# Believers: How do we know that the Bible is God's word? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 7, 2010, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/believers-how-do-we-know-that-the-bible-is-gods-word/528028 "2010-02-07T14:40:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/believers-how-do-we-know-that-the-bible-is-gods-word/528028/241 "2010-02-20T16:45:31Z")
> [@cosmosdan](#): > > honestly, I have no idea what you’re talking about. Honesty is one of my favorite qualities. Maybe it’s because I just skimmed the thread… I can’t keep up with the discussions here. I try to get in early, (sometimes if I get in late, it leads to me to try to act like a rodeo clown, and defusing heated debates). There have been so many religious threads in GD that I’ve skimmed lately, and maybe I should take a break. I was just trying to say not to worry about being ‘perfect’ in God’s eyes, because it’s hard to pin down, (to me – whether it’s his word or not), what is expected of us. Sorry to derail the discussion. ---
**Author:** ![Cumberdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@Cumberdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cumberdale)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/believers-how-do-we-know-that-the-bible-is-gods-word/528028/242 "2010-02-20T19:31:12Z")
> [@Perciful](#): > > The Bible is the divinely inspired word of God. Prove to me it isn’t. How can a book be ‘divinely’ inspired and yet full of glaring errors and contradictions. You can’t even even get two chapters in without a rather huge contradiction. Tell me, was Eve created from Adams rib or were they both created at the same time? ---
**Author:** ![Find\_Friends](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@Find\_Friends](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Find_Friends)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/believers-how-do-we-know-that-the-bible-is-gods-word/528028/243 "2010-02-20T19:31:36Z")
> [@Trans Fat Og](#): > > Look, at the time this was written, there was only what you call the “Old Testament” and not the Greek Testament. > > You want usefulness? Read the story of the king who was so grateful for victory in war that he swore to sacrifice the first thing that came through the gates back to him. His DAUGHTER came through first to his great dismay. And no doubt hers. > > Did your “great” Gawwwd release the king from his oath? Was anything later said against even taking such oaths? > > Let me save you the trouble of further reading. > > Nope. > > So the daughter was roasted like any sacrificial animal. > > Hey, great sacred text you have there. Great teaching. :rolleyes: Maybe you’d like the combine it with the Quran while you are at it. 😛 Since I left off providing a cite, here is where it begins: [Jephthah’s great idea.](http://www.thebricktestament.com/judges/massacre_of_the_ammonites/jg11_30-31.html) [Oops!](http://www.thebricktestament.com/judges/jephthah_kills_his_virgin_daughter/jg11_34.html) [She’ll never win any prizes… 😉](http://www.thebricktestament.com/judges/jephthah_kills_his_virgin_daughter/jg11_34-35.html) [I would have released him from the vow. But that’s just me.](http://www.thebricktestament.com/judges/jephthah_kills_his_virgin_daughter/jg11_35.html) [Nothing like the positive attitude she shows here!](http://www.thebricktestament.com/judges/jephthah_kills_his_virgin_daughter/jg11_36-37.html) [Now, please be a little patient here.](http://www.thebricktestament.com/judges/jephthah_kills_his_virgin_daughter/jg11_38.html) The author of [The Brick Testament](http://www.thebricktestament.com/) adds a little a little blue (suggestive) stuff, but it’s nothing compared to the absolute **FILTH** of the original text. [Well, maybe he actually had someone else do his dirty work for him…](http://www.thebricktestament.com/judges/jephthah_kills_his_virgin_daughter/jg11_39a.html) [The exciting climax of another great Scribbler Story! Glory be! Praise his name!](http://www.thebricktestament.com/judges/jephthah_kills_his_virgin_daughter/jg11_39b.html) * * * Trans Fat Og New name, same old SDMB member with pleasant disposition! :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/believers-how-do-we-know-that-the-bible-is-gods-word/528028/244 "2010-02-20T19:48:42Z")
> [@Perciful](#): > > 1. I am a seeker. What do you know about the truth with your closed mind? I am happy with my faith and have friends with other faiths and atheist friends and I’m fine with that too. I am not the arbiter of others beliefs. I also don’t think it’s prudent for you to be putting down God or the bible. > > 2. The Bible is the divinely inspired word of God. Prove to me it isn’t. > [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > I just wrote a coda on my shopping list indicating that it was inspired by God. My shopping list is therefore divine. > > Fetch me some bananas and a carton of orange juice, please. The kind with pulp. Still waiting on those bananas. Slightly browned. ---
**Author:** ![Strinka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/strinka/32/512_2.png) [@Strinka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strinka)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/believers-how-do-we-know-that-the-bible-is-gods-word/528028/245 "2010-02-20T19:50:08Z")
> [@Perciful](#): > > I believe the Bible is inspired by God. It is noted in the bible many times. Too many for me to note them all. It is his book given to us as a gift for our restless search for life’s meaning. The Koran says the same thing. I bet countless other contradictory holy texts say it too. Why is the Bible right and all the others are wrong? ---
