Dollar Exchange Rate
21:55
Hoàng Phong Nhã
“Some
Reasons Why Humanists Reject The Bible”
Trần văn Kha trích
dịch và bình luận
au
khi chế tạo ra Thượng Đế mà Gíao Hội Ca-tô bảo là Tòan Năng v.v...,
họ chế tạo ra một quyển kinh để ca tụng Thượng Đế. Và để cho kinh ấy
ngang tầm với Thượng Đế, họ thêm chữ thánh vào sau kinh, thành Kinh
Thánh, Sainte Bible hay Holy Bible, do Thượng Đế mặc khải viết ra
không thể sai lầm. Kinh Thánh được viết ra gần 2.000 năm trước, khi
khoa học chưa phát triển, nên có những điều không được khoa học bây
giờ chấp nhận. Kinh Thánh bảo mặt trời xoay quanh trái đất đứng yên
một chỗ, chứ không phải ngược lại. Ngòai vấn đề sai lầm về khoa học,
Kinh Thánh còn nhiều chuyện vô đạo đức, nên các nhà Nhân Văn kể ra
để bác bỏ Kinh Thánh.
Sau đây là một vài đọan trích dẫn từ
bài “Some Reasons Why Humanists Reject
The Bible” by Joseph C. Sommer,
link:
“Nếu quan điểm của những nhà Nhân
Văn về Kinh Thánh mà đúng, thì hàng triệu người Mỹ tin Kinh Thánh và
đi lễ nhà thờ đã phí phạm rất nhiều thì giờ, tiền bạc, và năng lực.
Hoàn cảnh của nhân loại có thể cải tiến nhiều hơn nếu những nguồn
tài nguyên đó được sử dụng để làm cho thế giới tốt đẹp hơn thay vì
dùng vào việc thờ cúng một Thượng Đế Kinh Thánh
Không Có.”
If the Humanist view
of the Bible is correct, millions of Bible-believers and churchgoers
are wasting much time, money, and energy. Humanity’s condition could
be greatly improved if those resources were used for solving the
world's problems instead of worshiping a nonexistent God.
(Chúng tôi cũng đã viết trong sách
“John Paul II”: Thượng
Đế “không” chế tạo ra con người theo hình ảnh của Thượng Đế.
Con người đã chế tạo ra Thượng Đế, theo hình ảnh của chính
họ. Rồi khúm núm, sợ sệt, đem dâng đồ lễ lên vị Thượng Đế do chính
họ chế tạo, trong âm mưu hối lộ, để cầu mong được ban nhiều ơn phước
khi sống, lên Thiên Đàng (mù) sau khi chết”.
Thiên Đàng Mù tiếng Anh là Blind Paradise, tiếng Pháp Paradis
Aveugle. Tin vào Thiên Đàng Mù tuy mê tín nhưng nó có cái lợi là làm
cho con chiên bớt sợ chết. Khi gia đình có người thân được Chúa gọi
về, thì những người thân cũng bớt đi một phần đau đớn, khi Cha làm
lễ rẩy nước thánh cầu nguyên cho người chết được lên thiên đàng
chiêm ngưỡng nhan thánh Chúa. Mê tin như thế cũng không có gì đáng
trách, nếu không thù hận, tàn sát những người khác đạo, và nhất là
không theo Vatican phản bội quê hương dân tộc.
Linh mục Hòang Qùynh đã nổi tiếng với
câu nói bất hủ “Thà mất
nước, không thà mất Chúa.
Nếu Gíao Hội Ca-tô Việt Nam đủ lớn, không muốn làm “con nít của
Giáo Hội” thì họ nên làm như Gíao Hội Nhật, tự mình đứng ra thờ
Chúa, độc lập với Vatican.
Báo “Người Việt” số ra ngày Thứ tư 13, tháng 5, 1998, đăng lại lời
tuyên bố của Giám Mục Nhật:
“Chúng tôi chỉ muốn là một giáo hội địa phương chứ không phải là
một chi nhánh của công ty đa quốc Rôma”.
(Trích
ra từ
“Dòng Tên“ sách “John Paul II, “Đạo Ca-tô... T.G.Đ.C. II”).
Hay vì đã nhiều đời quen làm lòai vật, làm con chiên được chăn dắt,
họ không thể bỏ được
?!
Khi
dân chúng cho rằng Kinh Thánh là lời của một Thượng Đế công bằng và
toàn trí, và tìm cách đem những lời dạy trong Kinh Thánh làm thành
luật và tổ chức xã hội ở nước này, thì rất có nhiều tiềm năng để sai
lầm nghiêm trọng và gây thiệt hại nếu Kinh Thánh thực ra là sản
phẩm của những con người có thể sai lầm, những người này sống trong
thời đại đen tối. Trong trường hợp này, Kinh Thánh không còn là
sách chỉ đường để đem lại hạnh phúc và an ninh xã hội, mà nó sẽ trở
thành phương tiện để con người duy trì những quan điểm và phong tục
của một quá khứ ngu dốt và mê tín và ngăn cản nhân lọai tiến
lên một mức độ cao hơn.
When people view the
Bible as the word of a just and omniscient God, and attempt to have
society's laws and social practices reflect biblical teachings,
serious error and harm will occur if the Bible was actually written
by fallible humans who lived in an unenlightened era.
In that case, the
Bible would not be a guidebook for attaining human happiness and
well-being. It would instead perpetuate the ideas of an ignorant and
superstitious past - and prevent humanity from rising to a higher
level.
Thượng Đế của Kinh Thánh cũng còn
chứng tỏ khuynh hướng bạo dâm (sadistic tendencies) bằng cách
sử dụng những phương pháp khác để hành hạ và giết người:
Người
mở đất ra cho nó nuốt chửng
toàn thể gia đình (Numbers 16:27-32); gây ra những đám cháy để thiêu
đốt người (e.g., Levicitus 10:1-2; Numbers 11:1-2); và trừng phạt
dân Israelites bằng chiến tranh, nạn đói và bệnh dịch hạch
(e.g., Ezekiel
5:11-17).
Cho thú hoang như gấu (II Kings
2:23-24), sư tử (II Kings 17:24-25) và rắn (Numbers 21:6) tấn công
người; chấp nhận nô lệ (e.g., Levicitus 25:44-46); ra lệnh những tàn
sát tôn giáo (e.g., Deuteronomy 13:12-16); gây ra việc ăn thịt
người (Jeremiah 19:9.
)
The God of the Bible
displayed his sadistic tendencies by employing a variety of other
means to torment and kill people:
He caused the earth to
open and swallow entire families (Numbers 16:37-32); he used fire to
devour people (e.g., Leviticus 10:1-2; Numbers 11:1-2); and he
punished the Israelites with wars, famines, and pestilences (e.g.,
Ezekiel 5:11-17).
He sent wild animals
such as bears (II Kings 2:23-24), lions (II Kings 17:24-25), and
serpents (Numbers 21:6) to attack people; he sanctioned slavery
(e.g., Leviticus 25:44-46); he ordered religious persecution (e.g.,
Deuteronomy 13:12-16); and he caused cannibalism (Jeremiah 19:9).
Về chuyện ăn thịt người, Jeremiah 19:9
cho biết Thượng Đế ra lệnh như sau:
“Và ta sẽ làm cho chúng nó ăn
thịt con trai, con gái của chúng nó; và chúng nó sẽ ăn thịt lẫn
nhau, người nọ ăn thịt người kia”…
And I will make
them eat the flesh of their sons and the flesh of their daughters;
and they will eat each one the flesh of his fellowman.
