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All That's Wrong with the Bible: Contradictions, Absurdities, and More: 2nd expanded edition
Can we prove that the Bible makes false claims? Do its moral teachings justify it being called “The Good Book?”Has the text been modified throughout the centuries?What about all those prophecies?Written by a linguist, ex-fundamentalist graduate of Liberty University, this book goes straight to the evidence and presents a concise case-by-case analysis of the most salient problems in the Christian Scriptures. With insightful commentary concerning frequent rebuttals used by apologists, it makes a solid case against evangelical claims to inerrancy. This 2nd edition has a much improved third chapter, providing several more examples of scribal changes to the New Testament, as well as a completely new section on textual differences in Greek manuscripts.The format of the paperback version has been adjusted in order to keep sale cost as low as possible.
- GenresNonfictionReligion
126 pages, Paperback
Published September 16, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 16, 2018
I will note first off that this book uses specific quotes from the Bible. He's not making this stuff up.
In the Contradictions section, he points out where specific parts disagree with their counterparts as to names, numbers, genealogies and even the Ten Commandments wording. There are also passages about specific topics that result in a yes or a no answer such as revenge, divorce and does Yahweh lie. Are you justified by works? Depends on what quote you read. The day and time of the crucifixion differs as does the accounts of just who went to the tomb and what they saw there.
Absurdities can be found where the Bible condones polygamy, slavery and genocide. It even condones the killing of innocent children as being justified. Killing homosexuals? That's okay. Burning prostitues alive? That's okay too.
Jesus cursing the fig tree? It was out of season and wasn't supposed to be producing fruit at that time. (There are numerous other examples.)
Bogus Prophecies include those that are sort of non-specific, ones that are based on very vague language (like those of Nostradamus) and ones that are 'back-dated.'
One of the things that causes all these problems is that the Bible was translated various times before it got put into English. Scribes sometimes made mistakes and sometimes changed things on purpose. (This can be proven by examining various original documents and comparing them to later translations and noting the changes that were made.)
There's a lot of other material in this book including a section on Notes. The main thing to keep in mind when reading it is that the author is not making things up; he is quoting specific passages from the Bible that disagree with each other or state things that are absurd. Then, again, facts don't mean much to people it seems any more.
In the Contradictions section, he points out where specific parts disagree with their counterparts as to names, numbers, genealogies and even the Ten Commandments wording. There are also passages about specific topics that result in a yes or a no answer such as revenge, divorce and does Yahweh lie. Are you justified by works? Depends on what quote you read. The day and time of the crucifixion differs as does the accounts of just who went to the tomb and what they saw there.
Absurdities can be found where the Bible condones polygamy, slavery and genocide. It even condones the killing of innocent children as being justified. Killing homosexuals? That's okay. Burning prostitues alive? That's okay too.
Jesus cursing the fig tree? It was out of season and wasn't supposed to be producing fruit at that time. (There are numerous other examples.)
Bogus Prophecies include those that are sort of non-specific, ones that are based on very vague language (like those of Nostradamus) and ones that are 'back-dated.'
One of the things that causes all these problems is that the Bible was translated various times before it got put into English. Scribes sometimes made mistakes and sometimes changed things on purpose. (This can be proven by examining various original documents and comparing them to later translations and noting the changes that were made.)
There's a lot of other material in this book including a section on Notes. The main thing to keep in mind when reading it is that the author is not making things up; he is quoting specific passages from the Bible that disagree with each other or state things that are absurd. Then, again, facts don't mean much to people it seems any more.
May 27, 2024
A FORMER EVANGELICAL MISSIONARY CRITIQUES THE BIBLE
Author Jonah David Conner wrote in the Preface to the 2nd expanded edition of this 2017 book, “No grave tragedy in my life caused me to leave the faith. My decision was due to the overwhelming evidence against Christian teachings, much of which I have clearly and honestly presented in this book. Second, I wish to point out the fact that thousands of people convert to Christianity every year as a direct result of a personal crisis. On numerous occasions I have spoken with believers who told me they began to believe at their lowest point, when Jesus ‘reached out’ to help them through that tough time. Why are Christians not condemning such conversions as ‘emotionally driven’? If my loss of faith is invalid because it was supposedly a result of personal difficulties, then all those conversions are equally so. We could just as reasonably conclude something ‘went wrong’ that caused them to turn to religion.”
