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All That's Wrong With the Bible: Contradictions, Absurdities, and More
Can we prove that the Bible makes false claims?
Do the gospels all agree on details in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus?
Does the Bible ever exaggerate historical facts?
Do its moral teachings justify it being called "The Good Book?"
Written by an ex-fundamentalist and Bible student, this book goes straight to the evidence and presents a concise case-by-case analysis of the most salient irrationalities in the Christian Scriptures.
With insightful commentary concerning frequent rebuttals used by apologists, it makes a solid case against evangelical claims to inerrancy. A valuable resource for believers and skeptics alike.
Also included are examples of bogus prophecies and scribal manipulations of the New Testament.
Do the gospels all agree on details in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus?
Does the Bible ever exaggerate historical facts?
Do its moral teachings justify it being called "The Good Book?"
Written by an ex-fundamentalist and Bible student, this book goes straight to the evidence and presents a concise case-by-case analysis of the most salient irrationalities in the Christian Scriptures.
With insightful commentary concerning frequent rebuttals used by apologists, it makes a solid case against evangelical claims to inerrancy. A valuable resource for believers and skeptics alike.
Also included are examples of bogus prophecies and scribal manipulations of the New Testament.
141 pages, Paperback
Published March 12, 2017
1006 people are currently reading
450 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
October 25, 2020
The book leads of with some quotes, including this first one: “’The best cure for Christianity is reading the Bible.’ –Mark Twain”
After an introduction and a section about the authors qualifications the book gets started with the contradictions among them names, dates, events, and Jesus’ portrayal in the gospels. Next he covers the absurdities among them moral, theological, and factual. The last part covers some additional issues among them prophecies, multiple passages, scribal additions, and all the textual variants out there. It is pointed out that we have no original texts of both the New Testament and the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament).
Here are some comments I made on specific pieces of the text. Numbers in brackets [] are Kindle page locations.
[41] The passage explaining Judas’ possession by Satan is incorrect. The last supper in John takes place before Passover, but that in itself is a contradiction because the other gospels have it taking place on Passover.
[42] “Since most scholars agree Paul did in fact write Galatians . . .” There are convincing scholarly arguments that say Paul didn’t write any of the Pauline Epistles. See Robert M. Price’s The Amazing Colossal Apostle.
[48] “Not only is this a bad example on Jesus’ part, it is ridiculous to think he would do something that he previously said would put us in danger of going to hell.” This is in reference to a “don’t” command by Jesus, which he later goes on to do. But, supposedly hell had no power over him, so what would it matter to him.
[105] From John 7:53-8:11, “let him who is without sin cast the first stone.’” Like anybody should be throwing stones at her. There would certainly have been some self-righteous male (yes male) who would think they had no sin and start tossing stones. Since this is a command about the first stone the rest could follow without fear of punishment.
I would say the book is good, but somewhat boring as most of the text is pretty much listing the problems, citation after citation.
If you are interested in arguments of what’s wrong with the Bible it is a decent enough read. Hey, you believers out there, give it a try.
After an introduction and a section about the authors qualifications the book gets started with the contradictions among them names, dates, events, and Jesus’ portrayal in the gospels. Next he covers the absurdities among them moral, theological, and factual. The last part covers some additional issues among them prophecies, multiple passages, scribal additions, and all the textual variants out there. It is pointed out that we have no original texts of both the New Testament and the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament).
Here are some comments I made on specific pieces of the text. Numbers in brackets [] are Kindle page locations.
[41] The passage explaining Judas’ possession by Satan is incorrect. The last supper in John takes place before Passover, but that in itself is a contradiction because the other gospels have it taking place on Passover.
[42] “Since most scholars agree Paul did in fact write Galatians . . .” There are convincing scholarly arguments that say Paul didn’t write any of the Pauline Epistles. See Robert M. Price’s The Amazing Colossal Apostle.
[48] “Not only is this a bad example on Jesus’ part, it is ridiculous to think he would do something that he previously said would put us in danger of going to hell.” This is in reference to a “don’t” command by Jesus, which he later goes on to do. But, supposedly hell had no power over him, so what would it matter to him.
[105] From John 7:53-8:11, “let him who is without sin cast the first stone.’” Like anybody should be throwing stones at her. There would certainly have been some self-righteous male (yes male) who would think they had no sin and start tossing stones. Since this is a command about the first stone the rest could follow without fear of punishment.
I would say the book is good, but somewhat boring as most of the text is pretty much listing the problems, citation after citation.
If you are interested in arguments of what’s wrong with the Bible it is a decent enough read. Hey, you believers out there, give it a try.
March 13, 2019
Excellent and succinct book that blows out of the water the false Christian, evangelical, or fundamentalist notion that the Bible is the word of a god rather than the often vile, vulgar, vicious, mistaken, and frequently contradictory writings of an anonymous set of ancient writers and medieval, etc. copyists.
February 13, 2024
This is a book that will divide people without a doubt. I for one found it interesting but would have to do some more research on my own before deciding on its full ranking. Like many of the people I know, I 'know' the bible, but I have never really read it. In that regard, it is sort of like Robin Hood. A story that almost everyone knows but almost no one has read.
All in all the book seems intent on the supposition that the Bible was written by Men, not a Divine source. Which in my view seems to be something that doesn't need to be put into a book independent of the source, but I may be a little outside the loop in that regard. No matter, this is not a book for everyone and I have no suggestions on if it should be read or not. I believe that it would be an individual choice in that regard.
All in all the book seems intent on the supposition that the Bible was written by Men, not a Divine source. Which in my view seems to be something that doesn't need to be put into a book independent of the source, but I may be a little outside the loop in that regard. No matter, this is not a book for everyone and I have no suggestions on if it should be read or not. I believe that it would be an individual choice in that regard.
January 3, 2022
I seem to be reading lots of books about contradictions and worse in the Bible, and here's another.
This is well-researched and very detailed collection of contradictions and inconsistencies in the Bible, compiled by (like me) an ex-evangelical Christian, who (like me) started to question the authenticity and accuracy of the book he'd based his faith upon. And like me, he concluded that the Bible was so full of contradictions and inconsistencies that it couldn't possibly be the unerring word of a divine and loving God. But, unlike me, he's been far more rigorous in his approach, and has presented a far more detailed and watertight case.