Một vấn đề quan trọng đối với sự
bạo động và bất công trong Kinh Thánh là vì, rất nhiều khi, những
lời dạy
và
cái gương xấu nêu ra bởi Thượng Đế Kinh Thánh đã khuyến khích
những hành động tàn ác của tín đồ.
Rất nhiều tín đồ đã lập luận rằng,
bởi vì Thượng Đế, được coi như công bằng và bác ái, đã áp dụng hay
cho phép áp dụng những hành động bạo động nhất, những tín đồ Ky-tô
tốt không phải hối hận gì khi họ hành xử độc ác y như Thượng Đế.
A serious problem with
the violence and injustice in the Bible is that, all too often, the
teachings and example of the biblical God have incited cruel acts by
his followers.
Many of them reasoned
that since God, who is considered just and loving, committed or
approved of the most brutal acts, good Christians need not have
qualms about behaving likewise.
...
Cuối cùng họ
đưa ra một kết luận:
Nói
tóm lại, các nhà Nhân Văn bác bỏ Kinh Thánh vì nó có nhiều mâu
thuẫn, độc ác, những xác nhận hoàn toàn trái ngược với luật thiên
nhiên, những phát biểu không chính xác về cấu trúc của thế giới vật
lý, tiên tri sai, và những sai lầm lịch sử. Những vấn đề khác của
Kinh Thánh cũng có thể kể ra, tỉ dụ như sự kiện là chúng ta không
biết ai đã viết đa số Kinh Thánh, và phần lớn những chuyện kể trong
Kinh Thánh chỉ được viết nhiều năm sau khi nó đã xẩy ra, rất nhiều
đoạn kể chuyện tục tĩu, lời hứa cứu rỗi những người ngu dốt và nhẹ
dạ và kết tội tra tấn vĩnh viễn những người nghi ngờ và những nhà
khảo cứu đã đem lại vô số lợi ích cho nhân loại.
Tất
cả những vấn đề đó và khác nữa là những bằng chứng hiển nhiên rằng
Kinh Thánh không phải là lời Thượng Đế. Thay vì không bao giờ sai
lầm, Kinh Thánh có nhiều điều xác nhận sai lầm và những lời
dạy vô luân lý nhiều hơn là ở đa số những sách khác.
Và
kết quả của sự việc coi rằng quyển sách đầy rẫy sai lầm như là không
sai lầm, văn minh Tây phương đã bị dẫn vào những con đường sai lầm
và đau khổ trong suốt dòng lịch sử. Thêm vào đó, thành tích lâu đời
hướng dẫn nhân loại đi lạc đường của Kinh Thánh hỗ trợ cho kết luận
là, trong thế giới hiện nay, ảnh hưởng của những lời dạy trong Kinh
Thánh về lãnh vực chính trị rất có thể đem lại kết quả – và, theo
như dư luận của một số người, chắc chắn đem lại kết quả – là nó tiếp
tục gây ra một số lớn những chính sách xã hội có hại và chống lại
những đề nghị tiến bộ cho sự cải tiến xã hội.
Ngoài
ra, những bản tường trình trong truyền thông đại chúng cho thấy rõ
là Kinh Thánh vẫn còn làm cho một số tín đồ Ky-tô phạm phải những
tội lạ lùng và có hại, tỉ dụ như đánh đập trẻ con, không được phép
chữa bệnh theo y khoa, ngược đãi rắn, uống thuốc độc, chặt tay hay
chân, móc mắt, tìm cách trục xuất ma quỷ bằng bạo động, xa lánh công
việc của thế giới, từ chối những thú vui của cuộc đời, và chờ đợi
ngày tận thế gần kề.
Vì Kinh Thánh có nhiều điều xác
nhận sai lầm, những lời dạy vô đạo đức và đã gây ra – và tiếp
tục gây ra – vố số những sai lầm và những tai họa ghê gớm, chúng ta
phải bác bỏ lời khuyên của những người khuyến khích chúng ta tìm
trong Kinh Thánh lời giải đáp cho những vấn đề cá nhân, xã hội và
chính trị của chúng ta.
Cái nó đã giúp cho nhân loại sửa
chữa rất nhiều quan niệm sai lầm mà Kinh Thánh đã gây ra cho thế
giới là sự áp dụng giải pháp khoa học để giải quyết những khó khăn.
Đường lối đó gồm có sự tin cậy vào sự quan sát của con người, kinh
nghiệm, lô-gic, và chính xác, thay vì mù quáng chấp nhận những tín
điều tôn giáo hoặc thế tục.
Khi những kết quả của sự tin cậy
vào phương pháp khoa học được xem xét cùng với những quan niệm sai
lầm trong Kinh Thánh và những tai họa gây ra bởi những quan niệm đó,
thì đã hiển nhiên rằng hoàn cảnh của chúng ta sẽ tốt hơn khi được
hướng dẫn bởi lý trí và lòng từ bi, chứ không phải là do những lời
dạy trong Kinh Thánh.
In summary, Humanists
reject the Bible because it contains contradictions, cruelties,
assertions that are totally inconsistent with the laws of nature,
inaccurate statements about the structure of the physical world,
incorrect prophecies, and historical inaccuracies. Other problems
with the book could also be cited, such as the fact that we do not
know who wrote most of it, the fact that much of it was written many
years after the events which it purports to describe, its many
obscene passages, and its promises of salvation for the ignorant and
credulous and condemnation to eternal torture for skeptics and
investigators who have bestowed innumerable benefits upon the human
race.
All of these problems
and others constitute clear evidence that the Bible is not the word
of God. Instead of being infallible, the Bible has far more
incorrect assertions and immoral teachings than are contained in
most other books.
As a result of treating
such a mistake-ridden book as being inerrant, Western civilization
has been led down many paths of error and misery throughout history.
In addition, the Bible's extensive track record in leading humanity
astray is support for the conclusion that, in today's world, the
influence of biblical teachings in the political arena could very
well result -- and, in the opinion of some persons, certainly does
result -- in the continuance of a large number of harmful social
policies and opposition to many progressive proposals for social
improvement.
Moreover, reports
carried in the news media make it clear that Bible verses still lead
some Christians to commit bizarre and harmful acts such as beating
children, withholding medical treatment, handling snakes, drinking
poison, chopping off hands or feet, plucking out eyes, violently
attempting to drive out demons and devils, withdrawing from the
affairs of this world, renouncing the pleasures of life, and
expecting the imminent end of the world.
Because the Bible
contains many incorrect statements and unethical teachings and has
caused -- and continues to cause -- numerous mistakes and tremendous
harm, we should reject the advice of those persons who exhort us to
turn to the Bible for the answers to our personal, social, and
political problems.
What has enabled
humanity to correct many of the false ideas that the Bible gave to
the world has been the application of a scientific approach to
solving problems. That approach involves reliance on human
observation, experience, logic, and empathy, rather than a blind
acceptance of religious or secular dogma.
When the results of
relying on the scientific method are viewed in conjunction with the
incorrect ideas contained in the Bible and the harm caused by those
ideas, it becomes clear that we are far better off being guided by
human reason and compassion than by the teachings of the Bible.
Về khoa học Đại sư Swami Vivekananda
nhận định:
Chúng ta biết rằng những khám phá
khoa học mà người ta tìm ra, nổ như bom trong những pháo đài
thần học và chúng ta cũng biết rằng trong mọi thời gian, những nhà
thần học đã cố gắng ngăn chặn những công cuộc khảo cứu đó.
(Nous savons que les
découvertes scientifiques que l’on fait explosent comme des bombes
dans les forteresses de la théologie et nous savons aussi que de
tout temps les théologiens se sont efforcés d’arrêter ces
recherches.- Swami Vivekananda, Page 230).