**Author:** ![Find\_Friends](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@Find\_Friends](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Find_Friends)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/believers-how-do-we-know-that-the-bible-is-gods-word/528028/246 "2010-02-20T19:57:19Z")
> [@Perciful](#): > > 1. I am a seeker. What do you know about the truth with your closed mind? Closed mind? Are you speaking of yourself here? 🙂 > [@Perciful](#): > > 1. The Bible is the divinely inspired word of God. Prove to me it isn’t. Hold it! Do you believe the Book of Mormon is the divinely inspired word of God? The Quran? No? Okay, since they clearly are, (just ask their fans!) prove to us that they aren’t. Remember, you must successfully prove that they aren’t, or they are. As soon as you do, we will be happy to provide you with the proof against your favorite crappy text you sarcastically demand. > [@Perciful](#): > > … I also don’t think it’s prudent for you to be putting down God or the bible. Big surprise. :rolleyes: But it wouldn’t be very prudent for one to follow your favorite Imaginary Friend either. The “bible” [sic] is \*\*\*very clear \*\*\*that one can do everything right by your disgusting hero, and still get royally (divinely?) screwed. Please, please “challenge” me for an example of this. (Heh heh.) * * * Trans Fat Og New name, same old SDMB member with pleasant disposition! :dubious: [COLOR=“Navy”]ETA: Strinka beat me to it with one of the points.[/COLOR] ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/believers-how-do-we-know-that-the-bible-is-gods-word/528028/247 "2010-02-20T20:23:50Z")
> [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](#): > > Certainly I am not being shouted down. I refuse to be. Would you quit the Pop-up Martyr routine? Seriously, shouting that you’re being oppressed every time **Der Trihs** says anything isn’t helping your argument. > [@](#): > > But I maintain your out-of-hand rejection of arguments based on religious belief and thinking is an attempt to shut down debate. We reject your arguments for the same reason we reject arguments based on whether a coin flip came up heads or tails: it’s not based on prior behaviour and does not allow you to accurately predict future behaviour, which means it’s worthless. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/believers-how-do-we-know-that-the-bible-is-gods-word/528028/248 "2010-02-20T22:25:34Z")
> [@Perciful](#): > > 1. I am a seeker. What do you know about the truth with your closed mind? Thinking religion is wrong isn’t “having a closed mind”. But saying that you don’t need to read anything but a tiny subset of books because you don’t need to know anything they don’t talk about is being the opposite of being a “seeker.” Talking about how you deliberately avoid expanding your knowledge of the world or even other religions while talking about how you are a “seeker” is ridiculous. You’re an avoider, not a seeker. > [@Perciful](#): > > I also don’t think it’s prudent for you to be putting down God or the bible. What, is your imaginary friend going to come beat me up? > [@Perciful](#): > > 1. The Bible is the divinely inspired word of God. Prove to me it isn’t. I don’t need to. Not only is it logically impossible for your claim to be true due to the internal contradictions and multiple versions of the Bible, not only is “It’s not” the logical default, but that’s dodging the very question this thread is about. > [@Grumman](#): > > Would you quit the Pop-up Martyr routine? Seriously, shouting that you’re being oppressed every time **Der Trihs** says anything isn’t helping your argument. It’s the violence inherent in the system! ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2010, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/believers-how-do-we-know-that-the-bible-is-gods-word/528028/249 "2010-02-21T01:25:17Z")
> [@cosmosdan](#): > > It’s the violence inherent in the system! Thank you, you made me laugh. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2010, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/believers-how-do-we-know-that-the-bible-is-gods-word/528028/250 "2010-02-21T01:40:39Z")
> [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](#): > > Thank you, you made me laugh. Thanks..but that’s twice you’ve somehow attributed a quote of mine to **cosmosdan**. With his name and a link to a post of his, but with my words being quoted. Weird. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2010, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/believers-how-do-we-know-that-the-bible-is-gods-word/528028/251 "2010-02-21T02:08:37Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Thanks..but that’s twice you’ve somehow attributed a quote of mine to **cosmosdan**. With his name and a link to a post of his, but with my words being quoted. Weird. OK… what the heck am I doing wrong? I click “Quote” and then the quotation mark button too (why both) and I get this effect. I do sincerely apologize. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2010, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/believers-how-do-we-know-that-the-bible-is-gods-word/528028/252 "2010-02-21T02:25:32Z")
