Biblical Contradictions

HerDotness said:

I wouldn't rely upon Quiddity's source to do that.

About the question of whether it was one woman who went to the tomb or more than one, the site says as many such do, "Well, just because the names of only one or two are given doesn't mean that there couldn't have been more unnamed women with them. One gospel says Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, and another possibly indicates that there were other women with them."

So, let's say we're friends, and I tell you that our mutual friend Sarah drove her car to New York City yesterday and got there at 1:00 for lunch at the Tavern on the Green. She could have had a car full of passengers. That might be the case. I just neglected to mention or didn't know there were others with her. Later, you meet up with another friend who tells you that Steve, Mike and Cindi went to the Tavern on the Green for lunch yesterday at about 1:00. So, they were probably Sarah's passengers and had lunch with her. Even if you know that Steve is Sarah's boyfriend, that doesn't mean he went with Sarah and the others or that the four met there for lunch. Sarah might have been going there to have lunch with her aunt. That's how this stuff works when you can't for some reason ask Sarah (or Mary Magdalene in the case of this biblical contradiction) if anyone else was with her.

This is how "maybe" and "possibly" are often used to excuse away biblical contradictions.

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Not enough at all. The passages dirfectly say information that contradicts one another.

Like in one, they tell noo one that the tomb was empty. (in mark) In the others, they do. Tghe contradictions are too big for "maybes" or "probably"s to be fitting.

Still, no explanation given, so this thread is a failure until good explanation is given.

Vadergirl123 said:

The writers of the bible weren't incorrect. The people who copied the bible down made a few errors when they translated it into english and other languages.

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It can be shown that some inconsistencies have always been present in the written texts.

Me Myself said:

Like in one, they tell noo one that the tomb was empty. (in mark) In the others, they do. Tghe contradictions are too big for "maybes" or "probably"s to be fitting.
Still, no explanation given, so this thread is a failure until good explanation is given.

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I haven't gotten to that one yet. I have 463 to do...

Well, I am putting it up now.. I am sure you cant do this one. It´s a dare.

Me Myself said:

Well, I am putting it up now.. I am sure you cant do this one. It´s a dare.

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Oh very well, so what's the contradiction exactly? Are you saying that people don't say the tomb's empty and then in another account they do say the tomb's empty?

Vadergirl123 said:

The writers of the bible weren't incorrect. The people who copied the bible down made a few errors when they translated it into english and other languages.

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There would still be contradictions in the bible though. We are not discussing who´s fault it was, the thread merely suggrests there are no contradictions inj the bible.

If you admit it is contradictory but put the blame on someone for the contradiction, the contradiction stil is in the bible, and as such, still evidences the bible as incorrect.

Vadergirl123 said:

Oh very well, so what's the contradiction exactly? Are you saying that people don't say the tomb's empty and then in another account they do say the tomb's empty?

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In the Markan account, the women flee from the tomb, for they were afraid, and tell no one.

In the Matthean and Lukan accounts, they go excitedly from the tomb and tell the disciples.

In the Johanine account, Mary encounters Jesus.

Explain the contradiction in detail.

Vadergirl123 said:

Oh very well, so what's the contradiction exactly? Are you saying that people don't say the tomb's empty and then in another account they do say the tomb's empty?

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.... at LEAST read it for yourself o.o

sojourner said:

In the Markan account, the women flee from the tomb, for they were afraid, and tell no one.

In the Matthean and Lukan accounts, they go excitedly from the tomb and tell the disciples.

In the Johanine account, Mary encounters Jesus.

Explain the contradiction in detail.

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While accurate , those are not even all the contradictions

One of them is that inmost of the 4 they found the rock already mnoved from the place of the tomb, while in one they saw an angel move it.

In some they talk to 2 angels, in others they talk to one, and I think there is one there aren´t even angels and they just saw the empty tomb and left to tell some people.

