What's wrong with the bible?

Debate Room
1

I am confused and finding it difficult to read the Bible from an outsiders perspective. I grew up believing the Bible to be ultimate truth for about 7 years.
And you all have read my posts so some of you know my issues. I want to know everything anyone wants to share to show me whats wrong with the bible. I know some of you might have been impatient after alot of patience and we have our own problems.

But other than simple contradictions, what else is wrong with an “inerrant” book?
Please site sources.
And yes I did just about all the research I can do.
Basically what I’m asking is a comparison of the bible vs reality.

2

Uhhh… world wide flood as described in the bible: creation stories: 40 yr wilderness trek; talking snake, donkey & such: 3 days in a fish belly; hundreds of year lifespans; angels; and God

Does any of the above mesh with your “reality”?

2 Likes
3

@Italianish

Me too,and then some.

Perhaps consider you might be making things difficult for yourself.Back to first principle: I do not believe in god(s) due to a lack of proof. A non existent being could not divinely inspire anything.

My position is that the Old Testament is the mythology of Judaism. The New Testament is the mythology of Christianity. IE both are made up.

Found this today. Perhaps the most important thing this lady says about recovering from religion is “Give yourself time”. I’ve been an atheist for about 30 years,yet am far less certain about the existence of god than I was certain when I believed. I’m not sure atheism can give you certitude you seem to crave.

If you want some more scholarly arguments, perhaps watch some of the excellent lectures from Bart Ehrman and Richard Carrier on YouTube . Below a short (33 minutes) lecture from Dr Richard Carrier on the historicity of Jesus

2 Likes
4

@ Whitefire

As far as a universal flood is concerned, it’s a common myth. Simplest explanation I can think of is that in those places and times, people had no realistic notion of the size of the earth. Perhaps all they could see was water,from the highest available point. In context, perfectly reasonable to think the entire world was flooded.

Two simple points;had the earth been drowned, the oceans would have become desalinated and most species of fish would have died. That would have also have mean the extinction of virtually all food plants, at least.

The 40 years in the desert.Something I took for granted for a long time, even as an atheist. Then one day I looked at an atlas. From what I can gather, taking the long way via the coast,it’s a out 200 miles.

The numbers: Exodus says 600,000 able bodied , military aged male slaves left Egypt. The total estimate is between 1.35 to 3.5 million people. The official Jewish position is that Ramses 11 was Pharaoh at the time of Exodus. (13th century bce) The total population of Egypt at that time has been estimated at 2.9 million people…

A smal cultural point; Ancient Egypt certainly had slaves. They tended to be prisoners of war and were usually released eventually. Ancient Egypt was not a slave based society such as say ancient Greece or Rome. There was no need. Egypt had a ready supply of free labour. Modern archaeology has shown that slaves almost certainly did not build the pyramids.

Besides, the Pyramid age was in the Old Kingdom,third millennia bce. Ramses was in the New Kingdom a thousand years later.

5

Italianish…

Read Genesis. Period.

2 Likes
6

buybulltp
buybulltp500×693 194 KB

4 Likes
7

@Italianish

You posted a few bible related questions and other personal struggles.

I’m assuming you accept the bible contradictions and there are obvious untruths and myths, let alone the bible book history and writers - so my question for you…

Are you obsessed with the book itself? Why don’t you just ignore it and live life for awhile? And finally, do you have one strong piece of evidence for the bible being god’s word you are hung up on?

2 Likes
8

I dont have evidence for God’s existence but supposed superstitions and beliefs founded on fear.
I’m obsessed with the Bible because it’s been the only reason why I seem to have answers as to why certain things happen to me when they do.

9

What do you mean? Give an example…

10

With what explanation out of the tow answers I gave do you want an example from?

11

Try this - the strongest example because you’re convinced they are linked together…

12

I wish I could tell you.

13

The best I can say is I’ve lost touch with reality because of the treatment I’ve gone through in life.
Constantly gas lit.

14

@Italianish

“1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”

Since the universe is 13.8 billion years old and the earth is 4.543 billion years old, that ultimate biblical truth is wrong by 9.257 billion years.

3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.

Before creating the sun, oh dear. Apologists can do all the mental cartwheels they like here, this is simply wrong, and how.

And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.
12 And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
13 And the evening and the morning were the third day.

Again no sun, epic fail.

16 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.

19 And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.

So finally stars, but after all the things on earth that could not exist without our sun.

And this is just a few seconds cursory reading of Genesis…now try this…

26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:

Humans evolved just 200k years ago, they did not appear instantly in their current form, and the timeline of course is risible nonsense.

3 Likes
15

Just one…you need to stop generalizing your life, experiences and emotions as one big whole. Explain one.

