Why do atheists demand proof that the Bible is true?

Question

Atheists like to compare the Koran to the Bible when they say that there isn't any proof of either being true. This is false and a mischaracterization.

For one thing, Jesus made many predictions that came true. He even said that in the final days there would be earthquakes and rumors of wars and wars.

Everything he said is happening now.

Also, the Koran is too violent.

The Koran says that people who try to convert you to another religion should die.

It also endorses slavery.

Nothing like that could have come from God.

Agree?

Answer 1

Actually a little concrete evidence would be nice. I am a touchy, feely guy.

Answer 2

"For one thing, Jesus made many predictions that came true. He even said that in the final days there would be earthquakes and rumors of wars and wars."



Anyone could predict that. I predict there will be a flood that kills lots of people sometime in the future. I predict war. I predict a volcano will erupt. Does this make this post divinely inspired? No.



"Also, the Koran is too violent."

Your point being? Maybe God is violent.



"The Koran says that people who try to convert you to another religion should die."

Read Deuteronomy 13:6-9 regarding family members who worship other gods and try and convert you. Hint: it involves killing them.



"It also endorses slavery."

As does the Bible.



"Nothing like that could have come from God."

Depends how you define God. If you believe in the Biblical God, it could have.



You've defined God in a certain way (based on the Bible) then claim that the Koran can't be divine because it doesn't meet the character of God. Aside from the fact the similarities are startling, you've based it all on a false premise, with more than a hint of circular reasoning. Your argument, simplified, is this:



> God is how he is described in the Bible (an unsupported premise)

> The Koran doesn't match that description (different religion, not surprising if there are differences)

> The Bible DOES match that description (well...of course, the description is based on the Bible)

> Therefore the Bible is divine, while the Koran is not.



If I decide to descibe God as he is described in the Gospel of the FSM I can, using the same logic, prove the Gospel of the FSM is divine, while the Bible is not.



> God is how he is described in the Gospel of the FSM

> The Bible doesn't match that description

> The Gospel of the FSM DOES match that description

> Therefore the Gospel of the FSM is divine, while the Bible is not.

Answer 3

Why do theists demand belief that the bible is true without providing us with necessary proof required to believe?



It's simple every single atheist, agnostic, non-believer, whatever would gladly, happily accept the bible as truth just as soon as the proof is presented unequivocally.. Yet after all the claims and all the assertions not one, not ONE person has been able to show anything even resembling evidence that proves the bible was written by a God, or inspired by a god.. and there is nothing that is convincing.



You can't say "The bible says the bible is true, therefore the bible is true!" That isn't proof..



Here is the evidence I need to consider the bible truth..



1) Another record of history containing descriptions of the same biblical events. Preferably more than one history detailing more than one event. Keep in mind I mean events that directly effect the claim of the bible as divine word of god.



2) Archaeological and geological evidence to support the account of creation, the global flood (so far evidence only suggests localized flooding), the existence of characters in the bible, proof of longevity of ancient civilisations(i mean I can't ignore how old the bible claims some people to be)



3) Proof that population bottleneck would not have occured with humans due to inbreeding from the beginning..



4) Physical evidence of the existence of deity, heaven, hell, angels, etc.



5) Proof that a vessel could be built that could contain 2 of EVERY species on earth, the food and water required to feed them and proof that they could reproduce quickly enough afterwards that all the predators wouldn't just consume the prey 2 by 2 until no prey remained..



Cats can't live without meat, the are obligated to consume flesh because they need taurine. So don't tell me they didn't feed the cats meat cause they would all be blind if they didn't.

Answer 4

I am one Atheist that does not demand proof that the Bible is true. I already know for a fact that it is not. From the age of 12 I could find discrepancies. For example. Moses dies then a couple of chapters later he is talking again in the first person. First off. Just how many people died and came back to life? They must have had the stupidest doctors ever. They couldn't even detect a pulse.

Next since becoming an adult I married a man whose brother is married to a Pagan. To my amazement she didn't worship the devil. (This is what I was told as a Christian) In fact one of the gods she holds dear sounds a whole lot like Jesus. Right down to the "virgin birth". And just happens to predate the Bible by over 1000 years. What an amazing coincidence. Speaking of coincidence it just so happened the compilation of the Bible was voted on during a time of war...hmmmmmmm Yeah it's straight from the all knowing alright. His name was Constantine.