So here is chapter and verse for contradiction after contradiction, that ultimately led the author to conclude (like me) that the Bible as we have it today could only be the work of many different men, who wrote, edited and copied it in many different times and places, and hence cannot be regarded as the divinely inspired word of God.
If you are a believer, then I doubt that this book will change your mind in the slightest. I guess you'll still be happy to accept the the usual far-fetched and illogical arguments to explain away the apparent inconsistencies, in the name of faith. That's fine with me.
But if you are in the situation I was in about 20 years ago, wondering whether to break from all you once believed to be true, losing friendships and your community in the process, and possibly be heading for eternal damnation, should you just happen to be wrong after all, then this book may just provide the evidence you need to confirm your suspicions.
This is well-researched and very detailed collection of contradictions and inconsistencies in the Bible, compiled by (like me) an ex-evangelical Christian, who (like me) started to question the authenticity and accuracy of the book he'd based his faith upon. And like me, he concluded that the Bible was so full of contradictions and inconsistencies that it couldn't possibly be the unerring word of a divine and loving God. But, unlike me, he's been far more rigorous in his approach, and has presented a far more detailed and watertight case.
So here is chapter and verse for contradiction after contradiction, that ultimately led the author to conclude (like me) that the Bible as we have it today could only be the work of many different men, who wrote, edited and copied it in many different times and places, and hence cannot be regarded as the divinely inspired word of God.
If you are a believer, then I doubt that this book will change your mind in the slightest. I guess you'll still be happy to accept the the usual far-fetched and illogical arguments to explain away the apparent inconsistencies, in the name of faith. That's fine with me.
But if you are in the situation I was in about 20 years ago, wondering whether to break from all you once believed to be true, losing friendships and your community in the process, and possibly be heading for eternal damnation, should you just happen to be wrong after all, then this book may just provide the evidence you need to confirm your suspicions.
August 22, 2020
A decent follow up/companion read to Richard Dawkins' the god delusion.
Jonah expertly takes you through the discrepancies, contradictions, and errors of the Bible, and proves unequivocally that it was not, and could not be Divinely inspired but rather written by the hands of "mostly men".
Jonah expertly takes you through the discrepancies, contradictions, and errors of the Bible, and proves unequivocally that it was not, and could not be Divinely inspired but rather written by the hands of "mostly men".
August 11, 2023
Brief but still factually dense analysis of bible flaws and "plot holes". U'll have to take it slow and actually cram the material to learn and remember the things Conner points out, but overall nice and potentialy eye-opening read.
December 8, 2022
Interestingly, the author went through the YWAM base that I currently staff with. I’d be curious what year he did his schools. Anyhow, I too was brought (while kicking and screaming) to the place of finding the doctrine of inerrancy impossible to affirm, and yet I didn’t become an atheist and remained working with a Christian missionary organization.
Jonah Conner demonstrates to me the problem with how evangelicals presented us with the dilemma that either the Bible is inerrant and Christianity is true, or it’s not and Christianity is false. Christians who buy into this dilemma initially have psychological defense mechanisms that can provide armor for a time, allowing them to persist in believing as obviously true what is in fact objectively false, but eventually (for many of us) a chink in the armor appears and a single doubt wiggles its way in and the house of cards topples, confidence withers and the glorious certainties evaporate. But is it really either/or? Perhaps the author bought into a false dilemma? Perhaps one could still affirm much of what he points out that is "wrong with the Bible" and yet not abandon the faith altogether.
I get it, it really does seem a God worth believing in would have taken a more active role in what Christians believe is a major source of revelation. It sucks that we don’t have that and it does seem strong evidence against the truth of Christianity. And yet, I’d agree with C.S Lewis who suggested that rather than deciding beforehand what God did (inspiring an inerrant text) and forcing a square peg and a triangular hole (what most evangelicals have done and what Jonah did until he was disillusioned with the mental gymnastics and rationalization), instead, we should see what the bible actually is and make our peace with this. Lewis acknowledged the fact that it includes errors, false prophesies, contradictions, and moral absurdities and yet still he believed God’s life flowed through this leaky vessel. Peter Enns also would recognize the humanness that permeates the text, suggesting how the biblical authors invite us to also enter into this process of trying to make sense of God and determine what is wise in light of our present context. Scripture being written over such an extended period shows us their struggle and evolution and history shows it continues to this day.
There is the possibility that God somehow and in some way acted in history (before the text was written), and that God indeed inspires individuals. Still, it’s clear that humans interpreted God’s actions and nudgings in light of their cultural context and when they put pen to paper error and folly mixed into whatever hint of truth they gleaned. But even pure water through rusty pipes can bring life--the human part doesn't necessarily negate the divine aspects.
If there is indeed a God, it would seem his preference (whether by choice or necessity) is the backseat—designating authority to humanity and possibly to spiritual agents and not intervening when they screw it all up. God can be understood as the ground of being, the good and the beautiful who wants nature and humanity to be free. How he works in our lives and throughout history isn’t different than how works throughout scripture—the bible isn’t the great exception to the rule.
If we embrace the Christian narrative, this God became man to entire into solidarity with people, to show us how not to be crushed by suffering, but to move through it; experiencing resurrection. Christians hope that God will at last step in, set the world to right, restore all things and reconcile all to Himself (delusional? perhaps). That at last, Goodness and Love would be fully known and we’d enter into the fulness of joy. We will then get it, seeing that God's temporary hands-off approach was for the best.
Jonah Conner demonstrates to me the problem with how evangelicals presented us with the dilemma that either the Bible is inerrant and Christianity is true, or it’s not and Christianity is false. Christians who buy into this dilemma initially have psychological defense mechanisms that can provide armor for a time, allowing them to persist in believing as obviously true what is in fact objectively false, but eventually (for many of us) a chink in the armor appears and a single doubt wiggles its way in and the house of cards topples, confidence withers and the glorious certainties evaporate. But is it really either/or? Perhaps the author bought into a false dilemma? Perhaps one could still affirm much of what he points out that is "wrong with the Bible" and yet not abandon the faith altogether.
