Weird question, I know. Before I offend people, I mean that question in the nicest way. I believe that people should choose to believe whatever they want to. I don't care if your religious or an atheist. As long as you have reason behind your opinion.
But this has been bothering me. Theres things in the bible that obviously contradict. I'll go with the first contradiction as an example, the fact that theres two creation stories, written by two of the four original groups of authors, and the two stories are obviously different, since in one god is more close to the humans and more loving and caring, whilst the other god is far away and powerful.
So how can someone say that EVERYTHING in the bible is 100 percent true when theres two stories that clearly contradict each other? Like, as my original question states, whats the argument that proves that right?
2006-06-30 05:30:09 · 10 answers · asked by Donnie Dragon 2 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
NOTE: I am not asking IF I should believe it, I'm asking WHY I should believe it. I dunno, its hard to phrase. Basically, I have my opinion on the matter already, but I'm curious what the argument is agaisnt me, since I could never think one up. I am aware that it all comes down to faith, but if you have faith, how do you say that the bible is 100 percent true when you know that the two stories can't be both 100 percent true? I've seen plenty of people in my life who accept everything in the bible as true, I'm asking this mainly to them. And I want a more complex answer then "faith tells me so"
2006-06-30 17:07:02 · update #1
This is a difficult question, and being an undergrad philosophy major, I'm totally aware of how little I know. Here is what I do know:
Of course there are things in the Bible that are going to contradict themselves... These books were written by seperate authors, some many many years after the death of Jesus.
When Constantine defeated the Emperor in 323 AD, he ended the persecution against Christians. To make a long story short, the First Ecumenical Council of Nicea was held, and this was really the beginning of determining what the tenets of the Christian faith would be. It was here that the Nicean creed was decided upon. At this and further Ecumenical councils, it was determined what books would be included in the Bible, and which would be excluded. Books that were excluded are known as the Gnostic Gospels, and include the Gospel of Thomas, Bartholemew, Mary, etc.
Soren Kierkegaard was a Danish philosopher who I believe is important for several reasons. The short version is that he had the same problem as you... He realized their were contradictions in the Bible (his father was a minister), and at the same time, all of the scholars and academics around him were partaking in Christianity simply for the "show" of it. Kierkegaard realized that things don't always make sense, and instead, sometimes you need to just take a "leap of faith." He coined this term specifically to say just that.
The other issue here is "mutual exclusivity." We are taught to believe as children that things or either one way or another... It cannot be both. It's either black or white... Cold or hot... etc. The problem with this is that it is wrong. Things can be multiple things simultaneously.
Take the liars paradox as a simple example:
This sentence is false.
Classical logic has struggled for years to figure out what to do with this. If the sentence is false, it makes it true. If the sentence is true, it makes it false. But it can't be both!!! Now what?? Over a thousand years have passed, and finally philosophers have realized that it CAN be and IS both... Newer forms of logic allow it.
What this points to is the idea of mutual exclusivity. Things are NOT true or false, right or wrong. Two opposing ideas can exist together.
And lastly, Jacques Derrida, who recently died, was a deconstructionist who believed basically that all contradictions contain themselves. Think about it!!!
I know I've written a lot, and I hope it helps. I've included some links in the "source" section for you, in case you would like to read further.
2006-06-30 05:57:29 · answer #1 · answered by Myth of Eternal Recurrance 2 · 4⤊ 1⤋
The bible is first and foremost a historical account. Any written work is skewed by the writer's personal background and will therefore be presented in different manners and possibly even conflicting/contradicting manners. As a historical account, it is easy to see the changes in social conditions of the times which have to be taken into account to really see the meaning of the story. On the surface, something may seem contradictory, but if you understand its history, it proves more similar than originally thought.
