# What separates the Bible from other works? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 25, 2002, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-separates-the-bible-from-other-works/133874 "2002-10-25T19:02:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![John\_Zahn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e0b2c6/32.png) [@John\_Zahn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Zahn)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2002, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-separates-the-bible-from-other-works/133874/1 "2002-10-25T19:02:16Z")
Many believers mention that the Bible is the inspired word of God. It is different from other works. Not all, but quite a few believers can also point out that it has errors aplenty, all the while claiming it is still the divine inspired word of God. Is there anything in particular that led you to this conclusion? JZ ---
**Author:** ![Soup\_du\_jour](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Soup\_du\_jour](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soup_du_jour)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2002, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-separates-the-bible-from-other-works/133874/2 "2002-10-25T19:11:27Z")
Are you asking the question to only Biblical literalists, or to Christians in general, or to the general polulation? Personally, I’m a Christian non-literalist. The Bible is seperate from (most) other works because it is the recognized collection of books and letters which form the best description of the God I worship, and the history of those who feel the same as me. Inner conviction and lots of soul-searching led me to this conclusion. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Zahn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e0b2c6/32.png) [@John\_Zahn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Zahn)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2002, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-separates-the-bible-from-other-works/133874/3 "2002-10-25T21:52:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Soup\_du\_jour \* > Are you asking the question to only Biblical literalists, or to Christians in general, or to the general polulation? It’s for anyone that takes an interest. Anyone can respond, and thanks for replying. **The Bible is seperate from (most) other works because it is the recognized collection of books and letters which form the best description of the God I worship, and the history of those who feel the same as me.** This is something I will never understand. If the JC God is the best description of a God that someone can come up with, how would you separate it from Satan? **Inner conviction and lots of soul-searching led me to this conclusion.** It was nothing specific? Did you delve in other religions before coming to this conclusion? Just trying to understand what makes the mind of a Bible-Believer tick. Did other factors such as your parents beliefs or perhaps geography help play a large role? E.g., if you were born in some Middle Eastern country, do you think the same soul searching would have led you to the same conclusion? JZ ---
**Author:** ![Kalt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Kalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalt)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2002, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-separates-the-bible-from-other-works/133874/4 "2002-10-25T22:36:50Z")
Reason: their parents told them it was special. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2002, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-separates-the-bible-from-other-works/133874/5 "2002-10-26T00:11:05Z")
Zahn: Nobody said it was the best description of deity they could come up with. Soup said the Bible provided the best description of the deity Soup worships. ---
**Author:** ![JerseyDiamond](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8491ac/32.png) [@JerseyDiamond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JerseyDiamond)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2002, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-separates-the-bible-from-other-works/133874/6 "2002-10-26T02:46:41Z")
> [@](#): > > **What separates the Bible from other works?** > > Many believers mention that the Bible is the inspired word of God. It is different from other works. Not all, but quite a few believers can also point out that it has errors aplenty, all the while claiming it is still the divine inspired word of God. > > Is there anything in particular that led you to this conclusion? > > JZ Since I believe what the bible says, and it does say "\*\* All Scripture is God-breathed (NIV) \*\*, that does it for me. But there are many other reasons why it is different from other works. The Bible tells one continuous story from beginning to ending. It’s in perfect unity and harmony. What makes that unique is that this story was told over a 1600 year period (1500 BC 100 AD). what’s even better is that there were over 40 writers who told the story. Keep in mind this is over a 1600 year period and they weren’t