Credibility of the Bible?

Question

What makes the Bible a credible source of information? Don't quote scripture; that's just stupid.

Oxymoronic to prove something without using it?

That's like saying it's okay to define something with the word itself.

You do not say a statement is truthful because it is written down.

Also, there are many books that are unchanged for years, does that mean they are credible? No.

Sorry, I should have elaborated more. Why should I follow Christianity or some other religion based on the Bible. Why should I follow any religion at all? I don't buy this faith crap. There must be more to it that "Trust and Obey."

Answer 1

Once when I asked for proof of God's existence, I was handed a Bible and told, "Here's all the proof you need."

The Bible is proof of God?

That is a very logical and sound argument.

I know beyond any doubt that there is a mischievous little monkey who's friend is The Man in the Big Yellow Hat. I KNOW that to be true because I once read the book 'Curious George.'

Answer 2

It is unique in withstanding attack.
No other book has been so attacked throughout history as the Bible. In A.D. 300 the Roman emperor Diocletian ordered every Bible burned because he thought that by destroying the Scriptures he could destroy Christianity. Anyone caught with a Bible would be executed. But just 25 years later, the Roman emperor Constantine ordered that 50 perfect copies of the Bible be made at government expense. The French philosopher Voltaire, a skeptic who destroyed the faith of many people, boasted that within 100 years of his death, the Bible would disappear from the face of the earth. Voltaire died in 1728, but the Bible lives on. The irony of history is that 50 years after his death, the Geneva Bible Society moved into his former house and used his printing presses to print thousands of Bibles.

The Bible has also survived criticism. No book has been more attacked for its accuracy. And yet archeologists are proving every year that the Bible’s detailed descriptions of historic events are correct. See Matthew 4:4 and 1 Peter 1:25 footnotes.
In 1889 a schoolteacher told a ten-year-old boy, "You will never amount to very much." That boy was Albert Einstein. In 1954 a music manager told a young singer, "You ought to go back to driving a truck." That singer was Elvis Presley. In 1962 a record company told a group of singers, "We don’t like your sound. Groups with guitars are definitely on their way out." They said that to the Beatles. Man is prone to make mistakes. Those who reject the Bible should take the time to look at the evidence before they come to a verdict.

Answer 3

Information?
Well, I'm not sure I'd use the bible for those purposes, however, several studies in psychology have proven that repititious prayer, (such as the "Our Father" or psalms, or tantric chanting) can reduce elevated levels of whatever that chemical is that causes stress in people. At the risk of equating prayer with drugs, I think that this is a cheap way of dealing with the horrors that life is capable of dealing you every now and then.
So don't knock it. The bible is the source of that ideology. Come to think of it, however, not too many people were literate until the middle of the last century, so...hm...yeah. It's kind of survived the ages.
The historical value is mind-boggling when you consider what happened to the Library of Alexandria and the hordes that invaded Europe, burning and pillaging everything they came in contact with in the 900's or the 1100's (when was the dark ages?)

I think the bible survived so long because of its controversy and because of the wonderful stories it contains, and because of some indefinable something, I don't know what.....

But perhaps you mean, using the bible in and of itself as the only source of religion...I think that's dangerous, quite frankly

Answer 4

I'm an atheist. I consider it bogus for spiritual enlightenment. However, many of the old testament sites and/or stories do have some archeological evidence to back them up. It's thus worth using as a starting point.

Bible says City XYZ was near Babylon, but south. We know where Babylon is. So we start to research what's known about civilizations south of Babylon and find out that the Ookamadeupus culture lived south of Babylon and had a large city. So you go dig where the Oookamadeupus people lived and sure enough, you find a big city.

In fact, this has happened numerous times. However, just as often, the Bible turns out to be a false lead. Credible, no. Worth using as a starting point, sure.

There's another field that operates this way -- pharmacological research. Many companies are going to native cultures and asking for information about old herbal remedies, asking for samples, then taking them back to the lab and studying and testing them. Many of them to turn out to be bunk. But the few that work are often times the next 'miracle' drug.

Answer 5

Bible predictions of things to happen in the future confirm the inspiration of Scripture as they come to pass. Notice the following examples of fulfilled Bible prophecies:

A. Four world empires to arise: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome (Daniel chapters 2, 7, 8).
B. Cyrus to be the warrior to capture Babylon (Isaiah 45:1-3).
C. After Babylon's destruction, it would never be inhabited again (Isaiah 13:19, 20; Jeremiah 51:37).
D. Egypt would never again have a commanding position among the nations (Ezekiel 29:14, 15; 30:12, 13).
E. Earth-shaking calamities and fear toward the end of time (Luke 21:25, 26).
F. Moral degeneracy and decline of spirituality in the last days (2 Timothy 3:1-5).

The 66 books of the Bible were written:
1. On three continents.
2. In three languages.
3. By about 40 different people (kings, shepherds, scientists, attorneys, an army general, fishermen, priests, and a physician).
4. Over a period of about 1,500 years.
5. On the most controversial subjects.
6. By people who, in most cases, had never met.
7. By authors whose education and background varied greatly.

Yet, though it seems totally inconceivable,
1. The 66 books maintain harmony with each other.
2. Often new concepts on a subject are expressed, but these concepts do not undermine what other Bible writers say on the same subject.

Answer 6

what are you referring to?

the historical credibility, accuracy of the text or theologic credibility.

they all have different complicated answers.


ah so that's your question. Your not asking about the text its self but rather the message it conveys. Well their I cannot help you. I am not a Christian no do I believe in a concept of just have faith. Its a poor foundation. I prefer to ground my beliefs in logic and history faith I see as something to fill in the gaps that are impossible to completely answer such as is their an afterlife. But would use faith to justify my human actions? Absolutely not because faith based actions have resulted in almost every great crime in human history. Whether it was the Church or Communist Russia the masses had faith.

I suggest you wish to read the Bible and other works and incorporate what you want in your own life. Discard what you wish and take what you like, and remember constantly work on improving yourself for that is what makes life worth living.

Answer 7

Well the Bible is how old? and in that time how many things have been proven true? Many things have been proven true and factual. If you actually were to "interview" someone from all the different religions you would find that for the most part everyone believes in the same basic concept. There are more similarities than not.

Answer 8

There is no credibility of the bible. As much as people quote scripture on here, it doesn't make the book any more truthful than any other FICTIONAL book. It is full of contradictions, lies and outdated views. It has got to have been written by someone with severe mental illnesses

Answer 9

The fulfillment of prophecy, first and foremost. Then archeology and it's confirmation of events and places written about it.

But why is it stupid to quote it? Any book's authenticity MUST be defined by what it contains, at least to a certain extent. I think I get yer meaning tho, don't just quote where it says "it IS the word of God", etc.

Here is the best article I've ever seen about this subject, and there are more on the website.

God bless you !

Answer 10

first off, it is inspired by God over centuries and tells of things to come many centuries before they ever happened down to the year and even day. If you look at the prophecies in the bible and really do some study on them and compare it to history, you will find it goes hand in hand and was told many centuries before it even happened. It even fortells of Cyrus the king that would be born and make a decree that came true many many years later and names his name. Tells also of many things that would happen centuries in the future that happened just the way it did, including prophecies of our day and the time to come yet. give me one hour with the bible and I can show you things that I can guarantee you will know of the credibility when that time is done. You can check with history and see that what was fortold many years before has come to fruition just as it said it would. Now who can you name that can be that accurate in all the future happenings even thousands of years before it happens, even to the naming of a king that would not be born for several hundred years in the future?