Can we have a bible thread? Questions, comments, criticisms, that sort of thing.
I've been reading some atheist books about the bible and it's kind of ridiculous how hard they reach to find a contradiction. For example, in The Skeptic's Annotated Bible, Steve Wells wrote that according to Leviticus 11:19, "Bats are birds to the biblical God." and he uses this as evidence of the bible being in error since bats are not in fact birds. The problem is that the word in Leviticus 11:19 translated as "bird," oph, is defined in Hebrew lexicons as "flying creature." Modern translators use the word "bird" instead of "flying creature" because every other animal on that list besides bats is a kind of bird.
It's interesting to me that you have read atheist books about the bible because as an atheist I haven't. Surely the biggest argument against the bible is simply that it was a book written by men thousands of years ago and people are taking it as gospel. Especially when you read about hte deleted chapters about Jesus slaying dragons and all that fun stuff.
Ryan Gutierrez
Lol I am endlessly amused by skeptikooks and their antics. Always top sophistry too.
Nathan Moore
Is there a definitive version of the Bible? I asked a priest what he recommended but he gave me a list that contradicted what another priest told me.
Nathaniel Lopez
Are you trolling? It's hard to say with the sub-80 IQ invasion we're constantly experiencing here.
Jason Long
No, it's going to depend on the denomination you're looking at and what you mean by 'definitive'
Jace Myers
Steve Wells is pretty much a joke in serious theological circles dude
Ryder Phillips
When it comes to English translations it's mostly personal preference. Some are more "academic" and some are more "poetic." I prefer the RSV simply because of how much study material is done specifically in that translation.
Jordan Butler
I haven't read the Bible yet, is it worth it or should I skip straight to the sequel, the Book of Mormon as I understand that it is more modern?
Andrew Morales
Do we have to imagine the kingdom of God, heaven, or whatever as a place where romantic love doesn't exist? I'm thinking of Matt 22:30