Me Myself said:

While accurate , those are not even all the contradictions

One of them is that inmost of the 4 they found the rock already mnoved from the place of the tomb, while in one they saw an angel move it.

In some they talk to 2 angels, in others they talk to one, and I think there is one there aren´t even angels and they just saw the empty tomb and left to tell some people.

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Let's not overwhelm our opponent.

but he overwhelmed himself

We are merely *trying* to remove the blindfold

Vadergirl123 said:

The writers of the bible weren't incorrect. The people who copied the bible down made a few errors when they translated it into english and other languages.

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Which begs the question, why use inspired writers and uninspired copyists...

Inspiration does not guarantee perfection. It guarantees creativity.

Me Myself said:

Well, I am putting it up now.. I am sure you cant do this one. It´s a dare.

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So I wasn't exactly sure which of the supposed Resurrection Account "contradiction" you wanted me to adress. So I'm just going to explain how all the accounts fit together(and don't contradict) This would be "contradiction" No. 144, 166, 200, 226, 392, 453,454

Well to start the story a group of women go to the tomb to bring spices and annoint Jesus( Matthew 28:1, Luke 24:1, Mark 16:1, John 20:1) Mary Magdalene, Mary, and Salome are specifically mentioned. They head out early in the morning while it's still dark.
There's an earthquake, the angel of the Lord descends from Heaven, rolls back the stone, sits on it, and the keepers are terrified and become like dead men.( Matthew 28:2-4)
On their way the women wonder who'll roll away the stone( Mark 16:3) When they arrive they see that the stone is rolled away(Mark 16:4, Luke 24:2) and then enter into the sepulchre. They don't see CHrist's body( Luke 24:3)
When Mary Magdalene sees the stone is rolled away from the sepulchre and Christ's body is gone she runs to find Simon Peter and the other disciple whom Jesus loved. SHe says, "WE don't know where they have laid him(John 20:1-2) [We is emphasized b/c if she'd been alone(as John seems to suggest) she wouldn't have used a term that means more than one person.]
Meanwhile the other women are perplexed( Luek 24:4) Two angels stand by them and tell them what's happened.( Luke 24:4-7, Matthew 28:5-7, Mark 16:6-7)[ In the accounts of Matthew and Mark it mentions only one angel. That doesn't mean there weren't two however, and all the passages suggest the angels were inside the sepulchre.]
The women flee quickly and are trembling and amazed( Mark 16:8, Matthew 28:8, Luke 24:9.) However they're afraid and don't say anything to any man( Mark 16:8)
Peter and the other disciple(who Mary went to) arrive at the sepulchre and go inside and see Christ's body is gone(John 20:3-9) After they see it they both go to their home(John 20:10)
Mary stands at the Sepulchre weeping and she sees two angels in white(John 20:11-13) She sees Jesus(John 20:14-16) He tells her to go to his brethren(John 20:17)
The other women, still afraid(Mark 16:18) have Jesus meet up with them and he tells them to, "be not afraid" and to tell his brethren to go into Galilee where they'll see him.(Matthew 28:9-10)
The women obey( Luke 24:9) and they and Mary Magdalene tell the disciples(Luke 24:10) [Some think that the women NEVER told anyone but we can see from te other accounts that's simply not true. Jesus even knew they were afraid. That's why he told them to, "Be not afraid."]
Also we know Mary couldn't have been with the other women the whole time b/c the bible says Jesus appeared to her first( Mark 16:9)

Nowhere Man said:

Which begs the question, why use inspired writers and uninspired copyists...

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I don't know for sure why God used men. However I would guess that based on God's nature that he enjoys giving people the opportunity to glorify him, and the copyists aren't inspired.

Me Myself said:

There would still be contradictions in the bible though. We are not discussing who´s fault it was, the thread merely suggrests there are no contradictions inj the bible.

If you admit it is contradictory but put the blame on someone for the contradiction, the contradiction stil is in the bible, and as such, still evidences the bible as incorrect.