The Koran is a whole lot of the same. I find it hilarious that you think it's too violent. Obviously you have skipped through a few chapters of the Bible. Which by the way tells you to kill homosexuals, adulterers and to sacrifice babies. You should be thanking not bombing abortion clinics if you hold this Bible so dear.

The fact remains that people will believe whatever feels best to them in the moment. You can ignore all the bad stuff and focus on the good. You go ahead and do that. I'll stick to my heathenistic blasphemous ways. At least I only have myself to blame. What's your excuse for not using the brain "God" gave you?

Answer 5

About Christianity from a Christian (me):

The Atheists are looking at a book, because they can understand that information is gathered from words that are in it. That's where they think the answers are to understand what Christianity is about.



They are wrong. Because they can read the Bible and see the words, it doesn't make them Christian; that has been going on for centuries.



So reading the Bible is only reading the Bible. That is reality. But those who put their trust in what God is reported as saying in it, and in the God who is represented by those words, then that might make a person a Christian.



But what really makes a Christian a Christian is the baptizing of a person with the Holy Spirit. That's the part Atheists do not get if God doesn't want them. And so most of the world is not chosen by Him. Because most people are not chosen by Him.

So it's not the Bible, but it helps to understand God, it's the Spirit who brings life.



About Islam from a Christian (me):

Islam and Christianity counter each other so contrastingly, that neither could be the truth at the same time. So one is a lie, and the other is the truth. The reason why I say that Islam is a lie is because the Spirit of God is active in Christianity in a way that He brings salvation according to the knowledge gained in the Bible for trusting in the words which are in the Bible. The Koran isn't that way- I know because there are Muslims I have communicated with who have denied the Spirit of God and even accused Him of being the devil. Since that tact is taken when discussing the Holy Spirit, I know that Muslims who stay Muslims are damned to hell. And They do not believe in the Son, so they do not have the Father who is in Heaven either.



By their own words, Muslims are already condemned.

Answer 6

I am not an atheist -- but don't we all want to know what is 'true?' -- no matter what our beliefs are?



None of the religions contain 'all' truth!



We can only know 'truth' when the beliefs in religion and the beliefs in science have the identical understanding!



"Truth -- That which is. It is the Reason, Cause and Power in and through everything. It is Birthless, Deathless, Changeless, Complete, Perfect, Whole, Self-Existent, Causeless, Almighty, God, Spirit, Law, Mind, Intelligence, and anything and everything that implies Reality. By a process of axiomatic reasoning, we arrive at the conclusion that Spirit knows nothing outside Itself. The Truth is that which Is; and being that which Is, It must be Infinite and All. Being Infinite or All, the Truth can have nothing outside Itself, other than Itself, or unlike Itself, by which to divide Itself; consequently, the Spirit is Indivisible, Changeless and Complete with Itself. Itself is all that is -- both Cause and Effect, the Alpha and the Omega." ...'Science of Mind,' ... Religious Science Movement

Answer 7

A couple points that you got incredibily wrong here. First, the predictions were not made by the Jesus character but in Revelations. Second, there are sections in the bible fairy tales that endorse slavery. Third, most of the koran was written by one guy Mohammed, who actually existed. Fourth, the koran is just one man's opinions and is not any more reliable than the bible. The bible fairy tales also suggest stoning people for wearing cotton/polyester blend clothing...yeah that sounds like the priorities of a supernatural deity. Silly christians, myths are for kids.

Answer 8

The old testament says that slavery is okay, and that pretty much everybody that doesn't follow it exactly how it is should die, too. That's part of the Christian Bible.





If you say that something will happen, it will at some point in the future. It's been two thousand years and it's happened? Okay, that's a really long time. I doubt he meant that it would happen two thousand years later. None of the people he would have said that to are still alive. I'm going to turn to the person sitting next to me and say that there will be a great war that will put several of the most powerful countries on this planet in poverty. Okay, there. Now, sometime within two thousand years, it will have happened. Does that make me some sort of future-predicting-son-of-god? Nope.

Answer 9

Well......I suppose the thing is....some would like to be able to test these theories scientifically to see just how sound they are, but the Bible doesn't give enough to go on for a real test. Most of it comes down to "because God says so".



As for the earthquakes, wars, etc., well....they've been happening for the last few thousand years. People thought Jesus was coming during the Crusades...people thought it was the end of the world when Halley's comet passed over...they thought it would all end whenever a few planets happen to line up. The trouble with saying Jesus predicted it is nearly like saying TV psychics are able to predict the future. Of course it will come true when such generalities are used.