I get it, it really does seem a God worth believing in would have taken a more active role in what Christians believe is a major source of revelation. It sucks that we don’t have that and it does seem strong evidence against the truth of Christianity. And yet, I’d agree with C.S Lewis who suggested that rather than deciding beforehand what God did (inspiring an inerrant text) and forcing a square peg and a triangular hole (what most evangelicals have done and what Jonah did until he was disillusioned with the mental gymnastics and rationalization), instead, we should see what the bible actually is and make our peace with this. Lewis acknowledged the fact that it includes errors, false prophesies, contradictions, and moral absurdities and yet still he believed God’s life flowed through this leaky vessel. Peter Enns also would recognize the humanness that permeates the text, suggesting how the biblical authors invite us to also enter into this process of trying to make sense of God and determine what is wise in light of our present context. Scripture being written over such an extended period shows us their struggle and evolution and history shows it continues to this day.
There is the possibility that God somehow and in some way acted in history (before the text was written), and that God indeed inspires individuals. Still, it’s clear that humans interpreted God’s actions and nudgings in light of their cultural context and when they put pen to paper error and folly mixed into whatever hint of truth they gleaned. But even pure water through rusty pipes can bring life--the human part doesn't necessarily negate the divine aspects.
If there is indeed a God, it would seem his preference (whether by choice or necessity) is the backseat—designating authority to humanity and possibly to spiritual agents and not intervening when they screw it all up. God can be understood as the ground of being, the good and the beautiful who wants nature and humanity to be free. How he works in our lives and throughout history isn’t different than how works throughout scripture—the bible isn’t the great exception to the rule.
If we embrace the Christian narrative, this God became man to entire into solidarity with people, to show us how not to be crushed by suffering, but to move through it; experiencing resurrection. Christians hope that God will at last step in, set the world to right, restore all things and reconcile all to Himself (delusional? perhaps). That at last, Goodness and Love would be fully known and we’d enter into the fulness of joy. We will then get it, seeing that God's temporary hands-off approach was for the best.
January 13, 2021
Full disclosure, I am a follower of Jesus and a student of the Bible. I respect Jonah Conner’s sincerity with biblical memorization, but that’s about where it ends with regard to biblical prowess. It seems as though Mr. Conner “Googled” most of these verses and printed them off in a book. Let’s begin, all that’s wrong with “all that’s wrong with the Bible.”
1. Jonah starts the book by humbly admitting there may be mistakes. Let’s look at a couple. Page 21 #6 1st Corinthians 10:9 is the wrong Bible verse. Surely you meant 10:8. However under your reasoning I should discredit anything else written? I suppose since Mr. Conner is not a deity prescribing his word to the masses it should be over looked. Page 32 lists two columns claiming one is the original Ten Commandments and the second is the follow up commandments after the tablets were broken. Seriously? Context of the chapter read in its entirety easily dismissed this claim.... but we were talking specific errors, let me get back to that. Page 34 #9 surely Joshua 7 and not 8 is supposed to reference Achan’s family. But I suppose since you didn’t claim inerrancy, it’s ok to have typos.
2. Speaking of inerrancy.... Mr. Conner, let me state emphatically, the Bible doesn’t claim inerrancy! You put that title on it! Not God. It should be perfectly clear looking at biblical heroes that there is no way nor claim that the Bible is word for word perfect such as the Koran claims. If there are copy errors, it is expected with the vast number of manuscripts. You fail to mention that there are so many manuscripts we can cross compare to get an accurate evaluation of what’s added and what is original. Further, you gloss over the fact that with regard to the Dead Sea scrolls (dating back to hundreds B.C.) are almost word for word the same minus a few typographical variations. The context remains the same... and speaking of context....
3. Context is so important when understanding old testament books. It’s also important to remember that we are no longer under the law. The 613 requirements Moses wrote of which were compartmentalized in the 10 commandments that Jesus later reduced to two (you shall honor God and love your neighbor as yourself) are void if we don’t have faith. This was Jesus whole point in talking to the Pharisees, following the rules is null and void without faith. There are too many things that you take way out of context, I’ll highlight a few for readers of this review. Pg 34 #9 this passage easily reads that they “burned” the idols and stoned Achen! Read it carefully. Page 39 #25 the reason verse 21 isn’t included isn’t because Christians are trying to hide something, it’s because it wasn’t in the oldest manuscripts! Come on man, at least be honest if you’re going to write a book about all that’s wrong with the Bible. Page 42 #35 the witnesses did not understand, not “not hear a voice.” Page 51 #12 you left out a key word when Jesus talks about testifying about himself.... it says the testimony of one alone isn’t valid, not Jesus testifying about himself. Who testified about Jesus the most? The Disciples and his own brother. Now if you know my brother and I claimed to be God, just ask them, it’d be really easy to find out I’m full of it. There are so many problems with losing context in your book.
4. Morality... I’ll sum this up by saying you talk about God being amoral or rather immoral. However as Ravi Zacharias says...”God is required in the paradigm of morality.” You know something is Good because evil exists. You measure this against the intrinsic worth of human life because you are made in the image of God. Can an atheist “BE” moral? Sure! Is there a reason to? Nope! All is permissible if there is no God. The argument against morality isn’t that one can be moral, but that one has no reason to be. I’ve never seen a wolf talk about how bad it felt after killing baby bunnies. When we talk about the problem of pain the question is always raised about a person or by a person. This is because we have God’s fingerprint on our soul and we can tell the worth of other human beings. Speaking of worth, you can tell how much something is worth by the price someone is willing to pay for it... Jesus died for you and me, no higher price can be paid.
There is so much more I could say about the lack of serious scholarship I expected from this book. To those interested in digging in to the Bible and evaluating some of the claims Conner makes here I would suggest reading “Is God a Moral Monster,” by Paul Copan. I would also suggest reading C.S.Lewis “Screw Tape Letters” and “The Problem of Pain.” CS Lewis was an atheist but came to know Jesus. His words are much more sincere when asking tough questions.
