Transparency and credibility of factual facts

[somo]

For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.

Matthew 5:18
The Prophet Jesus peace be upon him,
came to complete the law of the ancient prophets
Without decrease or increase
The remaining authentic verses in the Old Testament cannot be omitted

Why such variance in viewpoints? To begin with, different theological camps disagree on which books should be included in the Bible. One camp’s apocrypha is another’s scripture. Secondly, even among those books that have been canonized, the many variant source texts lack uniformity. This lack of uniformity is so ubiquitous that The Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible states, “It is safe to say that there is not one sentence in the NT in which the MS [manuscript] tradition is wholly uniform.”[2]

Not one sentence? We can’t trust a single sentence of the Bible? Hard to believe.
Maybe

The fact is that there are over 5700 Greek manuscripts of all or part of the New Testament.[3] Furthermore, “no two of these manuscripts are exactly alike in all their particulars…. And some of these differences are significant.”[4] Factor in roughly ten thousand manuscripts of the Latin Vulgate, add the many other ancient variants (i.e., Syriac, Coptic, Armenian, Georgian, Ethiopic, Nubian, Gothic, Slavonic), and what do we have?
A lot of manuscripts

A lot of manuscripts that fail to correspond in places and not infrequently contradict one another. Scholars estimate the number of manuscript variants in the hundreds of thousands, some estimating as high as 400,000.[5] In Bart D. Ehrman’s now famous words, “Possibly it is easiest to put the matter in comparative terms: there are more differences in our manuscripts than there are words in the New Testament.”[6]
How did this happen?

Poor record keeping. Dishonesty. Incompetence. Doctrinal prejudice. Take your pick.

None of the original manuscripts have survived from the early Christian period.[7]/[8] The most ancient complete manuscripts (Vatican MS. No. 1209 and the Sinaitic Syriac Codex) date from the fourth century, three hundred years after Jesus’ ministry. But the originals? Lost. And the copies of the originals? Also lost. Our most ancient manuscripts, in other words, are copies of the copies of the copies of nobody-knows-just-how-many copies of the originals.
No wonder they differ

In the best of hands, copying errors would be no surprise. However, New Testament manuscripts were not in the best of hands. During the period of Christian origins, scribes were untrained, unreliable, incompetent, and in some cases illiterate.[9] Those who were visually impaired could have made errors with look-alike letters and words, while those who were hearing-impaired may have erred in recording scripture as it was read aloud. Frequently scribes were overworked, and hence inclined to the errors that accompany fatigue.

In the words of Metzger and Ehrman, “Since most, if not all, of them [the scribes] would have been amateurs in the art of copying, a relatively large number of mistakes no doubt crept into their texts as they reproduced them.”[10] Worse yet, some scribes allowed doctrinal prejudice to influence their transmission of scripture.[11] As Ehrman states, “The scribes who copied the texts changed them.”[12] More specifically, “The number of deliberate alterations made in the interest of doctrine is difficult to assess.”[13] And even more specifically, “In the technical parlance of textual criticism—which I retain for its significant ironies—these scribes ‘corrupted’ their texts for theological reasons.”[14]

Errors were introduced in the form of additions, deletions, substitutions and modifications, most commonly of words or lines, but occasionally of entire verses.[15] [16] In fact, “numerous changes and accretions came into the text,”[17] with the result that “all known witnesses of the New Testament are to a greater or lesser extent mixed texts, and even several of the earliest manuscripts are not free from egregious errors.”[18]

In Misquoting Jesus, Ehrman presents persuasive evidence that the story of the woman taken in adultery (John 7:53-8:12) and the last twelve verses of Mark were not in the original gospels, but added by later scribes.[19] Furthermore, these examples “represent just two out of thousands of places in which the manuscripts of the New Testament came to be changed by scribes.”[20]

In fact, entire books of the Bible were forged.[21] This doesn’t mean their content is necessarily wrong, but it certainly doesn’t mean it’s right. So which books were forged? Ephesians, Colossians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, 1 and 2 Peter, and Jude—a whopping nine of the twenty-seven New Testament books and epistles—are to one degree or another suspect.[22]
Forged books? In the Bible?

