It's what I call the number-one cop-out. What basis do Christians have for believing that the Bible is the infallible word of God? It contains self-contradictions by the dozen, is missing tens of chapters, volumes and "gospels" due entirely to deliberate human intervention, and has been demonstrably mistranslated throughout history.
2007-05-05 10:09:37 · 32 answers · asked by Simon B 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
They've been indoctrinated into thinking that circular logic makes sense in this particular case.
It really is sad to see in action.
2007-05-05 10:14:06 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 7⤊ 1⤋
Christians believe in Paul's writing because they're in the Bible and, and we have reasons for believing the New Testament is factual truth. This is not something I'm afraid to admit or am ashamed of because I have reasons based on evidence, not that you would ever consider them. Secondly, what Paul teaches the apostles confirmed. This is made evident as you look at other New Testament writings. I would caution anyone to make arguments from the absence of extra-biblical evidence, because many ancient historical documents have been lost; for example, a considerable portion of the Roman historian Tacitus is missing.
2016-05-21 03:31:14 · answer #2 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Look..... I don't understand why people like you waste so much time trying to find fault in the Bible teachings. It sounds like you have read some of the Bible......But here's the thing, If you have read the Bible and do not believe Jesus died for our sins.....that is your right. But is not your right to down the people who do!... It's pretty simple rule here, you either believe and share, or you don't and live your life how you wish.
It's all based on blind faith, and a moral and Christian way of living............I think the real problem with people like you, Is that you are so afraid you might have to give up something in order to be considered a Christian, and so you make excuses not to believe,to hide the insecurities you have about your sinful life. If you would spend half the time you spend now trying not to be Christian, and more time believing......really at the end of the day,the worst thing that can happen by believing that Christ died for our sins.........You will lead a happier life, more content, more fulfilled, you will lead a more respectful, and moral life, and in believing that Jesus died for our sins you will be able to get into Heaven and you will be saved and all of your sins forgiven......and if you lead the life you are leading
now, of a non-believer, you won't! I believe I will choose the Christian avenue.......It's your choice, make it a good one!!! Forget all the missing chapters you talk about .....the last paragragh I said is everywhere in the Bible......You either believe or you don't.
2007-05-05 11:01:20 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
We believe the Bible to be the infallible Word of the Living God. We prefer the Word of God over your reason. It is faith. It is belief. You need reason. I need God. Reason didn't do it for me and it won't do it for you.
"Demonstrably mistranslated throughout history" - the dead sea scrolls proved this wrong.
Original Writings of Old and New Testament Authors
Ancient Copes
Ancient Translations
Jerome's Latin (A.D. 383-400)
Wycliffe's English (1382)
Tyndale (1525)
Coverdale (1535)
Great Bible (1539)
Geneva Bible (1560)
Bishops' Bible (1568)
King James Bible (1611) I USE THIS ONE
American Standard Version (1901)
Revised Standard Version (1952)
NOW HERE IS YOUR PROBLEMS
Many Modern Translations and Paraphrases
These reasoning Christians in the 20th Century have chosen man over God and they translate for their own benefit.
The Bible was used as power over the people until John Wycliffe published the Bible in English. And then it was punishable by death to those who dared to read it. The Pope and Queen Mary (Bloody Mary) didn't want people knowing the truth. They couldn't control people with the Scripture if the people could read Scripture for themselves. Tyndale did the first printing of the Bible and he was put to death for printing the Bible. Godly men gave their lives to get us the Bible in English because wicked Popes were keeping the Word of God from the people.
Do you know that the Bible contained too much knowledge and even Kings did not want the people to have God's knowledge.
The Bible is the Word of God. I will not listen to reason and I will not listen to a king, but to God I will listen.
2007-05-05 10:36:45 · answer #4 · answered by Jeancommunicates 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The short answer to your question is faith. Most of the "contradictions" can be and have been explained in one way or another. As far the missing volumes, the Bible has been in it's current form since the Council of Carthage (397). I'm not trying to convince that they were right, but the Bible really hasn't changed since then. It takes faith to believe that they were right.
When it comes to books of antiquity, there is no example of a better documented piece of literature. There are manuscripts that we have from the New Testament that have been dated to within 70 years of the original. To give you a comparison, most other ancient books are in the hundreds or thousands of years. And while there are lots of translations, there are a lot of good ones. And it is not difficult to obtain a scholarly book to do your own research.
It does take faith, no question about it, but to infer that the Bible lacks any degree verifiable authenticity is absolutely false; in fact, there is no better example of it.
2007-05-05 16:43:21 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Good question. The answer is probably something that someone will eventually find a quote from the Bible and define in some obscure way so that it kind of makes sense. Then, of course, we can't forget that it must be true because "god is real". And how do we know that god is real? Because... The bible said so...
And that leaves us back where we started.
2007-05-05 10:20:20 · answer #6 · answered by Lina 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I agree. The Bible may originally have been written by people who believed they were channelling the Word of God, but it's been mistranslated, edited and rewritten for social and political reasons SO many times that it probably bears little if any resemblance to the original texts.
Christians who use "Because the Bible says so " as a be-all-and-end-all response to any discussion strike me as being too closed-minded and lazy to genuinely think about or even - horror of horrors - change their views.
2007-05-05 10:14:38 · answer #7 · answered by Spazzcat 5 · 9⤊ 0⤋
I am still waiting for a good, bible-thumping, believer that the bible is infallible to explain to me about the unicorns that are mentioned 9 times. If it is a mis-interpretation then what is to say that the rest of the bible has not been mis-interpreted as well?
2007-05-05 10:19:54 · answer #8 · answered by Enchanted Gypsy 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I can't speak for my fellow christian brothers and sisters, but I believe that God through the power of Holy Spirit inspired the writers with principles and/or concepts to be presented, and the writers penned it in their own words.
If there are contradictions (which I don't believe there were), it is because one had to interpret Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek terminology into English.
We are aware that nearly all of the OT books are referred to, and quoted directly. The NT furnishes abundant evidence that in the era, and among those who produced it, the OT canon was received not only as complete, but as of ancient date and undisputed authority.
The NT canon was gradually added to the OT. But it was some time after the Lord's ascension before any of the books contained in it were actually written. The teaching of the Apostles was at first oral, then written later came into existence, two by Apostles themselves, and two by friends and close companions of the Apostles.
The founders of churches, often unable to visit them personally, and anxious for harmony and the spread of true faith and doctrine, resorted to writings of epistles, which were sent forth from time to time to meet special wants and emergencies.
Please check out the revised edition of Smith's Bible Dictionary, published by Homan Bible Publishers for further reading.
2007-05-05 10:31:56 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Your wild claims about the Bible being invalid is exactly that : wild.
Have you ever heard of the Dead Sea Scrolls? or the Moabite stone, inscribed by King Mesha? and what about the Elba Tablets? And, of course, there is the tomb of King Tutanknamen! In addition, fulfilled prophecies, substantiated by secular history.
It is pathetic that you are displaying your ignorance by attacking Christians on an international forum.
2007-05-05 10:31:22 · answer #10 · answered by flandargo 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Dear simon peter,
most of the supposed contradictions are easily explained. do some research.
the formation of the canon of scripture - eliminating certain "gospels" or chapters, etc- is a fascinating study. there are very good reasons why certain books were not included. do some research.
mistranslated? friend, the translations we have today are based on tremendously conscientious scholarly work, consulting the most ancient manuscripts. do some research.
finally - it is the Word of God, inspired and preserved for us by God. What a wonderful gift it is! do some research ( i.e. read it)
god bless
2007-05-05 10:22:49 · answer #11 · answered by happy pilgrim 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