You NEED to know the Old Testament

Before you get started with my first article of July, please read this; It's still hot, and, if you want to help me out, go here; Help with medical bills, and check out my latest on Locals, Coffee and Christianity: Episode 90: Clericalism

It's come to my attention...via...myself, that I need to familiarize myself more with the Old Testament. “Charlie”, you may say, “haven't you read the entire Bible? Yes I have! But theres a difference between reading and knowing. For instance, if I read Flannery O'Connor's “Good Country People”, it doesn't mean that I've understood it (by the way, it's hilarious and dark, if y'all are interested).
Back to The Bible, I've learned not to call someone “baldhead”. Lest I get eaten by a she bear (2 Kings 2:23-25). Also, proof to me that God has a sense of humour (a rather dark one, at that)!
One thing I've noticed is how full of hope the Old Testament is. Justice, truth, mercy, and salvation are all very common themes.
Just some examples include the likes of Genesis 43 ,Psalm 15, and Genesis 49.
In our culture, where even Christians are often practical atheists, the internet echo chamber, for some reason, complains about the allegedly violent Old Testament (nice Anti-Semitism you got going, there), and, for some reason, think the New Testament God is peaceful. Umm, one, it's the same God, and two, while the book of Revelation is ultimately a hopeful book, A very hopeful book of the Bible, It's hot, umm, there's a reason it talks about God's wrath; It's still hot.
But, wrapping things up, I know there are some Christians that don't think the Old Testament is important.
No, you can't know the New Testament without knowing the Old Testament.
And, when I say Old Testament, I include the Deuterocanonical books (wrongly relegated to “Apocrypha” by some Protestants, and yes, I'm written about this, Those extra books ain’t extra.,Bringing the Deuterocanon to the masses). 

If you are Protestant, PLEASE read the Book of Wisdom, it is so good and so useful for trinitarian theology. 

Adam Charles Hovey is the founder of Catholicism, News, and whatever community on Locals, and is the host of the weekly Bible study, Coffee and Christianity