It appears Jonah like many was the victim of being forced to read the Bible without ever understanding that Jesus requires faith in him, not following arbitrary “rules” so to speak. The latter is not possible without the former. Dig in to the Bible ask questions! The Bible says 1st Peter 3:15 always have a defense for the hope within you and again 1st Thessalonians 5:21 “test everything!”
Be patient with the scriptures, never afraid to ask questions as a heathy skepticism and not a critic. Lastly, ask for God’s wisdom and understanding difficult passages. The Bible says in James, God gives wisdom freely.
1. Jonah starts the book by humbly admitting there may be mistakes. Let’s look at a couple. Page 21 #6 1st Corinthians 10:9 is the wrong Bible verse. Surely you meant 10:8. However under your reasoning I should discredit anything else written? I suppose since Mr. Conner is not a deity prescribing his word to the masses it should be over looked. Page 32 lists two columns claiming one is the original Ten Commandments and the second is the follow up commandments after the tablets were broken. Seriously? Context of the chapter read in its entirety easily dismissed this claim.... but we were talking specific errors, let me get back to that. Page 34 #9 surely Joshua 7 and not 8 is supposed to reference Achan’s family. But I suppose since you didn’t claim inerrancy, it’s ok to have typos.
2. Speaking of inerrancy.... Mr. Conner, let me state emphatically, the Bible doesn’t claim inerrancy! You put that title on it! Not God. It should be perfectly clear looking at biblical heroes that there is no way nor claim that the Bible is word for word perfect such as the Koran claims. If there are copy errors, it is expected with the vast number of manuscripts. You fail to mention that there are so many manuscripts we can cross compare to get an accurate evaluation of what’s added and what is original. Further, you gloss over the fact that with regard to the Dead Sea scrolls (dating back to hundreds B.C.) are almost word for word the same minus a few typographical variations. The context remains the same... and speaking of context....
3. Context is so important when understanding old testament books. It’s also important to remember that we are no longer under the law. The 613 requirements Moses wrote of which were compartmentalized in the 10 commandments that Jesus later reduced to two (you shall honor God and love your neighbor as yourself) are void if we don’t have faith. This was Jesus whole point in talking to the Pharisees, following the rules is null and void without faith. There are too many things that you take way out of context, I’ll highlight a few for readers of this review. Pg 34 #9 this passage easily reads that they “burned” the idols and stoned Achen! Read it carefully. Page 39 #25 the reason verse 21 isn’t included isn’t because Christians are trying to hide something, it’s because it wasn’t in the oldest manuscripts! Come on man, at least be honest if you’re going to write a book about all that’s wrong with the Bible. Page 42 #35 the witnesses did not understand, not “not hear a voice.” Page 51 #12 you left out a key word when Jesus talks about testifying about himself.... it says the testimony of one alone isn’t valid, not Jesus testifying about himself. Who testified about Jesus the most? The Disciples and his own brother. Now if you know my brother and I claimed to be God, just ask them, it’d be really easy to find out I’m full of it. There are so many problems with losing context in your book.
4. Morality... I’ll sum this up by saying you talk about God being amoral or rather immoral. However as Ravi Zacharias says...”God is required in the paradigm of morality.” You know something is Good because evil exists. You measure this against the intrinsic worth of human life because you are made in the image of God. Can an atheist “BE” moral? Sure! Is there a reason to? Nope! All is permissible if there is no God. The argument against morality isn’t that one can be moral, but that one has no reason to be. I’ve never seen a wolf talk about how bad it felt after killing baby bunnies. When we talk about the problem of pain the question is always raised about a person or by a person. This is because we have God’s fingerprint on our soul and we can tell the worth of other human beings. Speaking of worth, you can tell how much something is worth by the price someone is willing to pay for it... Jesus died for you and me, no higher price can be paid.
There is so much more I could say about the lack of serious scholarship I expected from this book. To those interested in digging in to the Bible and evaluating some of the claims Conner makes here I would suggest reading “Is God a Moral Monster,” by Paul Copan. I would also suggest reading C.S.Lewis “Screw Tape Letters” and “The Problem of Pain.” CS Lewis was an atheist but came to know Jesus. His words are much more sincere when asking tough questions.
It appears Jonah like many was the victim of being forced to read the Bible without ever understanding that Jesus requires faith in him, not following arbitrary “rules” so to speak. The latter is not possible without the former. Dig in to the Bible ask questions! The Bible says 1st Peter 3:15 always have a defense for the hope within you and again 1st Thessalonians 5:21 “test everything!”
Be patient with the scriptures, never afraid to ask questions as a heathy skepticism and not a critic. Lastly, ask for God’s wisdom and understanding difficult passages. The Bible says in James, God gives wisdom freely.
December 4, 2023
"All That's Wrong With the Bible" by Jonah David Conner is a thoughtful exploration of the Bible's contradictions, absurdities, and other textual problems. Drawing from his background in Biblical studies and his experience as an ex-Christian fundamentalist, Conner offers a compelling case against the notion of biblical inerrancy.
The book meticulously points out instances where different parts of the Bible disagree. Names, numbers, genealogies, even the wording of the Ten Commandments, come under scrutiny. Conner's detailed analysis raises questions about the consistency and accuracy of the Bible.
Not shying away from the morally problematic aspects of the Bible, Conner sheds light on passages that condone polygamy, slavery, genocide, and the killing of innocent children (including the unborn, potentially a moral quandary for modern believers). Instances where the Bible justifies the killing of gay people and the live burning of prostitutes receive particular attention.
Conner scrutinizes prophecies in the Bible that appear vague, non-specific, and even back-dated. Comparisons of language used across different translations demonstrate the questionable nature of these prophecies.
Problems of translation and scribal errors receive due attention as well. The author acknowledges the multiple translations the Bible has undergone, which may have led to mistakes and intentional changes by scribes. Comparisons between original documents and later translations shine a light on such alterations. (This exploration of translations invokes a pertinent argument often made by certain theologians; some claim that skeptics cannot critique the Bible unless they have read its books in their original languages. A possible response from a skeptic could be: how can one believe in the translations if they are not sufficient to be criticized?)
