• Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
    • Access to private conversations with other members.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!

Contradictions in the Bible

exchemist

Veteran Member
This entire thread could be seen as a study of contradictions and rationalization to appease the dissonance aroused by those contradictions.
Yes. I see it as a demonstration of the inevitable problems that come from attempting a strict sola scriptura approach to Christianity. @rrobs , for example, cannot bring himself to admit explicitly that there is no biblical authority for taking the bible as the word of God. And, even if there were such a statement in the bible, by what logic would one accept it as authoritative, without first assuming that which the statement asserts! :confused:

No, it is obvious that accepting the authority of any scripture has to be a conclusion one reaches based on something external to scripture, such as teaching, reason, aesthetics, personal spiritual experience, or whatever. And that immediately calls into question the basis on which one accepts it, which books, which words in those books, whether literally or figuratively, etc. The bible itself cannot help with any of these decisions. They are driven by arguments and interpretations external to scripture itself.
 

Workman

UNIQUE
DAN..I give you this so you may know it, IDEA..is what we doubt our(selves) with..idea is with meaning And purpose..in other words;
it exists. For I Am NOT for either..I Am ‘The Reason’..I Am Alive and shall NOT Exist with them.

Now BE NOT to confuse yourselves..with The Word ‘Exist’.

Question:
Did caveman exists?
Obviously yes..
Now, here’s another..but this time say it is in time when caveman existed...now question is:
Was there any technology in existence back then? Like say a computer, a phone?..etc, did those exist with caveman? I THINK NOT!..

So what does it mean? It means caveman did not have an IDEA for it to Exist. Now take a good look around you..this Living was made with your (Part) in existing for..and by this meaning and purpose for existent; was in their own REASON to live tomorrow, to their reason as..be whom they chased everyday until tomorrow there be NO meaning. To Be after-all..chase that idea be the game..for it was given in to them..‘truths’ by happiness is worth the price of its idea..richest be won happy truth!..than shalt be thy so..they became RIGHT..with meaning for in their own Purposes, and kept hearing of their own excuses by NOT!(an idea)well at least not to their best which they already know(their own best idea)..but they do not know! Them their selves are living from an (idea) by which to whom be in the creation(Laws) by them ‘Liar(s). And Which is them for..now must see to be whom they own like to be their (truth).. will than they say; “with this I will make my Reality”..and of course it be claimed by them..it does not ‘Lie’ for them. Well then!.As shall thy (WILL),..after all- it is your free-will choice(idea)..from it was by choice had made in their image(idea) to advertise for any whom that are not by (them) truths..they think too much that they forget to THINK..WHY! for they think they are living but they do not! They are only an existent..for ideas(unconsciousness), and now they sleep in it..For them are not Alive..and This be REASONED..I did not exist..For I Am Alive..and Well.

Now the big question you all seem to [KNOW]..DOES GOD EXIST?

Go well my good friend, have faith in God!..and you will never taste death.
 
Last edited:

Good-Ole-Rebel

Well-Known Member
That is a contradiction, considering that a number of passages of the Bible claim that God does not lie, even, cannot lie. Given that you follow the Bible, then how can your claim that God lies to some people be correct and be following the Bible?

I have said before, God sends the lie to those who reject the Truth. (2 Thess. 2:11) See also (2 Kings 22:5-28, note 19-23)

Good-Ole-Rebel
 

Faithofchristian

Well-Known Member
Just trying to understand your comments.

I answer you and others as a believer in Jesus Christ and as one who believes the Bible is the Word of God.

Good-Ole-Rebel
If I may say, There are people who seems to forget that those people back during the year 1611, did not have the best tool's or the technology in doing a better job at the translations of languages into the English language, As we have to day, So when people say there are contradictions or words being used in the bible that don't make a lot of sense, but as it is those people back 400 years ago
( 1611) didn't have the technology as we have to day, to do a great job in their translations of languages as we have to day, thank you for your time,
 
Last edited:

savagewind

Veteran Member
Premium Member
Now that's amazing. How you come up with such things. As there is no contradictions in the Bible. Only you and others taking things out of it's context.

Back during the year 1611. Those men who translated the Hebrew and Greek manuscripts into English.
Did their best with what limited tools they had at that time.
Those people back in the year of 1611,
did not have all the necessary tools nor the technology as we have to day at their disposal to do a proper job of translation of languages into the English language, As we have to day.
So when you say there are contradictions in the Bible. Just remember those people back in the year 1611. did the best they could with what limited tools they had nor did they have the technology as we do to day.
To translate languages into the English language.
I am eager to learn how you know anybody did "the best they could". Isn't that something that God alone knows?
 

nPeace

Veteran Member
And you don't think the scholars did this. That, what, only you and other Christian laypeople have thought of this, but the scholars who translated the Bible were to dumb to do likewise?
Sorry. You misunderstood me. When I say we, I was referring to scholars also, and not any particular group.
However, there are some translators who don't take as much care when translating their texts.

Then you'll have to explain the 11 translations

Evil
Disaster
Calamity
Doom
Woe
Sorrow
Trouble(s)
Bad times
Discords
Hard times​

of "ra" in Isaiah 45:7: יֹוצֵר אֹור וּבֹורֵא חֹשֶׁךְ עֹשֶׂה שָׁלֹום וּבֹורֵא רָע אֲנִי יְהוָה

(I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things).
I did address this before, but not with you. Not finding that post right now, but see here.


But they haven't been, have they. Your self-described "scribal errors" are still there to be read and taken as truths.



Sorry, but shooting the messenger went out with Sophocles back in 442 B.C., and displays a latch ditch effort to hold onto an untenable position. In effect it says, "I give up. You got me." And I know I do. :D The Bible is a fallible book whose value only rises to significance if one pretends it's infallible, and infallible where it makes a difference. So, pretend away guys.