Answer 10

I agree that you should have some level of proof before believing something.





That the prophecies in the bible are coming true? No.





Thanks for the laugh. Care to mention a time in the last 5000 years when there have not been earthquakes or wars? BTW the bible endorses slavery. You should actually try reading it sometime.

Answer 11

There have always been earthquakes, rumors of wars, and wars. Always.



If I wrote a book that said "sometime in the year 2355 a woman named Jessica will have a baby" and a woman named Jessica did indeed have a baby would I be revered as a prophet?



And hun, the Bible is one of the most violent books in the history of books. In it, God kills babies, endorses rape, does indeed endorse slavery, and so on and so on...

Answer 12

Doesnt matter how much proof they are given, the majority of them will refuse to believe unless Jesus appears before them in the flesh with a million dollars and a sexy babe/hot man.



Even if that did happen, they wouldn't believe it was Jesus. They would think they were hallucinating or too much alcohol or were getting demented or messed in the head.

Answer 13

That's about as difficult to predict as the sunrise, dude.

Answer 14

There are lots of Biblical predictions that didn't come true to. Every time they got specific enough to be meaningful they seem to not work out. Example:



Isaiah 19:18 In that day shall five cities in the land of Egypt speak the language of Canaan, and swear to the LORD of hosts; one shall be called, The city of destruction.



See Egypt never spoke that language. It is a long dead language, so they never will.



It is really easy to predict war and suffering and then say you got it right. But it isn't even a little impressive.

Answer 15

The BIBLE also predicts hundreds of other thins, many of them could not be possible till recent tech made them possible.

There is no way all the world could see the 2 witnesses lay dead in Jerusalem for 3 days, unless they could see it on live TV, and that is only possible with satellites.

That is only 1 of MANY prophesies that could never have been fulfilled, or even imagined 100 years ago.

Answer 16

Atheist or anyone else whom a christian is ministering to would demand proof of its truth, because Christians will dismiss the scriptures of other faiths as false.



For an Atheist, need for proof is because when something seems illogical, it would foolish to follow it. In the past, some "medications" were thought to be wonderful..energy giving... therapeutic... and later science discovered to be addictive - Cocaine ( also used to be in Coca Cola many years ago ). Now knowing that something is at least questionable... what would anyone do? Anyone would want to Know the truth with evidence and proof...

Answer 17

Atheists and even spiritual, non-religious people see the Bible as copies which were collected, voted on by men and tampered with after the originals were destroyed by Constantine at Council of Nicea (325 AD).

Answer 18

Earth quakes, rumors of wars, and wars have been going on for thousands of years. Any moron could have predicted that. Do you believe that once upon a time a little girl in a red hood was eaten and regurgitated by a cross dressing wolf? No? Why not?



We disbelieve in the bible for the same reasons that you disbelieve in little red riding hood...

Answer 19

Shouldn't all sane people require evidence to believe in things? Especially extraordinary fantastical things?



As for "predictions" - predicting people would continue fighting each other is the vaguest prediction possible.



There is as much "evidence" that the Bible is correct as there for the Koran, for L Ron Hubbard's Scientology, and for Polygamist John Smith's Mormonism.

Answer 20

It is not an either or issue.



False statements in the Bible are quite evident.



1. How long did it take for the earth to form?

2. How old is the Earth?

3. Where is the evidence for the great flood?



The list goes on and on.. and on.



There are few predictions that came true that I would even consider.

Answer 21

You mean before now there weren't wars and earthquakes? Exactly what planet do you live on???? The bible endorses slavery and has much violence - or don't you have basic comprehension skills?

Answer 22

I don't demand proof of the Bible. I simply know you can't offer any.



Actually, it matters not what you believe as long as you don't try to force that stuff down the throats of everyone, or use it as a nationalistic war-mongering tool.



You have a right to believe you can put all the animals on the earth into one boat.



It speaks volumes about your intelligence, and you have a right to reveal your silliness. That's called freedom.

Answer 23

You haven't read the Koran, obviously. Kinda sounds like you haven't read the Old Testament either.



Lastly, I don't feel atheists generally demand proof. For a moment take a step back and imagine reading and taking the bible literally.... it doesn't make a lot of sense.



So, no, I don't agree.

Answer 24

hahaha,



'earthquakes and wars'



so like, every century since civilisation arose has been 'the final days'?



the bible was used to endorse the slave trade.



