Can you think of one statement or story in the Bible that is factually incorrect?

Answer 1

a. Creation of the Universe in Six Days

As per the Bible, in the first book of Genesis in Chapter On e, the universe was created in six days and each day is defined as a twenty-four hours period. firstly, it means a standard twenty-four hours period i.e. a day, and secondly, it also means stage, period or epoch which is a very long period of time.
The creation of the universe has taken billions of years, which proves false or contradicts the concept of the Bible which states that the creation of the Universe took six days of twenty-four hour durations each.

b. Sun Created After the Day

The Bible says in chapter 1, verses 3-5, of Genesis that the phenomenon of day and night was created on the first day of creation of the Universe by God. The light circulating in the universe is the result of a complex reaction in the stars; these stars were created according to the Bible (Genesis chapter 1 verse 14 to 19) on the fourth day. It is illogical to mention the result that is the light (the phenomenon of day and night) was created on the first day of Creation when the cause or source of the light was created three days later. Moreover the existence of evening and morning as elements of a single day is only conceivable after the creation of the earth and its rotation around the sun. In contrast with the contents of the Bible on this issue.

c. Creation of the Sun, The Earth and the Moon

According to the Bible, Book of Genesis, chapter 1, verses 9 to 13, the earth was created on the third day, and as per verses 14 to 19, the sun and the moon were created on the fourth day. The earth and the moon emanated, as we know, from their original star, the Sun. Hence to place the creation of the sun and the moon after the creation of the earth is contrary to the established idea about the formation of the solar system.

d. Vegetation Created on the third day and Sun on the fourth day
According to the Bible, Book of Genesis, chapter 1, verses 11-13, vegetation was created on the third day along with seed-bearing grasses, plants and trees; and further on as per verses 14-19, the sun was created on the fourth day. How is it scientifically possible for the vegetation to have appeared without the presence of the sun, as has been stated in the Bible?

e. The Sun and the Moon both Emit light

According to the Bible both the sun and the moon emit their own light. In the Book of Genesis, chapter 1, verse 16 says, “And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night”.
Science tells us today that the moon does not have its own light. This confirms the Qur’anic concept that the light of the moon is a reflected light.

f. Adam the First man on Earth, lived 5,800 years ago

As per the genealogy of Jesus Christ given in the Bible, from Jesus through Abraham (pbuh) to the first man on earth i.e. Adam (pbuh), Adam appeared on the earth approximately 5800 years ago:
i) 1948 years between Adam (pbuh) and Abraham (pbuh)
ii) Approximately 1800 years between Abraham (pbuh) and Jesus (pbuh)
iii) 2000 years from Jesus (pbuh) till today
These figures are further confused by the fact that the Jewish calendar is currently on or about 5800 years old.
There is sufficient evidence from archaeological and anthropological sources to suggest that the first human being on earth was present tens of thousands of years ago and not merely 5,800 years ago as is suggested by the Bible.

h. Moses and Pharaoh of the Exodus

The story of Moses (pbuh) and the Pharaoh of the Exodus are very much identical in the Qur’an and the Bible. Both scriptures agree that the Pharaoh drowned when he tried to pursue Moses (pbuh) and led the Israelites across a stretch of water that they crossed. The Qur’an gives an additional piece of information in Surah Yunus chapter 10 verse 92: “This day shall We save thee in thy body, that thou mayest be a sign to those who come after thee! But verily, many among mankind are heedless of Our Signs!” [Al-Qur’an 10:92]
Dr. Maurice Bucaille, after a thorough research proved that although Rameses II was known to have persecuted the Israelites as per the Bible, he actually died while Moses (pbuh) was taking refuge in Median. Rameses II’s son Merneptah who succeeded him as Pharaoh drowned during the exodus. In 1898, the mummified body of Merneptah was found in the valley of Kings in Egypt. In 1975, Dr. Maurice Bucaille with other doctors received permission to examine the Mummy of Merneptah, the findings of which proved that Merneptah probably died from drowning or a violent shock which immediately preceeded the moment of drowning. Thus the Qur’anic verse that we shall save his body as a sign, has been fulfilled by the Pharaohs’ body being kept at the Royal Mummies room in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.
This verse of the Qur’an compelled Dr. Maurice Bucaille, who was a Christian then, to study the Qur’an. He later wrote a book ‘The Bible, the Qur’an and Science’, and confessed that the author of the Qur’an can be no one else besides God Himself. Thus he embraced Islam.

Answer 2

Let's start at the very beginning. "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." Shaky, but we get by on it being an opinion. "And the earth was without form, and void;" How it can be called Earth before it has form is a mystery, but OK. "and darkness was upon the face of the deep." Well, again, how can you have darkness before you have any light with which to contrast it, or anything one could call "the deep," but nevermind that. "And the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters." Where did those waters come from? I thought we had no form, and were void. "And God said, Let there be light: and there was light." Well, it's considerably more complicated than that, but I'll take it for a metaphor.

You see what I mean? We've only gone through the first three versus of a very long book, and already we've had to make reference to metaphor, since it simply cannot be taken as literally true in the face of modern astronomy. And if we continued, we would have to do at least as much interpreting on the rest of creation. And that's just the first book!

The earth did not stand still -- or rather the sun stand still -- when some patriarch commanded it. Just not physically possible. I'm not going to waste my time looking up specifics, but anyone who reads it at all objectively has to conclude that we are reading myth and metaphor, not literal truth. Perhaps very valuable myth and metaphor: I will even grant that. But not literal truth.