Vấn đề đặt ra là tại sao lại
có nhiều người tin vào một Thượng Đế độc ác và tin lâu như thế?
Có lẽ nhiều người đều biết
rằng các ông Con Trời G và các linh mục đều kính trọng một Thượng Đế
có nhiều quyền năng để che
chở cho tín đồ và độc ác với những người
khác đạo. Như thế là Thượng Đế của họ có những đặc tính của một đảng
trưởng, như Hitler, Staline, Mao Trạch Đông v.v. Những người này đều
nâng đỡ đảng viên của họ, và giết hay bỏ tù những người ngòai đảng.
Giáo điều,
Exodus 22: 20. Ai
dâng đồ cúng bất cứ thần nào không phải Jehovah mà thôi thì đều phải
tiêu diệt. (Exodus
22:20. One who sacrifices to any gods but Jehovah alone is to
be devoted to destruction)
Đã là nguyên nhân gây ra “Những tàn
sát dã man, đẫm máu” như đã được trình bày trong bài “Ai Đi Buôn
Thượng Đế”.
Khi Con Trời G và linh mục tin một
Thượng Đế độc ác, thì tín đồ bị giáo dục điều kiện hóa trở thành
lòai vật,- thành con chiên, để cho người chăn chiên cầm gậy chăn
dắt, dẫn đi đâu nó đi đó, bảo sao nó nghe vậy,- lẽ dĩ nhiên cũng
phải tin theo.
Con chiên phải đi xem lễ ngày Chủ Nhật
để linh mục giáo dục điều kiện hóa. Họ được dạy là những kẻ có tội,
rồi chính họ phải tối tối đấm ngực tự xưng “chúng con là những kẻ
có tội”. Mà chỉ có Gíao Hội mới cứu rỗi được họ, thành ra họ lệ
thuộc vào Gíao Hội, bị Gíao Hội cầm tù, không thóat ra được. Eugen
Drewermann bảo rằng,
“Giáo Hội dạy tín đồ một cách có hệ thống, để họ trở thành những
đứa con nít vĩnh viễn dưới sự đô hộ của các công chức giáo hội”.
(Elle les éduque systématiquement à rester d’éternels enfants sous
la domination de fonctionnaires cléricaux.- “Dieu en Toute Liberté”,
page 62.)
Nhưng
dân Âu
Châu
mà trình độ văn hóa cao đã thức tỉnh không để cho Gíao Hội lừa gạt
nữa, bỏ đạo càng ngày càng nhiều.
Chính Con Trời
G
John Paul II đã phải nhận định rằng, “Tương lai Giáo Hội Thiên
Chúa Giáo nằm ở lục địa Á Châu”. Nhưng chắc cũng không tồn tại
được lâu. Schoenherr của Đại Học Wisconsin bảo:
“Khi dân của Thế Giới Thứ Ba được giáo dục hơn, thì họ lại phát hiện
ra cũng những câu hỏi và những nghi
ngờ mà nhiều người theo đạo Ca-tô ở những nước mở mang hơn đã đặt
ra trước đây”.
(Shoenherr of the University of Wisconsin says that as people in the
Third Word countries become more educated, they will develop “the
same kind of questions and doubts” that many Catholics in more
developed countries already have.- “Los Angeles Times, số ra ngày
Thứ Ba, April 18, 1995).
Còn vấn đề tin lâu? Thật ra rất khó
thay đổi một thói quen, khi thói quen đó đã được truyền từ đời nọ
qua đời kia. Sau đây là nhận định của đại sư Swami Vivekananda:
“Có
một vài người đàn bà bán cá nghèo bất ngờ bị bão. Họ chạy trốn vào
môt nhà phú hộ, đuợc cho ăn uống và ngủ dưới mái hiên, giữa một vườn
hoa, hương thơm ngào ngạt. Nhưng họ trằn trọc không sao ngủ được, vì
thiếu một mùi quen thuộc. Cho đến khi một trong số những người đó đi
ra tìm thúng đựng cá đem vào”. (Trích ra từ
Jnana Yoga).
Nhưng dù cho khó, ta vẫn phải kiên
nhẫn nói lên sự thật, thì mới mong những người bị lừa gạt khi
được giáo dục hơn
sẽ nhìn ra sự thật.
Hong Kong cũng cho rằng Kinh Thánh
không được sạch sẽ. (Bản tin của Giao
Điểm).
Sách tốt không đủ
sạch sẽ với Hong Kong
Cư dân của thành
phố đang kêu gọi dán nhãn hiệu vô luân lý vào Kinh Thánh, nói rằng
nội dung có chứa nhiều đoạn quá đẫm máu cho mắt trẻ,
bản tin của Reuters.
(May 16, 2007).
The Good Book isn't
clean enough for Hong Kong.
Residents of the city
are calling for an "indecent" label for the Bible, saying the text
contains passages that are too gory for young eyes, Reuters reports.
(May 16, 2007).
Original
texte :
Some Reasons Why Humanists Reject The Bible
by Joseph C. Sommer
Introduction
Humanists reject the claim that the
Bible is the word of God. They are convinced the book was written
solely by humans in an ignorant, superstitious, and cruel age. They
believe that because the writers of the Bible lived in an
unenlightened era, the book contains many errors and harmful
teachings.
Humanists receive much criticism due
to their position on the Bible. Some critics even accuse them of
being evil. This article attempts to clarify the reasons why
Humanists hold negative views about the Bible.
Importance of the Subject
In the United States, the Bible is
often hailed as a divinely inspired book. Television and radio carry
religious programs praising the Bible as the holy and infallible
word of God. Religious groups also distribute vast amounts of books,
magazines, tapes, pamphlets, and other items. The materials promote
the idea that, as televangelist Pat Robertson has said, "The Bible .
. . is a workable guidebook for politics, business, families and all
the affairs of mankind." [1]
The Bible is also extolled by many
politicians. For instance, President Ronald Reagan signed into law
an Act of Congress proclaiming 1983 to be the "Year of the Bible."
The law described the Bible as the "Word of God" and said there is
"a national need to study and apply its teachings." [2]
Thousands of other religious and
political leaders throughout the U.S. promote the Bible. In most
communities, an opposing view is rarely, if ever, heard.
The massive and incessant promotion of
the Bible significantly influences the beliefs of millions. A Gallup
poll showed that over 30% of Americans believe that the Bible is the
word of God and its teachings should be taken literally. [3] Gallup
identified an additional 25% of Americans who consider the Bible as
inspired by God, but think some verses should be interpreted
symbolically rather than literally. [4]
Gallup says many other people, while
having doubts about whether the entire Bible is the word of God,
still consider the book to be a source of moral truths and regard
its teachings as deserving great respect. [5]
Such views about the Bible are surely
responsible, at least in part, for Gallup’s finding that over
two-thirds of Americans belong to churches or synagogues, and 40%
attend services on a weekly basis. [6]
If the Humanist view of the Bible is
correct, millions of Bible-believers and churchgoers are wasting
much time, money, and energy. Humanity’s condition could be greatly
improved if those resources were used for solving the world's
problems instead of worshiping a nonexistent God.
Moreover, because so many people have
been told the Bible is the "Good Book," biblical teachings shape the
attitudes of millions on numerous subjects. When the subjects
involve governmental issues, all of society can be affected when
Bible-believers express their views in the political arena.
Anyone who becomes politically active
can soon discover that Bible teachings influence the opinions of
many Americans on issues involving nuclear war, overpopulation,
conservation, women’s rights, gay rights, racial equality, corporal
punishment of children, church-state separation, sex education,
science, abortion, contraception, censorship, capital punishment,
and other subjects.