As an atheist I demand no proof that the bible is true, it's proof enough on it's own that it's not true. What I do demand though, is objective proof of the existence of any deity, not limited to your particular 'god'.

Answer 25

Agree. The bible has strict rules on how to treat your slaves.



Now show me a time without earthquakes and wars.

Answer 26

So many different religious prophecies have come true. Bible is not the only religious in the world. Different religious; their hollyman has their prophecies and mostly are filled. it does not mean there is a god or creators. If there is something we do not understand and applied to god, god will not happy with it. He thinks we put **** on his mouth.

Answer 27

Atheists are open minded people who question things, people who question things learn, and are better equiped to acheive in life.



The Koran is no more violent then the bible, if you reasearched you might realize something, Maybe you should put down your bible and read another book.

Answer 28

I demand nothing.People are always violent,so predicting that is like saying that the ground will be hard tomorrow.The Koran isn't any more violent than any other book.Slaves have existed as long as there have been people.Nothing comes from god,it's all evil,small minded people that will destroy everything.

Answer 29

"Jesus made many predictions that came true. He even said that in the final days there would be earthquakes and rumors of wars and wars."



Cause until recently there were no earthquakes or wars.

Answer 30

No, I don't agree. We demand proof because its stupid to believe in fairy tales just because you're told to.



Why would I care what the Quran says any more than what the bible says? They're both violent and hateful. I demand proof of the quran as much as I demand proof of the bible.

Answer 31

No.



"For one thing, Jesus made many predictions that came true. He even said that in the final days there would be earthquakes and rumors of wars and wars."



Earthquakes are not new.

Wars are not new.

Rumors are not new.



Making a prediction of earthquakes and wars and rumors in the future is quite like saying, "I predict that sometime in the future, in Alaska...it's going to snow."

Answer 32

You're really going to have to do better than that



Even if the people above me hadn't pointed out that the evidence you've cited is ridiculously weak, you would need to prove its veracity by pointing out evidence from outside the book itself - otherwise it would be like saying that the Harry Potter books are true because Harry owned a snowy owl and they are real.

Answer 33

i don't demand proof that it is true, i just accept that it isn't since most of the nonsense in it has already been disproved.



the bible is violent too, and it does endorse slavery btw, if you believe in it so much, perhaps you should try reading it.

Answer 34

No I don't agree.



For starters there have been rumors of war and wars and earthquakes throughout history.



Secondly, why do we demand proof?



Because religious people like religious laws, and if laws are being imposed on people, it is only fair to demand that those laws are based on something REAL and provable, not just heresay and superstition.



Agree?

Answer 35

The NT also endorses slavery. And predicting wars and earthquakes isn't exactly going out on a limb, now is it? Neither are true, and neither has any proof to back them up.

Answer 36

I don't!



Why would I demand proof that the Bible is true. I don't demand proof that Spiderman is true. I don't demand proof that Star Wars is true. Why would I treat the Bible any differently.

Answer 37

You apparently haven't read the bible either. It has many discussions on how you are to treat your slaves. Also, those predictions jesus made were written after the fact. just so you know.

Answer 38

I can also make predictions that will come true. There will be more earthquakes, floods, tornadoes, and hurricanes. There will be more wars and more murders. There will be a presidential election, and Jay Leno will appear on television.



It isn't hard to make predictions when they are things that are guaranteed to come true.

Answer 39

nah, I know of no predictions that have come true. The ones I have seen are woolly fluffy things that could apply to any time.

Answer 40

The saying is true here about leading a horse to water, if the horse has no sense of smell the horse would not know it is water or that the horse has been thirsty. The horse will either receive the holy spirit of fire or the holy baptism of water. should the horse be as stubborn like a donkey than the horse will be used as something other.

Answer 41

so. sort of agree. the Bible's great. and it is great because it keeps one voice or one tone throughout the whole. the Qu'ran changes its mind, on who should die its seems as the author(s?) got angrier with people. the Bible does endorse people selling themselves for money for up to seven years though. so dont use the slavery argument against muslims.

for actual scientific proof for the Bible theres a really handy webpage

www.answersingenesis.org

that deals with alot of the incidents that the Bible tells as history. it sure helped me alot anyways.

Answer 42

Because they want you to really think about it, convinced that if you exercised even 5 minutes or rational thought on the subject you would cease to support those who try to legislate according to a particular mythology.