neighbors or anything. They were from different walks of life. For Christians, biblical Prophecy is evidence. I don’t know any other teaching that has fortold things like the bible has that has come true exactly like the bible says it would. The bible is not a science book but it is still scientifically accurate. There is no scientific evidence that contradicts the bible. All errors that people claim the bible has, always seems to get clarified. I can’t see how there are any errors. I have read many of the alleged contradictions, and if I don’t understand it, I do an indepth study and talk about it with a few bible scholars that I know. It always come out that it’s not a contradiction at all, but an error in whoever claims there is a contradiction. God is **God** after all. He should have the ability to do some things we can not explain. I have never been any other religion. I do ask a lot of questions when I meet people of others religions. I try to do some research online about other religions too, but I usually get my best info and opinions by talking to people in person. I think that parents do play a large part in what a person believes, but not always. I knew about God from my family, but you would never know it. The only thing they really taught me is that there is a God. I have a pretty scary family, right now, pretty far from God. I think where you grow up has a lot of impact on what a person believes. I don’t think I had to do any searching. It was like God was pulling me in. I make Him upset a lot I am sure, but I am trying. He knows I am human. ---
**Author:** ![lynn73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@lynn73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lynn73)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2002, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-separates-the-bible-from-other-works/133874/7 "2002-10-26T17:07:51Z")
I agree wholeheartedly, **Jersey Diamone**. You say it very well, much better than I could. ---
**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:** [October 26, 2002, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-separates-the-bible-from-other-works/133874/8 "2002-10-26T17:12:24Z")
For **JerseyDiamond** and **His4ever** -How can you claim that the Bible is the book to follow without having read others? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Zahn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e0b2c6/32.png) [@John\_Zahn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Zahn)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2002, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-separates-the-bible-from-other-works/133874/9 "2002-10-26T23:50:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Monty \* > \*\*Zahn: Nobody said it was the best description of deity they could come up with. Soup said the Bible provided the best description of the deity Soup worships. \*\* Okay, I’ll reword it. If Soup wants to elaborate on why this is the best description of the God he worships, then, I hope he’ll feel free to do so. JZ ---
**Author:** ![John\_Zahn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e0b2c6/32.png) [@John\_Zahn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Zahn)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2002, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-separates-the-bible-from-other-works/133874/10 "2002-10-26T23:58:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JerseyDiamond \* > **Since I believe what the bible says, and it does say " All Scripture is God-breathed (NIV) , that does it for me. But there are many other reasons why it is different from other works.** If a similar phrase was found in another religious work besides the Bible, would that have just about done it for you too? **The Bible tells one continuous story from beginning to ending. It’s in perfect unity and harmony. What makes that unique is that this story was told over a 1600 year period (1500 BC 100 AD). what’s even better is that there were over 40 writers who told the story. Keep in mind this is over a 1600 year period and they weren’t neighbors or anything. They were from different walks of life.** When one compares the books in the Bible, one finds that it is extremely repetitious in telling the same story, but often the names, numbers or other pertinent facts get changed. Nehemiah repeats parts of Ezra. Deuteronomy repeats much of Exodus. Chronicles, Kings, and the Samuel books, often repeat but with different facts and figures. The Gospels have their share of problems too. Doesn’t seem like perfect unity and harmony to me, but instead of me giving many examples, I’ll have you look at just two pericopes side by side later on in my post. \*\*For Christians, biblical Prophecy is evidence. I don’t know any other teaching that has fortold things like the bible has that has come true exactly like the bible says it would. \*\* Well, I love evidence as much as the next person. Have any examples you want to share? Take the best three prophecies or even one. I hope it isn’t going to read like some astrology chart. \*\*The bible is not a science book but it is still scientifically accurate. There is no scientific evidence that contradicts the bible.