He provides his background: “I am no outsider to Christianity or biblical studies. Born into a conservative Protestant home and taught the Bible from an early age, I attended private Christian schools my entire childhood, from kindergarten to the end of my Bachelor’s degree… I completed a six-month training and missionary trip … with the organization Youth With a Mission (YWAM)… I distinctly remember going to the red-light district of Houston where a small group of us handed out tracts to transgender prostitutes… It was not until my late twenties that I began to question my beliefs. It was a slow process that took place over a period of about three years and involved detailed study of Textual Criticism, Church History, Biology, Psychology, and other religions… The results of my investigation led me to a drastic change in beliefs and resulted in my leaving the faith. I now identify as an atheist…
“The great irony is that the Bible itself was the biggest reason why I stopped believing the Bible. Comparative study of passages like the ones analyzed here made it undeniable that many of its claims were simply false… My desire is that the contents of this book will aid others in seeing this as well. My purpose, then, is twofold. First, I hope to open the eyes of the layman believer who has been taught that Scripture is perfect by ignorant or dishonest pastors and teachers. Second, I wish to provide a concise and informative resource for skeptics who do not come from a religious background but are interested in delving deeper into this important topic.” (Pg. 5-8)
About the “faith/works” contrast between Galatians 2:16 and James 2:24, he comments, “The Greek words translated ‘faith,’ ‘works,’ and ‘justified’ are the same here in both passages. Furthermore, they are almost mirror opposites in their phrasing. In order to make them harmonize, some fundamentalists attempt to differentiate between ‘works of the law’ in Galatians and only ‘works’ in James. Throughout Paul’s epistles, however, it is openly taught that salvation does not come through any works at all but through faith only, so regardless of what type of works James is referring to he openly conflicts with Paul.” (Pg. 44)
One example he provides of “Contradictions regarding the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus,” is, “Where exactly were the angels/men in relation to the tomb? Mt 28:2 The one angel came and sat on top of the rock, OUTSIDE the tomb. Mk 16:5 The young man was ALREADY sitting INSIDE the tomb. Lk 24:4 The two men SUDDENLY APPEARED after the women went INSIDE the tomb. Jn 20:11-12 The two angels were ALREADY INSIDE the tomb when Mary Magdalene looked. This is one of the clearest and most irrefutable contradictions in relation to the resurrection. Each writer paints such a different picture, and I have yet to hear any plausible explanation for such disparity.” (Pg. 56-57) He includes dozens more of such discrepancies in the book.
He concludes, “The presence of such discrepancies makes perfect sense if we take the Bible as a human book imperfectly written, copies, and edited over centuries… However, one might reasonably ask how it is possible for so many problems to go unnoticed in a book that has been read by so many followers for centuries. The main reason… is simply that most Christians do not actually study the Bible to any significant degree… Nothing can be said to those fundamentalists who continue contending inerrancy, denying that contradictions exist at all. They are textbook definitions of closed minds, impossible to persuade regardless of evidence presented… Religious conservatives … cannot stand the idea that what they have believed their whole life just may be wrong, so they go to great lengths to convince themselves of their baseless doctrines. The difference between me and them is that when I realized the evidence was against me, I CHANGED my beliefs. I went where the evidence led whether I liked it or not…” (Pg. 114-115)
This is an excellent, very concise book, that will be of great interest to atheists, freethinkers, and others skeptical about Christianity and the Bible.
Author Jonah David Conner wrote in the Preface to the 2nd expanded edition of this 2017 book, “No grave tragedy in my life caused me to leave the faith. My decision was due to the overwhelming evidence against Christian teachings, much of which I have clearly and honestly presented in this book. Second, I wish to point out the fact that thousands of people convert to Christianity every year as a direct result of a personal crisis. On numerous occasions I have spoken with believers who told me they began to believe at their lowest point, when Jesus ‘reached out’ to help them through that tough time. Why are Christians not condemning such conversions as ‘emotionally driven’? If my loss of faith is invalid because it was supposedly a result of personal difficulties, then all those conversions are equally so. We could just as reasonably conclude something ‘went wrong’ that caused them to turn to religion.”
He provides his background: “I am no outsider to Christianity or biblical studies. Born into a conservative Protestant home and taught the Bible from an early age, I attended private Christian schools my entire childhood, from kindergarten to the end of my Bachelor’s degree… I completed a six-month training and missionary trip … with the organization Youth With a Mission (YWAM)… I distinctly remember going to the red-light district of Houston where a small group of us handed out tracts to transgender prostitutes… It was not until my late twenties that I began to question my beliefs. It was a slow process that took place over a period of about three years and involved detailed study of Textual Criticism, Church History, Biology, Psychology, and other religions… The results of my investigation led me to a drastic change in beliefs and resulted in my leaving the faith. I now identify as an atheist…
“The great irony is that the Bible itself was the biggest reason why I stopped believing the Bible. Comparative study of passages like the ones analyzed here made it undeniable that many of its claims were simply false… My desire is that the contents of this book will aid others in seeing this as well. My purpose, then, is twofold. First, I hope to open the eyes of the layman believer who has been taught that Scripture is perfect by ignorant or dishonest pastors and teachers. Second, I wish to provide a concise and informative resource for skeptics who do not come from a religious background but are interested in delving deeper into this important topic.” (Pg. 5-8)
About the “faith/works” contrast between Galatians 2:16 and James 2:24, he comments, “The Greek words translated ‘faith,’ ‘works,’ and ‘justified’ are the same here in both passages. Furthermore, they are almost mirror opposites in their phrasing. In order to make them harmonize, some fundamentalists attempt to differentiate between ‘works of the law’ in Galatians and only ‘works’ in James. Throughout Paul’s epistles, however, it is openly taught that salvation does not come through any works at all but through faith only, so regardless of what type of works James is referring to he openly conflicts with Paul.” (Pg. 44)
One example he provides of “Contradictions regarding the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus,” is, “Where exactly were the angels/men in relation to the tomb? Mt 28:2 The one angel came and sat on top of the rock, OUTSIDE the tomb. Mk 16:5 The young man was ALREADY sitting INSIDE the tomb. Lk 24:4 The two men SUDDENLY APPEARED after the women went INSIDE the tomb. Jn 20:11-12 The two angels were ALREADY INSIDE the tomb when Mary Magdalene looked. This is one of the clearest and most irrefutable contradictions in relation to the resurrection. Each writer paints such a different picture, and I have yet to hear any plausible explanation for such disparity.” (Pg. 56-57) He includes dozens more of such discrepancies in the book.
