Contradictions & Inconsistencies

[Inigo Montoya]

Grant, for the sake of this topic, there are no contradictions or inconsistencies in the Bible.



Given the above, are the claims made in the Bible any more or any less likely to be true?

[FWI]

[Replying to post 1 by Inigo Montoya]

Are the claims made in the Bible any more or any less likely to be true?

The bible clearly outlines that falseness (contradictions and inconsistencies) will be included. These will be unavoidable. This is mainly due to the desires and different beliefs of the men who have controlled the writings in question. There are situations where these contradictions and inconsistencies can be explained away easily and others, which are more difficult to justify.

The main problem here is that these: contradictions and inconsistencies are mere distractions, which are used to take away from the big picture and main teachings of the bible.

So, just because there are questionable statements recorded in the bible, they should "only" be reviewed individually and not used to validate or discredit the entirety of the bible's content.

[Inigo Montoya]

The bible clearly outlines that falseness (contradictions and inconsistencies) will be included. .

Where is the clear outline that the reader should expect contradictions and inconsistencies?

[Elijah John]

More likely. Unless, or course, some of the claims contradict what we know of reality. Internal consistency is one thing, but something can be internally consistent and still be completely fanciful.

But I would like to know on what basis one of our long time fellow posters made this claim. Actually I can think of two who used pretty much the same exact wording.

There can be no contradictions contained in the Bible.

[imhereforyou]

Grant, for the sake of this topic, there are no contradictions or inconsistencies in the Bible.



Given the above, are the claims made in the Bible any more or any less likely to be true?

I think there is a realm of reality not fully understood. This doesn't automatically equal supernatural, but it doesn't negate it either.
That said, it's possible the things in the bible happened as described, but don't subscribe to the popular opinion of "God did it!". What's the likelihood of this happening? For me, it's (probably) around 10% that it happened as described from forces and/or technology not yet understood.

More likely, the bible is a book of stories that were taken from other cultures throughout time and amended to fit a political and/or social purpose for the time, which was later used for control, power and money. I'd say there's a 85% chance this happened.
Or it's all true as is (<1%)
Or it's all bunk (remainder - you can do the math)

[Inigo Montoya]

[Replying to post 4 by Elijah John]


I don't imagine the claims become more likely, but rather wouldn't be any less likely.

Further I'd opine that we could not only grant a lack of contradiction and inconsistency, but could even grant we knew exactly who wrote what and when. And still it wouldn't do anything to increase the likelihood any of these claims were true.

I agree your quoted piece is troubling. Not surprising, but worrisome.

[Inigo Montoya]

[Replying to post 5 by imhereforyou]



Perhaps, but do the chances of its claims being true improve if the texts contain no contradictions or inconsistencies?

[imhereforyou]

[Replying to post 5 by imhereforyou]



Perhaps, but do the chances of its claims being true improve if the texts contain no contradictions or inconsistencies?

If you mean true as in really happened, it might improve slightly but, without being there, I wouldn't be able to believe it fully as it is.
If you mean true as in the people who wrote it believe it to be true, then yes.

[FWI]

[Replying to post 3 by Inigo Montoya]

Inigo Montoya requested:

Where is the clear outline that the reader should expect contradictions and inconsistencies?

Reply:

Jeremiah 8:8-10---These verses show that men (scribes), who were charged with recording the words of God, were falsely writing words that God didn't approve of (lies).

Jeremiah 28:15-17---Here is another example, where Hananiah the prophet claimed to be a voice for God, but he was not and actually was deceiving the people.

Proverbs 6:19---Of the seven things, which God hates, four of them relate to falseness (contradictions and inconsistencies): a lying tongue, a heart that devises wicked plans, a false witness who speaks lies and one who sows discord among brethren.

Acts 20:29-31---These verses warn about the dissenters who are speaking and writing perverse things relating to the truth of the gospel.

1 Timothy 4:3-4---More verses, which confirm that among the writings we have today, there are recording of fables, which come from teachers that are turning their ears away from the truth.

Colossians 2:8---This verse warns us against philosophy and deceit, which comes from the traditions of men, which is based on the principles of the world's ways and not according to the instructions of the Christ.

So, when we put this small sample of verses together, it is clear that the recordings of men can be false, deceitful, fables and perverse. We can also rationalize that these actions have been happening for a very long time. Thus, from one translation to another and the different languages in play, the probability of contradictions and inconsistencies is extremely plausible. Hence, over an extended time period, a lie can actually become a false truth…

[Divine Insight]

[Replying to post 9 by FWI]

So then the Bible itself confesses to be a pack of lies?

Interesting.

How do Christians deal with the fact that the Bible is filled with lies by its own proclamation?