Posted on 01/09/2015 11:38:48 AM PST by NYer
Freedom of speech is a great thing. Unfortunately, it comes at an unavoidable price: When citizens are free to say what they want, theyll sometimes use that freedom to say some pretty silly things. And thats the case with the 12 claims were about to cover.
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Some of them are made over and over, others are rare. Either way, while the proponents of these errors are free to promote them, we as Catholics have a duty to respond.
3. "The Old and New Testaments contradict one another in numerous places. If an omnipotent God inspired the Bible, He would never have allowed these errors."
This is a common claim, one found all over the internet (especially on atheist and free-thought websites). An article on the American Atheists website notes that "What is incredible about the Bible is not its divine authorship; it's that such a concoction of contradictory nonsense could be believed by anyone to have been written by an omniscient God."
Such a statement is generally followed by a list of Biblical "contradictions." However, claims of contradictions make a few simple errors. For example, critics fail to read the various books of the Bible in line with the genre in which they were written. The Bible is, after all, a collection of several kinds of writing...history, theology, poetry, apocalyptic material, etc. If we try to read these books in the same wooden way in which we approach a modern newspaper, we're going to be awfully confused.
And the list of Bible "contradictions" bears this out. Take, for example, the first item on the American Atheist's list:
"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy." Exodus 20:8
Versus...
"One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind." Romans 14:5
There! the atheist cries, A clear contradiction. But what the critic neglects to mention is something every Christian knows: When Christ instituted the New Covenant, the ceremonial requirements of the Old Covenant were fulfilled (and passed away). And so it makes perfect sense that Old Testament ceremonial rules would no longer stand for the people of the New Covenant.
If the critic had understood this simple tenet of Christianity, he wouldn't have fallen into so basic an error.
The next item on the American Atheist list is similarly flawed:
"...the earth abideth for ever." Ecclesiastes 1:4
Versus...
"...the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up."
So, the Old Testament claims that the earth will last forever, while the New says it will eventually be destroyed. How do we harmonize these? Actually, it's pretty easy, and it again comes from understanding the genre in which these two books were written.
Ecclesiastes, for example, contrasts secular and religious worldviews — and most of it is written from a secular viewpoint. That's why we find lines like, "Bread is made for laughter, and wine gladdens life, and money answers everything." (Ecclesiastes 10:19)
However, at the end of the book, the writer throws us a twist, dispensing with all the "wisdom" he'd offered and telling us to "Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man." (12:13)
If a reader stops before the end, he'll be as confused as the critic at American Atheists. However, since the viewpoint that gave birth to the notion of an eternal earth is rejected in the last lines of the book, there's obviously no contradiction with what was later revealed in the New Testament. (And this is just one way to answer this alleged discrepancy.)
The other "contradictions" between the Old and New Testaments can be answered similarly. Almost to an item, the critics who use them confuse context, ignore genre, and refuse to allow room for reasonable interpretation.
No thinking Christian should be disturbed by these lists.
Ping!
I am always so grateful for the liturgy and the clergy that are there to fill in the blanks.
If the Bible agreed all the way then the detractors will say it’s collusion - if it didn’t they’d say the Bible can’t get it right. Can’t win either way with them.
“When Christ instituted the New Covenant, the ceremonial requirements of the Old Covenant were fulfilled (and passed away).”
The Sabbath commandment is not a ceremonial law, and besides, God clearly stated that it was an everlasting observance for Israel.
We keep being told that the Catholic Church wrote the Bible. LOL why aren't they being blamed for these supposed errors?
I had an atheist tell me the Bible should not have that in there.
I got a good chuckle over that.
They are. Ask any Mormon.
What blanks? I can see how it could be confusing, if the reader has a limited attention span and can't remember what he read from one week to the next.
Are we sure the author wasn't Italian? I thought my Grandmother said that!
Peace! : )
I have always held that the last of the Old Testament prophets was Italian. Most people pronounce Malachi incorrectly as "Mal a Ki". When in fact the correct pronunciation is "Ma La Chee."
For the humor impaired that is an old Sicilian joke.
I can see how it could be confusing, if the reader has a limited attention span and can't remember what he read from one week to the next.
Excuse me?
And just who are you insinuating has a limited attention span?
PS: If you were referring to Catholics, we have Mass available 7 days a week, except Good Friday, and that includes Scripture for each day.
Now may we please continue without the insults?
Belly laugh! : )
Only people who have limited attention spans. And I'm sure that they've forgotten all about it by now.
PS: If you were referring to Catholics, we have Mass available 7 days a week, except Good Friday, and that includes Scripture for each day.
Yes, but you're only hearing it (and you're not even hearing most of it). Reading takes more brain power than listening. It's easier to listen and forget, than it is to read and forget. How many Catholics would you say make an effort to read the Bible for themselves, outside of Mass?
Now may we please continue without the insults?
Who was insulted?
I felt insulted.
Go to Mass sometime. On the back of the pew in front of you is a little box. In the box are some books. Pick up a book. Remember what day it is today. Look up the date in the book. Find the reading. Read it.
Problem solved.
I can't help what you might feel. I can't block anyone's attempts at mind-reading, either.
Better still - collect all of those entries, cut them out and tape them together in book/chapter/verse order, and then read them end-to-end. Make a list of the breaks in verses, grab a Bible, and fill in the blanks with the 70+% in verses that are missing from the pew material.
Even easier, just grab the Bible and read it end-to-end. Some of the confusion is probably being caused by the text being broken up into small, disjointed readings.
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