\*\* Let’s do something simple such as comparing numbers in different pericopes telling the same story. Do you believe numbers are absolute? Start with Ezra 2:1-70 and compare it to Nehemiah 7:6-73. You’ll find over 50 different discrepancies in numbers and names, but yet both start out the same. After reading and studying these texts, explain why this is still considered accurate. **All errors that people claim the bible has, always seems to get clarified. I can’t see how there are any errors. I have read many of the alleged contradictions, and if I don’t understand it, I do an indepth study and talk about it with a few bible scholars that I know. It always come out that it’s not a contradiction at all, but an error in whoever claims there is a contradiction.** See above. Take your time, but hope to hear from you again, and that you won’t be a no-show. His4ever, feel free to jump in since you agree wholehearted with JerseyDiamond. JZ ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Goo\_Fee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Doctor\_Goo\_Fee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Goo_Fee)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2002, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-separates-the-bible-from-other-works/133874/11 "2002-10-27T00:55:53Z")
the main thing that separates the bible from other works is that over the years, people with the bulk of the power and resources in the world chose the bible as their favorite collection of morality fables and fairy tales. other peoples have chosen different myths on which to base their moral conduct and to explain post-mortality and other mysteries. however, since the euro/christian culture has been and still is dominant economically on this planet, the bible has had a disproportionate influence on worldwide civilization. this is unfortunate-- we have enough hatred in the world without chuckleheads everywhere teaching their children that a vengeful, all-powerful being answers their prayers yet sends other, heathen children to a fiery hell. a myth is a myth is a myth-- might don’t make it right. ---
**Author:** ![Freyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freyr/32/5763_2.png) [@Freyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freyr)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2002, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-separates-the-bible-from-other-works/133874/12 "2002-10-27T01:50:28Z")
\*\*Doctor Goo Fee wrote: the main thing that separates the bible from other works is that over the years, people with the bulk of the power and resources in the world chose the bible as their favorite collection of morality fables and fairy tales.\*\* I’ll agree with **Doctor Goo Fee** here, at least with his intent, tho not necessarily with his words. Since about 1100, in Europe and the West in general, Christian scripture has been seen as “the Word of God” and hence unchallengable. It’s only within the past two hundred years that hard evidence has come to light that parts of Christian Scripture are merely poetry, (one-sided) history and mythology. Certainly the Word of God is in there, too, but one needs to read carefully. ---
**Author:** ![apathy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2bfe46/32.png) [@apathy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/apathy)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2002, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-separates-the-bible-from-other-works/133874/13 "2002-10-27T02:07:17Z")
Its a great collection of fictional paranormal short stories that somehow have been mistaken for the ultimate truth to naysayers of the present day paranormal. ---
**Author:** ![JerseyDiamond](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8491ac/32.png) [@JerseyDiamond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JerseyDiamond)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2002, 9:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-separates-the-bible-from-other-works/133874/14 "2002-10-27T09:23:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by John Zahn \* > If a similar phrase was found in another religious work besides the Bible, would that have just about done it for you too? No, because no other book is like the bible, in so many way. For one, prophecy! > [@](#): > > Well, I love evidence as much as the next person. Have any examples you want to share? Take the best three prophecies or even one. I hope it isn’t going to read like some astrology chart. I’ll try to do a few for you. There are so many that I would be here all night. First, here are some **prophecies fulfilled from the beginning to the exile of Judah**. (keep in mind I am posting just a couple) \*\*1)\*\*Gen. 2:17 Death to be normal lot of mankind … fulfillment, Gen 3:19;5:5 \*\*2)\*\*Gen. 15:13 Israel to be slaves in Egypt for 400 years fulfillment, Ex. 12:40-41 \*\*3)\*\*Ex. 3:8; 6:6 Israel to be delivered from Egyptian bondage fulfillment, Ex. 12:41 \*\*4)\*\*Num. 14:23, 32-35 Israel to wander in the wilderness for 40 yrs fulfillment, Num 