if everything in the bible is true, why doesnt everyone agree on what it says?

Question

millions have died defending what they believe the bible says.........there should be no argument

Answer 1

yes, millions have died standing up for what they believe. the reason why not "everyone" believe what the Bible says, is personally i think they either think "no one could care/love/forgive someone like that (which is refering to God)" and / or they are scared to to accept God is real and LOVES them soooooo much more then anyone else in the world can. the Bible tells the "Believers" to seek the "Non-Believers" so they mey see God's Love through us. Jesus also said that the world would never "accept" Him and if the world hates you (Believers) remember that it hated Him first. But since we're believers / followers of Christ, it will hate us just like it hated Him.

now, that is just my opinion. i could be totally off key, but that is what i think.

Answer 2

The problem is and always has been that everyone doesn't agree. Or, if you can get them to agree in principal that the Bible is true, they will disagree as to what portions (articles of faith) are more important. Why do you think there's so many different versions of the same faith. It's that way in every religion. And, the millions that have died defending their faith, have usually been killed by someone of a different faith.
I believe the answer to all of this is to be true to yourself and what you believe, not forcing your views down other people's throats, but just accepting them as equals, even though their beliefs may be different. If you do that, respecting them for who they are and what they believe, first, you just might get that same respect in return, and then, dialogue can begin. You may not agree, but you can talk as friends.
I come from a Christian background and became good friends with a Muslim. We didn't agree, but we could have discussion and debate without anger or criticism, because I respected him and he respected me...we were friends.

Answer 3

There has to be a right way to interpret the bible. Sometimes if we take parts of the bible literally or take one verse out of the bible, instead of reading the bible as a whole, we can get ourselves into trouble. As a Catholic I believe the Church's teaching on the Bible. It goes back 2000 years and has always been the same. The Church actually decided what books to put in the Bible. So the Church came before the bible. So there is authority that goes along with interpreting the Bible. The authority is the Church. God Bless!

Answer 4

The bible is not absolute truth. It was written a long, long time ago in a language that is no longer used. It has been re-interpreted and re-written numerous times. Therefore logic tells us that each time this happens it is possible for the r-written text to be changed to reflect the views of the revisionist. The bible contradicts itself in several places and also some of the events that took place (Noah's ark, for instance) were just not possible. In order to utilize the bible to its greatest potential, one must study it and carefully consider what is being read with respect to accuracy. Unfortunately the religious fundamentalists believe that every item in the bible is absolute truth and should not be doubted. As a result, these religions are usually hard, inflexible and unyielding.

Answer 5

The Bible is different things for different people. Some take it verbatim while others see it as metaphor or guidance. There are many versions of the Bible written and rewritten over the past 3,000 years. Find study books that have made it their mission to delve into the writings and see what fits your thinking. With this in mind, you can take what you like and leave the rest.

Answer 6

Good question. Even if everyone did agree on what it says, would everyone live by its principles ?

The argument and disagreement are the result of problems with human nature not the Bible.

wrong motives for reading the Bible = wrong understanding or misunderstanding of the Bible

right motives = right understanding


Show N Tell

Answer 7

Historically, when believers get in the situation where they are actually facing death, there are far fewer disagreements among them about what they believe because the focus shifts to only the most important matters. As Christians we have disagreements about things in the Bible because we are humans and we have time on our hands.

Here's what the Apostle Paul has to say about what is most important:

"For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep . . ." (I Corinthians 15:3-6, NIV)

Answer 8

Why would anyone believe that "everything in the bible is true" is the baffling part of the question. The first two chapters (Genesis 1 and Genesis 2) contradict each other. Isn't that proof that not everything in it is true? The fact that not everyone agrees on what it says is an obvious complication of that.

Answer 9

In spite of all the bickering over the Bible it is much more agreed on than most think. Most of the bickering is over non essential truth. In Christianity we have a common saying:
In dogma we need unity
In non essentials we need liberty
In all things we need charity.
Most non Christians pick at the non essentials where there is a lot of differing opinions and criticize the Church for their differing opinions, but when it really comes down to it we are much more unified than you think. We have as the Bible says, One Lord, One faith, One God, One Baptism, One Body (The church)

Answer 10

It is all true. But people can misinterpret it. That's why Jesus (God in the flesh) established one holy and apostolic Church, and He gave all of His authority to that Church with the successor of Peter as the first earthy vicar of Christ.

Only the Church that Jesus founded has the authority to settle any dispute over how the Bible should be interpreted because this authority is divine authority given by Christ Jesus.

That Church is now 2,000 years old and has an unbroken historical line of apostolic succession. The popes can be traced all the way back to the first pope, the apostle Peter.

The Catholic Church is the only Christian religion that was founded by God Himself. All of the Protestant sects were founded by mortal men or women and were all either offshoots of the original Catholic Church or an offshoot of an offshoot.

Our God is not a god of confusion, but a God of mercy, justice, and truth.

If you would like to understand how the Bible should be interpreted, I recommend reading the Catechism of the Catholic Church.