When people view the Bible as the word
of a just and omniscient God, and attempt to have society's laws and
social practices reflect biblical teachings, serious error and harm
will occur if the Bible was actually written by fallible humans who
lived in an unenlightened era.
In that case, the Bible would not be a
guidebook for attaining human happiness and well-being. It would
instead perpetuate the ideas of an ignorant and superstitious past -
and prevent humanity from rising to a higher level.
Contradictions
The Bible is an unreliable authority
because it contains numerous contradictions. Logically, if two
statements are contradictory, at least one of them is false. The
biblical contradictions therefore prove that the book has many false
statements and is not infallible.
Examples of Old Testament Contradictions
The contradictions start in the
opening chapters of the Bible, where inconsistent creation stories
are told. Genesis chapter 1 says the first man and woman were made
at the same time, and after the animals. But Genesis chapter 2 gives
a different order of creation: man, then the animals, and then
woman.
Genesis chapter 1 lists six days of
creation, whereas chapter 2 refers to the "day that the Lord God
made the earth and the heavens." Genesis 1:2-3 claims that God
created light and divided it from darkness on the first day; but
Genesis 1:14-19 tells us the sun, moon, and stars weren't made until
the fourth day.
Chapter 1 reports that the fruit trees
were created before the man, while chapter 2 indicates they were
made after him. Genesis 1:20 says the fowl were created out of the
waters; Genesis 2:19 alleges they were formed from the ground.
Contradictions are also seen in the
biblical story of a worldwide flood. According to Genesis 6:19-22,
God ordered Noah to bring "of every living thing of all flesh, two
of every sort . . . into the ark." Nevertheless, Genesis 7:2-3
relates that the Lord ordered Noah to take into the ark the clean
beasts and the birds by sevens, and only the unclean beasts by twos.
Genesis 8:4 reports that, as the
waters of the flood receded, Noah’s ark rested on the mountains of
Ararat in the seventh month. The very next verse, however, says the
mountaintops could not be seen until the tenth month.
Genesis 8:13 describes the earth as
being dry on the first day of the first month. But Genesis 8:14
informs us the earth was not dry until the twenty-seventh day of the
second month.
The Old Testament contains an
interesting contradiction in the story of the census taken by King
David and the resulting punishment of the Israelites. God was so
angered by the census that he sent a plague that killed 70,000 men.
According to II Samuel 24:1, the Lord had caused David to take the
census - which makes the punishment appear even more nonsensical.
But an attempt was later made, at I Chronicles 21:1, to improve
God’s image by claiming that Satan incited the census.
Further, the Old Testament is
contradictory as to whether the Lord commanded the Israelites to
sacrifice animals to him. At Jeremiah 7:22, God denies he ever gave
the Israelites commandments about animal sacrifices. In contrast,
Exodus 29:38-42 and many other verses depict God as requiring the
Israelites to offer animal sacrifices.
Examples of New Testament Contradictions
In the New Testament, there are
contradictions between the genealogies of Jesus given in the first
chapter of Matthew and the third chapter of Luke.
Both genealogies begin with Jesus’
father, who is identified as Joseph (which is curious, given that
Mary was supposedly impregnated by the Holy Ghost). But Matthew says
Joseph’s father was Jacob, while Luke claims he was Heli. Matthew
lists 26 generations between Jesus and King David, whereas Luke
records 41. Matthew runs Jesus’ line of descent through David’s son
Solomon, while Luke has it going through David’s son Nathan.
The story of Jesus' birth is also
contradictory. Matthew 2:13-15 depicts Joseph and Mary as fleeing to
Egypt with the baby Jesus immediately after the wise men from the
east had brought gifts.
But Luke 2:22-40 claims that after the
birth of Jesus, his parents remained in Bethlehem for the time of
Mary’s purification (which was 40 days, under the Mosaic law).
Afterwards, they brought Jesus to Jerusalem "to present him to the
Lord," and then returned to their home in Nazareth. Luke mentions no
journey into Egypt or visit by wise men from the east.
Concerning the death of Judas, the
disloyal disciple, Matthew 27:5 states he took the money he had
received for betraying Jesus, threw it down in the temple, and "went
and hanged himself." To the contrary, Acts 1:18 claims Judas used
the money to purchase a field and "falling headlong, he burst
asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out."
In describing Jesus being led to his
execution, John 19:17 recounts that he carried his own cross. But
Mark 15:21-23 disagrees by saying a man called Simon carried the
cross.
As for the crucifixion, Matthew 27:44
tells us Jesus was taunted by both criminals who were being
crucified with him. But Luke 23:39-43 relates that only one of the
criminals taunted Jesus, the other criminal rebuked the one who was
doing the taunting, and Jesus told the criminal who was defending
him, "Today shalt thou be with me in paradise."
Regarding the last words of Jesus
while on the cross, Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34 quote Jesus as
crying with a loud voice, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken
me?" Luke 23:46 gives his final words as, "Father, into thy hands I
commend my spirit." John 19:30 alleges the last words were, "It is
finished."
There are even contradictions in the
accounts of the resurrection – the supposed event that is the very
foundation of the Christian religion. Mark 16:2 states that on the
day of the resurrection, certain women arrived at the tomb at the
rising of the sun. But John 20:1 informs us they arrived when it was
yet dark. Luke 24:2 describes the tomb as open when the women
arrived, whereas Matthew 28:1-2 indicates it was closed. Mark 16:5
declares that the women saw a young man at the tomb, Luke 24:4 says
they saw two men, Matthew 28:2 reports they saw an angel, and John
20:11-12 claims they saw two angels.
Also in the resurrection stories,
there are contradictions as to the identity of the women who came to
the tomb,[7] whether the men or angels the women saw were inside or
outside the tomb,[8] whether the men or angels were standing or
sitting,[9] and whether Mary Magdalene recognized the risen Jesus
when he first appeared to her.[10]
As a final example of a New Testament
contradiction, the conflicting accounts of Paul’s conversion can be
cited. Acts 9:7 states that when Jesus called Paul to preach the
gospel, the men who were with Paul heard a voice but saw no man.
According to Acts 22:9, however, the men saw a light but didn't hear
the voice speaking to Paul.
The foregoing examples are just a few
of the hundreds of contradictions contained in the Old and New
Testaments. Each contradiction is an instance where at least one of
the verses is wrong. Thus, hundreds of contradictions mean there are
at least hundreds of incorrect statements in the Bible.
Cruelties
Humanists also reject the Bible
because it approves of outrageous cruelty and injustice. In
civilized legal systems, a fundamental principle is that the
suffering of the innocent is the essence of injustice. Yet the Bible
teaches that God repeatedly violated this moral precept by harming
innocent people.
Cruelty in Basic Christian Teachings
Instances of cruel and unjust behavior
by the biblical God are seen in the most basic Christian doctrines.
Some of God’s acts that harmed the innocent are as follows.
He damned the whole human race and
cursed the entire creation because of the acts of two people
(Genesis 3:16-23; Romans 5:18); he drowned pregnant women and
innocent children and animals at the time of the Flood (Genesis
7:20-23); he tormented the Egyptians and their animals with hail and
disease because pharaoh refused to let the Israelites leave Egypt
(Exodus 9:8-11,25); and he killed Egyptian babies at the time of the
Passover (Exodus 12:29-30).
After the Exodus he ordered the
Israelites to exterminate the men, women, and children of seven
nations and steal their land (Deuteronomy 7:1-2); he killed King
David’s baby because of David’s adultery with Bathsheba (II Samuel
12:13-18); he required the torture and murder of his own son (e.g.,
Romans 3:24-25); and he promised to send non-Christians to eternal
torture (e.g., Revelation 21:8).