Why are we not surprised? After all, even the gospel authors are unknown. In fact, they’re anonymous.[23] Biblical scholars rarely, if ever, ascribe gospel authorship to Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John. As Ehrman tells us, “Most scholars today have abandoned these identifications, and recognize that the books were written by otherwise unknown but relatively well-educated Greek-speaking (and writing) Christians during the second half of the first century.”[24] Graham Stanton affirms, “The gospels, unlike most Graeco-Roman writings, are anonymous. The familiar headings which give the name of an author (‘The Gospel according to …’) were not part of the original manuscripts, for they were added only early in the second century.”[25]

So what, if anything, did Jesus’ disciples have to do with authoring the gospels? Little or nothing, so far as we know. But we have no reason to believe they authored any of the books of the Bible. To begin with, let us remember Mark was a secretary to Peter, and Luke a companion to Paul. The verses of Luke 6:14-16 and Matthew 10:2-4 catalogue the twelve disciples, and although these lists differ over two names, Mark and Luke don’t make either list. So only Matthew and John were true disciples. But all the same, modern scholars pretty much disqualify them as authors anyway.
Why?

Good question. John being the more famous of the two, why should we disqualify him from having authored the Gospel of “John”?
Umm … because he was dead?

Multiple sources acknowledge there is no evidence, other than questionable testimonies of second century authors, to suggest that the disciple John was the author of the Gospel of “John.”[26] [27] Perhaps the most convincing refutation is that the disciple John is believed to have died in or around 98 CE.[28] However, the Gospel of John was written circa 110 CE.[29] So whoever Luke (Paul’s companion), Mark (Peter’s secretary), and John (the unknown, but certainly not the long-dead one) were, we have no reason to believe any of the gospels were authored by Jesus’ disciples


How the Bible was corrupted by Dr. Bart Ehrman YouTube
‫كيف تم تحريف الانجيل الدكتور بارت ايرمان‬‎ YouTube


New Testament of the Bible regarding Jesus by Yusha ...



هندوسية تدخل الإٍسلام بعد سؤال مترجم A hindu woman is accepting Islam



مسيحي يعتنق الإسلام في حوار مع عباس ...

[Waterfall]

[Replying to somo in post #60]

Namaskaram somo

https://isha.sadhguru.org/en/wisdom/art ... ar-meaning

Let us seek the truth...

But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

I am here to support and help everybody What exists? Thought (feminine) and Will (masculine) and Light (good) and Darkness (evil). These 4 "things" existed from eternity. We could call it a beginning or a starting point or a state of cosmos. How do we get to another state of cosmos? Thought (feminine) and Will (masculine) and Light (good) had to unite? God had to realize himself first? God is Light and not Darkness...

















Your friend forever

Waterfall

[somo]

New Testament



1-
"Hardly anyone disputes that Paul's letters precede the Gospel."

“It is well known that at that time there were no sacred books called the New Testament.”
The lack of reference books for Christianity because the church relied on the Old Testament, Christ, and the Apostles

Thus, it is clear that during the first hundred years there were no books specific to the New Testament.

But there were some letters of Paul addressed to some churches, which were not collected, copied and distributed because the process of copying, distributing and spreading was not as easy as it is in our present time.

Likewise, it has not been proven that the teachings of the Epistles and Gospels from the New Testament were fulfilled by preserving them orally and transmitting them as a literal, sacred text like the texts of the Qur’an or the Hadith.



It is abundantly clear from the above that the Christians do not have a shred of evidence linking up the Gospels to any eyewitness. There is no chain of transmission that goes back right to the time these events took place. In stark contrast to this, the books of Islam like Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawood, Tirmizhi, and a host of others that portray and chronicle the detailed life of Muhammad, have irrefutable chains of transmission for every single act or statement of the Holy Messenger Muhammad. These chains of transmission have been meticulously recorded and preserved over the centuries and provide undeniable proof of Muhammad’s Life and Mission. The cornerstone of Christian belief, Christ’s crucifixion, is widely accepted by Christendom without a single eyewitness. It can thus be safely concluded that the entire edifice of Christianity is based on hearsay. The case for Christ’s “death by crucifixion” must then be thrown out, for hearsay evidence is not admissible.


The Jewish Bible, Gospels, and Early Church up to Constantine with Paul Williams



Catholic Priest Announces he has accepted Islam (Hilarion Heagy)



PASTOR CONVERTED HIS ENTIRE CHURCH TO ISLAM

[Waterfall]

[Replying to somo in post #62]

Namaskaram somo

https://isha.sadhguru.org/en/wisdom/art ... ar-meaning

I will make it easy for you...

But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

Are we here to support and help everybody Let us talk about this...