Then you need (or perhaps you already are seeing) a psychologist.
Your story won’t be far off from everyone else’s.
Get your head out of the bible and start reading inspirational books from real people (eg. “A Child Called It”)
Now you “know” about gaslighting - SORRY - no excuse for you to continually submit yourself willingly to it…(bible)

Unless, you like being a victim. No judgement.
Some people love the victim role and the lack of “responsibly” and attention it brings.

1 Like
16

I really wish I could tell you about my experience Whitefire I’m not using excuses like I have no responsibility. I do what I can, everyday.
Thank you Sheldon, God seemed to have created the sun and moon twice in Genesis 1.
According to the Bible above the firmament which is both sky and heaven. It was placed there to separate the waters above it from the waters on the planet.
Also Gensis 2 is contradictory to 1 yet Christians might teach that its a parallel account.
Tip for theists that join this site. If you want the truth about the Bible being false. Don’t be impulsive to ask another Christian about the contradictions. They’ll leave you in a rabbit hole with their explanations about how they aren’t contradictions using scripture and ideas of bible based reasoning.
The centurion from Canaan went to Jesus to ask for healing for his servant. In another gospel he sent his friends to ask.
And besides the contradictions. I want to see how it goes against reality.
A planet sitting on 4 pillars. Apparently flat where the sun and the moon are within the atmosphere.
I knew someone over seas and when it was night here it was bright as day there.
Flat earth debunked.
The sun on a flat earth would mean its light all over even if the sun rises in the east in USA.

2 Likes
17

@Italianish

Hey dude.

Contradictions aside, I look at the bible as a convenient answer for life’s woes. By believing, combined with its tenets, people use the book as a sounding board for whatever issues they are going through. In hopes of an answer or help with life…a crutch if you will. However, using it’s verse’s to associate with your issues, is not evidence of a god’s existence in reality…it is actually, just a poorly written, conglomeration of ideas loosely based on somewhat moral beliefs of long ago society. It’s relevance, has long since passed…bronze/iron age guidance, is no longer needed. Everyone now knows, innately, what is right and wrong. I am not saying there are no lost people anymore…there are, but with a little critical thought, they can guide themselves. People now can choose between helping themselves, with a little critical thought…or buying into supernatural beliefs, whose teachings tell you to do the same thing.

18

Hi Italianish,

I think I can feel you to some extent. The part where you mentioned that some things or whatever things happen in your life and you have no alternative explanation.

But in my 2 years as an atheist and after getting my ass kicked and fucked by the more experienced atheists here, I started realizing my brain is so fucked that I have absolutely no sign of rationalism in me. I’ve went through depression and still am going through it. The religion shit was a big shock for me. I believed it as the ultimate truth for 18 years. Left everything for it. Sacrificed all.

In the end, I ended up at a psychiatrist. I still take anti-depressants. So, my point is, I can understand how religion can fuck one’s brain. It’s like brainwashing. Bullshit neural pathways are formed and you have to UNDO EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM

My advice for you is, start sharing everything on this problem. All your religion-related issues. I did. And although I did get some bashing for repetitively asking the same shits in different ways, here I am. After 2 years, I am knowledgeable enough, finally, to not fall for any bullshit anymore.

You have to share your experiences. I’m one of the only ex Muslims on this forum and believe me, the religion I left makes people go through unimaginable bullshit.

So please, have mercy on yourself. Share everything and get your life back. Don’t carry the heavy bullshit luggage of religion with you while attempting to move forward. You’ll either won’t be able to move at all or it will be so fucking slow that at the time of your death you’ll realize you wasted the beautiful gift of life.

Life is worth living. Do EVERYTHING in your power to gain your peace, happiness and rationality back.

Trust me, when I say this, it took me 2 years to get to a state where I wasn’t constantly suicidal. I’m still far from absolute freedom from the religious bullshit in my brain. But I am sure I will reach my destination. Atleast I am not afraid to share even the most shittiest and silliest of things on this forum in return for help. I don’t care. I just want to live. I’ll do everything for it.

I advise the same to you. Break from the shackles of religion, regain your peace of mind and live life like you used to dream so before.

6 Likes
19

Seek3r

I can relate… years - I tell you - years of “reprogramming” and allowing my brain to create new pathways of thought.

Had my ass handed to me on more than one occasion on the journey :pleading_face: still do, but sometimes now, I get to do the “handing” :raised_hand_with_fingers_splayed:

1 Like
21

Sounds to me like you’ve made up your mind. You refer to god as real and yet labeled yourself as an atheist. You want the bible to be true. You sound like someone that needs a theist site to reinforce your “faith” because logic doesn’t cut it for you - it’s not what you “want” … make up your own version of a fluffy, loving god - try new age stuff.

Lol you used “ultimate objective truth” with the bible.

EDITED to note: the post that this post was responding to has been deleted by Italianish - I’m not a douche - sounds like it without the context of being a response. OH well - JW.com edits it’s history too instead of learning from it