I need answers : (

[Short1]

I'm losing it, after SO MUCH that God has given me spiritually. K, I'm not losing it, but there is SO MUCH BULLCRAP. I'm so confused.

I go on a drumming forum and they have a religion section. There is a guy who is on the site EXCLUSIVELY to combat religious people. He is good at it. His name is Ryan.

Some guy posted a thing about biblical contradictions refuted.. and then Ryan shows up and says "every scholarly dealy says those refutations are still bull nah nah" (along those lines) and then he talks about how Genesis is based on old mythology or something. He makes it sound sooo right. All his other stuff is extremely convincing.

So two things: (or three)

1) Is he just making it up when he says scholars think the Bible is inaccurate? He didn't list a source or anything.
2) I just realized with the Genesis thing, it's just a story so no big deal, right?
3) He talked about a lot of stuff with contradictions involving Jesus, like how if we call people fools it is bad, but then Jesus says fool.

Anywhho, he has an answer for EVERYTHING. I even brought up speaking in tongues and my personal prayer experiences.. and apparently I'm just reacting to years of delusion.

Stuff just sucks. Sometimes I will be SUPER confused while I'm reading stuff, but now it doesn't seem like such a big deal. I think about how THINGS change with prayer.. not just feelings. But then something screws me up again. Its a back and forth battle.

But I guess what I'm wondering about is whether the Bible is solid or not.

[Silvertusk]

Well he is certainly wrong about the scholars unless he can cite his sources - remember there are thousands of biblical scholars out there - and most of them would have to be a considerably large number.

[Telstra Robs]

Some scholars do say that, some scholars don't say that. However, the term "scholar" is sometimes a loose term. Did he mention any by name?

My view on the whole fools thing is that you don't call someone a fool because are you not just as foolish in some ways (just as calling someone evil is hypocritical because everyone is evil)? But Jesus, who is perfect, is by no means a fool, and thus can call someone a fool without being hypocritical.

You might find this interesting: http://www.drjbloom.com/public%20files/PubTheoData.pdf

It's a good read (about 39 pages) but very interesting. It explores Biblical prophecy and the evidence which can confirm it.

[PaulSacramento]

The bible is NOT all to be take literal simply because NOT ALL of it is literal.
Are there errors in the bible?
Are there contridictions?
Well, to be honest, without know specifics its hard to comment one way or another but I have found that the vast majority of errors and contridictions that most people claim are based on incorrect interpretations ( theirs) and taking passages out of context ( either textual or historical).

[Mariolee]

We might be able to understand how to respond to your questions more efficiently if you provided a link to the forum.

[Short1]

Wooow.. I'm learning that my mood will have an extraordinary affect on how I see and interpret what people say. I went back and read much of what was on that forum that was upsetting me.. and it doesn't bug me at all. So much of it is just constantly spouting generalizations. When I'm upset, all that stuff sounds so much more convincing and powerful. I'll sink into a negative attitude that changes how I look at things.

Sooo.. sorry for making a helpless, non specific thread that made me look dumb hah

Thanks guys

[Silvertusk]

That is exactly what this forum is here for - to provide support for these moments. I have had a few I can tell you - and certainly this is the first port of call for all my spiritual doubts and worries.

God Bless
Silvertusk.

[zoegirl]

Wooow.. I'm learning that my mood will have an extraordinary affect on how I see and interpret what people say. I went back and read much of what was on that forum that was upsetting me.. and it doesn't bug me at all. So much of it is just constantly spouting generalizations. When I'm upset, all that stuff sounds so much more convincing and powerful. I'll sink into a negative attitude that changes how I look at things.

Sooo.. sorry for making a helpless, non specific thread that made me look dumb hah

Thanks guys

One thing you should definitely do before going into those forums, PRAY! and then read. That will help.

Also, have a good apologetics website up in another tab or window so that you can immediately check things out.

And lastly, always ask them to elaborate, provide references, sources, etc. Half the time they themselves don't even understand their arguments or don't recall where they got the information.

[luke-10]

The bible is NOT all to be take literal simply because NOT ALL of it is literal.
Are there errors in the bible?
Are there contridictions?
Well, to be honest, without know specifics its hard to comment one way or another but I have found that the vast majority of errors and contridictions that most people claim are based on incorrect interpretations ( theirs) and taking passages out of context ( either textual or historical).

Agreed.

[Legatus]

First, about the Genesis thing, actually, it is NOT just a story. If you go to the parent site, such as here http://www.godandscience.org/youngearth/genesis1.html and here http://www.godandscience.org/apologetics/day-age.html you can see that Genesis and science are saying exactly the same thing. The idea that they are not does not come because people interpret it literally when they should not, but because people don't interpret it litarally enough, read ONLY EXACTLY what it says and not adding or subtracting anything to it. Once you do that, it becomes clear.

As for contradictions in the bible, those have been looked at extensively, and you have to know what a contradiction is before you can see that they are NOT contradictions. A common example, the women who went to Jesus's tomb, was it Mary, Mary and one or two others, or Mary and a bunch of women? The answer is simple, read your daily paper. It will say things like that the president flew to some country and said and did some stuff. It does not mention the secret servicemen, staffers, press core, etc, does that mean they were not there? No, of course they were, I mean, someone had to do all that stuff, right? Now, if the bible said ONLY Mary, or ONLY Mary and two other women, or some such, that would be different. Thus when it said Mary went to the tomb but does not mention the others, it is comepletly correct, Mary was at the tomb. If it does not mention some of them in some passages, it is still correct, it simply doesn't mention them because Mary took the lead role, orgainizing that little expedition, and, most importantly, SHE is the one who spoke to Jesus. If Bill and Ted go to the store, and someone asks were Bill is, and I say Bill went to the store, and later someone also asks and I said he went with Ted to the store, I am correct both times. That is what these sorts of people bring up as "contradictions". They are not contradictions at all, not if you know what contradictions are. I have seen whole big lists of completly disproven, but stll commonly heard "contradictions" like this. They are frankly <expetive deleted>, if you know what I mean.

[Silvertusk]

Nicely put.