More Slaughters Ordered by the Lord
Besides the unfairness and
heartlessness contained in many well-known Christian teachings, the
Bible has other violent tales that are opposed to civilized
standards of morality. Among the most shocking Bible passages are
those that portray God as ordering or approving the extermination of
various people, including children and the elderly. Here are
examples:
· At
I Samuel 15:3, the prophet Samuel gives King Saul this commandment
from the Lord: "Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all
that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman,
infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass."
· Ezekiel
9:4-7 has this harrowing account: "And the Lord said unto him, Go
through . . . the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the
foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations
that be done in the midst thereof. And to the others he said in mine
hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your
eye spare, neither have ye pity: Slay utterly old and young, both
maids and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon
whom is the mark. . . ."
· Hosea
13:16 describes a punishment from the Lord: "Samaria shall become
desolate; for she hath rebelled against her God: they shall fall by
the sword: their infants shall be dashed in pieces, and their women
with child shall be ripped up."
· Deuteronomy
32:23-25 says that after the Israelites incited God's jealousy by
worshiping other gods, he vowed: "I will spend mine arrows upon
them. . . . The sword without, and terror within, shall destroy both
the young man and the virgin, the suckling also with the man of gray
hairs."
· In
Numbers chapter 31, the Lord approves of these instructions that
Moses gave to the Israelite soldiers about how to treat certain
women and children captured in war: "Now therefore kill every male
among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by
lying with him. But all the women children, that have not known a
man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves."
· Isaiah
13:9,15-18 contains this message from God: "Behold, the day of the
Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger. . . . Every one
that is found shall be thrust through. . . . Their children also
shall be dashed to pieces before their eyes . . . and their wives
ravished. Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them. . . .
[T]hey shall have no pity on the fruit of the womb; their eyes will
not spare children."
These verses expose the biblical God
as having the morals of a sociopathic mass murderer.
Examples of God’s Other Cruel Methods
The God of the Bible displayed his
sadistic tendencies by employing a variety of other means to torment
and kill people.
He caused the earth to open and
swallow entire families (Numbers 16:37-32); he used fire to devour
people (e.g., Leviticus 10:1-2; Numbers 11:1-2); and he punished the
Israelites with wars, famines, and pestilences (e.g., Ezekiel
5:11-17).
He sent wild animals such as bears (II
Kings 2:23-24), lions (II Kings 17:24-25), and serpents (Numbers
21:6) to attack people; he sanctioned slavery (e.g., Leviticus
25:44-46); he ordered religious persecution (e.g., Deuteronomy
13:12-16); and he caused cannibalism (Jeremiah 19:9).
Disproportionate Punishments by the Lord
The biblical God is also guilty of
inflicting punishments that are grossly disproportionate to the acts
committed. In the American legal system, such disproportion violates
the U.S. Constitution’s Eighth Amendment, which prohibits cruel and
unusual punishments.
Obviously, to punish people who are
completely innocent, as seen in the preceding Bible verses,
constitutes punishment that is horribly disproportionate to the
moral culpability of the recipients. And there are other instances
where the biblical God's punishments are shockingly harsh compared
to the acts committed.
For example, the Old Testament says
the Lord prescribed execution for the "crimes" of working on the
Sabbath (Exodus 31:15); cursing one’s parents (Leviticus 20:9);
worshiping other gods (Deuteronomy 17:2-5); enticing a friend or
family member to worship other gods (Deuteronomy 13:6-10); being a
witch, medium, or wizard (Exodus 22:18; Leviticus 20:27); engaging
in homosexual acts (Leviticus 20:13); and not being a virgin on
one’s wedding night (Deuteronomy 22:20-21).
In the New Testament, God became far
worse in regard to imposing excessively severe punishments. It would
be hard to imagine anything more cruel and disproportionate than
punishing people with eternal torture for mere disbelief that Jesus
was the son of God.
The inability to believe that
proposition harms no one, and it has been disbelieved by some of the
greatest benefactors of humanity. Nonetheless, God promises to
punish them and all other nonbelievers with the most horrible pain
conceivable.
God’s Violence Incites Human Violence
A serious problem with the violence
and injustice in the Bible is that, all too often, the teachings and
example of the biblical God have incited cruel acts by his
followers.
Many of them reasoned that since God,
who is considered just and loving, committed or approved of the most
brutal acts, good Christians need not have qualms about behaving
likewise. Such logic led the American patriot Thomas Paine to say,
"The belief in a cruel god makes a cruel man."[11]
Joseph McCabe’s treatise The History
of Torture illustrates the reasoning process. McCabe reports that
during the Middle Ages, there was more torture used in Christian
Europe than in any society in history.[12]
The main cause of this cruelty was the
Christian doctrine of eternal punishment. McCabe explains: "If, it
was natural to reason, God punishes men with eternal torment, it is
surely lawful for men to use doses of it in a good cause."[13]
Other historical examples of violent
and unjust acts supported by biblical teachings include: the
Inquisition; the Crusades; the burning of witches; religious wars;
pogroms against Jews; persecution of homosexuals; forceful
conversions of heathens; slavery; beatings of children; brutal
treatment of the mentally ill; suppression of scientists; and
whippings, mutilations, and violent executions of persons convicted
of crimes. Those acts were a regular part of the Christian world for
centuries.
Thomas Paine was entirely justified in
saying about the Bible: "It is a history of wickedness that has
served to corrupt and brutalize mankind; and, for my part, I
sincerely detest it as I detest everything that is cruel."[14]
Teachings Inconsistent with the Laws of Nature
Many of the Bible's claims are
inconsistent with the laws of nature. Humanists believe that those
claims are both wrong and harmful.
Science and the Laws of Nature
As a result of human observation and
experience, a fundamental principle of science is that the laws of
nature do not change, cannot be violated, and have acted uniformly
over time. According to paleontologist Stephen J. Gould, this
uniformity or constancy of natural laws is the "methodological
assumption" making science practicable.[15]
Indeed, without the assumption that
the physical world operates according to unchanging natural laws,
there would be no use studying the world, conducting experiments, or
otherwise learning from experience.
In a world not operating under
unvarying natural laws, those acts would be useless because
knowledge of past events would not provide guidance about what will
happen in similar situations in the future. There would always be
the possibility of supernatural forces intervening to alter outcomes
from what would otherwise be expected to occur based on past
experience.
Overwhelming evidence shows that
physical events occur according to immutable natural laws. And an
increasing knowledge of those laws enhances humankind’s ability to
predict future events and control human destiny.
The Bible and Supernatural Events
By claiming that supernatural beings
intervene in the world, the Bible opposes the scientific principle
of natural laws operating uniformly and unvaryingly. As a result,
the Bible discourages a scientific approach to problems.
The Bible has stories about a talking
snake (Genesis 3:4-5); a tree bearing fruit which, when eaten, gives
knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:17; 3:5-7); another tree whose
fruit bestows immortality (Genesis 3:22); a voice coming from a
burning bush (Exodus 3:4); a talking donkey (Numbers 22:28); rods
turning into serpents (Exodus 7:10-12); water changing into blood
(Exodus 7:19-22); water coming from a rock (Numbers 20:11); a dead
man reviving when his corpse touched the bones of a prophet (II
Kings 13:21); and other people rising from the dead (e.g., I Kings
17:21-22; II Kings 4:32-35; Acts 9:37-40).
There are also accounts of the sun
standing still (Joshua 10:13); the parting of a sea (Exodus
14:21-22); iron floating (II Kings 6:5-6); the sun’s shadow going
back ten degrees (II Kings 20:9-11); a witch bringing the ghost of
Samuel back from the dead (I Samuel 28:3-15); disembodied fingers
writing on a wall (Daniel 5:5); a man living for three days and
nights in the belly of a fish (Jonah 1:17); people walking on water
(Matthew 14:26-29); a virgin impregnated by God (Matthew 1:20); a
pool of water that can cure ailments of those who dip in it (John
5:2-4); and angels and demons influencing earthly affairs (e.g.,
Acts 5:19; Luke 11:24-26).
