The most damaging verse in the bible?

[AquinasForGod]

Question for debate: What do you think is the most damaging verse in the bible?

I mean, what verse or verses together (like maybe a contradiction) do you feel is the most damaging to the Christian faith, that might make a Christian go, hmm, maybe I have the wrong religion.

I have been searching the threads here and so far, I have found no points made against the bible that I find troubling or difficult to give an answer for.

I suppose some would be troubled if they think God wrote the bible himself or something, but why would anyone believe that?

[Miles]

Question for debate: What do you think is the most damaging verse in the bible?

I mean, what verse or verses together (like maybe a contradiction) do you feel is the most damaging to the Christian faith, that might make a Christian go, hmm, maybe I have the wrong religion.

Boy, with so many damning verses in the book that's a real challenge. I mean, you have both god and Jesus condoning slavery. You have god directing that innocent women, children, and infants be put to death. He even directs people to kill practicing male homosexuals. And he really messed up with his Flood, essentially killing everyone on earth, which failed to produce any change whatsoever. It's as if he wasn't all-knowing at all. Then there the many mistakes he made---is a fallible god worth anyone's trust? I should think not. But, I guess if I was a Christian the most damaging verse in the bible, the one that would send me walking, would be the one where he admits to creating evil. Now, I ask you, what kind of god would be worthy of praise and worship who says:

7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.
....................................................................................................................................Isaiah 45:7

I suppose some would be troubled if they think God write the bible himself or something, but why would anyone believe that?

Why would anyone believe that? I imagine the "or something" would be because they read:

2 Timothy 3:16
"All Scripture is given by God. And all Scripture is useful for teaching and for showing people what is wrong in their lives."

and

Proverbs 30:5-6
"Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar."

.

[wannabe]

Question for debate: What do you think is the most damaging verse in the bible?

I mean, what verse or verses together (like maybe a contradiction) do you feel is the most damaging to the Christian faith, that might make a Christian go, hmm, maybe I have the wrong religion.

I have been searching the threads here and so far, I have found no points made against the bible that I find troubling or difficult to give an answer for.

I suppose some would be troubled if they think God write the bible himself or something, but why would anyone believe that?

Mathew 1:1-17

The Genealogy of Jesus Christ
1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, 3 and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram,[a] 4 and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, 5 and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, 6 and Jesse the father of David the king.

And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, 7 and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asaph, 8 and Asaph the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, 9 and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, 10 and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos,[c] and Amos the father of Josiah, 11 and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.

12 And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel,[d] and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, 13 and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, 14 and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, 15 and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, 16 and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.

17 So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.

Vs.

Luke 3:23-38

The Genealogy of Jesus Christ
23 Jesus, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years of age, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli, 24 the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph, 25 the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, 26 the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda, 27 the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel,[e] the son of Neri, 28 the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er, 29 the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, 30 the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim, 31 the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David, 32 the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Sala, the son of Nahshon, 33 the son of Amminadab, the son of Admin, the son of Arni, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, 34 the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, 35 the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, 36 the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, 37 the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Cainan, 38 the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.

I see a discrepancy here, do You ?

[1213]

... killing everyone on earth, which failed to produce any change whatsoever. ...

Killing everyone on earth is not any change? Is that really reasonable claim in your opinion?

[JoeyKnothead]

Question for debate: What do you think is the most damaging verse in the bible?

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."

Considering Christians believe the Bible, we'd be hard pressed to present a bit of it that'd wreck their belief.

I suggest using a science book, or one all about logic.

[TRANSPONDER]

The best known 'damaging' passage I see quoted is this.

Numbers 31.17 So now, kill all the boys, as well as every woman who has had relations with a man, 18 but spare for yourselves every girl who has never had relations with a man.

Also the passages on slavery such as this: Exodus 20 "When a man strikes his slave, male or female, with a rod and the slave dies under his hand, he shall be avenged. 21 But if the slave survives a day or two, he is not to be avenged, for the slave is his money

[Miles]

... killing everyone on earth, which failed to produce any change whatsoever. ...

Killing everyone on earth is not any change? Is that really reasonable claim in your opinion?

Good grief, please try to put 2 and 2 together. I said:

"And he really messed up with his Flood, essentially killing everyone on earth, which failed to produce any change whatsoever."

So, was killing "everyone" god's ultimate objective or was it a means to an end?

KILLING "EVERYONE" ON EARTH WAS A MEANS TO AN END, which was to permanently eliminate sinners. Sheesh!!

And did killing "everyone" on Earth permanently eliminate sinners? NO! They came back.




.

[benchwarmer]

[Replying to AquinasForGod in post #1]

We had this thread:

On the Bible being inerrant
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=38625&start=10

I started listing contradictions:
viewtopic.php?p=1049930#p1049930

If one is happy to explain away whatever they don't like, then I imagine nothing will sway a committed Christian.

As others have pointed out already, the god of the Bible seems fine with pointless violence, rape, murder, and slavery. It's funny how this god rarely brings itself to do any of the dirty work, though the flood story and poor Uzzah who tried to steady the ark come to mind.

In short, it's not one damaging verse, but the entire collection of works that paints the damaging picture. We are left with a war god turned savior that can't seem to really solve any issues without a lot of dying and even then, we only get 'saved' after we're all dead (supposedly). It would be comical if so many people weren't enslaved to these stories.

[TRANSPONDER]

It is a fact that some of the damaging stuff in the Bible isn't well known. Understandably Believers don't trumpet it about, but peddle the nice stuff that sounds well in these later days.

This was one that made me sit up a bit when I read it in I Cor. 9.2 If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.
3 Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,
4 Have we not power to eat and to drink?
5 Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?
6 Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?
7 Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?
8 Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?
9 For it is written in the law of Moses, thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?
10 Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.
11 If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?
12 If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.
13 Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?
14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel...

Translating this a bit it sounds rather as though Paul has been using Church funds to get his Learjet re upholstered, when the community was supposed to be the Meek and Poor and put everything in the common purse, and only ratbags like Judas dipped their fingers in the till (John 12.6) and it looks that, like a proper little church hypocrite, he is quoting OT scripture to justify his being paid out of the church funds for what he called 'his work'. .

His subordination of women, rules are well known. But they arguable. Like the OT on slavery, he tries to be fair, within the mores of the time and his own opnions (which are of course god -given and those of anyone else are just their Opinions) and he finds women useful as unpaid church staff and flying monkeys. But as is so often the case with religions, women have to be kept out of sight and at the back behind the men for else these painted and bedizened jezebels and swaying -hipped temtress doxies would inflame all those sorely tempted decent men by their mere existence.

I'm also looking for an interesting OT passage on..well...I'll le tyou know.

[JehovahsWitness]

I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things - Isaiah 45:7

• Does the bible not speak of God creating evil (Isaiah 45:7; Ex 32:14)?
  viewtopic.php?p=906407#p906407

Mathew 1:1-17

The Genealogy of Jesus Christ

• Why are there apparent discrepencies in the geneology of Jesus?
  http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 76#p832376

• How did Matthew count his geneological listings?
  viewtopic.php?p=870155#p870155