Answer 3

Not a one!!! In fact so many of the things many will say is not possible, they are thinking in terms of human ability and understanding, not a God that is all powerful, that can do about anything but lie. Why do we need to put such limitations on God that He cannot create something from nothing? Or that He cannot take a rib from a man that He made and then make a woman from it? Or that He can make light from darkness. First thing you learn in any science class is that the absence of light means darkness. Add light and you have the opposite. Why is it so hard for some to think God can create the sun, moon and stars one day and vegetable life on another day when we see it done daily today. Satan has caused so many to believe all the lies he tells about how God cannot do this or that or this can't be true because it just does not make sense. But when you stop to think of a being that has no limitations, that can create the world as it was, it is not so hard to understand how things can be done as it was recorded in the bible. Just have to use your brain that, yes, God gave you, to think of what it really means. What is impossible for us is possible with God.

Answer 4

The Bible claims, in many places, to be inspired by the Holy Spirit and that it is true. It is self-authenticating. Is it true? Yes, but for many, that is a question of faith.

For those who disagree, they should consider how many extra-Biblical texts and archeological proofs exist that support events reported in the Bible. They should then compare that level of support with other things that they believe to be true, but have not witnessed, and consider why they choose to rely upon those "facts", which probably have much less support. History books are filled with such things, but, unlike the Bible, are accepted without question.

Finally, how does one, living in 2007, KNOW whether something in the Bible is factually incorrect? Most of the comments and examples refer to accounts of events that are considered miraculous and, therefore, do not appear to conform to scientific theories. If a god really exists, one that actually has power, then one might conclude that all or part of these things could have occurred.

The real question is: Do you believe in the God of the Bible?

Answer 5

Where to start? There are so many, but I will pick one topic for your enjoyment. How about how many generations of people there were before jesus:

The bible says 62. --The bible got it wrong by two orders of magnitude. History and archaeology prove that there were more than a mere 62 generations before Christianity. The species Homo sapiens has existed for 100,000 - 200,000 years, which would be at least 5,000 generations.

Luke 3:34-38 lists 20 generations between Adam and Abraham: Abraham, Thara, Nachor, Saruch, Ragau, Phalec, Heber, Sala, Cainan, Arphaxad, Sem, Noe, Lamech, Mathusala, Enoch, Jared, Maleleel, Cainan, Enos, Seth, Adam. Then Matthew 1:17 gives 42 generations between Abraham and Jesus: "So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations."

Matthew and Luke also contradict each other: both genealogies claim to go through Joseph, the father of Jesus (Matthew 1:16; Luke 3:23. Why Joseph? Wasn't God the father?), yet their lists disagree in length and in names--except for Shealtiel and Zerubbabel, an intersection that proves they were not intended to be separate lines. They also contradict the Old Testament genealogies, conveniently deleting and adding in order to make the numbers fit a pattern.

Answer 6

In the New Testament, the depiction of Peter denying he knew Jesus has a rooster crowing after he denied Him the third time.

Chickens were not introduced into the region of Jerusalem until the second century AD. Obviously, the story was written at a later date and the author assumed domestic fowl were as prevalent at that time and place as they were when he wrote it.

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Answer 7

Luke 2:1 says that Jesus was born at the time of the Roman census. This happened in 4A.D.

Matthew 2:1 says Jesus was born in the reign of Herod the Great. Herod died in 6B.C.

There is a discrepancy of 10 years here. One or the other must be wrong. Your choice.

Answer 8

There are many which are incorrect!... Some of them involve slanderous lies about The Prophets. Like Prophet David committing adultery and then murder to cover up his adultery. Another is about Prophet Lot having marriage relations with his daughtors. Another story is about the second wife of Prophet Ibrahim...Hager. The bible said that Prophet Ibrahim (Prophet Abraham) had adulterous relations with her and that her son Prophet Ismael is illegitimate. Prophet Ibrahim married Hager and Prophet Ismael is his son... indeed, Prophet Ismael is his first born son! Prophet Ibrahim brought Hager and their son Prophet Ismael to Arabia because Allah ordered him to... not for any other reason!

Answer 9

I don't think it's about breaking it down and saying "is that for real or is it a lie". You know what, who cares. I mean, I believe in the Bible; I know that not everyone does, but, if it can make someone feel better and they have faith in what happened then what is wrong with that? Why do we have to question things. If we had all the answers, then why would anyone need faith?

Answer 10

GE 1:3-5, 14-19 There was light ("night and day") before there was a sun. (Note: If there were no sun, there would be no night or day. Also, light from the newly created heavenly bodies seems to have reached the earth instantaneously though it now takes thousands or millions of years.)

GE 1:12, 16 Plants began to grow before there was sunlight.

GE 1:29 Every plant and tree which yield seed are given to us by God as good to eat. (Note: This would include poisonous plants such as hemlock, buckeye pod, nightshade, oleander.)

-- just for starters...the book is full of errors. You might be able to argue about the first two, but I dare you to test the third one!

Answer 11

1- jonah

2- noah- however the story has a grain of truth as a tale of a persian merchant and his family surviving a flooding river on thier trade raft.

3- god did not make the walls of jericho "come tumbling down"- that story is literally incorrect. there is a proper analysis for it however.

4- god did not create the world

5- adam and eve were not the first people

6- snakes don't speak

7- people did not live to be 189 or whatever (unless they were going by months).

8- there were 15 commandments but moses dropped one of the stone tablets- not ten.

9- jesus was not "ressurected" and there was no "trial"- anyone in roman society of high enough status to merit a trial would not recieve crucifixion as a punisment. Jesus was not a roman citizen.

10- the story of sodom and gammorah was based on cities destroyed by a volcanic eruption, not "god" or the "shwartz".

I could go on, but saying "all acts or events that relate to supernatural happenings and miracles are a load of bull or a metaphor (ie: the red sea did not part)".