Despite its provocative title and the potential for controversy, Conner invites readers to be open-minded, to further explore the subject matter, and to challenge his arguments. His expertise and commitment to critical analysis provide a valuable resource for those interested in understanding the complexities of the Bible, believers and unbelievers alike. Those of faith may find this book a catalyst for deeper intellectual engagement with their beliefs.
Overall, "All That's Wrong With the Bible" seems to be a well-researched and scholarly analysis of the Bible's flaws. It serves as a necessary contribution to Biblical studies, encouraging readers to question, examine, and understand the text more deeply.
The book meticulously points out instances where different parts of the Bible disagree. Names, numbers, genealogies, even the wording of the Ten Commandments, come under scrutiny. Conner's detailed analysis raises questions about the consistency and accuracy of the Bible.
Not shying away from the morally problematic aspects of the Bible, Conner sheds light on passages that condone polygamy, slavery, genocide, and the killing of innocent children (including the unborn, potentially a moral quandary for modern believers). Instances where the Bible justifies the killing of gay people and the live burning of prostitutes receive particular attention.
Conner scrutinizes prophecies in the Bible that appear vague, non-specific, and even back-dated. Comparisons of language used across different translations demonstrate the questionable nature of these prophecies.
Problems of translation and scribal errors receive due attention as well. The author acknowledges the multiple translations the Bible has undergone, which may have led to mistakes and intentional changes by scribes. Comparisons between original documents and later translations shine a light on such alterations. (This exploration of translations invokes a pertinent argument often made by certain theologians; some claim that skeptics cannot critique the Bible unless they have read its books in their original languages. A possible response from a skeptic could be: how can one believe in the translations if they are not sufficient to be criticized?)
Despite its provocative title and the potential for controversy, Conner invites readers to be open-minded, to further explore the subject matter, and to challenge his arguments. His expertise and commitment to critical analysis provide a valuable resource for those interested in understanding the complexities of the Bible, believers and unbelievers alike. Those of faith may find this book a catalyst for deeper intellectual engagement with their beliefs.
Overall, "All That's Wrong With the Bible" seems to be a well-researched and scholarly analysis of the Bible's flaws. It serves as a necessary contribution to Biblical studies, encouraging readers to question, examine, and understand the text more deeply.
January 17, 2018
Logic and Reason
A phenomenally detailed exegesis of the bible. The author cited specific and contradictory verses and shows that no one can justify or explain a clear contradiction. He further explains the actual definition of a contradiction and cited examples of a man cannot be tall and handsome and also short and ugly. Building upon this he cited passages which are clearly contradictory and also the believers feeble attempts to explain them. Many believers are unaware of the multitude of scripts that make up their book and the multiple edits and outright lies placed within them.
A phenomenally detailed exegesis of the bible. The author cited specific and contradictory verses and shows that no one can justify or explain a clear contradiction. He further explains the actual definition of a contradiction and cited examples of a man cannot be tall and handsome and also short and ugly. Building upon this he cited passages which are clearly contradictory and also the believers feeble attempts to explain them. Many believers are unaware of the multitude of scripts that make up their book and the multiple edits and outright lies placed within them.
May 13, 2019
Some of the most trenchant analyses of Biblical teachings are written by insiders---authors who were raised and "educated" in the mainstream Christian tradition and later decide to apply critical thinking to what they were taught. This is one of those books. The author utilizes his vast knowledge to almost gleefully compile a long list of Biblical nonsense. Since biblical teachings are such an easy target, there certainly other books covering roughly the some ground. However, this book will maintain a spot on my electronic bookshelf, to be digitally dusted off whenever I need examples of the incoherent pastiche that is the Christian Bible.
June 19, 2020
This is an excellent little book on problems with the Bible. It is the Bible, of course, which serves as the basis for believing the claims of Christianity. Any reasonable person reading this book would have to conclude that there are serious problems with the claims of Christianity.
At the end of the book is an annotated bibliography for further reading. It is concise and contains information about several books and websites.
At the end of the book is an annotated bibliography for further reading. It is concise and contains information about several books and websites.
Read
December 3, 2019A good book to read. It should open the minds of believers. Unfortunately it is nearly impossible to open a closed mind that has been possessed by fairy tales from infancy. Hopefully this book will help crack open some of those minds that have not yet been poisoned with the faith virus.
October 23, 2020
A little dry, but informative nonetheless, and at times, humorous.
October 28, 2025
In order for a book to be viewed as academic, it must be thorough. In terms of organization, and in terms of the number of arguments made, this book was incredibly thorough.
As a born again Christian, and as someone who clearly has a bias, I am aware that my reflections on this book could be viewed as invalid. Still, I left this book with one positive reflection, and many extremely negative reflections.
On the positive, I think this book can be something that a devout believer can use to at least be aware of some of the arguments that are made by either liberal scholars or unbelieving academics. It’s very organized, and you can follow the lists quite well.
On the negative, first the number of sources he used for the defense of scripture was laughably small. I don’t think that it is fair to just use one commentary from Moody as your primary source.
Second, it is clear that he is a disciple of Bart Ehrman. Bart is probably the fifth most influential agnostic in the world. Yet both authors fell into the same easy trap in writing books about scripture. They made blanket arguments without presenting the other side at all.
Third, reading it was like a title wave of arguments against the Bible. In truth, as I was listening to the arguments, I couldn’t give a direct answer immediately to all. However, a high percentage of them, any educated reader should be able to immediately say that this author is taking his arguments wildly out of context.
Fourth, the author makes incredibly sound arguments, if you discount that the Bible was written to people with a different worldview, a different way of communicating, different grammar, and a different perspective overall. He is reading scripture only from the logic of someone 3000 years removed from the original audience. You cannot honestly read scripture without attempting to examine a passage in terms of reading it from your perspective and from the author’s perspective.
Finally, it is so disingenuous to write a book like this, and not present actual intelligent arguments for the other side. For example, the final third of the book dealt with issues about textual criticism. No academic study has done more to prove the legitimacy of the Bible than textual criticism. He skewed it in such a way as to imply we don’t even really know what the text originally said. There is no book in history that has been evaluated by scholars critiquing early texts greater than the Bible we have today. To imply otherwise is to greatly skew an entire field of academic study.