> [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](#): > > I do sincerely apologize. No offense taken; it’s just some weird error. I didn’t think you were doing it on purpose. I can’t think of any nefarious agenda that could be served by misattributing a Monty Python semi-quote. > [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](#): > > I click “Quote” and then the quotation mark button too (why both) and I get this effect. The “quotation mark button”? Could you be referring to the multiquote button, designed for quoting multiple posts? That might be doing it. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2010, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/believers-how-do-we-know-that-the-bible-is-gods-word/528028/253 "2010-02-21T03:12:18Z")
Ah, operator error, just as I suspected. You young people with your fancy “technology.” Get off my lawn! ---
**Author:** ![Perciful](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b38774/32.png) [@Perciful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Perciful)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2010, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/believers-how-do-we-know-that-the-bible-is-gods-word/528028/254 "2010-02-21T04:27:22Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Thinking religion is wrong isn’t “having a closed mind”. But saying that you don’t need to read anything but a tiny subset of books because you don’t need to know anything they don’t talk about is being the opposite of being a “seeker.” Talking about how you deliberately avoid expanding your knowledge of the world or even other religions while talking about how you are a “seeker” is ridiculous. You’re an avoider, not a seeker. > > What, is your imaginary friend going to come beat me up? > I don’t need to. Not only is it logically impossible for your claim to be true due to the internal contradictions and multiple versions of the Bible, not only is “It’s not” the logical default, but that’s dodging the very question this thread is about. > > It’s the violence inherent in the system! I do enjoy reading books on faith but there are other books I read just because I enjoy them. I did mention some of my fav books but there are many books I like to read. I enjoy history and mystery novels. I have even read part of the Book of Mormon because they left me one. There are many inspiring writers and people in the world. I have visited different churches of friends. Just as The Bible is divinely inspired by God so can anyones version of the same Bible be divinely inspired by their God. It is an individual thing. I know my God is right for me and it may be different for someone else. I am not God. I am not saying God / My imaginary friend/ is going to get you for taking his name in vain. Personally I wouldn’t chance it. I am a seeker and you are too. I think you are looking for a way in, not away out. I was born with a curious mind and I am always looking into something or investigating things that interest me. I am not a lamb that just blindly follows others and their opinion. I learn a lot by seeking the truth. Sometimes I am wrong but I keep on searching. I always question authority and when things don’t add up I dig deeper. No, I am not an avoider. If you knew me, which you don’t you would laugh at yourself for saying that. I never shirk my responsibility or avoid life and people. I have an open mind which enables growth. It is the closed minded that tunes anything out that isn’t to their liking. When you say It’s my way or the highway you are closing yourself off from knowledge. Awe can be a wonderful thing. Crack a bible once in a while and then you might not have so much contempt prior to investigation. You may even come to see all life’s answers are there. if you don’t find them there keep searching. Pax~ ---
**Author:** ![Perciful](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b38774/32.png) [@Perciful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Perciful)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2010, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/believers-how-do-we-know-that-the-bible-is-gods-word/528028/255 "2010-02-21T04:28:42Z")
> [@Trans Fat Og](#): > > Closed mind? Are you speaking of yourself here? 🙂 > Hold it! Do you believe the Book of Mormon is the divinely inspired word of God? The Quran? > > No? > > Okay, since they clearly are, (just ask their fans!) prove to us that they aren’t. > > Remember, you must successfully prove that they aren’t, or they are. > > As soon as you do, we will be happy to provide you with the proof against your favorite crappy text you sarcastically demand. > Big surprise. :rolleyes: > > But it wouldn’t be very prudent for one to follow your favorite Imaginary Friend either. The “bible” [sic] is \*\*\*very clear \*\*\*that one can do everything right by your disgusting hero, and still get royally (divinely?) screwed. > > Please, please “challenge” me for an example of this. (Heh heh.) > > * * * > > Trans Fat Og > > New name, same old SDMB member with pleasant disposition! > > :dubious: > > [COLOR=“Navy”]ETA: Strinka beat me to it with one of the points.[/COLOR] I find you rude. ---