These biblical myths support the
belief, which has been held by primitive and illiterate people
throughout history, that supernatural beings frequently and
arbitrarily intervene in this world.
When examined in the light of
experience and reason, the Bible’s claims about supernatural
occurrences do not warrant belief. Our experience is that the
natural world operates according to principles of regularity - which
are never violated. We also know from experience that many people
are often mistaken or dishonest. Thus, it's far more likely the
Bible writers either erred or lied than the laws of nature were
violated.
Harms of the Supernatural Outlook
Because of believing that supernatural
beings control the world, people have often misdirected their
energies in attempting to solve problems. Instead of studying the
world to discover scientific solutions to problems, they performed
religious activities in an effort to obtain the assistance of
benevolent supernatural beings or thwart the influence of malicious
ones.
This misdirection of energies is seen,
for instance, in the history of the attempts to prevent the outbreak
and spread of diseases in Europe. The historian Andrew White relates
that, during many centuries in the Middle Ages, the filthiness of
European cities repeatedly caused great plagues that sent multitudes
to their graves.[16]
Based on biblical teachings, Christian
theologians during those centuries thought the plagues were caused
by the anger of God or the malevolence of Satan.[17] The Bible gave
them ample support for their belief. It contains numerous instances
of God punishing people by means of pestilence (e.g., Exodus 32:35;
Numbers 16:44-49; Jeremiah 21:6). And in describing Jesus’ healing
miracles, the New Testament attributes the following afflictions to
demons: blindness (Matthew 12:22); muteness (Matthew 9:32-33);
lameness (Luke 13:11,16); epilepsy (Matthew 17:14-18); and insanity
(Mark 5:1-13).
Those teachings led the early church
leaders to promote the idea that demonic activity is the primary
cause of disease. For example, St. Augustine, whose views strongly
influenced Western thought for over a thousand years, said in the
fourth century: "All diseases of Christians are to be ascribed to
these demons. . . ."[18]
With the coming of the Protestant
Reformation in the sixteenth century, there was little change in the
Christian attitude toward the causes of disease. Martin Luther, the
founder of Protestantism, repeatedly attributed his own illnesses to
"devils’ spells." He also stated: "Satan produces all the maladies
which afflict mankind, for he is the prince of death."[19]
As a result of believing in
supernatural causes of disease, theologians taught that plagues
could be averted or stopped by seeking supernatural assistance. And
the way to obtain God's help, they thought, was to perform religious
acts. These included repenting from sin;[20] providing gifts to
churches, monasteries, and shrines;[21] participating in religious
processions;[22] attending church services (which often only
increased the spread of disease);[23] and killing Jews and witches
(since it was thought Satan used them as his agents in causing
illness).[24] Religious leaders largely ignored the possibility of
physical causes and cures of diseases.[25]
Science Bests Supernaturalism
White states that despite all the
prayers, rituals, and other religious activities performed
throughout the centuries, the frequency and severity of plagues did
not diminish until scientific hygiene made its appearance. In regard
to the hygienic improvements instituted during the second half of
the nineteenth century, White explains: "[T]he sanitary authorities
have in half a century done far more to reduce the rate of disease
and death than has been done in fifteen hundred years by all the
fetiches which theological reasoning could devise or ecclesiastical
power enforce."[26]
The superior results of using science
instead of religion can be seen in many other fields. Humanists
therefore accept the scientific view that this world operates under
unvarying natural laws that cannot be suspended by religious rituals
or other means.
And Humanists esteem highly those who
study this world and provide a better understanding of it. Unlike
the theologians who focus on influencing supposed supernatural
powers, persons using a scientific outlook have enabled great
progress to be made in reducing misery and increasing happiness.
Incorrect Ideas About the Structure of the Physical World
Humanists also repudiate the Bible
because of its mistaken ideas about the structure of the physical
world. As is the case with the Bible’s statements opposing the laws
of nature, the book’s views on this subject are similar to beliefs
held by primitive and illiterate people throughout history.
Stationary Earth as the Center of the Universe
An erroneous Bible teaching caused
Christian theologians to oppose Galileo’s proof that the earth
rotates on its axis and revolves around the sun. In the sixteenth
century, Copernicus proposed this theory about the double motion of
the earth. In the following century, Galileo’s telescope proved that
Copernicus had been right.
To oppose the Copernican doctrine and
show that the earth remains stationary while the sun moves around
it, the Catholic Church pointed to the tenth chapter of the book of
Joshua.[27] There we are told that Joshua, in order to have a longer
period of daylight in which to carry out the Lord’s command to
slaughter the Amorites, ordered the sun to stand still – not the
earth.
Other passages demonstrating that the
earth remains stationary include Psalm 93:1 ("The world is
[e]stablished, that it cannot be moved."); I Chronicles 16:30
("[T]he world also shall be stable, that it be not moved."); and
Psalm 104:5 (The Lord "laid the foundations of the earth, that it
should not be removed forever.").
Because of Galileo’s support for the
Copernican doctrine, the Inquisition threatened him with torture,
forced him to recant, and subjected him to imprisonment.[28]
Additionally, for nearly 200 years the Catholic Church’s Index of
Forbidden Books condemned all writings that affirmed the double
motion of the earth.[29]
Protestants weren't much better. For
generations the major branches of Protestantism – Lutheran,
Calvinist, and Anglican – denounced the Copernican doctrine as
contrary to scripture.[30]
A Flat Earth Resting on Pillars
The Bible supports the primitive
notion of a flat earth. In the sixth century, a Christian monk named
Cosmas wrote a book, titled Topographia Christiana, describing the
structure of the physical world. Basing his views on the Bible,
Cosmas said the earth is flat and surrounded by four seas.[31]
The prophecy at Revelation 1:7 was a
basis for his conclusion. It states that when Christ returns, "every
eye shall see him." Cosmas reasoned that if the earth were round,
people on the other side would not see Christ’s second coming.[32]
Further support for the idea of a flat
earth is contained in the verses mentioning the "four corners of the
earth" (e.g., Isaiah 11:12; Revelation 7:1) and the "ends of the
earth" (e.g., Jeremiah 16:19; Acts 13:47).
Because of such Bible teachings, most
of the early church fathers thought the earth is flat.[33] In fact,
the view of the world contained in Cosmas’ book was accepted for
several centuries as orthodox Christian doctrine.[34] Even in the
fifteenth century, when Christopher Columbus proposed to sail west
from Spain to reach the East Indies, the biblical notion of a flat
earth was a major source of opposition to him.[35]
As for the question of what holds the
flat earth in place, the Bible indicates the answer is "pillars."
The pillars of the earth are mentioned in several verses in the Old
Testament (I Samuel 2:8; Psalm 75:3; Job 9:6). These verses reflect
the belief of the ancient Hebrews that the earth rests upon
pillars.[36]
Sky a Solid Dome Containing Windows
The Bible promotes the idea that the
sky is a solid dome covering the earth. In the creation account
given in the first chapter of Genesis, verse 17 says the Lord set
the sun and moon "in the firmament" to provide light for the earth.
The Hebrew word translated as firmament is raqia, which means
"hammered metal."[37]
More support for the notion of a domed
earth is found at Job 37:18 (where the sky is described as like a
"molten lookingglass"); Isaiah 40:22 (God "stretcheth out the
heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell
in"); and Revelation 6:14 ("And the heaven departed as a scroll when
it is rolled together.").