I read this book because I teach for Liberty, and I work with Word of Life. These are two institutions that he highlighted as part of his past. Of course, all man-made institutions are flawed. I can give a list of their flaws. However, they are also filled with extremely sincere followers of Christ, and multiple individuals who could easily refute most of these arguments offhand without even having to study the passages in question.
As a born again Christian, and as someone who clearly has a bias, I am aware that my reflections on this book could be viewed as invalid. Still, I left this book with one positive reflection, and many extremely negative reflections.
On the positive, I think this book can be something that a devout believer can use to at least be aware of some of the arguments that are made by either liberal scholars or unbelieving academics. It’s very organized, and you can follow the lists quite well.
On the negative, first the number of sources he used for the defense of scripture was laughably small. I don’t think that it is fair to just use one commentary from Moody as your primary source.
Second, it is clear that he is a disciple of Bart Ehrman. Bart is probably the fifth most influential agnostic in the world. Yet both authors fell into the same easy trap in writing books about scripture. They made blanket arguments without presenting the other side at all.
Third, reading it was like a title wave of arguments against the Bible. In truth, as I was listening to the arguments, I couldn’t give a direct answer immediately to all. However, a high percentage of them, any educated reader should be able to immediately say that this author is taking his arguments wildly out of context.
Fourth, the author makes incredibly sound arguments, if you discount that the Bible was written to people with a different worldview, a different way of communicating, different grammar, and a different perspective overall. He is reading scripture only from the logic of someone 3000 years removed from the original audience. You cannot honestly read scripture without attempting to examine a passage in terms of reading it from your perspective and from the author’s perspective.
Finally, it is so disingenuous to write a book like this, and not present actual intelligent arguments for the other side. For example, the final third of the book dealt with issues about textual criticism. No academic study has done more to prove the legitimacy of the Bible than textual criticism. He skewed it in such a way as to imply we don’t even really know what the text originally said. There is no book in history that has been evaluated by scholars critiquing early texts greater than the Bible we have today. To imply otherwise is to greatly skew an entire field of academic study.
I read this book because I teach for Liberty, and I work with Word of Life. These are two institutions that he highlighted as part of his past. Of course, all man-made institutions are flawed. I can give a list of their flaws. However, they are also filled with extremely sincere followers of Christ, and multiple individuals who could easily refute most of these arguments offhand without even having to study the passages in question.
December 18, 2022
The Tragedy is the Need for this Book
It is nothing less than astonishing that well into the second decade of the 21st Century there is still a need to write books about the contradictions, moral depravity, absurdities and other assorted idiocy found in the Bible. The Bible bares the marks of its lowly and barbaric origins. It was written by primitive people living in a violent period of time, but it is still taken to be a serious source of ethics and history by many credulous people. Anyone who can read the Bible and come away thinking of it as the ‘The Good Book’ is intellectually and ethically compromised.
One has to engage in exegetical acrobatics and intellectual sophistry to draw ethical lessons from the retrograde Bible. There are the obvious examples of Bible readers grounding their arguments for ethics on the same scriptures and failing to agree on what those scriptures say. The Bible is a toxic vat of staggering cruelty that continues to destroy lives to this day. It makes believers privilege the abstract fiction of God over the concrete reality and wellbeing of real embodied human beings. To convince themselves, Bible literalists are really selective literalists in that they chose only those passages that affirm their predetermined ideology and conform their fixed beliefs.
The Old Testament can best be thought of as ancient barbaric Jewish mythology and the New Testament as literary fiction, and not very appealing in terms of decent literature or engaging fiction. Biblical practices are no different than voodoo practices. Bible believers are astonishingly ignorant, astoundingly intolerant, staggering bigoted and stunningly credulous
Lest any think that I have been hyperbolic in this review by being obviously churlish, ostensibly pejorative or overtly tendentious, I am actually speaking from experience. I am unfortunately related to such bewilderingly ignorant people who take pride in their ignorance as a sign of their virtue and authenticity. I was once told “there are certain things God does not want me to know”. This means anything that might cast doubt upon their fictional beliefs.
The only place in which I disagree with the author is whether or not to disregard the Bible. The author says no since it is still a basic text of Western Civilization whereas I think it should be considered an embarrassment to Western Civilization and thus be disregarded. The author admits that, with great irony, the biggest reason why he stopped believing in the Bible was found in the contents of the Bible.
It is nothing less than astonishing that well into the second decade of the 21st Century there is still a need to write books about the contradictions, moral depravity, absurdities and other assorted idiocy found in the Bible. The Bible bares the marks of its lowly and barbaric origins. It was written by primitive people living in a violent period of time, but it is still taken to be a serious source of ethics and history by many credulous people. Anyone who can read the Bible and come away thinking of it as the ‘The Good Book’ is intellectually and ethically compromised.
One has to engage in exegetical acrobatics and intellectual sophistry to draw ethical lessons from the retrograde Bible. There are the obvious examples of Bible readers grounding their arguments for ethics on the same scriptures and failing to agree on what those scriptures say. The Bible is a toxic vat of staggering cruelty that continues to destroy lives to this day. It makes believers privilege the abstract fiction of God over the concrete reality and wellbeing of real embodied human beings. To convince themselves, Bible literalists are really selective literalists in that they chose only those passages that affirm their predetermined ideology and conform their fixed beliefs.
The Old Testament can best be thought of as ancient barbaric Jewish mythology and the New Testament as literary fiction, and not very appealing in terms of decent literature or engaging fiction. Biblical practices are no different than voodoo practices. Bible believers are astonishingly ignorant, astoundingly intolerant, staggering bigoted and stunningly credulous
Lest any think that I have been hyperbolic in this review by being obviously churlish, ostensibly pejorative or overtly tendentious, I am actually speaking from experience. I am unfortunately related to such bewilderingly ignorant people who take pride in their ignorance as a sign of their virtue and authenticity. I was once told “there are certain things God does not want me to know”. This means anything that might cast doubt upon their fictional beliefs.
