Contradictions in the Bible (SURVEY)

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PURPOSE: The purpose of this post is to get a general idea of what people see as the most problematic contradictions in the Bible. This is not to get into a deep discussion about those particular issues right now. My goal is to make a separate thread for single issues later to address those topics more in depth.

DIRECTIONS: Pick up to three specific contradictions in the Bible that you see as the most problematic and challenge the authority if it. This isn't a hard rule, nor do I have any way of enforcing it. I just don't need some long list copy and pasted from an atheist forum page. I can look that up myself. You could also include a particular contradiction that you may be interested in discussing further, even if you don't see it as an overly severe one.

Try to be concise but clear about what the alleged contradiction is. I'll ask questions if there is any misunderstanding. But to repeat myself, the intent here is that this is more of a survey for future use, not a debate thread.

Feel free to repeat a contradiction someone else has chosen if it would make your top three list. This will indicate popularity and may be helpful.

#2

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12.28.2021 09:23AM

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@Fruit_Inspector

problematic contradictions in the Bible

The best one's come from the Christ himself. Which should be "problematic" for those that believe in the Trinity. But they will contradict the BIBLICAL contradictions.

Too many to list here. I am off to the pub, I haven't had a single beer over the Christmas holiday.

#3

ludofl3x

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ludofl3x

12.28.2021 12:24PM

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The one right at the beginning: God getting mad at Adam and Eve for eating the apple he knew they'd eat. Not sure how you get mad at your own plan.

A "loving" and "forgiving" god then condemning all offspring of this union to eternal torture for something he planned for them to do, for all time and all generations. If you're going to get mad at your own plan, I guess that's one thing, but condemning someone's great grandchildren to eternal torture is not loving.

I don't want to run down the rabbit hole of contradictions here, but that's my two.

#4

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12.28.2021 04:09PM

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The interpretation of Genesis 6:1–4 is difficult and controversial. The debate centers on the interpretation of the phrase “sons of God.” Who are they? The crucial question concerns whether the phrase refers to human beings or to spiritual beings (demons).
The full passage reads:
When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose. Then the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.” The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown.

#5

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@Fruit_Inspector

Equal then not equal

John 10:30 " I and the Father are one".

John 14:28 “ I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I" .

I judge then I don't judge

John 5:22 , 30. " Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son. By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just".

John 8:15 " You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one.

John 12:47 " I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.

I am my own witness and it is true. Then It is not true.

John 8:14 “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going".

John 5:31 “If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true.

Man is not my witness. Man is my witness .

John5: 33 “You have sent to John and he has testified to the truth.
34 Not that I accept human testimony; but I mention it that you may be saved.

#6

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@FLRW

When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose.

The book of Enoch has it that the sons of god "went into the daughters of men" and as punishment for defiling themselves with earthly women they were ordered to take them as wives and not allowed to return to their heavenly station.

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#7

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12.28.2021 06:34PM

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@FLRW

Was there a specific contradiction you had in mind? That just seems to be a difficult passage to interpret the meaning.

#8

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12.28.2021 09:37PM

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@Fruit_Inspector

Yes, the contradiction is if Jesus is God’s “only begotten Son,” then how can angels and Christians also be God’s sons?

Everything in the Bible that attempts to explain the world around us was based in what mankind knew or believed when it was written. In other words, it reflected the knowledge and beliefs of its author - MAN (well, Worm-Man).

The bible provides ZERO revelations about the world that was not already known or believed at the time man wrote it. It incorrectly tells of where zebras came from, the shape of the earth, the age of the earth, and many other errors. Again, it’s because the Bible is a work of fiction written by a barely literate group of herdsman and revised and translated by later groups of people.

#9

n8nrgmi

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n8nrgmi

12.28.2021 09:38PM

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In John 3:13 Jesus says to Nicodemus, “No one has ever ascended into heaven except the one who came from heaven–the Son of Man.”

Obviously, Enoch and Elijah had been taken there (Genesis 5:24; Hebrews 11:5; 2 Kings 2:11).

some people say those two were taken there by a whirl wind, not their own might. thus they claim they didn't actually 'ascend'. i think this is just playing games of the intended meaning.

this is coming from me, someone who is a christian but considers the bible as probably containing contradictions and false info. it's possible to interpret this verse and others as not contradictions, though, i just dont view them as the best arguments to say that. i acknowledge i dont think there are smoking gun contradictions that cannot be gotten around with fancy foot work.

i also consider the noah story, if taken literally, to be a damned heresy. there's too much scientific evidence that it didn't happen, and if God were going to perform miracles that made it happen, there would be evidence for it. i think miracles should be backed up by evidence if they are truly miracles. i absolutely believe in miracles and the supernatural.

