Bible Error: The Sins of the Father

by JosephAlward 6 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  JosephAlward

  The Bible contradicts itself in the matter of punishing children for the sins of their fathers. In one place is says that it is strictly forbidden, but in another the Lord speaks of slaughtering sons for the sins of their forefathers, and in yet another place the Lord orders the murder of suckling babes. Here is the evidence:

  The Lord’s Rule: Don’t Punish Children for the Sins of the Fathers

  Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their fathers; each is to die for his own sin. (Deuteronomy 24:16)

  The Lord Breaks His Rule and Punishes the Children

  21 Prepare a place to slaughter his sons for the sins of their forefathers; they are not to rise to inherit the land and cover the earth with their cities. 22 "I will rise up against them," declares the LORD Almighty. "I will cut off from Babylon her name and survivors, her offspring and descendants," declares the LORD. (Isaiah 14:21-22)

  Perhaps the most famous example of the Lord violating his own rule about not punishing children for the deeds of their fathers is found in 1 Samuel, where we find the Lord telling Samuel that the suckling babes are to be killed:

  2 This is what the LORD Almighty says: "I will punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt. 3 Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys." (1 Samuel 15:2-3)

  This is just one more example of Bible error among others in a long list of errors, inconsistencies, and contradictions. If the Bible can be this contradictory regarding an important teaching relating to punishment for sins, how can the Bible be trusted to give good advice, or be truthful, in other matters?
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  Scorpion

  JA,

  You said: If the Bible can be this contradictory regarding an important teaching relating to punishment for sin, how can the Bible be trusted to give good advice, or be truthful in other matters?

  My reply: You seem to continue to throw the baby out with the bathwater.
  The WTBTS cannot be trusted and that is a fact. Does this mean that they have never ever given good advice in some of their books and magazines, and that the advice cannot be trusted?

  As far as the Bible:

  Thou shall not steal. Is this good advice?

  Love your neighbor as yourself. Is this good advice?

  Do not commit adultery. Is this good advice?

  Honor your father and your mother. Is this good advice?

  Can this advice be trusted?

  This is just a small sample.
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  JosephAlward

  Scorpion,

  I think everyone else on this forum knew that I wasn't suggesting that everything in the Bible was not to be believed or trusted, or accepted as good teaching. I was obviously referring to teachings or advice of an extraordinary nature, such as stoning to death of adulterers, methods of eternal salvation...things like that, not "Do unto others...."

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

  OK! From the way you worded it, "how can the Bible be trusted to give good advice in other matters" did not seem so obvious. It appeared to be a blanket statement.
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  Scorpion

  JA,

  From what I remember, Isaiah 14:21-22, verses 22-23 are also added text and should not be there. Just to many additions from people who thought they would add their slant.
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  Moxy

  i would have thought this was about the clearest example of inherited punishment. Jehovah speaking to Moses:

  Ex 34:7b (NIV) Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.

  mox
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  JosephAlward

  Ex 34:7b (NIV) Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.

  Moxy, I agree that the quote above is in powerful contrast to

  Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their fathers; each is to die for his own sin.(Deuteronomy 24:16)

  but it leaves some wiggle-room for desperate inerrantists who will try to argue that Deuteronomy speaks of "death," while Exodus mentions only "punishes." I think the passage in 1 Samuel 15:2-3, in which suckling babes are to be killed, is more directly on point.

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