He concludes, “The presence of such discrepancies makes perfect sense if we take the Bible as a human book imperfectly written, copies, and edited over centuries… However, one might reasonably ask how it is possible for so many problems to go unnoticed in a book that has been read by so many followers for centuries. The main reason… is simply that most Christians do not actually study the Bible to any significant degree… Nothing can be said to those fundamentalists who continue contending inerrancy, denying that contradictions exist at all. They are textbook definitions of closed minds, impossible to persuade regardless of evidence presented… Religious conservatives … cannot stand the idea that what they have believed their whole life just may be wrong, so they go to great lengths to convince themselves of their baseless doctrines. The difference between me and them is that when I realized the evidence was against me, I CHANGED my beliefs. I went where the evidence led whether I liked it or not…” (Pg. 114-115)
This is an excellent, very concise book, that will be of great interest to atheists, freethinkers, and others skeptical about Christianity and the Bible.
December 29, 2024
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. Believing Bible readers have told me that one does not read the Bible from front to back. One is supposed to skip around so to speak. If this is the case, how does one know which versus to skip? This can only be done by bringing an ethical standard from outside the Bible to make judgments about the contents of the Bible. This means the Bible cannot be the final standard for making ethical judgments 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. 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.
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, with great irony, that 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. Believing Bible readers have told me that one does not read the Bible from front to back. One is supposed to skip around so to speak. If this is the case, how does one know which versus to skip? This can only be done by bringing an ethical standard from outside the Bible to make judgments about the contents of the Bible. This means the Bible cannot be the final standard for making ethical judgments 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. 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.
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, with great irony, that the biggest reason why he stopped believing in the Bible was found in the contents of the Bible.
October 10, 2021
This small book is divided in to three parts:
1) Contradictions in the Bible;
2) Absurdities in the Bible;
3) Other problems with the Bible.
An aside: There are three types of over-arching problems with the Bible not listed in this book but are as follows: doctrinal problems (when doctrine fundamental to belief contradict themselves within the text; objective observable realities clash (when what we know to be true of our reality—via science or our own eyes—are in error; and scribal errors (errors that could come about with a careless hand).
Many of the contradictions listed in chapter one could be chalked up to scribal errors. While curious, scribal errors are the least convincing type of contradiction to my mind. In fact, many of the conclusions presented in Chapter One as contradictory could be errors in translation. Another point here is that some of the author’s conclusions are NOT supported in other literature therefore cannot be “trusted” to be actual contradictions but rather his own bias presented as fact.
Chapter two and three more interesting.
It pays to do one’s homework by cross referencing the contradictions presented against other sources. When doing that, I found the author’s own biases throughout the text.
In this way, this should be an “intro” (should one be curious) not held as a definitive source/reference.
1) Contradictions in the Bible;
2) Absurdities in the Bible;
3) Other problems with the Bible.
An aside: There are three types of over-arching problems with the Bible not listed in this book but are as follows: doctrinal problems (when doctrine fundamental to belief contradict themselves within the text; objective observable realities clash (when what we know to be true of our reality—via science or our own eyes—are in error; and scribal errors (errors that could come about with a careless hand).
Many of the contradictions listed in chapter one could be chalked up to scribal errors. While curious, scribal errors are the least convincing type of contradiction to my mind. In fact, many of the conclusions presented in Chapter One as contradictory could be errors in translation. Another point here is that some of the author’s conclusions are NOT supported in other literature therefore cannot be “trusted” to be actual contradictions but rather his own bias presented as fact.
Chapter two and three more interesting.
It pays to do one’s homework by cross referencing the contradictions presented against other sources. When doing that, I found the author’s own biases throughout the text.
In this way, this should be an “intro” (should one be curious) not held as a definitive source/reference.
July 7, 2020
Very well researched book. I learned things I had never heard of. Great read!
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