Heck, some of its texts are almost 3,000 years old!
Yes. That's what makes the Bible so unique, and amazing. It's time tested.
No matter what era, culture, nationality, it works for all time... in every generation.
The bible is a collection of 66 books composed by random authors over the course of a very long period of time. Most of the authors, at least in the old testament, could not have known each other. Thus is the reason why there are MANY contradictions in the bible. They simply didn't all agree with one another's scriptures.
Interesting...
Do you suppose that's an opinion, based on a bit of bias, perhaps, because I find it interesting that billions of people disagree, and what's more interesting, is the fact that when these
"contradictions
" are presented, they magnify the real problem - the skeptics misunderstanding, or misreading the text, according to their own understanding.
See
here, as one example.
There's no way stoning disobedient children to death can be integrated into modern society today nor stoning rape victims simply for being unable to call out due to the offender covering her mouth. All which ARE acceptable in the bible.
Here is a fitting example of what I mean by skeptics' mistakes, and adding their own narratives.
You added...
"stoning rape victims simply for being unable to call out due to the offender covering her mouth".
First, the assumption is made, that the person is a victim of forced rape. Then based on that assumption, the text is contradicted by claiming that the victim was prevented from screaming.... Details we do not possess.
It's like going into a courtroom, and claiming one does not need evidence to convict, because though they were not there, they know the details - everything that happened.
That's the position of the skeptics.... but is it a reasonable position? It's a sad position they place themselves in, isn't it... all because they want an excuse to attack the Bible.
I hope though, you are not assuming that the "children" stoned were actually minors.
Please tell me you are not thinking that.
Perhaps you might want to read it again, and see why we know that no minors were ever stoned to death, in Israel.
Stoning was a capital punishment.... like hanging, the guillotine, firing squad, electric chair, gas chamber, lethal injection....
Man, those guys tried everything.
God always had one method. He never had to experiment, and lament.... "Oh. Maybe that's too torturous."
And also killing innocent women and children. Not to mention PREGNANT women especially. So to all of those anti-abortion Christians, please take note.
Innocent women and children?
That sounds like another assumption. Actually, nowhere in the Bible do we read that God put to death "innocent women and children".
What made them innocent?
There are rules in war that militaries must follow like the Geneva Convention which states patently that you CANNOT kill non combatants. But it was no problem in the bible for jews to do those things of course.
Non combatants would be like those who
don't take up arms, I suppose. This is
not called warfare - where two nations, or enemies are physically active in combat.
The destruction of the nations and their cities, was not direct warfare... except, of course, where the cities' inhabitants attacked Israelites.
If you have examined the scriptures, you would know what it was.
These scriptures can help. Exodus 34:11-16; Genesis 15:15-16; Leviticus 18:24-30; Deuteronomy 18:12; Deuteronomy 20:17-18
Hope you see why.
Basically, God was 'cleaning house'.
The nations around, who engaged in disgusting practices were to be removed from the land. It was God's judgment.
Too bad, for the Israelites, because of they becoming unfaithful, they failed to remove them, and they were ensnared by those same immoral practices, which cost them their lives as well... Since God is not partial.
They too were wiped out.
Think of the flood.
God simply preserved a remnant, through which God would fulfill his promise.
Do the Christian women of today cover their hair when they read the bible?
Is there a scripture that says they should?
Perhaps you meant they should cover their head - not when reading, but when prophesying. 1 Corinthians 11:2-16
I can guarantee you that 99.9% of them don't. It was an abomination to NOT cover your hair as a woman back in the hay days of Christianity.
Not in general. No. On particular occasions, head covering was required for Christian women.
On occasion today, I might stumble upon a female pastor. But this is also an abomination according to Christianity. Women are not meant to speak but keep silent. These are just a few of many examples.
Hmm.
I think we had better look at the scriptures.
That "Women are not meant to speak but keep silent" can be taken in two ways...
Like "Women. Keep silent." Lol
(1 Corinthians 14:33-34)
33 For God is a God not of disorder but of peace. As
in all the congregations of the holy ones,
34 let the women keep silent in the congregations, for it is not permitted for them to speak.
Rather, let them be in subjection, as the Law also says.
(1 Corinthians 14:40)
40 But let all things take place decently and by arrangement.
Looks to me like an arrangement in the congregation, where order is the focus of that arrangement.
For example, in verse 27, Paul said, if someone speaks in a tongue, he should
keep silent... if there i s no interpreter. 1 Corinthians 14:27
In verse 30, he says, "if another one receives a revelation while sitting there, let the first speaker
keep silent. 1 Corinthians 14:30
So. we see, the matter of keeping silent - not speaking, has to do with order.
As in the case of head-covering, there is an arrangement in place, where women do not take the lead in the congregation.
As the scriptures show, they wear a head covering, if they have to take on such a role of responsibility. 1 Corinthians 11:3; 1 Corinthians 11:7-10;
And how about Jesus' coming? Well, 2,000 years ago the christian scribes said he will come back REALLY soon and that the end is nigh! Before this 'generation' ends, 'soon.' That's how soon I'm talking about. But, here we are a very, very long 2,000 years later where many, many generations have come and gone. And still no Jesus? It sounds like a failed and outdated prophecy to me.
Which Generation was that Jesus spoke of?
I can't even fathom what 2,000 years is like in my head. I mean, the 1980s feel like forever ago, am I right? And you still want to say that Jesus is coming which was mentioned 2,000 years ago? Please.
Yeah. To us it's a really long time. I mean, I feel like I have lived forever, and I am not even 70. Lol.
However, what is long to me, may be short to someone else.
For example, sometimes, I am doing something, I am really enjoying, and I look at the time, and it's like 'Whoa. Where did the time go.'
Another time, I am doing nothing, except waiting for something, and I look at the time, and I want to know, why it does not hurry up already.
So, to us, time can vary, based on our outlook, or perspective.
To those who are sure of God's promises, it's as though they don't actually have to wait too long.
Habakkuk 2:3; 2 Peter 3:9
Besides, God's patients serves a good purpose, as it is allowing many persons to change their lives for the better.
Are you aware of how many people have been reformed, who were in prison. Or how many drug addicts, gang members, etc., have had their lives changed, through a Bible study course. ...and you say the Bible is irrelevant to our lives today?
I'm saying he is not coming back. "Oh brother, just you wait, sinner!" Ha, I'll wait and you'll wait with me. But I really think you will be disappointed.
Many have said that... still say that... and will continue to say that.
Many a "Ha", has turned into a "I'm sorry, I didn't know this before." They are still waiting, but of course, not just waiting to die.
It's obvious that society has evolved and religion in general along with it which to me makes the bible an outdated book. What say you about my argument?
Society has indeed evolved, and religion continues to evolve... but remember, there are thousands of religion, and thousands of years ago, there were hundreds of religions.
So religion hasn't really changed much.
They only keep going further and further away from the truth.
One religion though, I believe, will always evolve to be closer to the truth. Proverbs 4:18
That's the one Jesus spoke about... and James. John 4:23-24; James 1:27
I think your argument is typical of the skepticism that has also evolved from a world that is growing further and further away from God... but that is not surprising.