Also, nothing against you, but from my experiences, fundamentalist evangelicals really dont know much about what the Bible says…

Well, no offense taken. At all. I agree completely! However, they claim to know exactly what was meant by the words in the Bible, and that’s precisely the problem, imho.

The spirit of your last comment gives me hope for genuine conversation and insight - that’s all I ask, and hope my responses are in the same spirit always.

Alright I see what you are saying and I wasnt trying to come off like that. If you ever met me, you’d know I’m extremely open minded and not arrogant (sometimes I come off as arrogant and for that, I’m sorry and didnt mean it). Also, nothing against you, but from my experiences, fundamentalist evangelicals really dont know much about what the Bible says (once again, from MY experiences with that denomination around my areas). I actually just became a God follower about 2 years ago so I definitely dont know that much about Christianity and I dont try to act highly about it either.

I actually thank you for your comments. Our convo has helped to challenge me and grow spiritually. Lets find the truth like you said. Its all that matters.

I believe a comment like “get over yourself” deserved one in kind. It implies that *I* am the one with humility issues, and I merely wished to point out that the view/interpretation of the Bible shared by the vast majority of Christians (that no one comes to the Father but through me [Jesus]) is one that makes an implicit and exclusive claim about Absolute Truth.

Even your comments about correct interpretation of scripture come off as arrogant… as if YOU are the one that FINALLY got it right, after all these years and misguided interpretations.

I’m not bashing a religion I know nothing about… I was raised a fundamentalist evangelical and all of my responses (attempt to) come from a place of humility, honesty, and occasionally humor. :)

Let’s all aim for actual TRUTH and not worry about the answers we find along the way.

Alright it was late so please excuse the spelling mistake.

Im not only using my family example for genealogical disputes. I’m saying that its two different perspectives but they both are right. A concept that applies to all of the Bible and not just when it comes to talking about genealogy.

If you believe that the Bible is one book, whether you are Christian or not, then, with no offense intended, ignorant of what the Bible truly is. Each book has a different author recalling what he remembered and thought was most important about his dealings with God and Jesus.

Also, I never claimed to have “exclusive knowledge” regarding Absolute Truth. Anyone who can read and interpret something (within its context) has access to such knowledge. My question to you is, how has the Bible been proven to have little truth or perfection in it?

I will agree that a lot of Christians have taken the Bible out of context because they dont understand it nor do they know how to interpret it in context but that doesnt change the fact that you didnt understand or interpret it correctly. (and that applies to all fields of life… people twist meanings to gain support)

At your response to my closing, how would it be hypocritical? Hypocritical is saying one thing but doing the opposite (ie. saying fighting is wrong then picking fights with people). I have not said that I cant say that to you or believe I shouldnt say that to you.

I dont want you to think I’m some crazy mega Christian or something radical either. I dont know everything about the Bible but I have experienced many different views (Atheism, Christianity, Transcendentalism, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism), and for me, Christianity is what I believe is right. I just want you to have an open mind about the religion you seem to be bashing on. You dont have to agree with it and become a Christian. Like I said, my atheist friend agrees that a lot of what the Bible says makes sense from a logical perspective but he just doesnt buy into what its all about.

I really do mean no offense by this, but if this relatively simple exercise in reading and comprehension elicited such an inadequate response from you, it is of no surprise to me that you find perfection and truth in a (”collection of”) book(”s”) that has been proven time and again to have little of either.

Regarding your second point about taking “the Bible out of context,” it has been my experience that the vast majority of out-of-context Biblical interpretations have been perpetuated by Christians in their attempts to get others to believe exactly as they do - not by those shining the light of reason into the abyss of religion.

One last suggestion… when using phrases like “It will make you look less like a fool,” you may want to see if maybe you have, in your haste, misspelled a word and left in question who the fool might be in this exchange.

I’m guessing not based on what you have written. The Bible is not just “a book”: it is a collection of many books written by different men. Discrepancies with names and such come from the different authors and who they chose to use or omit. Heres a situation:: I have a brother named Michael and a father named Greg (I really do). Depending on who you asked, you could have someone saying that 1)Greg is the father of Michael or that 2)Greg is the father of Jon or that 3)Greg is the father of both. In the end, they are all right.

Another thing, if you take the Bible out of context, then you, as the reader, are sure to misinterpret what is going on (in this case, you have greatly done so). You cant just go picking out passages that fit your argument. If you can do that to justify your views, then so could murderers, thieves, and other bad people in this world. There are single verses that can justify just about anything you want it to IF you ONLY read that verse. Read each of the stories and their surrounding and corresponding verses to get the full picture of whats going on before you jump to conclusions. It mill make you look less like a fool.

I do agree that some Christians know nothing about their religion other than thats what they grew up as but they cant be allowed to represent the rest of us. Just because you didnt understand the Bible or Christianity growing up, doesnt mean that because you think something is a flaw, that it actually is.

I’ll leave you on this note… grow a pair and get over yourself. I’m best friends with an atheist and he understands the Bible way better than your writing suggests you have. He doesnt see anything wrong with the Bible. He just doesnt believe in it.

As Daniel pointed out as well, we aren’t about arguing over small discrepancies. This article was merely for amusement / interest over the things that are often overlooked in the Bible. People who think it can be true even if it is wrong on some things (Evolution etc) can see the contradictions within it’s pages for themselves.

most of us who have deprogrammed ourselves from the fangs of our spiritual upbringing are NOT arguing for odd birth orders or genealogical discrepancies… when we can start discussing how believers can swallow as Immutable Truth the far-fetched fables of Noah and the flood, then maybe we can really TALK… :)

you wrote “The fact is that someone who really cared to know the facts would search them out.”

I find statements such as yours to be quite naive and arrogant.

I really REALLY did care to know the facts, and I really REALLY did search them out… and believe me when I tell you my search did NOT lead me deeper into the loving arms of a good shepherd.

And when partaking on such an adventure and philosophical search means the end of life as one has known it for the first 30 years of one’s existence and the near-total ostracization from friends and family, well, I dare say it’s not “easy to simply criticize the Bible.”

A more honest discourse is only possible if fundamentalists (such as, I suspect, yourself) are willing to talk about what THEY believe to be true - instead of insisting that everyone else believe the exact same things.