Your friend forever

Waterfall

[somo]

U.S. Soldier Leaves Islam - Goes To Iraq War & Converts To Islam Again?! w. Larry Yunus



U.S Soldier Converts to Islam After Debating with a Muslim Soldier w. Colonel Khalid Shabazz



Top 10 Reasons Why Jesus is not God - Joshua Evans - TheDeenShow

[Waterfall]

[Replying to somo in post #64]

Namaskaram somo

https://isha.sadhguru.org/en/wisdom/art ... ar-meaning

What are you seeking...

But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

Are we here to support and help everybody Let us talk about this...



Your friend forever

Waterfall

[somo]

Biblical contradictions

Some Christians are never ashamed to say that this is the book of God and the Prophet Jesus said that




Exodus 32:14 says "the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do" VS. Numbers 23:19 says God does not repent. >>

Matthew 7:21 Jesus says not everyone that calls the name of the Lord shall be saved VS. Acts 2:21 Paul says whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.>>

Matthew 15:4 Jesus says, "Honour thy father and mother..." VS. Luke 14:26 Jesus says, "If any man come to me, and hate not his father and mother...he cannot be my disciple.">>

Matthew 26:27-28 - "...Drink ye all of it, For this is my blood..." vs. Deuteronomy 12:16 - "Ye shall not eat the blood." Symbolically disobeying god. Jesus being the sacrifice and thou shalt not drink the blood of the sacrifice.>>

Mark 15:25 Jesus was crucified at the third hour VS. John 19:14-15 says the sixth hour.>>
Mark 15:40 says Mary was afar off beholding the crucifixion VS. John 19:25 says she stood at the cross.>>

John 13:38 "the rooster shall not crow till thou hast denied me three times." VS. Mark 14:68 Says the rooster crowed after the first denial.>>

Acts 9:7 VS. Acts 22:9 VS. Acts 26:14


Paul of Tarsus lies each time he tells the story of meeting Jesus on the road to Damascus. Paul, a liar, wrote over half of the New Testament. The Apostles considered his preachings falsehood.>>



the Book of God, no letter can ever be changed

no letter has changed in the Qur’an for 1400 years The Qur’an is the word of God


Are there Contradictions in the Quran? | Dr. Shabir Ally




The Gospels, the Injil, and the Qur'an | Paul Williams


Orthodox Corruption of Scripture-Book Review by Paul Williams

[Waterfall]

[Replying to somo in post #66]

Namaskaram somo

https://isha.sadhguru.org/en/wisdom/art ... ar-meaning

Keep up the good work...

But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

Are we here to support and help everybody Can God not create children Let us talk about this...



Your friend forever

Waterfall

[nameless]

[Replying to somo in post #1]
I read the initial post, some of it, and my initial thoughts are;
1) A 'fact' is whatever someone is willing to accept.
2) I've found that attempting to reconcile metaphor and allegory and poetry with 'literal reality' will require the development of a completely new style of stretching!
But I've found that no matter what the words are, the exact words that you need to see/hear are exactly what you see/hear at the exact right moment!
Also, I have found that;
3) Truth is to be found every and anywhere! So the argument that 'these words' are, somehow, magically deliciously authentic, while 'those words' will see you BURN is a nonstarter anyway in light of Truth!
Besides, the;
''First Law of Soul Dynamics'; (tells us that) "For every Perspective, there is an equal and opposite Perspective!"
Reality is that ALL words are the Word(s) of God (when Saved)!
It seems that dickering over the words seems a bit Pharisaical; like memorizing scripture as opposed to actually living the Unconditional Love that is the point of all scripture, everywhere!

[nameless]

[Replying to Waterfall in post #67]
How is it that you speak of Love and post little hearts yet end telling Muslims that their scripture is 'wrong'?
(Are you able to take the same hit's to your scripture?)
And how does Love play into this?
True, Unconditional Love is ALWAYS Known by It's Unconditional Virtues;
Compassion, Empathy, Sympathy, Gratitude, Humility, Charity (Charity is never taking more than your share of anything, ever!), Honesty, Happiness, Faith...
ALWAYS!

[Waterfall]

[Replying to nameless in post #69]

Namaskaram nameless

https://isha.sadhguru.org/en/wisdom/art ... ar-meaning

How do you understand this...

But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

Here is my book...

https://carstenplougolsen.com/english-section/

https://carstenplougolsen.com/the-truth ... the-light/

I am Light and not Darkness Let us sing and dance and love life...

















Your friend forever

Waterfall