Does the Bible Contradict Itself?

[jonb]

'Dad, If you hadn't invented sin I wouldn't have to go through this!'

Reply
'F%@king kids, you're so smart you think you could have done better, its all very well talking about things in hindsight'.

[spockrates]

The topic of discussion is whether there are any contradictions between two different passages of scripture

And if you could pay attention you would see that Matthew has Herod the Great alive when your godboy was born and Luke puts it a minimum of ten years later.

Herod and Quirinius are both historical figures. There is no way to reconcile the contradiction between these two passages.

If you'd quit trying to move the goalposts you would see that you have your one contradiction.

Deal with it.

Doesn't one have to comprehend something before she knows how to deal with it? If you are willing to take a closer look with me, perhaps I'll be able to see what you see. I will then tell everyone who has ears to hear that I once was blind, but Minimalist set me free!

[Reforged]

'Dad, If you hadn't invented sin I wouldn't have to go through this!'

Reply
'F%@king kids, you're so smart you think you could have done better, its all very well talking about things in hindsight'.

2pacs seen better days.

[spockrates]

But this implies that childbirth is inherently sinful, if forgiveness is needed, which is contradictory to Timothy saying that women can only be saved via childbirth (in regards to Eve).

I can see how one might draw that conclusion, but an implication does not a certainty make, I think. Notice that Moses does not quote his God as saying childbirth is a sin. He merely says that after the woman has recovered from giving birth, she must confess her sins and have the priest forgive them.

We may perhaps reasonably assume that Moses meant bearing a child was sinful, but our assumptions might be wrong. Then again, perhaps I'm the one who is wrong? The truth is that I don't think the text is clear enough to say either way. Here, too the Bible turns out to be ambiguous. Only one of us has the correct interpretation, but which one?

[Napoléon]

Yet he has come, and I think he deserves respect.

Respect is earned.

[spockrates]

Yet he has come, and I think he deserves respect.

Respect is earned.

Agreed. Please let me know how I might begin to earn such from you.

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It would take much time to have everyone in ancient Palestine (men and women) journey to the village or city in which their ancestors were born.

That's not a Biblical contradiction, that's a Biblical ERROR, evidently written - long after the fact - by someone totally unfamiliar with first-century Roman laws.

Rome required that everyone return to his place of residence, not his place of birth. That would mean that about 99.9% of the population was already where they had to be. Many - like traders - had more than one "legal" place of residence, so they could also stay where they were. Others - like soldiers and other employees of Rome - were exempt from returning to their places of residence for a census.
.6
So VERY few people would have had to travel. Ten years? Ten months would have been a lot more time than was needed.

Try another useless apologism.

Oh, and while you're at it, how - exactly - did Judas die? IOW, what would the cause of death have been listed as if he had died today? The only way around that obvious contradiction is a lie.

I suppose we can agree to disagree, unless you have further evidence to present to me. I'm not yet convinced. Once again, I'm asking that we stick to the topic, rather than chase cotton tails down bunny trails.

But I'll make an exception in this case. So I asked myself: What if Luke was a poor historian and got his facts wrong? How would that effect my current beliefs? The answer is that I'd be suspect of some other details of his gospel, but there would still be a great deal of evidence supporting the central theme that a dead guy who said he would get up and walk, did. But this, too is a topic for another discussion thread.

For now, I'd really like to know if there really are two biblical passages that contradict each other in some significant way. I've heard many say there are, but have yet to lay my eyes on what they've seen and examine what they know to the point where I also know that such contrary texts exist.

[Napoléon]

Agreed. Please let me know how I might begin to earn such from you.

All you need to get my respect is to be intellectually honest with yourself. Maybe I got the wrong impression on whether you are doing that or not, I guess you'll either prove me wrong the more you post, or you won't.

But to be honest, you don't need my respect, I ain't the be all and end all of this forum, so don't feel any pressure to act like you have to impress anyone.

Frankly, I just can't work you out. But like I said, the more you post the more I'll understand you.

[spockrates]

Agreed. Please let me know how I might begin to earn such from you.

All you need to get my respect is to be intellectually honest with yourself. Maybe I got the wrong impression on whether you are doing that or not, I guess you'll either prove me wrong the more you post, or you won't.

But to be honest, you don't need my respect, I ain't the be all and end all of this forum, so don't feel any pressure to act like you have to impress anyone.

Frankly, I just can't work you out. But like I said, the more you post the more I'll understand you.

Then I suppose you've paid me a great complement! For the Father of Philosophy Socrates, whom I follow, said of himself:

The world in general has not found me out, and therefore they only say of me that I'm the strangest of mortals and drive men to their wit's end!

(Theatetus)

[jonb]

I suppose we can agree to disagree, unless you have further evidence to present to me.

Oh, I did not realise this was the agenda, that we have to prove something to you, Top man you own us then do you Sherl O'Crap.

quote Sherlock Holmes, attribute it to Spock
announce you use Socratic questioning, but just make assertions.
demand evidence from others, but it must fit the criteria you demand, you restrict the conversation to what others provide without putting anything of yourself into it. And now you expect this all to be presented to you. You seem to lack Ethics, and yet you called us 'Fallen'.
Respect is a two way thing.

[Napoléon]

The world in general has not found me out, but only says of me that I'm the strangest of men whose questions drive other men to their wit's end!

Certainly something is driving me to my wit's end.