Return from Babylon: More Bible Errors (page 2)

JosephAlward

>>Alward wrote: Thus, it doesn't make any sense at all that an all-knowing god would have inspired Nehemiah to waste two pages of God's Bible telling readers what the incompleted "vote-count" was; it was then, and is now, something of zero value and zero importance.<<

Pom responded:

Sure it would. It showed the concern of the leadership God had appointed over Israel, to keep track of ALL his people during a dangerous time of going from point A to point B.

>>Thus, God must NOT have inspired Nehemiah to do what he did.<<

You arguement has no merit to me. The leadership of Israel would certainly have counted as many times as deemed necessary to satisfy their concern of ALL the company of Israel arriving safely. It is all very simple...and a very trivial matter.
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Alward responds:

You're missing the point. Sure, it makes sense to count, and count, and count again, but that's not what we're talking about, and I think you must know that. We're talking about the need for God to have Nehemiah spend two pages of God's Bible to tell two millennia of readers how many from each family had been counted HALF-WAY THROUGH through the census. All that could possibly be of interest to you and me, and all of the readers of the last two thousand years, is what the FINAL totals were. Does anyone care what the partial totals were for the 1990 census? Of course not.

You seem to be suggesting that God had Nehemiah use those pages to show the partial numbers in a demonstration of the desire of God to keep track of his people. If that's what you're saying, then surely you understand that God didn't have to waste two pages to tell us that; he could have merely had Ezra say that "The LORD watched over the returnees, followed their every step."

Thus, it seems clear, I think--to any but the most diehard inerrantist--that Nehemiah thought he WAS reporting the final totals, as did Ezra, but one of them (perhaps both) were wrong.

Pom, I'm willing to drop this subject--since you seem to be tiring of it, provided you don't respond with objections which I will be forced to respond to.

In a recent post you asked me to offer other contradictions. I will be happy to do that, but first I need to know which Bible you consider to be without error. Is it the NIV, KJV, NASB, or what? Once I find out which one it is, I will be better able to give you want you're looking for.

Joseph F. Alward
"Skeptical Views of Christianity and the Bible"
http://members.aol.com/jalw/joseph_alward.html

pomegranate

>>You're missing the point. Sure, it makes sense to count, and count, and count again, but that's not what we're talking about, and I think you must know that. We're talking about the need for God to have Nehemiah spend two pages of God's Bible to tell two millennia of readers how many from each family had been counted HALF-WAY THROUGH through the census. All that could possibly be of interest to you and me, and all of the readers of the last two thousand years, is what the FINAL totals were. Does anyone care what the partial totals were for the 1990 census? Of course not.<<

No, I believe I'm not missing your point Joseph.

The point is obvious that there were two times the Israelites were counted. There is NO OTHER explaination. I know you're not happy with that because if that is TRUE, then it seems you feel that God is wasting his precious Bible pages just to have revealed the Israelites and their company were counted twice. But, as I mentioned in an earlier post that surely went over your head, is that it is the placement of these two chronicles, in chapter 2 and in chapter 7, that gives the reader important imformation to bolster ones faith.

>>You seem to be suggesting that God had Nehemiah use those pages to show the partial numbers in a demonstration of the desire of God to keep track of his people.<<

That is not what I said. I said it was the men God put in charge as leaders who were doing THEIR job keeping track of the people God gave them to watch over. God doesn't need to keep track of His people. He knows the beginning and ends of all things and all people. It was the leadership of Israel doing the job God gave them to do.

>>If that's what you're saying, then surely you understand that God didn't have to waste two pages to tell us that; he could have merely had Ezra say that "The LORD watched over the returnees, followed their every step."<<

That isn't what I'm saying or said. See the above and the other post.

>>Thus, it seems clear, I think--to any but the most diehard inerrantist--that Nehemiah thought he WAS reporting the final totals, as did Ezra, but one of them (perhaps both) were wrong.<<

How in the world Joseph, could Nehemiah be reporting final totals when he was referencing a PRE-WRITTEN genealogical record? Read it closer Joseph, what is written is a numbering that he did not do there in chapter 7, it was done well in advance.

>>Pom, I'm willing to drop this subject--since you seem to be tiring of it, provided you don't respond with objections which I will be forced to respond to.<<

I have not objected to anything. I have been giving you what I understand. It is you who have objections in your understanding called contradictions.

>>In a recent post you asked me to offer other contradictions. I will be happy to do that, but first I need to know which Bible you consider to be without error. Is it the NIV, KJV, NASB, or what? Once I find out which one it is, I will be better able to give you want you're looking for.<<

I reference every translation. They all have their little quirks.

I do have a higher dislike for the KJV because of their ridiculous antics at 1 John 5:7.

logical

I could be wrong, but arent the books of Samuel, Kings, Chronicles etc just eye witness accounts of events? Like the gospel of Luke is? If so, they are not inspired of God, but written by man, so they are bound to have mistakes.

Also if this is the case, the Jews could easily have exaggerated things to make themselves look bigger and better.

pomegranate

First, I believe the Bible has recorded mistakes. Here's one:

Gen 3:6
6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.

Second, regarding "bigger", 42,360 is not exactly big in relation to the nations around them. Quite dinky actually.

Third, regarding "better", they were more often depicted worse off than the nations around them. They were never satisfied with their own God YHWH, they ALWAYS needed the immoral and illicit gods to satisfy them.

JosephAlward

Pom must have left something out of the previous post; in its present form, it's not understandable. If he clarifies it, I'll be happy to respond.

Joseph F. Alward
"Skeptical Views of Christianity and the Bible"
http://members.aol.com/jalw/joseph_alward.html

JosephAlward

Logical wrote: "I could be wrong, but arent the books of Samuel, Kings, Chronicles etc just eye witness accounts of events? Like the gospel of Luke is? If so, they are not inspired of God, but written by man, so they are bound to have mistakes."

Alward responds:

The teachings in gospels and other works of the New Testament are obviously quite subjective; in some places they're just the biased opinions of the writers. The Bible says that all scripture is God-breathed, but it is clear that not everything expressed by the Bible writers came from the Lord.

pomegranate

You're stymied again.

JosephAlward

Pom writes in a previous post, "You're stymied again."

Is that all you wanted to say, Pom? I've asked you not to waste the time of readers who will see the new post flag and will go to the trouble of logging on, only to find you've said nothing.

Please explain what you mean by my being stymied. Do you, or don't you, agree that not all of scripture is "God breathed," as was said in 1 Timothy. If you don't agree, explain how you know that ALL of scripture is from God. I'm willing to defend my position, if you're willing to defend yours.

Joseph F. Alward
"Skeptical Views of Christianity and the Bible"
http://members.aol.com/jalw/joseph_alward.html

pomegranate

>>In a recent post you asked me to offer other contradictions. I will be happy to do that, but first I need to know which Bible you consider to be without error. Is it the NIV, KJV, NASB, or what? Once I find out which one it is, I will be better able to give you want you're looking for.<<

I reference every translation. They all have their little quirks.

I do have a higher dislike for the KJV because of their ridiculous antics at 1 John 5:7.

Return from Babylon: More Bible Errors

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