ever written, yet most people judge it without ever looking at it. He asks if anyone would comment on a book of fiction they never read or tell someone it isn't worth reading; people answer no. He then asks why they do it to this book. Because the Bible is still a book, he says all he asks is that before people begin to criticize it and scoff at it, they take some time and study it. The study is informal and non-denominational; they simply teach the Word and trust anyone, regardless of background, can become a student of the Word.