ok so ive noticed this argument comes up a lot, when a person makes a point against the validity of the bible (by makeing a contradiction or an inconsistancy) they are refuted by the same statement every time.
"you take it out of context"
ok now i have noticed that when i asked about prayer, bible says "with faith the size of a mustard seed one can move mountains" and "ask and you shall receive, knock and the door shall be opened" and then christians tell me "but only if its in gods will" nowhere in the entire chapter does it say that. so apparently u can put things in your own context.
but when i make a statement about an inconsistancy, they say i take it out of context when i pulled directly from the bible. then i ask them to please put it IN context for me to understand they are speechless.
so doesnt this seem a bit of a 1-way street here? christians claim we take things out of context, but put things in their own context. has anyone else noticed this?
2006-12-26 08:28:27 · 19 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I agree with your general statement.
As for the passage you quoted, the disciples were asking Jesus why they couldn't cast a devil out of someone and he said it was because of their lack of faith... he didn't say "Well, it wasn't God's will." He told them if they had even the smallest amount of faith (the mustard seed is one of the smallest on earth) they could say to a mountain, move from here to there, and it would move. He told them nothing was impossible for them.
He is also quoted in Luke (17:5-6) as saying something similar when the apostles asked him to give them more faith and he said that if they had faith the size of a mustard seed, they could tell a mulberry tree to uproot and be planted in the sea and it would obey them.
Now, here's where it gets sticky.. did that apply just to the 12 apostles/disciples or to all believers? That's where you'll see the arguments really set in.
There are tons of inconsistencies in that collection of books. There are no rational explanations for them, but you will see apologists do their darnedest to explain them.
Not all christians are like this.. some will even tell you that they can't explain the inconsistencies, but they still believe.
If you're really seeking answers from them, I feel for ya.
2006-12-26 08:51:00 · answer #1 · answered by Kallan 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
People want to quantify the statement "move mountains "because noone ever has, that they know of and when some pray and they don't get what they pray for they think that "it wasn't in God's will." Although a mustard seed is very small there is a difference between praying and demanding. I cannot just do something because I think I can. The person on the other side of the mountain might be thanking God that the mountain is there. but the figurative "mountains" that get in our way such as pride and jealousy and anger can be removed with prayer. Here are some texts to help with the "IN God's Will problem" Matthew 5:23, 24, Matt. 6:9-15, Matt. 18:19 &20 and James 5:16-20 If first we must put away the things we have against our "Brother" then we must be righteous, how can one expect miracles like healing the sick when there is so much junk in our hearts? Yes God hears and answers EVERY prayer. No, is an answer. but if it's miracles we are looking for then well read Matthew 12:38-40 If you have any further "Contradictions" please email me directly so I can assist with the "Context"
2006-12-26 08:52:17 · answer #2 · answered by I-o-d-tiger 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Oh but wait, see...um...you don't understand. It all makes perfect sense, if you take it in context, see...
The context is a book of mythology that is contradictory. So in that context, any interpretation of a quote is invalid if it doesn't fit MY way of understanding that quote.
It's all God's Will, and ...uh... nobody can know God's Will....
and THAT'S why God wants you to believe!
So, even though it doesn't make a bit of sense, and says one thing in one place and the exact opposite in another place, it's the verbatim Word of God and every word is true! It says so in the Bible!! Because...um... Jesus said blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.
And if you had faith the size of a Volkswagon Beetle, you could move your rational faculties to the other side of that mountain...
2006-12-26 08:40:32 · answer #3 · answered by Sir N. Neti 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you narrow down one or two sentences of the bible you may make a mistake - like, you should not have many wives like King David did ~ I don't think that's what God want you to do.
Once you read THROUGH the bible and realize the key theme of the bible is the greatest love, each sentences from the bible can have meaning to you.
Even Jesus said you should not divorce your wife like Mose told Jews to, what Moses said is part of the bible isn't it???
If you believe the great love of God, for example, you ask anything God will let it happen to you if it is good for you. If your child want to have a real gun for toy, you'll not give it to the child because you love and care about the child. If you pray money and fame to God, well He may not give it to you right away I guess... ;-)
2006-12-26 08:39:51 · answer #4 · answered by The Catalyst 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Obviously "taken out of context means" taken out of the Bible in the paragraph that it came from.
Chritians don't read the bible. They read catechism and stuff that put verses from different parts of the Bible together to form sound arguments. That is "in context"
2006-12-26 08:40:07 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The only thing that I will tell you is that if you are a non believer, that the bible will seem as foolishness to you.
You can find this statement in the bible in the book of Romans. The only one who can make the bible understandable to us is God, for he is the one whom gives us the ability to understand his word.
So, you can ask me questions until we are both blue in the face, but it will still seem un believable to you and foolish unless God allows you understanding.
These are not my opinions, they are directly from the bible. The book of Romans is where you can read about why the bible seems unbelievable to you. The ask and you shall receive will come about when you start asking the right thing, and that is God please come into my heart and allow me to start living for you instead of myself and the world that I am living in.
2006-12-26 08:35:19 · answer #6 · answered by cindy 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Isn't that what the rest of the world does? who says christians are perfect? not most christians, that's for sure! some of the bible is literal, some of it is figurative. some of it needs to be used out of context, other parts need to be used in context. people usually don't know which is which and use their own judgement.
2006-12-26 08:31:59 · answer #7 · answered by bookwurm2010 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
that's form of ironic. WQ: Randy Orton. Ric flair and HHH have been already previous their top while Evolution got here up. do no longer take that the incorrect way although. i like love LOVE Ric flair. [woo]. i'm in basic terms the guy who likes to look and notice what the greater youthful adult adult males of the destiny would be. Orton continuously had a undeniable aura, a undeniable "it" ingredient that helped me see he'd make it massive. And now he's between the biggest adult adult males interior the WWE :]
2016-10-19 00:25:12 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
When discussing Biblical truths, it is best to study several verses to get the whole picture. The Bible never contradicts itself but sometimes translation gets lost from man to man. This is why the whole Bible needs to be studied by proponents and opponents alike in order to enter dialogue that makes sense.
http://www.handlethetruth.net
2006-12-26 08:33:20 · answer #9 · answered by truthhandl3r 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
On the contrary,those contradictions might be there on purpose to confuse you and others that question the validity of the bible.
http://evidencebible.com/witnessingtool/contradictionsintheBible.shtml
2006-12-26 08:44:26 · answer #10 · answered by Derek B 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