Have a good day.

.
You might recall in one of your threads, I mentioned my position concerning what little errors may or may not be there etc. See here.
If someone can show me how the Bible's overall message is affected, then that person has my attention.
There is one message that runs right through the Bible, from beginning to end. It's like a cord that can't be broken. If anyone can break that cord, then to me, they have an argument. Otherwise, this stands as solid evidence that the Bible is divinely inspired, and preserved by its author - almighty God.

Thank you. You have a good day, as well.
 

Jayhawker Soule

-- untitled --
Premium Member
... [he] cannot bring himself to admit explicitly that there is no biblical authority for taking the bible as the word of God. And, even if there were such a statement in the bible, by what logic would one accept it as authoritative, without first assuming that which the statement asserts!

Bingo.
 

Faithofchristian

Well-Known Member
I am eager to learn how you know anybody did "the best they could". Isn't that something that God alone knows?
it's quite obvious to see, those people back about 400 years ago, didn't have the technology as we have to day, So those people did do the best they could with what limited tools they had
 

Good-Ole-Rebel

Well-Known Member
If I may say, There are people who seems to forget that those people back during the year 1611, did not have the best tool's or the technology in doing a better job at the translations of languages into the English language, As we have to day, So when people say there are contradictions or words being used in the bible that don't make a lot of sense, but as it is those people back 400 years ago
( 1611) didn't have the technology as we have to day, to do a great job in their translations of languages as we have to day, thank you for your time,

Technology has certainly advanced since then. But, I believe they did a good job in their translations. They didn't have access to some older manuscripts available today. But I believe those have become more of a hindrance than a help in the translation process.

I am not a KJV only person. But I do believe it is the best translation out there.

Good-Ole-Rebel
 

savagewind

Veteran Member
Premium Member
it's quite obvious to see, those people back about 400 years ago, didn't have the technology as we have to day, So those people did do the best they could with what limited tools they had
I understand what you are saying. Do I not know what "the best a person can do" means? I realize that I can be better in many ways. I have heard people say that they did the best, but I don't think most people succeed in doing the best possible in much. That is what I am asking you. How do you know that none of the writers of what we know as Scripture wrote to mislead or were just sloppy?

edit: I realize they did not have the internet. OK?
 

Audie

Veteran Member
Just trying to understand your comments.

I answer you and others as a believer in Jesus Christ and as one who believes the Bible is the Word of God.

Good-Ole-Rebel

Perhaps you are just trying to understand, though
what I say is not terribly complex-but to repeat for
clarity:

You turn everything I say into something different.
Even though is is simple.
The bible is pretty difficult.
So-why would anyone believe you are any good
at interpreting it?

You do know that there is a distinction between
believing the bible is gods word, and believing
your chosen version of what it all means?

Note your comment here;;;
My statements about God will always be based upon the Bible.

Kinda like your conversions-to-something-totally -different
of what I've said are based on what I say.
 
Last edited:

sooda

Veteran Member
A common conception of the Bible is that it contradicts itself. It sure does look that way. I can't argue that. And yet it claims to be the truth,

John 17:17,

Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
Well, there is something in the Bible that doesn't even need "interpretation." It's a pretty straight forward declaration. While belief in the statement is optional, it would nonetheless be hard to make it say anything other than that God's word, the Bible, is truth. But how can it be truth if it is full of contradictions?

A more fundamental question though might be, is it really full of contradictions, or do many jump to conclusions before doing any exhaustive study for themselves? I find that question particularly relative considering how many already know it is contradictory without having considered alternatives.

What alternatives?
  • To whom is God speaking in any part of the Bible? We commonly say one thing to one person or group, and something totally different to another.
  • To what time period do the two "contradictions" belong? It's nothing new; times change. We all know that in our daily life. Well, God can do that also.
  • What is the context? You tell your kids not to shout in the restaurant, and then tell them shouting is OK when walking in the forest.
  • Are we sure two different accounts are talking about the same event? There are times when recognizing that what seems to be the same event are actually two, albeit similar, events. Lot's of similar events in the Bible.
  • Are we sure the Bible version we use is true to the original Hebrew and Greek texts? It wouldn't be unusual for a scribe to make an honest mistake. It might just be possible that the scribe interjected their own "view" on doctrinal matters. I know of one "contradiction" that vanishes when a comma is removed. The original texts had no punctuation at all. The comma was added by some scribe and is therefore devoid of any diving authority.
There are other considerations, but I've found that those 5 clear up 99% of the apparent contradictions in the Bible. So now I have no trouble seeing that God's word is truth. It just takes a little bit of "getting under the hood" to see how the engine runs.

The bible is full of gross contradictions and Luke has no knowledge of the geography of Palestine.
 

Audie

Veteran Member
The bible is full of gross contradictions and Luke has not knowledge of the geography of Palestine.

Imagine how many it must have had before the
teams of clerics had gone through and decided what
to keep and what to discard.
 

sooda

Veteran Member
Imagine how many it must have had before the
teams of clerics had gone through and decided what
to keep and what to discard.

Imagine... 2 million plus their live stock left Goshen and 800 make it to Jerusalem.
 

Audie

Veteran Member
Now that's amazing. How you come up with such things. As there is no contradictions in the Bible. Only you and others taking things out of it's context.
.

We suppose you have heard some politician
trying to get out of some outrageous thing he
has said.

You know the excuse?

"Out of context, yes,
out of context, so very out of context",


Who believes them? Who is not disgusted by
such craven dishonesty?

You provided no example of "out of context".
 
Last edited:
Top