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The bible isn't contradictory. I didn't say it was. I'm saying the people who copied the bible from it's original language into english made a few errors. Are we thinking of the same definition for a copyist?

sojourner said:

Let's not overwhelm our opponent.

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Hahaa not going to lie that was the most time consuming, "contradiction" so far, but I enjoyed explaining it more than the other ones.

I like reading this thread, please continue. Whatever the reaction, your work is already helpful. Not everyone is a theologist and not every theologist is generous. But if some theologist force others to pay him for knowledge otherwise he/she'll attempt to keep you from knowledge and understanding, then the theologist is evil.
Edit: Well evil in terms of my interests

Vadergirl123 said:

So I wasn't exactly sure which of the supposed Resurrection Account "contradiction" you wanted me to adress. So I'm just going to explain how all the accounts fit together(and don't contradict) This would be "contradiction" No. 144, 166, 200, 226, 392, 453,454

Well to start the story a group of women go to the tomb to bring spices and annoint Jesus( Matthew 28:1, Luke 24:1, Mark 16:1, John 20:1) Mary Magdalene, Mary, and Salome are specifically mentioned. They head out early in the morning while it's still dark.
There's an earthquake, the angel of the Lord descends from Heaven, rolls back the stone, sits on it, and the keepers are terrified and become like dead men.( Matthew 28:2-4)
On their way the women wonder who'll roll away the stone( Mark 16:3) When they arrive they see that the stone is rolled away(Mark 16:4, Luke 24:2) and then enter into the sepulchre. They don't see CHrist's body( Luke 24:3)
When Mary Magdalene sees the stone is rolled away from the sepulchre and Christ's body is gone she runs to find Simon Peter and the other disciple whom Jesus loved. SHe says, "WE don't know where they have laid him(John 20:1-2) [We is emphasized b/c if she'd been alone(as John seems to suggest) she wouldn't have used a term that means more than one person.]
Meanwhile the other women are perplexed( Luek 24:4) Two angels stand by them and tell them what's happened.( Luke 24:4-7, Matthew 28:5-7, Mark 16:6-7)[ In the accounts of Matthew and Mark it mentions only one angel. That doesn't mean there weren't two however, and all the passages suggest the angels were inside the sepulchre.]
The women flee quickly and are trembling and amazed( Mark 16:8, Matthew 28:8, Luke 24:9.) However they're afraid and don't say anything to any man( Mark 16:8)
Peter and the other disciple(who Mary went to) arrive at the sepulchre and go inside and see Christ's body is gone(John 20:3-9) After they see it they both go to their home(John 20:10)
Mary stands at the Sepulchre weeping and she sees two angels in white(John 20:11-13) She sees Jesus(John 20:14-16) He tells her to go to his brethren(John 20:17)
The other women, still afraid(Mark 16:18) have Jesus meet up with them and he tells them to, "be not afraid" and to tell his brethren to go into Galilee where they'll see him.(Matthew 28:9-10)
The women obey( Luke 24:9) and they and Mary Magdalene tell the disciples(Luke 24:10) [Some think that the women NEVER told anyone but we can see from te other accounts that's simply not true. Jesus even knew they were afraid. That's why he told them to, "Be not afraid."]
Also we know Mary couldn't have been with the other women the whole time b/c the bible says Jesus appeared to her first( Mark 16:9)

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Nope. No joy. The four gospel accounts are thematically and stylistically individual. They were written at different times and in widely diverse locations. They can't just be simply mushed together like that. That's not how the ancient storytelling mind worked. Each story is unique to itself. That reality leaves us with some huge inconsistencies.

Melki said:

I like reading this thread, please continue. Whatever the reaction, your work is already helpful. Not everyone is a theologist and not every theologist is generous. But if some theologist force others to pay him for knowledge otherwise he/she'll attempt to keep you from knowledge and understanding, then the theologist is evil.
Edit: Well evil in terms of my interests

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The word is theologian. No theologian I know "forces" people to pay her or him.