RE: Does the Bible Contradict Itself?
July 19, 2012 at 3:30 pm
(This post was last modified: July 19, 2012 at 3:41 pm by spockrates.)
(July 19, 2012 at 3:11 pm)MysticKnight Wrote: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
This is stating that whomever believes in Jesus, would have everlasting life.
A disobedient lover of the life of this world can believe in Jesus.
Yeah needing baptism and other stuff, all contradicts this notion. Over here, the verse is clear, all you need is to believe.
Therefore if there is other requirements for salvation, then there is a contradiction.
Yes, I hear what you are saying. That sounds extremely similar to the response an Evangelical would give the Catholic, except for the part about there being a contradiction. The Evangelical would say there is no contradiction, for any genuine Christian will do the good things mentioned in the verses you provided, but these good things are not cause of being saved from hell, they are only a consequence of such a salvation. Good deeds are not the reason for receiving eternal life; they are only the result of such a life. The Catholic, they'd say, confuses corellation with causation, and for this reason, there is no contradiction. For the first verse you mentioned is speaking of the cause of salvation, but the other verses are speaking of salvation's effects.
(July 19, 2012 at 3:21 pm)Napoleon Wrote:(July 19, 2012 at 2:14 pm)spockrates Wrote: You see, you might be surprised to know that I've had several Christians tell me I'm not a Christian.
Nope, it happens quite often, that's why there's thousands of different denominations who each think they have it spot on.
Quote: For if I was, they explain, I'd have no doubts. I'm wondering what opinion you have on their observation they have about people like you and me. (By saying you and me, I'm not saying I share the certainty of you atheism, I'm saying share your doubts about the clarity of the Bible.)
Like I said, their opinion is bullshit.
You don't believe exactly as they believe, so you're not a True Christian™.
Millions of Christians disagree with each other on so many aspects of their own religion. Millions more simply pick and choose what they want to believe to suit them, which results in millions of Christians each with their own versions of their religion. Further evidence that, even if their god did communicate to the world in such an ambiguous way, they've all got it completely wrong.
This is more reasoning which leads me to the understanding that the bible is bollocks.
Well, I would not go so far as to say the Bible is bollocks, but it seems to me that many who misread it are! (Present company excluded, I mean.)
Your answer is actually the one I've given during conversations with those of such certain beliefs. I have to admit that I admire how sure they are of themselves, but I wonder if such a complete absence of doubt makes one more susceptible to deception, rather than less so.
"If you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains (no matter how improbable) must be the truth."
--Spock
--Spock