why do people believe in the teachings of the bible when it constantly contriicts itself?

Question

Do you think its comforting to people who need to believe in life after death?..

Answer 1

Your right--people wear a religious label in the believe it affords them "spiritual security"--They then become blind to the obvious flaws & contradictions in the Bible.Christ himself contradicted the Old Testament when he negated many of Moses Laws-eg--Christ said an "eye for an eye "was wrong--giving your enemy "no peace" was wrong,stoning adulteress was wrong,divorcing your wife by private letter was wrong.
Here is a link to 384 blatant contradictions in the Bible--how believers can insist there are no contradictions beggars belief!!!
http://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com/contra/by_name.html

Answer 2

It simple. It is simpler than you can imagine. Wanna know?

So I tell you: because the Bible is a religious book, therefore it is not a scientific or a philosophic work where contradictions shall be avoided. Plus, this kind of book has another way to achieve the truth. It is called faith. If you do not understand this type of knowldge, then you cannot or should not speak nor think about it.

Eventually, to conforting people... this was the thought when the we think in the Middle Ages epoc. If you think like that, then you have a so delayed thinking that I refuse to answer you. If you do not, then I say that today, churches are responsible for hundreds of good action, volunteers jobs around the globe; lots of people devote themselfves for helping the other; so if you still go on thinking like that, or you are a totally retard (no effense!) or an extremist (like some Middle East people).

If you are not (and I hope so!), then do not ask such kinf of question.

And to end: I ain't a religious. I am a young man who studies a lot.

Boa tarde!


ie - B r a z i l

Answer 3

I am wondering where and what these constant contradictions are, people keep saying this about the Bible because they have heard it or read it somewhere.

There are some passages which may appear to contradict themselves but which are easily explained, and I said explained not by-passed or excused.

The Bible can be comforting or not depending on how one stands before God, reading the Bible will certainly let you know where you stand, depends what you do with that information whether it is comforting or not.

JB

Answer 4

I don't understand how they can fight over the literal nature of idiocies like the flood myth when the writers can't even get basic stories straight.

For those who want an example, Moses reads the ten commandments to the people in Exodus 20 and in Deuteronomy 5. Everything matches within a word or two until the Sabbath commandment.

Did god mean for the Sabbath to recall the six days of creation (as is specifically stated by god in Exodus 20:11) or did god mean for the Sabbath to recall the servitude in Egypt (as is specifically stated by god in Deuteronomy 5:15)?

And that is the ten freaking commandments that the bible can't agree on. The same can be said for all sorts of multiple descriptions that don't agree.

Answer 5

Ever notice that Christians are always saying something is taken 'out of context' when they're doing the exact same thing to deny any. There are several contradictions and several websites that point them out. When they are pointed out, I've seen all kinds of answers from Xians taking things/quotes 'out of context' to justify the verse. One of the books I'm reading, 'Misquoting Jesus' is written by some guy who went to an evangelical college for his Bachelor's in Religion and then to Princeton for four more years. I forgot how many languages he learned but I do remember Greek was one of them. There's a guy who definiutely studied the Bible and read some of the oldest scripts found. He found plenty of contradictions ad mistranslations. There is one example of someone who's done more research and studying than anyone on here (more than likely). If these people can't find any, they're not paying attention!
Mostly, their excuses seem to revolve around' but that's not what it MEANS' (again, TAKING IT OUT OF CONTEXT)

Answer 6

John 14:6

Answer 7

The Bible has "contradictions" in commands, but not in the spirit and reasons behind the commands.

Example: if a mother tells her daughter, who is age 4, "do NOT cross the street without holding the hand of an adult."

Then she later, when the daughter is 13, says "You can cross by yourself, but do NOT cross the street without looking both ways."

Is that a "contradiction?" Maybe a contradiction in terms of the actual command, but not in the spirit and reason. Different rules simply apply in two different circumstances.

The underlying REASON why the mother gives the rules is the same: BE SAFE, and is naturally different at age 13 than back at age 4.

In the Bible, it is much more important that we take in and understand the REASONS behind commands, than to simply memorize as set of rules. That is why you see different rules in different circumstances.

Answer 8

Why should we believe in the Constitution if it contradicts itself? Why should we believe in laws of countries and states if they contradict themselves?
Why should we believe in Science if it occasionally contradicts itself?

There are different types of contradictions: apparent and actual. There are a number of apparent contradictions in the Bible, which, if studied, become clear, and less contradictory, if there is a contradiction at all. Likewise with history, science, and other studies.

Too, the Bible is not a single book. It may be bound as such, but is actually a compilation of a number of different works, by different authors.

Also, some apparent contradictions may be introduced in translation, where there are no exact translations for specific words.

I'm not a Christian, but I've studied the Bible enough to realize that what on the surface appears to be a contradiciton, in fact, usually, is not so. I say "usually" because I've not studied every single one brought to my attention, and can't speak for what I've not researched myself.

Answer 9

In deference to some answers I'm neither simple nor illiterate. I'm well read, and well educated. I've read many books, many history books and the Bible holds up to scrutiny far better than any other book of similar nature. It's pretty obtuse to claim the Bible contradicts (since you can't spell I can only assume that's the word you meant) itself and not name a single contradiction. But, I'm sure you are a Biblical scholar so I guess I'll have to take your word for it. Go back to school, dropping out has done you no good.

Answer 10

Hmm.. you know there are so many reasons, and it actually depends on the person, but I think that yeah, it comforts them to believe in afterlife, and not only in that, but also that there is something greater, something to fall back on.. something or someone they can depend on. And.. well.. I think that faith is a lot like love in the way that it is blind... Also, not everyone is a deep thinker or an analyzer really. They just believe what feels or sounds right, they don't necessarily THINK about all the deeper things. I've experienced this, and when I questioned them on their faith, they don't know how to answer, but they still believe.. OH, I just got an idea--maybe it's also because they don't think you could ever answer these things anyway... and faith is really supposed to contradict itself.. and many times, it's not even logical. :)