Answer 43

The bible likes slavery too...



And we only ask for proof when someone claims it to be true. If you admit it's a storybook, no proof is required :)

Answer 44

no i don't. earthquakes and wars have happened for centuries. the bible is also violent. look at what "god" does to these poor people. the bible also endorses slavery, polygamy and lots of other things that it also condemns.

Answer 45

Both the bible and the Qur'an are full of contradictions.



We know neither of them is true; no proof needed.



We are simply asking for proof that your god exists. That's all.

Answer 46

Well do Christians demand proof for the big bang and evolution?



HAHA got you!!

Answer 47

Well, they keep asking for proof, I keep posting the proof, but they keep writing me and saying there IS no proof, when they haven't even READ the proof. What else can I do?



If they were honest with themselves, they would acknowledge the fact that they don't WANT to know that God is real.

Answer 48

You keep saying things like this, yet when pressed for ANY proof or evidence, you say "you have to have faith".

So, like every other fairy tale and myth, your stories have NO basis in truth.

That's why.

Understand now?

Answer 49

the bible also endorses slavery.

xx

Answer 50

I ask for "Proof" for the very same reason I ask for my change back at the store:

Because I deserve it.

Answer 51

Anyone who asks for proof isn't smart enough to realize that you can't prove or disprove the Bible. It's a matter of personal choice as to whether or not you believe.

Answer 52

in his final days there will be earthquakes? wow, thats really clear when he will come back.

Answer 53

I disagree so much I can't express it in words.

Answer 54

some people only trust what they can see today, to trust in a God would mean that there is a tomorrow and a thereafter.

Answer 55

OH please!!!!!



The buy-bull is man made nonsense.



If the Bible was divinely inspired, then why would it have so many really obvious contradictions?







Theological doctrines:



1. God is satisfied with his works

Gen 1:31

God is dissatisfied with his works.

Gen 6:6

2. God dwells in chosen temples

2 Chron 7:12,16

God dwells not in temples

Acts 7:48

3. God dwells in light

Tim 6:16

God dwells in darkness

1 Kings 8:12/ Ps 18:11/ Ps 97:2

4. God is seen and heard

Ex 33:23/ Ex 33:11/ Gen 3:9,10/ Gen 32:30/ Is 6:1/

Ex 24:9-11

God is invisible and cannot be heard

John 1:18/ John 5:37/ Ex 33:20/ 1 Tim 6:16

5. God is tired and rests

Ex 31:17

God is never tired and never rests

Is 40:28

6. God is everywhere present, sees and knows all things

Prov 15:3/ Ps 139:7-10/ Job 34:22,21

God is not everywhere present, neither sees nor knows all

things

Gen 11:5/ Gen 18:20,21/ Gen 3:8

7. God knows the hearts of men

Acts 1:24/ Ps 139:2,3

God tries men to find out what is in their heart

Deut 13:3/ Deut 8:2/ Gen 22:12

8. God is all powerful

Jer 32:27/ Matt 19:26

God is not all powerful

Judg 1:19

9. God is unchangeable

James 1:17/ Mal 3:6/ Ezek 24:14/ Num 23:19

God is changeable

Gen 6:6/ Jonah 3:10/ 1 Sam 2:30,31/ 2 Kings 20:1,4,5,6/

Ex 33:1,3,17,14

10. God is just and impartial

Ps 92:15/ Gen 18:25/ Deut 32:4/ Rom 2:11/ Ezek 18:25

God is unjust and partial

Gen 9:25/ Ex 20:5/ Rom 9:11-13/ Matt 13:12

11. God is the author of evil

Lam 3:38/ Jer 18:11/ Is 45:7/ Amos 3:6/ Ezek 20:25

God is not the author of evil

1 Cor 14:33/ Deut 32:4/ James 1:13

12. God gives freely to those who ask

James 1:5/ Luke 11:10

God withholds his blessings and prevents men from receiving

them

John 12:40/ Josh 11:20/ Is 63:17

13. God is to be found by those who seek him

Matt 7:8/ Prov 8:17

God is not to be found by those who seek him

Prov 1:28

14. God is warlike

Ex 15:3/ Is 51:15

God is peaceful

Rom 15:33/ 1 Cor 14:33

15. God is cruel, unmerciful, destructive, and ferocious

Jer 13:14/ Deut 7:16/ 1 Sam 15:2,3/ 1 Sam 6:19

God is kind, merciful, and good

James 5:11/ Lam 3:33/ 1 Chron 16:34/ Ezek 18:32/ Ps 145:9/

1 Tim 2:4/ 1 John 4:16/ Ps 25:8

16. God's anger is fierce and endures long

Num 32:13/ Num 25:4/ Jer 17:4

God's anger is slow and endures but for a minute

Ps 103:8/ Ps 30:5

17. God commands, approves of, and delights in burnt offerings,

sacrifices ,and holy days

Ex 29:36/ Lev 23:27/ Ex 29:18/ Lev 1:9

God disapproves of and has no pleasure in burnt offerings,

sacrifices, and holy days.