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#10

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12.28.2021 10:11PM

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@FLRW

Yes, the contradiction is if Jesus is God’s “only begotten Son,” then how can angels and Christians also be God’s sons?

Thanks for the clarification.

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#11

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12.28.2021 10:15PM

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@n8nrgmi

Since I specifically had contradictions within the biblical narrative in mind with this thread, I'll leave a scientific deep dive with the flood narrative for another time. But John 3:13 is certainly worth looking at, thanks for the response.

#12

Bones

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Bones

12.29.2021 03:24AM

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The biggest contradictions is not within the bible - it is between the bible and reality.

#13

Deb-8-a-bull

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Deb-8-a-bull

12.29.2021 05:49AM

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Genesis 1 : 16 , then god made two great lights.

And the numerous other scriptures about the moon.

God seem to think that the moon light up .

He thought the moon had it's own light.

Well it eludes.

There are some 80 versus about the moon.

King James.

#14

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12.29.2021 06:01AM

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@Fruit_Inspector

I'll go for conceptual stuff, rather than specifics verses and technicalities.

1. The Christian (and Jewish because OT is where it's revealed more) God is a narcissist in every way, yet being self-serving and egomanic yourself is considered a pride-based sinful way of living life and acting.

2. Jesus talks a lot about loving and caring for people unconditionally and equally but while he randomly picks a blind guy, some others, a leper and whoever else to grant miracles why didn't he just use his godly powers to cure the whole world?

3. Satan/Devil doesn't add up. How is it that an omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent God is incapable of preventing the evil tempting, persuading and possessing of people and that this guy who was supposed to be suffering in hell ends up getting a joyride running the place?

I think I'd start there, those are three things that even as a young guy stood out to me (before any of my peers talked about it, I wondered these things).

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#15

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12.29.2021 08:45AM

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@Bones

The biggest contradictions is not within the bible - it is between the bible and reality.

That's a bit to broad of a topic for the purposes of this thread. Did you have anything more specific?

#16

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12.29.2021 09:09AM

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@Fruit_Inspector

I just don't need some long list copy and pasted from an atheist forum page.

Why ever not!? A bible contradiction that is shown and proven to be a bible contradiction no mater what its source is still a bible contradiction.

I take it that you will be looking into these proposed contradictions yourself BEFORE you complete your " survey for future use"?.

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@Stephen

The point is to have some interaction with these alleged contradictions. I am hoping people will list only ones they are confident actually qualify as a contradiction and not just some fallacious word play. And I don't want to just have a bunch of them spammed at me so fast I can't keep up with them.

But credit where credit is due - while I was not surprised you were the first one to post in here, you actually stuck pretty close to what I requested.

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#18

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@RationalMadman

I couldn't hardly believe it when I didn't see a blocked symbol next to your username, for what I assume are political purposes. Regardless, I'll go ahead and engage now.

1. The Christian (and Jewish because OT is where it's revealed more) God is a narcissist in every way, yet being self-serving and egomanic yourself is considered a pride-based sinful way of living life and acting.

Could you be specific as to how exactly God "is a narcissist in every way"?

Satan/Devil doesn't add up. How is it that an omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent God is incapable of preventing the evil tempting, persuading and possessing of people and that this guy who was supposed to be suffering in hell ends up getting a joyride running the place?

I don't personally know any Christian who thinks God is incapable of preventing Satan's evil work, nor any passage that implies that. At most, people would argue God allows the evil (as opposed to ordaining it), but He is still capable of stopping it. That introduces the problem of evil, but not in the way you've described.

And Satan isn't eternally cast into hell until the end of Revelation, a future date relative to now. I'm just trying to hammer out the accuracy of your point before diving into it as a contradiction.

#19

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01.05.2022 01:51AM

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@Fruit_Inspector

Since this is forums, not formal debate, I'm hesitant to put in the effort for an extensive case there.

How about you tell me which symptom(s) of narcisstic personality disorder that the Christian and Jewish God does not display in your opinion?

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#20

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01.05.2022 02:42AM

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@RationalMadman

I don't see God displaying any symptoms of narcissistic personality disorder. The goal here isn't to get into a debate about these issues. You don't have to make an extensive case, but it would be helpful to at least make any case at all.

My goal is to fairly represent these issues, which is why I'm looking for clarification as to why exactly this should be considered a biblical contradiction.

#21

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