The only place in which I disagree with the author is whether or not to disregard the Bible. The author says no since it is still a basic text of Western Civilization whereas I think it should be considered an embarrassment to Western Civilization and thus be disregarded. The author admits that, with great irony, the biggest reason why he stopped believing in the Bible was found in the contents of the Bible.
November 11, 2024
This is a "listicle" type read, with contradictions listed - "this book / verse says this, this one says something completely different". But a book like this HAS to be written in this form.
Conner is a fallen Christian, who explains that he started questioning everything he was taught when he kept running into these contradictions. Which is fair, of course - except to a lot of believers in the comments who point out his own errors (mainly of verses cited, from what I've read). Conner addresses briefly the scholarly views on the bible - and the not so scholarly. He dismisses the 6000 year old earthers outright, but spends a little time on those that interpret the bible correctly as an oral history set down on paper decades after the New Testament events took place that was - and still is - edited by people. Yet that being the case, so many christians (and a few commenters) pick certain parts to believe as fact, and brush off others as myth or legend. Some guy lives to be 900? Just a story-telling trope from back in the day. Jesus is God and performed 'miracles'?- absolute fact.
I wish those commenters that fall back on "faith" as a reason to not question or a reason to ignore these contradictions would realize how ridiculous that argument is, and I think Conner provides a counter to a lot of that. Major tenets of Christian religion - the Trinity, for example - are contradicted in the god-inspired, man written and edited origin story. Why is that? Why didn't god inspire them to write it and edit it correctly?
Conner is a fallen Christian, who explains that he started questioning everything he was taught when he kept running into these contradictions. Which is fair, of course - except to a lot of believers in the comments who point out his own errors (mainly of verses cited, from what I've read). Conner addresses briefly the scholarly views on the bible - and the not so scholarly. He dismisses the 6000 year old earthers outright, but spends a little time on those that interpret the bible correctly as an oral history set down on paper decades after the New Testament events took place that was - and still is - edited by people. Yet that being the case, so many christians (and a few commenters) pick certain parts to believe as fact, and brush off others as myth or legend. Some guy lives to be 900? Just a story-telling trope from back in the day. Jesus is God and performed 'miracles'?- absolute fact.
I wish those commenters that fall back on "faith" as a reason to not question or a reason to ignore these contradictions would realize how ridiculous that argument is, and I think Conner provides a counter to a lot of that. Major tenets of Christian religion - the Trinity, for example - are contradicted in the god-inspired, man written and edited origin story. Why is that? Why didn't god inspire them to write it and edit it correctly?
March 9, 2021
This was a "good read" in that it quickly and concisely lists all the contradictions and flat-out exaggerations that are within the Bible. Conner spent his formative years studying not only the Bible, but ancient languages in order to fully understand the text. In addition, he references both secular and religious sources as he constructs the errors.
The bottom line is that while Conner's analysis led him to become an atheist, I don't find my faith shaken by this analysis. Yes, the Bible is filled with errors. In the end, it is a horrible book filled with the worst aspects of humanity and it has been used as a bludgeoning weapon for many centuries. It has been at once a weapon for the Jewish people to explain their warmongering and a weapon for Christians to attack the Jewish people. It promotes bigotry, racism, adulatory, rape, murder, abortion, and is just flat out wrong on a scientific basis. Most of what it says can't be proven historically.
The core of my faith is that there was a man in the first-century Common Era who tried to change the path his people were on, and those in power killed him because of it. They then distorted his message to ensure they stayed in power. This analysis provides a compelling argument of how this was done.
The bottom line is that while Conner's analysis led him to become an atheist, I don't find my faith shaken by this analysis. Yes, the Bible is filled with errors. In the end, it is a horrible book filled with the worst aspects of humanity and it has been used as a bludgeoning weapon for many centuries. It has been at once a weapon for the Jewish people to explain their warmongering and a weapon for Christians to attack the Jewish people. It promotes bigotry, racism, adulatory, rape, murder, abortion, and is just flat out wrong on a scientific basis. Most of what it says can't be proven historically.
The core of my faith is that there was a man in the first-century Common Era who tried to change the path his people were on, and those in power killed him because of it. They then distorted his message to ensure they stayed in power. This analysis provides a compelling argument of how this was done.
January 14, 2022
Up front I will say the author did his research and due diligence in documenting the instances in the Bible where contradictions are found. That being said, I was left with little else. What out of all this made someone who was a lifelong, invested Christian do a complete dismissal of the faith? The commentary he left after some of the passages were vague and didn't seem to convince me that the passage could potentially mean something else or have been misinterpreted by the author himself. Another problem is there is very little to no discussion of context in relation to the offending passages.
I will say, however, that the author through his compiling of passages make a compelling case against the Bible as being "holy" or "infallible" and more a man-made construct based on cultural, societal and political motivations and bias. I also think he makes a good case against the God of the Bible being a God that should be held up as a model for holiness and righteousness.
Worth the read on Kindle Unlimited.
I will say, however, that the author through his compiling of passages make a compelling case against the Bible as being "holy" or "infallible" and more a man-made construct based on cultural, societal and political motivations and bias. I also think he makes a good case against the God of the Bible being a God that should be held up as a model for holiness and righteousness.
Worth the read on Kindle Unlimited.
May 22, 2021
The author certainly has the life experience (the epitome of strong, conservative, and almost cult like Protestant upbringing) to examine this topic. He clearly describes his fundamentalist upbringing and education. College, all the way to a PhD, was focused on linguistics and translation.
His purpose is to discuss biblical contradictions in scripture, time gaps in what we actually have and when it was gathered/likely written, absurdities, and other problems with the Bible as it is written. He now identifies as an atheist- or someone who doesn’t believe in any god, but doesn’t dislike those who do. I can personally relate to that. But this reads like a thesis or dissertation. Well researched but very detailed (okay by me but some may find it boring).
Anyone that’s a strong believer won’t even consider this or will have justifications for the contradictions, just as he explains. Other Atheists will likely see this as a reference or justification for their non-belief.