Jer 7:22/ Jer 6:20/ Ps 50:13,4/ Is 1:13,11,12

18. God accepts human sacrifices

2 Sam 21:8,9,14/ Gen 22:2/ Judg 11:30-32,34,38,39

God forbids human sacrifice

Deut 12:30,31

19. God tempts men

Gen 22:1/ 2 Sam 24:1/ Jer 20:7/ Matt 6:13

God tempts no man

James 1:13

20. God cannot lie

Heb 6:18

God lies by proxy; he sends forth lying spirits t deceive

2 Thes 2:11/ 1 Kings 22:23/ Ezek 14:9

21. Because of man's wickedness God destroys him

Gen 6:5,7

Because of man's wickedness God will not destroy him

Gen 8:21

22. God's attributes are revealed in his works.

Rom 1:20

God's attributes cannot be discovered

Job 11:7/ Is 40:28

23. There is but one God

Deut 6:4

There is a plurality of gods

Gen 1:26/ Gen 3:22/ Gen 18:1-3/ 1 John 5:7





Moral Precepts



24. Robbery commanded

Ex 3:21,22/ Ex 12:35,36

Robbery forbidden

Lev 19:13/ Ex 20:15

25. Lying approved and sanctioned

Josh 2:4-6/ James 2:25/ Ex 1:18-20/ 1 Kings 22:21,22

Lying forbidden

Ex 20:16/ Prov 12:22/ Rev 21:8

26. Hatred to the Edomite sanctioned

2 Kings 14:7,3

Hatred to the Edomite forbidden

Deut 23:7

27. Killing commanded

Ex 32:27

Killing forbidden

Ex 20:13

28. The blood-shedder must die

Gen 9:5,6

The blood-shedder must not die

Gen 4:15

29. The making of images forbidden

Ex 20:4

The making of images commanded

Ex 25:18,20

30. Slavery and oppression ordained

Gen 9:25/ Lev 25:45,46/ Joel 3:8

Slavery and oppression forbidden

Is 58:6/ Ex 22:21/ Ex 21:16/ Matt 23:10

31. Improvidence enjoyed

Matt 6:28,31,34/ Luke 6:30,35/ Luke 12:3

Improvidence condemned

1 Tim 5:8/ Prov 13:22

32. Anger approved

Eph 4:26

Anger disapproved

Eccl 7:9/ Prov 22:24/ James 1:20

33. Good works to be seen of men

Matt 5:16

Good works not to be seen of men

Matt 6:1

34. Judging of others forbidden

Matt 7:1,2

Judging of others approved

1 Cor 6:2-4/ 1 Cor 5:12

35. Christ taught non-resistance

Matt 5:39/ Matt 26:52

Christ taught and practiced physical resistance

Luke 22:36/ John 2:15

36. Christ warned his followers not to fear being killed

Luke 12:4

Christ himself avoided the Jews for fear of being killed

John 7:1

37. Public prayer sanctioned

1 Kings 8:22,54, 9:3

Public prayer disapproved

Matt 6:5,6

38. Importunity in prayer commended

Luke 18:5,7

Importunity in prayer condemned

Matt 6:7,8

39. The wearing of long hair by men sanctioned

Judg 13:5/ Num 6:5

The wearing of long hair by men condemned

1 Cor 11:14

40. Circumcision instituted

Gen 17:10

Circumcision condemned

Gal 5:2

41. The Sabbath instituted

Ex 20:8

The Sabbath repudiated

Is 1:13/ Rom 14:5/ Col 2:16

42. The Sabbath instituted because God rested on the seventh day

Ex 20:11

The Sabbath instituted because God brought the Israelites

out of Egypt

Deut 5:15

43. No work to be done on the Sabbath under penalty of death

Ex 31:15/ Num 15:32,36

Jesus Christ broke the Sabbath and justified his disciples in

the same

John 5:16/ Matt 12:1-3,5

44. Baptism commanded

Matt 28:19

Baptism not commanded

1 Cor 1:17,14

45. Every kind of animal allowed for food.

Gen 9:3/ 1 Cor 10:25/ Rom 14:14

Certain kinds of animals prohibited for food.

