Why read the Bible?

I wrote a little while ago on 'why read the New Testament', but the more general question out in the modern world would be 'why (do you) read the Bible?'

Its useful to have a response, or a few responses  prepared for this, depending on the context of the question.

I'll give a few sample answers that I might use.

> It's the most remarkable compilation of historical and social documents there is, tracing the course of Israel from its foundation to its ancient dissolution. It is unique. 

> It provides a case study of a people and their God; but uniquely, it claims that their God is the only God, not just a private invention and made us for life with him.

> It's story of reality is aligned perfectly with life and gives humans a universal dignity that no other world view does.

> It tells us how God ‘out-graces’ our wrecked lives and offers us restored relationship with him replacing our disrupted human condition with peace, joy and deep satisfaction of new life in God’s family.

> It's story of reality deals with the fundamental questions of life in a way that is unique and puts its finger on our alienation from reality as being the root of all our problems. Then it solves it. It does this while confronting our real experience of life, not ducking it by calling imaginary, insignificant, imaginary or pointless.