**Author:** ![Perciful](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b38774/32.png) [@Perciful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Perciful)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2010, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/believers-how-do-we-know-that-the-bible-is-gods-word/528028/256 "2010-02-21T04:32:45Z")
> [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](#): > > OK… what the heck am I doing wrong? > > I click “Quote” and then the quotation mark button too (why both) and I get this effect. I do sincerely apologize. I have the same problem to. I did finally figure out how the link button works. Trial and error. I hit quote in the post I want quoted and you can leave it or shorten it by deleting what you don’t want to show. Hope this helps. My next step is multiple quotes although those kind of hurt my eyes. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2010, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/believers-how-do-we-know-that-the-bible-is-gods-word/528028/257 "2010-02-21T04:39:23Z")
> [@Perciful](#): > > Crack a bible once in a while and then you might not have so much contempt prior to investigation. You may even come to see all life’s answers are there. I was raised Christian like most Americans, and have read enough of the Bible to hold it in contempt. It’s a collection of barbarian myths, and most certainly doesn’t contain “all life’s answers”. It’s nasty, it’s full of errors and contradictions, and quite worthless as guidance to anything. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2010, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/believers-how-do-we-know-that-the-bible-is-gods-word/528028/258 "2010-02-21T04:50:55Z")
> [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](#): > > Of course, my pleasure, in this post you address the imperative toward me, telling me what I ought and ought not to say. You’ve been around here a month longer than I have. You know very well what is permitted in GD, and what isn’t. Now, what I was really asking was the source of the problem - where did we want to stifle the speech of religious people? I’d never want to do that, I find them quite amusing. But them turning their speech into laws is another matter. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2010, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/believers-how-do-we-know-that-the-bible-is-gods-word/528028/259 "2010-02-21T06:45:11Z")
> [@Perciful](#): > > I find you rude. As rude as saying this > [@Perciful](#): > > Crack a bible once in a while and then you might not have so much contempt prior to investigation. to someone who probably knows twice as much about the Bible, both contents and history, as you do? ---
**Author:** ![lekatt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lekatt/32/7269_2.png) [@lekatt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lekatt)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2010, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/believers-how-do-we-know-that-the-bible-is-gods-word/528028/260 "2010-02-21T12:29:35Z")
Depending upon the version of the Bible there were about 44 authors of 66 books. All the authors were humans, all had different ideas about God. That is the reason for the many contradictions found in the Bible. If you believe that God is the source of all things, then all things were inspired by God. Then there is Jesus who said “Ye have heard it said an eye for an eye, but I say to return good for evil.” Jesus did not take the Bible literally, not did He believe it in it’s entirely as the example shows. I believe one can prove anything through Bible quotes if they don’t mind breaking up the sentences into small phrases. Doing that the Bible says “There is no God.” So how do we use the Bible in an honest fruitful way to help others? Some churches now say the Bible contains the truth, but it is not the truth. Most just use the scriptures that suit their beliefs or doctrines, leaving out those that don’t. I have personally heard ministers say that the teachings of Jesus don’t apply to modern living. They were OK for His time, but are impractical today. There are literally 1000’s of Christain denominations that use different parts of the Bible to preach their particular brand of Christianity. So where does that leave us who question all these things and get only scripture as answers. It leaves us to draw our own conclusions of what the Bible will mean to us personally. To me the teachings of Jesus are the path to spirituality, sans doctrine and ritual. But I can’t say for sure if everything say to be Jesus’ sayings are really Jesus’ saying. I also know that not all of Jesus teachings are quoted in the Bible. He preached for three years, and so little remains. I personally can find many teachings in the Bible that are very good advice for living in today’s world, so I don’t think ignoring the book is the answer. I try to follow the path of love, love your neighbor, love your enemies, do good to them that do bad to you, and help others wherever and whenever you can. I think that has been very good for me. I don’t go to any church, but I don’t dislike them either. Life is a balance, whether it’s religion, spirituality, science, or just eating and drinking. In the end it is your choice and no one can make it for you. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/believers-how-do-we-know-that-the-bible-is-gods-word/528028.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/believers-how-do-we-know-that-the-bible-is-gods-word/528028.md?page=14)