Deut 14:7,8

46. Taking of oaths sanctioned

Num 30:2/ Gen 21:23-24,31/ Gen 31:53/ Heb 6:13

Taking of oaths forbidden

Matt 5:34

47. Marriage approved

Gen 2:18/ Gen 1:28/ Matt 19:5/ Heb 13:4

Marriage disapproved

1 Cor 7:1/ 1 Cor 7:7,8

48. Freedom of divorce permitted

Deut 24:1/ Deut 21:10,11,14

Divorce restricted

Matt 5:32

49. Adultery forbidden

Ex 20:14/ Heb 13:4

Adultery allowed

Num 31:18/ Hos 1:2; 2:1-3

50. Marriage or cohabitation with a sister denounced

Deut 27:22/ Lev 20:17

Abraham married his sister and God blessed the union

Gen 20:11,12/ Gen 17:16

51. A man may marry his brother's widow

Deut 25:5

A man may not marry his brother's widow

Lev 20:21

52. Hatred to kindred enjoined

Luke 14:26

Hatred to kindred condemned

Eph 6:2/ Eph 5:25,29

53. Intoxicating beverages recommended

Prov 31:6,7/ 1 Tim 5:23/ Ps 104:15

Intoxicating beverages discountenanced

Prov 20:1/ Prov 23:31,32

54. It is our duty to obey our rulers, who are God's ministers

and punish evil doers only

Rom 13:1-3,6

It is not our duty to obey rulers, who sometimes punish the

good and receive unto themselves damnation therefor

Ex 1:17,20/ Dan 3:16,18/ Dan 6:9,7,10/ Acts 4:26,27/

Mark 12:38,39,40/ Luke 23:11,24,33,35

55. Women's rights denied

Gen 3:16/ 1 Tim 2:12/ 1 Cor 14:34/ 1 Pet 3:6

Women's rights affirmed

Judg 4:4,14,15/ Judg 5:7/ Acts 2:18/ Acts 21:9

56. Obedience to masters enjoined

Col 3:22,23/ 1 Pet 2:18

Obedience due to God only

Matt 4:10/ 1 Cor 7:23/ Matt 23:10

57. There is an unpardonable sin

Mark 3:29

There is not unpardonable sin

Acts 13:39





Historical Facts



58. Man was created after the other animals

Gen 1:25,26,27

Man was created before the other animals

Gen 2:18,19

59. Seed time and harvest were never to cease

Gen 8:22

Seed time and harvest did cease for seven years

Gen 41:54,56/ Gen 45:6

60. God hardened Pharaoh's heart

Ex 4:21/ Ed 9:12

Pharaoh hardened his own heart

Ex 8:15

61. All the cattle and horses in Egypt died

Ex 9:3,6/ 14:9

All the horses of Egypt did not die

Answer 56

They don't believe anything to do with God, so it doesn't matter how we prove the Bible to them, they will refuse to believe.

Answer 57

cause they are afraid they are wrong

Answer 58

The doctrine of the inspiration of the Bible means that the Bible in the original documents is God-breathed, that it is a divine product, and, because it is divine, the original documents are inerrant. The copies of those documents are not inspired. We have copies of inspired documents.



2 Tim. 3:16-17 says, "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work." Paul who wrote this epistle was obviously referring to the entirety of the Old Testament as being inspired. The word "inspired" is literally "God-breathed." This is an interesting phrase, since it implies that the Scriptures are from the mouth of God. Likewise, Peter says in 2 Pet. 1:21, "for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God." Notice that Peter is stating that prophecy is not the product of human will. Instead, prophecy occurs by those moved by the Holy Spirit.



Furthermore, we can easily see that the Old Testament Scriptures are full of statements and phrases claiming to be the Word of God.



"Thus says the Lord" occurs 418 times in the NASB, 413 in the KJV

Exodus 4:22, "Then you shall say to Pharaoh, Thus says the Lord, 'Israel is My son, My first-born.'"

1 Kings 11:31, "And he said to Jeroboam, 'Take for yourself ten pieces; for thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, Behold, I will tear the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon and give you ten tribes.'"

