Why do you believe?

Question

If you base your belief on the bible, how do you resolve that fact that in the estimated 5,400 copies of the original Greek manuscripts that survive (mostly from the 4th century), no two copies are exactly alike.

Some estimates are that there are 200,000 - 400,000 variances in the bible. While many are not meaningful, some completely change the doctrine of the church.

For those who say it's not bible based but faith based, faith in what?

If you learned about god and jesus from the bible, then what can your faith be based on?

The information on the errors come from several sources including "Misquoting Jesus" by Bart Ehrman

What about the story of the prostitute that jesus saves with the famous quote "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone"

This story is missing from the early manuscripts of John and was probably added later by another scribe

Answer 1

I don't believe. Science proves God is not real.

Answer 2

Your point is a good one. However, it's important to consider what is considered a "variance" and what isn't. In the common 200,000-400,000 count of variances, an occurance such as one word being misspelled in 3,000 copies of the Bible would be counted as 3,000 separate variances. In actuality, some scholars have said that there are really only about 400 different variances within the bible, and of those, there are only about 50 variances that are significant to the overall doctrine of the church.

Various interpretations of the Bible are exactly why so many sects of Christianity exist. Certainly, all of these sects view certain doctrine within the church differently, and interpret verses in the Bible to mean slightly different things when it comes to communion, baptism, whether or not women should serve within the church, etc.

However, the small differences within the various sects of Christianity to do not debate the major points of Christianity-- essentially that Jesus came to die for our sins, and that it is only through him that salvation can be reached--remains the same.

But despite this fact, lets examine how the Bible compares to other ancient texts. In assesing the validity of historical manuscripts, scholars typically look at a few different questions:

1. How many manuscripts do we have? (Typically hand-written manuscripts circulating near the time of the original)
2. What is the time lapse between original and subsequent manuscripts? (When was the first hand-written copy made)
3. How complete are the manuscripts, and how much variance do they have? (How close to the original were the subsequent copies)

So, let's compare the Bible with another book that is considered to be historically valid, Homer's The Illiad. Over 5,000 complete Greek manuscripts of the New Testament are in existence (with more than 25,000 hand-written copies when all languages are considered), and the earliest partial manuscript is estimated to have been written within 70 years or so from the original. On the other hand, Illiad hhas only 643 complete or partial manuscripts, with a time gap of 500 years. Essentially, my point is that the reliability of the Bible (particularly the New Testament) far exceeds many other books that are historically thought of as being accurate and reliable despite differing translations and variances within the text. In fact, many scholars have asserted that the Bible is the MOST reliable historical text in terms of the sheer similarities that differing versions have in contrast with other historical texts.

Edit:

Also, to answer your question about John, it's important to remember that the Bible was not written by a singular person. In fact, it was a complitation of many different authors writing during many different time periods. This idea may explain why stories continued to be added to the Bible--eyewitness testimony continued to be found.

If you're really interested, I'd highly suggest the book "Reading the Old Testament: Introduction to the Hewbrew Bible" by Barry Bandstra. It gives a great outline to the construction of the Bible, and also discusses many of the points you've brought up.

Answer 3

There has been so much false teaching & preaching in some ministries & we know it's still going on but not in every ministry. I can't make fulproof conclusions on some estimates because I'm not sure of what the exacts numbers are on that. The reason why no 2 copies are exactly alike is becauseof the translations that were made but not every one interpets the bible the same.To change the doctrine of the church from what god's word commands & reveals is totally wrong. Ask god to help you understand his word, it's true.

Answer 4

That is false in the sense of those descrepancies changing church doctrine. Since all manuscripts are handwritten, before artifical lighting and eyeglasses, you can expect for spelling errors and small slips, which is what constitutes the differences between manuscripts. This would be true today, if people were asked to copy any text by hand.

Answer 5

The purpose of inspiration is not to make sure every "i" is dotted and every "t" crossed. Christians have preached a false doctrine by insisting in the infalliability of scripture. Only God is infalliable. The Bible is a mixture of the divine with humanity. While the Holy Spirit oversaw the men who wrote the Bible, it was not written with the pen of God, word for word. For this reason, texts in the Bible must be compared with what the other inspired writers had to say on the same subject, line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little, there a little. What honest hearted people will discover is an underlying harmony in scripture that leads us into an understanding of the Divine and to a Savior who died for us and gives salvation to all who call upon His name. It is for this purpose that the Bible was inspired, not to take away all the doubts of all the skeptics.
There is enough light given by the Bible to guide the true seeker after righteousness, but not enough to blind us and take away our freedom of choice. For the critic, there are plenty of hooks upon which to hang their doubts, especially when they trust to their own wisdom to understand God.

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:9

Answer 6

First of all let me ask you back, why not believe? Then let me explain. You know christianary is not the final religion, changes have been done in the bible. BUT, the last religion was not christianary, it was Islam and will be the last religion. The holy book in Islam is the Qur'an, go around the world and see all the copies of the Qur'an, if you find a letter in one of them different from the other, then you have your question.

Answer 7

Why not believe? Because you can't trust what you don't see? Because people who spend their entire lives fighting to believe in God are just fulfilling a selfish desire and not really hearing the Lord at all? Because when all the cancer cells in someones body are gone in a matter of minutes, its just luck? Because when you call out to God and your prayers are answered, its just a coincidence? Sure.

Answer 8

through research and my heart. remember the brain can be fooled, but the heart never lies. Now I am not saying you should be religious or anything like that. All I'm saying is follow your heart. Some people thier hearts lead them to Athiesm which is o.k. Some people are meant to be an Athiest, however I am not one of them.

Answer 9

To believe is to have faith. God can be seen in many different ways.

Answer 10

My belief is not Bible based. My belief if faith based. And we all have faith is something.

Answer 11

estimates are not solid facts and so were do these come from? and did you know that along with the Bible comes 2,000yrs of solid tradition.