26:63-65; 32:13 **From the exile of Judah to the first coming of Christ** … **5)** Isa. 43:5-7 Jews to return to their land after exile fulfillment, Ezra 1-2; 7-8 \*\*7)\*\*Ezekial has 821 verses of predictions: 6:8-10; 12:16 God to preserve a faithful remnant of Israel which has been preserved throughout the ages. \*\*8)\*\*Ezek. 22:15 Israel to be scattered among the nations- descriptive of the exile of Diaspora \*\*9)\*\*Ezek. 26:1-28:19 Tyre to be destroyed fulfillment, 332 B.C. by Alexander the Great I think Daniel is 45% prophecy. Sir Isaac Newton did a lot of bible study. If you do a search under him, I’m sure you could learn a lot. \*\*10)\*\*Daniel 4:10-27 Nebuchadnezzar to suffer an animal like madness, fulfillment, Dan. 4:28-33 \*\*11)\*\*Dan 7:4,17 A beast like a lion fulfillment, Babylonian Empire \*\*12)\*\*Dan. 11:3 A might king to arise fulfillment, Alexander the Great **At the first coming of Christ** **13)** Gen. 3:15 The Messiah to be a man from the seed of a woman, fulfillment, Luke 1:31-33 \*\*14)\*\*Deut. 18:15, 18-19 A prophet like moses to arise fulfillment, John 3:34; Acts 3:20-23 \*\*15)\*\*Ps. 109:3 The Messiah to be hated without a cause fulfillment, John 15:24-25 If I had it in me, I could go on and on. So much was left out. If anyone wants to add anything, that would be great. You also have the things yet to come. I will list a few. 1. The Church is raptured to the Father’s house before Christ comes to set up His kingdom ( John 14:1-3; 1 Cor. 15:51-58; 1 Thess 4:13-18 2. Gog and Magog will be destoyed on the mountains of Israel (Ezekial 38-39) 3. Antichrist sets up a one world government (Rev. 6:2; 13:1-8) 4. Antichrist establishes a seven yr covenant of peace with Israel (Isa. 28:15; Dan 9:24-27) 5. A global apostate church established (Rev 17:1-15) > [@](#): > > Let’s do something simple such as comparing numbers in different pericopes telling the same story. Do you believe numbers are absolute? Start with Ezra 2:1-70 and compare it to Nehemiah 7:6-73. You’ll find over 50 different discrepancies in numbers and names, but yet both start out the same. After reading and studying these texts, explain why this is still considered accurate. [see if this clarifies anything for you](http://www.carm.org/diff/Ezra2.htm) Everytime I try to explain an alleged contradiction or error, it goes no where. Issaac Newton was a heck of a lot smarter than any one in the world that I know of, and he “believed that the Bible is literally true in every respect. Throughout his life, he continually tested Biblical truth against the physical truths of experimental and theoretical science. **He never observed a contradiction**. In fact, he viewed his own scientific work as a method by which to reinforce belief in Biblical truth.” [a little on Newton](http://www.reformation.org/newton.html) You should, if you are really interested, pick up the ‘Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties’ by Gleason L. Archer. ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2002, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-separates-the-bible-from-other-works/133874/15 "2002-10-27T10:30:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JerseyDiamond \* > The bible is not a science book but it is still scientifically accurate. > > There is no scientific evidence that contradicts the bible. I forget– **JerseyDiamond** , are you a young Earth creationist, an old Earth creationist, a theistic evolutionist, or what? Do you think that both the Bible and science agree in saying that human beings evolved from non-human ape-like primates over the course of millions of years (whether or not this process was guided or directed by God)? ---
**Author:** ![Doc\_Nickel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5fc32e/32.png) [@Doc\_Nickel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doc_Nickel)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2002, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-separates-the-bible-from-other-works/133874/16 "2002-10-27T10:50:58Z")
Um, Mr. Diamond, sir? Weren’t most of those “prophecies” written _after_ the fact? I’ll fully admit an incomplete knowledge of the Bible (I prefer King and Clancy for my fiction) but weren’t the first books, the Gospels, written something like forty years after the death of Jesus? And the rest decades, or hundreds of years later? If that’s the case, aren’t those “prophecies”- concerning events that occurred prior to their writing- simply documenting past happenings and not necessarily “predicting” them? (As one assumes from the use of the term “prophecy”.) I mean, few would lend much credence if someone published, say, last weeks’ lotto numbers, the results of the 2000 election or the outcome of the last Superbowl. ---