Isaiah 7:7, "thus says the Lord God, 'It shall not stand nor shall it come to pass.'"

"God said" occurs 46 times in both the NASB and the KJV

Genesis 1:3, "Then God said, 'Let there be light'; and there was light."

Exodus 3:14, "And God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM'; and He said, "Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, I AM has sent me to you."

Exodus 6:2-3, "God spoke further to Moses and said to him, 'I am the Lord; and I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name, Lord, I did not make Myself known to them.'"

God spoke through prophets

1 Kings 14:18, "And all Israel buried him and mourned for him, according to the word of the Lord which He spoke through His servant Ahijah the prophet."

2 Sam. 24:11-12, "When David arose in the morning, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying, 12 'Go and speak to David, Thus the Lord says, "I am offering you three things; choose for yourself one of them, which I may do to you."'"

Zech. 7:7, "Are not these the words which the Lord proclaimed by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and prosperous with its cities around it, and the Negev and the foothills were inhabited?"

The Spirit of the Lord spoke through people

2 Sam. 23:2, "The Spirit of the Lord spoke by me, and His word was on my tongue."

1 Kings 22:24, "Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near and struck Micaiah on the cheek and said, 'How did the Spirit of the Lord pass from me to speak to you?'"

2 Chron. 20:14, "Then in the midst of the assembly the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, the Levite of the sons of Asaph; 15 and he said, 'Listen, all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: thus says the Lord to you, Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God's.'"

As you can see, the Old Testament Scriptures are clearly full of statements showing the inspiration of God through the writers. The Old Testament assumes and speaks from the perspective of divine inspiration. Should we do any less?



What about the New Testament?

We see that the Old Testament is repeatedly spoken of as being inspired via the numerous references cited above, but what about the New Testament? Are the New Testament books inspired as well?



The Christian church has always considered the New Testament documents to be inspired. Though in the early church there were some debates on which New Testament books to include in the Bible, God worked through the Christian church to recognize those inspired works. Therefore we now have 27 inspired books for the New Testament.



In 1 Cor. 14:37 Paul said, "If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize that the things which I write to you are the Lord's commandment." In 2 Pet. 3:16 Peter said, "as also in all [Paul's] letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction." Also, Jesus said in John 14:26, "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you." This means that the Lord has commissioned the apostles to accurately record what Jesus had said because the Holy Spirit would be working in them.



So, we can see that Jesus promised direction from the Holy Spirit, that Paul considered what he wrote to be the commands of God, and that Peter recognized Paul's writings as Scripture. In addition, since the Christian Church recognizes the 27 books of the New Testament are inspired, and since we see internal claims of inspiration in the New Testament, we conclude that inspiration applies to the New Testament documents as well.







Objections



Inspiration violates free will.

Inspiration does not violate free will. What if the person through whom God is working has been regenerated by the Holy Spirit and desires to have the Lord speak through him? Would this negate the ability of God to inerrantly speak through such a person? Would it also mean that the person has no free will if he has voluntarily subjected his will to the will of God?

Certainly, God has the ability to work through individuals to bring them to a place where they can record inerrant statements. Cannot God manifest himself to someone, deliver to him a verbal message, and have that person record it? Would that statement not be inspired of God?

Prov. 21:1,"The king's heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever He wishes." This verse clearly states that God is able to work through an individual's "free will" to bring about what God desires.

What about the numerous contradictions in the Bible?

It is true that there are difficulties with in the Word of God. But these are due to copying errors through the centuries. As more and more historical, archaeological, and manuscript evidence is uncovered, the fewer Bible difficulties there are. Nevertheless, for an examination of answers to the alleged Bible contradictions, please see Bible Difficulties.

The manuscript evidence doesn't support inerrancy of the originals.

This is a subjective conclusion. The more I have studied about the ancient manuscripts, the more I have concluded that the original documents were indeed inspired and inerrant.

The logical implication of the statements within the Bible is that they are inerrant since they claim to be offered from God. They either are or are not inspired of God. If they are not, then their claims of speaking for God are lies.

Inspiration applies to scripture, not people.



God works sovereignly through people to inspire his documents. It is the people whom God indwells with his spirit and it is the people who are inspired by God to write his word. If inspiration only refers to Scripture, and somehow means that people are not themselves inspired, the Scriptures are still God-breathed and necessarily inerrant.