The Bible is fit for
worship?
Dear
Believer:
I do
not accept the Bible as God’s word because it contains thousand of errancies and
contradictions that can not be solved, only rationalized. I refuse to accept
Jesus as my personal savior, for his behavior and teachings often expose one who
should be escaped and not worshipped. I ask that you read this pamphlet in light
of the bible’s teachings; Christians should be “open to reason” (James
3:17 RSV), that we should “reason together” (Isaiah 1:18) and “he who
hates correction will die” (Proverbs 15:10) to understand my perspective
that the bible has MANY shortcomings.
1. According to your Bible I am to believe that human kind is sinful for
Adam and Eve ate the fruit of knowledge. Why are we being punished for the
original sin? After all, they ate the forbidden fruit, we didn’t. Reason would
lead one to say it’s their problem, not ours. Even the bible contradicts itself
by claiming in Deuteronomy 24:16, “children shall not be punished for the
sins of their fathers.”
2. We
are told that the Bible has no scientific errors and is utterly
perfect/protected, yet it says the bat is a bird (Leviticus 11:13 & 19),
hares chew the cud (Leviticus 11:5-6), and some fowl (Leviticus 11:20-21) and
insects (Leviticus 11:22-23) have four legs.
3.
Heaven is supposed to be a perfect place. It is of course, the place you strive
for and name “salvation”. Yet, it experienced a war (Revelation 12:7). How can
there be a war in a perfect place and if it happened before why couldn’t it
happen again? Why would I want to go to a place in which war can occur? That’s
exactly what I’m trying to escape, aren’t you?
4. We
are told salvation is obtained by faith alone (John 3:18 & 36) and then the
Bible claims that it is repentance that shall save us (2 Peter 3:9) yet Jesus
told a man to follow the Commandments-Matthew 19:16-1 8 (saving by works)-if he
wanted eternal life. So which way is it and how do you know your belief is the
correct one?
5.
According to the text there are 29 cities listed in Joshua 15:21-32. One need
only count them to see that biblical math is not to be trusted. The total is 36.
6.
Surely you don’t believe Ecclesiastes 1:9 RSV (“What has been is what will
be, and what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing new under the
sun”)? How many cities had an atomic bomb dropped on them prior to 1945, and
how many people walked on the moon before 1969?
7. If
the Bible is our moral guide, then how can it make pornographic statements such
as: “...they may eat their own dung and drink their own piss with you” (2
Kings 18:27)? Also consult Numbers 31 where a whole tribe of people, including
the elderly and children are slaughtered. The only survivors were the virginal
women, who were later raped by the “just and perfect” Moses and his men.
Is that what you want your children reading on Sunday?
8. If
God created everything, (Colossians 1:16, Ephesians 3:9, Revelation 4:11 &
John 1:3), then he did create the world’s evil (Isaiah 45:7, Lamentations 3:38).
Thus, he is responsible. Any being who could create situations such as rape,
death, malnutrition, disease, molestation and murder is certainly not fit for
worship.
9. For
justice to exist, punishment must fit the crime. No matter how many bad deeds
one commits in this world, there is a limit. Yet, hell’s punishment is
infinitely greater. It’s eternal. Shouldn’t a sinner suffer until remorse is
felt and the crime is atoned for? What “justice” is there in infinite damnation?
10.
Jesus said, “whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire”
(Matthew 5:22). Yet, he himself did so repeatedly, as Matthew 27:19, Luke 11:40
& 12:20 show. Shouldn’t he be in danger of hell too? Jesus also told us to
“Love your enemies; bless them that curse you," but ignored his own
advice by repeatedly denouncing his opposition. Matthew 12:34 (“0 generation
of vipers”), and Matthew 23 :27 (“... hypocrites... ye are like unto
whited sepulchres.“) are excellent examples of hypocrisy. If Jesus himself
is a sinner by his own admission then surely he can not be the “perfect lamb
of god”.
11.
Except those of biased Christian writers, there isn’t one writing outside the
Bible in all of ancient history that clearly refers to Jesus of Nazareth. The
decision to dedicate my life to a deity requires at least one shred of
conclusive evidence. Your lord knows non believers exist as a result of this,
yet he makes no attempt to supply proof. How can the bible claim god wants all
in heaven if he doesn’t make efforts to ensure that we all believe in him?
12.
Paul says Christianity lives or dies on the Resurrection (1 Corinthians
15:14-17). Yet Jesus made many promises concerning his return during the
lifetime of his then followers. (Matthew 16:28: “There be some standing here,
which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of Man coming in his
kingdom”. Matthew 23:36, 24:34, Mark.9:1, 13:30, Luke 9:27, 21:32 & John
21:22) None of these prophecies have come true. Does this not make Jesus a false
prophet? If so wouldn’t that make Christianity invalid?
13. I
find the idea that a man had to die for my sins revolting. If God was truly
omnipotent he could have simply forgiven us. What kind of deity, would execute
one child in order to forgive it’s others? Modern society would call an
individual like this sadistic, insane and cruel. Surely, you would not worship a
child killer, why do you expect me to? Would you find a judge worthy of the
title who would allow my child to be executed in lieu of my sins?
14.
John 14:12 states a follower in Jesus can perform any of his works and do it
even greater. If you continue to insist I believe in Jesus, it is only fair I
may ask of you to show just how strong your faith is. After all, you would be my
“mentor” in Christ. I’m not a believer as of yet, but surely you are. Would you
mind perhaps resurrecting a dead relative or walking on water?
15.
Okay, obviously you didn’t do number 14 and backed out with the “this is
metaphorical” excuse. Surely you can try Mark 16:17-1 8 which says believers can
drink “any deadly thing” and “it shall not hurt” them. But I don’t think you
would be naive enough to drink any arsenic offered. Perhaps I’m wrong and you
would be willing to test the Book’s veracity-”lay it on the line” so to speak?
16. All
right, so now you have backed out of two of my questions. I’m starting to think
you don’t really care about my salvation as much as you claim. Well, unlike your
Jehovah, I shall be kind and offer a third chance at redemption. Consider Jesus’
teaching in Luke 6:30 “Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that
taketh away thy goods ask them not again.” Perhaps, if you emptied your wallet
and “give of thee” I may seriously ponder accepting Jesus as my savior. I
couldn't have said it better myself.
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
....
..