This concept of the sky was common in
the ancient Near East and taken for granted by the Bible
writers.[38] Based on the Bible, most of the early church fathers
accepted the notion of the firmament.[39] The same position was
supported by Cosmas, and thus was part of orthodox Christian
doctrine for several centuries.[40]
Orthodox doctrine also contained the
related idea that the firmament has windows - which are opened by
angels when God wants to send rain upon the earth. Cosmas believed
that when the windows are opened, some of the waters contained above
the firmament (which are mentioned at Genesis 1:17) fall to the
earth. Cosmas’ basis for this belief was the statement, at Genesis
7:11-12, that at the time of the Noachian flood the "windows of
heaven were opened" and the rain fell.[41]
Supernatural Signs in the Heavens
Bible stories led the Christian world
to believe - for centuries - that God sends humankind signs in the
heavens.
Christians thought comets warn of
divine anger and imminent punishment;[42] stars and meteors portend
beneficial events such as the birth of heroes and great men;[43]
eclipses signify divine distress in response to events on earth;[44]
and storms and other destructive weather result from the anger of
God or the malice of Satan.[45]
Additional Errors About the Physical World
The Bible has verses mentioning
dragons (Jeremiah 51:34), unicorns (Isaiah 34:7), and cockatrices
(Isaiah 11:8). These passages led many naturalists in the Middle
Ages to think such mythical creatures actually exist.[46]
The Bible is also incorrect in saying
the bat is a bird (Leviticus 11:13,19), the hare and rock badger
chew the cud (Leviticus 11:5-6), and the mustard seed "is the
smallest of all seeds" (Matthew 13:32).
Finally, it's inconsistent with
science - and ludicrous - to believe that God confounded the
language of humans because he was afraid they would build a tower
high enough to reach heaven (Genesis 11:1-9).
Overall Effect of Bible Science
White summarizes the historical
results of relying on the Bible for answers about the physical
world. It's not a pretty sight: "[T]here were developed, in every
field, theological views of science which have never led to a single
truth – which, without exception, have forced mankind away from the
truth, and have caused Christendom to stumble for centuries into
abysses of error and sorrow."[47]
In view of the Bible’s numerous
mistaken beliefs about the physical world, there's no reason to
think its writers were any more correct about unseen and abstract
matters. Being so greatly in error regarding the tangible and
observable universe, the Bible cannot be considered a reliable guide
for spiritual and ethical issues.
False Prophecies
Prophecies in the Bible further
strengthen the Humanist view. Because many of the prophecies turned
out to be false, they prove the Bible is not inerrant.
The Bible itself contains a test for
determining whether a prophecy was inspired by God. Deuteronomy
18:22 explains: "When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if
the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the
Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously:
thou shalt not be afraid of him."
Applying this test to the Bible leads
to one conclusion: the book contains many statements that were not
inspired by God.
Old Testament Prophecies
Genesis 2:17 says the Lord warned Adam
and Eve about the fruit contained on the tree of knowledge. He
stated: "[I]n the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely
die." According to Genesis chapter 3, however, Adam and Eve ate the
forbidden fruit and didn't die on that day.
Genesis 35:10 claims that God told
Jacob: "[T]hy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel
shall be thy name. . . ." But 11 chapters later, the Lord’s own act
proved his prediction to be wrong. Genesis 46:2 relates: "God spake
unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And
he said, Here am I."
At II Chronicles 1:12, God promised
Solomon: "Wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee; and I will give
thee riches, and wealth, and honour, such as none of the kings have
had that have been before thee, neither shall there any after thee
have the like."
As Robert Ingersoll pointed out in the
nineteenth century, there were several kings in Solomon’s day who
could have thrown away the value of Palestine without missing the
amount.[48] And the wealth of Solomon has been exceeded by many
later kings and is small by today’s standards.[49]
Isaiah 17:1-2 prophesies that Damascus
would cease to be a city, become a heap of ruins, and remain forever
desolate. Yet some 27 centuries after the prediction was made,
Damascus is one of the oldest cities in the world and is still going
strong.
Jeremiah 25:11 predicts the Jews would
be captives in Babylon for 70 years, and II Chronicles 36:20-21
views the prophecy as fulfilled. But the Jews were taken into
captivity by the Chaldeans when Jerusalem fell in 586 B.C.E. And
Cyrus of Persia issued an order in 538 B.C.E. allowing them to
return from Babylon to Judah. Thus, the Babylonian captivity lasted
about 48 years.[50]
Examples of other unfulfilled Old
Testament prophecies include the following: the Jews will occupy the
land from the Nile to the Euphrates (Genesis 15:18); they shall
never lose their land and shall be disturbed no more (II Samuel
7:10); King David’s throne and kingdom shall be established forever
(II Samuel 7:16); no uncircumcised person will ever enter Jerusalem
(Isaiah 52:1); and the waters of Egypt will dry up (Isaiah 19:5-7).
New Testament Prophecies
In applying the Bible’s test for
identifying false prophets, the conclusion is inescapable that Jesus
was one of them. For example, he was wrong in predicting the world
would end within the lifetime of his followers.
At Matthew 16:28, Jesus tells his
disciples: "There be some standing here, which shall not taste of
death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom." The
people who were standing there all died eventually, and they never
saw Jesus return to establish a kingdom.
Similarly, Jesus is depicted at Mark
13:24-30 as listing signs that shall accompany the end of the world.
These include the sun becoming darkened, the moon not giving any
light, the stars of heaven falling, the son of man coming in the
clouds with great power and glory, and angels gathering the elect.
Then Jesus announces: "Verily I say unto you, that this generation
shall not pass, till all these things be done." His generation
passed away long ago without the predicted events occurring.
Jesus also erred in predicting the
amount of time he would be in the tomb. At Matthew 12:40 he teaches:
"For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly;
so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart
of the earth." Mark 15:42-45 shows that Jesus died on a Friday
afternoon. But Mark 16:9 and Matthew 28:1 tell us he left the tomb
sometime on Saturday night or Sunday morning. Either way, the amount
of time was less than three nights.
Another significant false prophecy is
at John 14:13-14. Jesus promises: "Whatsoever ye shall ask in my
name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
If ye ask any thing in my name, I will do it." Everyone knows there
have been millions of instances where Jesus failed to respond to
Christians who asked for things in his name. And the graveyards are
full of people who prayed to him for health.
As is the case with other incorrect
statements in the Bible, false prophecies cast doubt on all biblical
claims. If one verse in the Bible is wrong, it's possible for many
verses to be wrong.
Inaccurate Statements About History
The Bible's false statements about
history also bolster the Humanist position. Historians and other
scholars have exposed many of the Bible's claims as historically
inaccurate.
History and the Old Testament
Historians have long known that the
biblical story of a worldwide flood is a myth. For instance, Andrew
White says nineteenth-century Egyptologists found that Egypt had a
flourishing civilization long before Noah, and no flood had ever
interrupted it.[51]
The book of Exodus claims to contain a
historical record of the escape of the Israelites from slavery in
Egypt. But historians and archaeologists have been unable to verify
any of the events described in the book. No known Egyptian records
refer to the biblical Moses, the devastating plagues God supposedly
inflicted on the country, the escape of the Hebrew slaves, or the
drowning of the Egyptian army.[52] Further, White tells us the
records contained on Egyptian monuments show that the pharaoh ruling
at the time of the alleged escape of the Jews was certainly not
overwhelmed in the Red Sea.[53]
The book of Esther purports to
describe how a young Jewish girl named Esther was chosen by the
Persian king Xerxes I to be queen after he had divorced Vashti.