**Author:** ![JerseyDiamond](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8491ac/32.png) [@JerseyDiamond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JerseyDiamond)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2002, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-separates-the-bible-from-other-works/133874/17 "2002-10-27T20:50:19Z")
No, **Doc Nickels** , this is not last weeks lotto numbers. This stuff is all next years lotto numbers. It was not written hundreds of years later. Try reading ACTS, an account of the apostles. The amazing thing is that these things were written after He Died over a few decades. A few of the guys from the NT actually walked around with Jesus. After He died, those guys went off there seperate ways. John was in exile, Paul was roaming the countryside, Peter was in Rome, these people all wrote the same story from different perspectives, but it was all the same story. They were not sitting around a table say" hey, you write this and I’ll write that". **Doc Nickels** , can you tell me what you think about the prophesies of Daniel. [here](http://www.blueletterbible.org/tmp_dir/c/1035751206-906.html) **Mebuckner** , I believe that it is entirley possible that the earth is 6,000 years old or even millions of years old. I don’t know if our idea of time is the same as Gods idea of time. > [@](#): > > Do you think that both the Bible and science agree in saying that human beings evolved from non-human ape-like primates over the course of millions of years ? I didn’t know that science proved this to be true. As far as I know, it isn’t. We only compare science facts with the bible, not made up things. Can you back up your proofs of macroevolution with genuine examples from respected science journals, encyclopedias, or science textbooks? Actually **Mebuckner** , I am really not interested in getting into a science debate with you, but if you want to ask questions about what the bible says compared to science, make sure they are scientific facts. Well, gotta go. JD ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2002, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-separates-the-bible-from-other-works/133874/18 "2002-10-27T21:07:23Z")
Well, really, **JerseyDiamond** , yeah, human evolution from non-human primates is about as solid as scientific facts get. It’s been “proven true” to the extent anything is _ever_ “proven true” in science. If you really want to know about the subject–which, frankly, I gather you don’t–then the [Talk.Origins Archive](http://www.talkorigins.org/) is ready and waiting. It would hardly be fair of me to make some silly statement along the lines of “The entire Bible provides unwavering support for the ideas of ‘free love’ and ‘open marriages’” and then follow it up by saying “But I don’t want to get into a Biblical debate with you”, now would it? If you don’t want to get into “science debates”, don’t make statements about science. (You are also wrong about the Bible being harmonious and without internal contradiction, but I suppose there is little point in arguing with you about _that_ either.) ---
**Author:** ![Freyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freyr/32/5763_2.png) [@Freyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freyr)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2002, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-separates-the-bible-from-other-works/133874/19 "2002-10-27T21:37:58Z")
\*\*JerseyDiamond wrote: It was not written hundreds of years later. Try reading ACTS, an account of the apostles. The amazing thing is that these things were written after He Died over a few decades. A few of the guys from the NT actually walked around with Jesus. After He died, those guys went off there seperate ways. John was in exile, Paul was roaming the countryside, Peter was in Rome, these people all wrote the same story from different perspectives, but it was all the same story. They were not sitting around a table say" hey, you write this and I’ll write that". \*\* I have to disagree. Dr. Elaine Pagels, in her book, _The Origin of Satan_ says: > [@](#): > > Many scholars assumed that Mark was the most historically reliable because it was the simplest in style and was written closer to the time of Jesus the the others were. But historical accuracy may not have been the the gospel writers’ first consideration. Further analysis demostrated how passages from the prophetic writings and the psalms of the Hebrew Bible were woven into the gospel narratives. Baranbas Lindars and other suggested that Christian writers often expanded biblical passages into whole episodes that “proved” to the satisfaction of many believers, that events predicted by the prophets found their fulfillment in Jesus’ coming. Elaine Pagels, _The History of Satan_, 1995 pg. xx She goes and references this work for clarification: Barnabas Lindars, _New Testament Apolegetic: The Doctrinal Significance of the Old Testament Quotations_, 1973. ---
**Author:** ![Freyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freyr/32/5763_2.png) [@Freyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freyr)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2002, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-separates-the-bible-from-other-works/133874/20 "2002-10-27T21:42:55Z")
Dammit, dammit, dammit. Elaine Pagel’s book is: **The Origin of Satan** , 1995. Sorry about the misquote on the title there. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-separates-the-bible-from-other-works/133874.md?page=2)