For example, if you look at the story of Job, it clearly presents that God allows his faithful to be punished, even encourages it. Later in the new testament, it states that the devil comes to seek, kill and destroy but that through Christ you might have life. The contradiction seems evident in that God allows Job's children & livestock to be killed but God is supposed to be the giver of life. During Job's lifetime, medicine for disease such as leprosy or Mad Cow were not even fathomable. People used the story of God's allowance of death to explain what they could not understand. It didn't seem fair. But, God was faithful to deliver Job (the faithful), from the persecution. Giving him life, and giving his children eternal life (in the afterworld) just as it says in the book of John.
The contradiction lies only in the readers misunderstanding of the passage. In their single-minded perspective. Ten years from now when reading those two same scriptures, they may clearly see the interdependence of each. The bottom line is that the bible is probably the most in depth book ever written. A quick read through could confuse most anyone. It is only with years of study can anyone ever uncover its many layers.
2006-06-30 06:00:19 · answer #2 · answered by lyndsiekivell 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I believe that there is an element that wants the Bible to be a children's story with simple answers. To really know and understand the Bible takes a lot of study and the reading of other books, manuscripts and scrolls. Remember the Bible was written by a small number of people in Aramaic and has been translated and re translated in Greek and Roman and then to English. When this was done there was politics and religious authority around to make sure the writers were not blaspheming. Sometimes things were written that you had to read between the lines on or could not be written. Just as today there was really censorship. The whole issue is that study is needed and critical thinking.
2006-06-30 05:42:13 · answer #3 · answered by Kenneth H 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
There is no valid argument to accept the Bible as infallible or irrefutably true. The Bible, specifically the Old Testament, was composed orally by desert peoples of the Middle East under Stone Age conditions and with Stone Age knowledge and understanding of their world. These people neither knew the earth was round, nor did they know the earth was a planet. They didn't know this planet went around the sun. And, using the Old Testament as evidence, they didn't even know about the Western Hemisphere or China for that matter.
These stories travelled down the generations orally until such time as they were written. At which point, they were repeatedly rewritten by every council and/or ruler who had an interest in making them conform to their beliefs. While the New Testament appears to be mainly a literary document with little or no oral precedent, it too has been subjected to substantial revision throughout history.
If one is interested in messianic god-man mythes, a more consistent and enjoyable time would be had reading the "Dune" series by Frank Herbert.
2006-06-30 06:15:24 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
The Bible was written in bits & pieces by many people. The Old Testament was handed down by word of mouth. By the time it was actually put on paper it had changed dramatically. It must also be remembered it was written for & by the Jewish people, not Christians and not God. Christians didn't come into existance until AFTER Jesus was born in the New Testament. Jesus is not mentioned in the Old Testament. I believe the Bible should be read and used to guide you through lifes difficulties by using the examples (stories). It was written & complied by human beings so it should be read with a grain of salt.
2006-06-30 06:10:00 · answer #5 · answered by daljack -a girl 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
why do people demand that the bible be the only thing in life that is concretely black and white? that's MY question. now think about it- 2 people had different versions of the same story... and this surprises you? also, whether one takes the bible literally or not, the thing one needs to realize is the bible refers to the extremes of things. extremeities are usually bad; overeating/starving, burning/freezing, physical stress/atrophy... the bible's message lies between the contradictions. a person must find a way to balance things in life in order to live peacefully and serve God.
2006-06-30 07:13:35 · answer #6 · answered by nika 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
God in the OT is a loving God.
1. Matthew 23:37 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing."
2. Luke 13:34 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!
3. Book of Hosea. God told Hosea to marry a prostitute and to be faithful to her and love her with all his heart. Then God said that is how he is to his people.
2006-06-30 05:36:46 · answer #7 · answered by silverironrain 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The Bible does not appeal to reason, thus you are not supposed to bring arguments for or against it. You either believe it or not.
2006-06-30 07:35:17 · answer #8 · answered by Victoria S 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋
some people will believe anything
2006-06-30 05:34:18 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
There is none and they know it!!! Their answer is always..It Faith. You have it OR you don't. I don't
2006-06-30 05:36:36 · answer #10 · answered by chief8166 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