His purpose is to discuss biblical contradictions in scripture, time gaps in what we actually have and when it was gathered/likely written, absurdities, and other problems with the Bible as it is written. He now identifies as an atheist- or someone who doesn’t believe in any god, but doesn’t dislike those who do. I can personally relate to that. But this reads like a thesis or dissertation. Well researched but very detailed (okay by me but some may find it boring).
Anyone that’s a strong believer won’t even consider this or will have justifications for the contradictions, just as he explains. Other Atheists will likely see this as a reference or justification for their non-belief.
October 26, 2025
Eye-Opening, Honest, and Deeply Relatable
I read this book in about three hours because I simply couldn’t stop. As someone who spent over 30 years in Christianity, I was raised to never question the Bible — doing so felt like sin. For most of my life, blind faith kept me from asking hard questions, even when things didn’t make sense.
Reading All That’s Wrong with the Bible was both validating and freeing. It confirmed many things I’ve learned over the past decade as I began to step away from religious fear and examine what I truly believe. It also pointed out things I wish I’d seen sooner — things I was too afraid to even think about back then.
David Jonah Conner presents his research and ideas clearly and unapologetically. Whether you’re questioning your faith, recovering from religious trauma, or just curious about what lies beneath traditional teachings, this book is worth your time. It’s thought-provoking, courageous, and exactly what I needed to read.
I read this book in about three hours because I simply couldn’t stop. As someone who spent over 30 years in Christianity, I was raised to never question the Bible — doing so felt like sin. For most of my life, blind faith kept me from asking hard questions, even when things didn’t make sense.
Reading All That’s Wrong with the Bible was both validating and freeing. It confirmed many things I’ve learned over the past decade as I began to step away from religious fear and examine what I truly believe. It also pointed out things I wish I’d seen sooner — things I was too afraid to even think about back then.
David Jonah Conner presents his research and ideas clearly and unapologetically. Whether you’re questioning your faith, recovering from religious trauma, or just curious about what lies beneath traditional teachings, this book is worth your time. It’s thought-provoking, courageous, and exactly what I needed to read.
February 21, 2022
Conner packs a ton of content in this interesting perspective on the usefulness of the Bible from any perspective (spiritual, historical or cultural). Chapters are packed with examples of where the author believes to have found contradictions. Where he leaves me wanting more is in the details for the rebuttal to each of these arguments. For the majority of Conner's points, he spends only a few paragraphs at most to explain the rebuttal point. He could have been better served taking time to expand upon the opposing viewpoints for each point in my opinion. Overall an intriguing read but not the most detailed representation the issue in its entirety.
March 21, 2019
Grasping at straws
It is difficult for a finite mind to understand an infinite God. An undertaker I met recently said that he can usually tell after a person dies if they where a believer. A believer dies with a smile on his or her face.
I do not claim to understand the ways of God. I only know that one day He entered into my life and made me so much better. I am far from perfect but I fear how I would be without Him.
It is difficult for a finite mind to understand an infinite God. An undertaker I met recently said that he can usually tell after a person dies if they where a believer. A believer dies with a smile on his or her face.
I do not claim to understand the ways of God. I only know that one day He entered into my life and made me so much better. I am far from perfect but I fear how I would be without Him.
April 30, 2021
If you're expecting a book that will make you feel good, this isn't it, go read self-help. In my opinion, I thought it was brilliantly written, less of a story or argument and more of an concise outline of Conner's issues with the bible. In debates, one usually claims that there are contradictions in the bible, another disagrees and asks where, and the person has no quotes in their head to provide. Instead of ending the debates, either side can view the issues and tackle them one by one.
October 22, 2022
Terrific, detailed examples and cogent arguments
This book is a wonderful compilation of contradictions, discrepancies and other problems with the Christian Bible. I intend to use it in my discussions with believers. One thing I would add: the Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox Bibles use different books. Some books that are included in one canon are considered apocryphal by the other two.
This book is a wonderful compilation of contradictions, discrepancies and other problems with the Christian Bible. I intend to use it in my discussions with believers. One thing I would add: the Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox Bibles use different books. Some books that are included in one canon are considered apocryphal by the other two.
July 3, 2020
Good For An Alternate View Of The Bible
Although I am not an atheist I found his research on the bible interesting. It gives references and examples of potential inaccuracies that are in the bible that give good food for thought on whether the bible is really the word of God or just a book written by men.
Although I am not an atheist I found his research on the bible interesting. It gives references and examples of potential inaccuracies that are in the bible that give good food for thought on whether the bible is really the word of God or just a book written by men.
August 20, 2020
Amazing read
Author wasted no time and was very detailed and thorough with all his explanations. There were no personal insults in this book and this was not an attack; it was written as respectfully as it could've been written and the author did a great job of exposing the imperfect bible in a very attention-grabbing and informative way. Highly recommend.
Author wasted no time and was very detailed and thorough with all his explanations. There were no personal insults in this book and this was not an attack; it was written as respectfully as it could've been written and the author did a great job of exposing the imperfect bible in a very attention-grabbing and informative way. Highly recommend.
October 19, 2020
I'm sorry Jonah but the problems that you attribute to the Bible are actually problems with the 'Fundamentalist' interpretation of the book(s). There was no real need to reject being a Christian but only to reject 'Fundamentalism' and its beliefs. I hope that it is not too late for you to find your way back to a truth and Christ.
October 1, 2022
As someone who is de-programming from Christianity, thank you for this effort.
Is it a fantastic in depth look into why the bible and therefore the religion cannot possibly be true.
Every religious person should take the time to read their whole religious book, and they may discover that is isn't at all what they were taught to believe.
Is it a fantastic in depth look into why the bible and therefore the religion cannot possibly be true.
Every religious person should take the time to read their whole religious book, and they may discover that is isn't at all what they were taught to believe.
May 2, 2023
Must read
While it’s not necessarily bad to believe in something that gives hope, I take issue with how we’ve been deceived over the centuries. Reading this book was important to me because I want to discover for myself what I do and don’t believe in and this book allows you to make up your own mind.
While it’s not necessarily bad to believe in something that gives hope, I take issue with how we’ve been deceived over the centuries. Reading this book was important to me because I want to discover for myself what I do and don’t believe in and this book allows you to make up your own mind.
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