I think the problem is not if we have 100% the original words. Most scholars agree that we may know 90% of the originals. For instance, what we currently know of Isaiah and Daniel is just the same of those who lived in Qumran before Christ. So, my opinion is that the main problems are in the Bible itself, in its theological inconcistencies, in its historical inaccuracies and in its false prophecies.
For Bible believers-Inspired Bible?
by JWdaughter 16 Replies latest watchtower bible
-
-
Terry
Where do we get the idea the Bible is a miraculous manifestation of Almighty God's mind?
Why isn't it word of mouth stories finally written down and copied?
Is there an absolute necessity we go the extra mile and assert the divinity of the written word?
-
James Brown
Another nail in the coffin of an inspired bible.
-
JWdaughter
I haven't believed the "Bible" to be inspired for years, but I could always have a respectful dialogue with folks who totally believe the Bible is the inerrant, inspired word of God. They could have their explanations for discrepancies that were based on things that one could(perhaps) give them as a different perspective, a different understanding, historical context, etc, etc.
That one though-the bloody sheet bit, is total proof that there is no God behind that. It is not a medical theory, it is not a perspective issue. Its is flat out fact that can't be denied.
I wonder how the JWs and other fundamentalists of the Christian persuasion work that one around in their head? I can't even remember questioning it, myself until recently.
-
Apognophos
I think my response as a JW would have been that the nation was entrusted to carry out justice in various ways based on examining evidence, whether a murder was committed, etc. All of these judicial cases could potentially end in an erroneous ruling. Therefore, either we suppose that Jehovah would intervene and guide an examination to the right conclusion, or we accept that Jehovah simply allowed imperfect men to rule, with imperfect results.
The passage about making a woman drink bitter water if she was suspected of infidelity is another example of something that should not have worked. So if you want to believe the Bible is inspired, you just have to assume that God was guiding these processes, like with the results obtained from the Urim and Thummim.
-
JWdaughter
There are a lot of justifications for a lot of scriptures, but the virgin bit is really a "jump the shark" kind of story. No justice there when it could have gone unmentioned and no one would be the wiser. But it wasn't about God, it was about stupid men who were hung up on bloody virginal wives.
-
Bart Belteshassur
I agree that when it comes to judging crimes and judical sentances, it is easy to use the " God would ensure justice was done" and therefore the evidence would always point to the correct verdict. However in looking up the ref for the OP I came across this verse, Deut. 23:3,
"No Ammonite or Moabite may come into the congregation of Jehovah. Even to the tenth generation none of theirs may come into the congregation of Jehovah to time indefinite."
If this is the ruling of God in order not to dilute the pure Hebrew lineage, why does God ignore his this rule by anointing a fourth generation Moabite king of the united monarchy, namely David? This also means that the first five kings of Judea and Israel were never part of the congregation of Jehovah, which raises some interesting questions.
BB