Read the Bible for yourself

Someone whites Billy Graham stating that the Bible doesn't make sense. This should go about as well as reasoning with a brick wall...

Q: I don't see how any intelligent person can believe what the Bible says. The people who wrote it thousands of years ago didn't know anything about science, and anyway, it's full of contradictions. I'm sorry, but I just can't swallow the idea that it's God's word. — S.C.

Contradictions in the Bible
The full size file is a must see!

I can understand why some intelligent people still believe in the Bible, despite it's many flaws. The answer is compartmentalization. They may be logical about everything else, but when it comes to religion, they keep it over in the corner. They treat it differently than everything else, and don't apply the same logic to it as they do everything else. Usually this is done for purely emotional or sentimental reasons.

A: I'm sorry you have this attitude toward the Bible, because it means you're cutting yourself off from the hope and peace it alone can give you. In a world of confusion and despair, where else will you look to discover life's meaning? 

And I'm sorry Billy has the same attitude about the Tipitaka, because that means that he's cutting himself off from the hope and peace only the Buddha can bring.

Also, in my opinion, if you need to have meaning for life spelled out and handed to you, then you're not properly living. Life without God is still full of meaning! I don't need a book to tell me to love my wife and family, to enjoy gardening or working on cars, to love learning, and to just plain enjoy life. If you need to be told what to value in life, than quite frankly, I take pity on you.

I can't help but wonder, however, if you've ever actually read the Bible. Or are you only going on what you've heard from others (who may never have read the Bible either)? You see, I could list a number of reasons why I believe the Bible is God's word, but they probably wouldn't make much of an impression on you. What will is you actually reading the Bible for yourself, with an open heart and mind.

 And actually read the Bible with an open mind is exactly what most atheists have done. In fact, doing just that leads many believers from Christianity, and to atheism instead. I know that in my case, I read the Bible as a believer. I read it from the perspective of a believer, but honestly as well. The result was that I began to have doubts. I couldn't ignore the many contradictions, the impossibilities, improbabilities, outright errors, and just how evil the God I thought was loving really was.

After all, if the Bible really tells us about God and how he wants us to live, then it's the most important book in the world. Don't dismiss it lightly. The Psalmist declared, "Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path" (Psalm 119:105).

After all, if the Tipitaka really tells about the Buddha and how he wants us to live, then it's the most important book in the world. Don't dismiss it lightly Billy... Seriously, I feel like I'm playing theology Mad Libs here!

I suggest you begin in the New Testament with the Gospel of John. In it, you will discover not only God's written word, but the living word, Jesus Christ — who was God in human flesh. Don't let your pride, your desire to control your life or anything else keep you from seeing Christ as he really is and then committing your life to him.

Ah, the old 'read the New Testament first' trick. Apologists will tell you to do this because the NT is usually less terrible than the OT (aside from introducing the whole eternal hellfire and human sacrifice bit...). They know that the OT is where all the glorified genocides, barbaric rules, and most of the glaring errors and absurdities are. Lets face it... The Bible is quite a long read. When they tell you to start with the NT, they are banking on you not sticking with it. Just read the better bits, have

what you already think confirmed and move on...

You might as well tell someone to read a biography of Thomas Edison, but black out all the times he was a dick to Tesla, and actually had people's pets stolen and publicly electrocuted to attempt to discredit AC electricity so that he could make more money promoting his DC electricity. Edison was smart, but was no saint.

So I agree with Billy that people should read the Bible (the whole Bible) with an open mind. But I have a feeling that the result of doing so would surprise Billy. After all, it has been said that the Bible is the greatest force for atheism ever concieved.


-Brain Hulk

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