Bible Contradiction Sources

SG098

Hello everyone,

I need your help. I have a family member who is willing to let me show them contradictions in the bible. I was wondering what would be a good basic source to use. I don't need 100 contradictions, just a handful of good ones that make it almost or impossible to explain away.

Thanks for your help.

Apognophos

There's a lot of good material on http://contradictionsinthebible.com/, but you'll have to spend some time whittling it down to the ones you like the most. Many of the recent contradictions that the writer has covered are frankly boring and have to do with minutiae of the Law, but if you go back to his entries for Genesis and Exodus there's some fascinating stuff there.

That being said, many of "contradictions" or "seams" in the OT will not be convincing to someone who is not willing to consider the documentary hypothesis with an open mind. They have to be willing to let scholars connect the dots in order to show them the picture -- that there are parallel accounts being merged. If they are close-minded, they will simply defend the account as it stands and ignore the seams.

Crazyguy

I think its good to bring out the ones in the NT. Gospels where it all plays out differently when Jesus is resurrected, how many woman are there when the tomb is discovered empty and what then happens. Where jesus is from Galilee or Nazareth, crimson robe or purple. His travel where he is said to go accross the lake but end up on the same side or histrales where he is going all the wrong way showing the gospel writers were not familiar with Israel and were not from there. And dont forget to bring up his lineage and how he could not come through Joseph his family was cursed and mary is from Nathan and is supposed to be through solomon. I think theres something else wrong with Marry family line but don't remember.

Coded Logic

I agree with Crazyguy that it is probably best to address the widely differing accounts of Jesus life.

The simplest one to point out is Jesus year of birth. Matthew says that Jesus was born while Herod the Great was still alive (Matthew 2:1). We know that Herod died in the year 4 BC. So Jesus would of had to been born before that according to Matthew. But Luke says that Jesus was born after the census when Quirinius was governor of Syria (Luke 2:1-7). But Quirinius didn't become governor until 6 AD and the census was in 7 AD. So, according to Luke, Jesus was born in or after the year 7 AD. Even assuming Jesus was born right before Herod died and right after the census was taken we are left, at minimum, with a ten year descrepency (4 BC to 7 AD with no year zero). If Matthew and Luke can't even get Jesus birth right, what else did they get wrong?

jhine

o.k. we do not know that Herod died in 4BC . Some simple digging has shown that the date for Herod's death is very much up for debate . The reasoning used by the chappie who came up with that date (can't remember his name though I have just read it , senior moment ) and indeed the information given by Josephus on the subject is flawed . Again not much research needed to find that out . I was accused of being condescending when I asked if atheists did as much research into proving the validity of the Bible as into proving it wrong . I did not mean to be condescending but I think that this is a valid question . If I had just gone along with this date because somehow it has become accepted I would also be confused .

The problem of the census may be solved by looking at another posslble translation of the word "first " before census as it can be translated as "before " .

Please think before trying to rob someone of their faith and do some honest research of your own . If you are attempting to show the problems within the Watchtower o.k. Yes that may seem hypocritical of me but I do agree that they are flawed as an organisation . However many who leave the Org do find it hard to trust any faith system again and COULD be left worse off .

Jan