Although historians know a great deal about Xerxes I, there is no
record that he had a Jewish queen named Esther or was married to
Vashti.[54]
Additionally, the book of Esther
describes the Persian empire as having 127 provinces, but historians
maintain there was no such division of the empire.[55] Also contrary
to the book of Esther, historians assure us Xerxes did not order
Jews in his territories to attack his Persian subjects.[56]
The book of Daniel describes events
that supposedly happened during the Babylonian captivity of the
Jews. The fifth chapter states that Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonian
king, was succeeded on the throne by his son Belshazzar. But
historians tell us Belshazzar was not the son of Nebuchadnezzar and
was never king.[57]
The book of Daniel also says one
"Darius the Mede" captured Babylon in the sixth century B.C.E. In
contrast, historians know that Cyrus of Persia took Babylon.[58]
History and the New Testament
In the New Testament, the second
chapter of Luke asserts that shortly before the birth of Jesus, the
emperor Augustus ordered a census throughout the Roman world. Luke
claims that every person had to travel to the town of his ancestors
for the census to be taken. He identifies the census as the reason
for Joseph and Mary traveling from Nazareth to Bethlehem, where
Jesus is said to have been born.
In his book Gospel Fictions, Randall
Helms says this type of census was never taken in the history of the
Roman Empire. He points out it's ridiculous to think the practical
Romans would require millions of people to travel enormous distances
- to towns of long-deceased ancestors - merely to sign a tax
form.[59] Likewise, in Asimov’s Guide to the Bible, Isaac Asimov
affirms that the Romans would certainly arrange no such census.[60]
The third chapter of Luke contains a
genealogy tracing Christ’s ancestry back only 76 generations to
Adam. According to Genesis chapter 1, Adam was created along with
the rest of the universe during the course of one week.
The Bible thus views the human race
and the universe as having existed for a relatively short period,
probably no more than several thousand years. In fact, for many
centuries the orthodox Christian position - to doubt which was to
risk damnation - was that the creation took place sometime between
four and six thousand years before Christ’s birth.[61]
Historians and scientists give a much
longer historical record. They say the universe is between 10 and 20
billion years old,[62] the earth’s age is approximately 4.6 billion
years,[63] and humans evolved from ape-like ancestors during the
last few million years.[64]
Matthew chapter 2 avers that shortly
after the birth of Jesus, King Herod ordered the massacre of all
male children two years of age or under in Bethlehem and its
vicinity. In the book of Luke, which contains the only other New
Testament story of Jesus’ birth, there is no mention of this
horribly cruel order. It's also not recorded in any secular
histories from the time – not even by writers who carefully
described many far less wicked deeds of Herod.[65] The lack of
corroboration means Matthew’s account was fabricated.
Matthew 27:45 alleges that while Jesus
was on the cross, there fell over the whole land a darkness lasting
from midday until three in the afternoon. Andrew White explains that
although Romans such as Seneca and Pliny carefully described much
less striking occurrences of the same sort in more remote regions,
they failed to note any such darkness occurring even in Judea.[66]
Robert Ingersoll wondered why the
first-century Jewish historian Josephus, "the best historian the
Hebrews produced, said nothing about the life or death of Christ;
nothing about the massacre of the infants by Herod; not one word
about the wonderful star that visited the sky at the birth of
Christ; nothing about the darkness that fell upon the world for
several hours in the midst of day; and failed entirely to mention
that hundreds of graves were opened, and that multitudes of Jews
rose from the dead, and visited the Holy City?" Ingersoll also
asked, "Is it not wonderful that no historian ever mentioned any of
these prodigies?"[67]
Ingersoll’s questions are even more
forceful when one considers that there still exist at least some of
the works of more than 60 historians or chroniclers who lived in the
period from 10 C.E. to 100 C.E.[68] Those writers were
contemporaries of Jesus, if in fact he ever lived.
Finally, the previously discussed
contradictions can be cited as examples of historical inaccuracies.
In each instance where the Bible contains a contradiction about an
alleged historical event, at least one of the accounts is wrong.
The Bible writers were poor
historians, let alone conveyers of messages from an infallible God.
Other Problems with the Bible
There are other reasons why the Bible
should not be considered the word of God. They include, but are not
limited to: the fact that we don't know who wrote most of it;[69]
the fact that much of it was written many years - and in some cases
many centuries – after the events it purports to describe;[70] its
obscene passages; and its promises of eternal rewards for the
ignorant and credulous and everlasting punishment for skeptics and
investigators.
Finally, the harm that the Bible
causes in people's personal lives should be mentioned as a reason
for rejecting the book. It's not uncommon to see media reports about
Bible believers committing bizarre, injurious, and sometimes deadly
acts.
Some people use Bible verses to
justify beating children, withholding medical treatment, handling
snakes, drinking poison, chopping off body parts, plucking out eyes,
driving out demons, withdrawing from the affairs of this world,
renouncing the pleasures of life, and expecting the world to end.
If the Bible were not viewed as God's
word, these acts would occur much less often.
Conclusion
In summary, Humanists
reject the Bible because it contains contradictions, cruelties,
assertions that are totally inconsistent with the laws of nature,
inaccurate statements about the structure of the physical world,
incorrect prophecies, and historical inaccuracies. Other problems
with the book could also be cited, such as the fact that we do not
know who wrote most of it, the fact that much of it was written many
years after the events which it purports to describe, its many
obscene passages, and its promises of salvation for the ignorant and
credulous and condemnation to eternal torture for skeptics and
investigators who have bestowed innumerable benefits upon the human
race.
All of these problems
and others constitute clear evidence that the Bible is not the word
of God. Instead of being infallible, the Bible has far more
incorrect assertions and immoral teachings than are contained in
most other books.
As a result of treating
such a mistake-ridden book as being inerrant, Western civilization
has been led down many paths of error and misery throughout history.
In addition, the Bible's extensive track record in leading humanity
astray is support for the conclusion that, in today's world, the
influence of biblical teachings in the political arena could very
well result -- and, in the opinion of some persons, certainly does
result -- in the continuance of a large number of harmful social
policies and opposition to many progressive proposals for social
improvement.
Moreover, reports
carried in the news media make it clear that Bible verses still lead
some Christians to commit bizarre and harmful acts such as beating
children, withholding medical treatment, handling snakes, drinking
poison, chopping off hands or feet, plucking out eyes, violently
attempting to drive out demons and devils, withdrawing from the
affairs of this world, renouncing the pleasures of life, and
expecting the imminent end of the world.
Because the Bible
contains many incorrect statements and unethical teachings and has
caused -- and continues to cause -- numerous mistakes and tremendous
harm, we should reject the advice of those persons who exhort us to
turn to the Bible for the answers to our personal, social, and
political problems.
What has enabled
humanity to correct many of the false ideas that the Bible gave to
the world has been the application of a scientific approach to
solving problems. That approach involves reliance on human
observation, experience, logic, and empathy, rather than a blind
acceptance of religious or secular dogma.
When the results of
relying on the scientific method are viewed in conjunction with the
incorrect ideas contained in the Bible and the harm caused by those
ideas, it becomes clear that we are far better off being guided by
human reason and compassion than by the teachings of the Bible.
* * *
Endnotes :
1 Ostling,
Richard N., "Jerry Falwell’s Crusade," Time (September
2, 1985), p. 50. Similarly, Jerry Falwell has said: "The Bible is
the inerrant word of the living God. It is absolutely infallible,
without error in all matters pertaining to faith and practice, as
well as in areas such as geography, science, history, etc."
McWilliams, Peter, Ain't Nobody's Business If You Do: The Absurdity
of Consensual Crimes in a Free Society (Los Angeles: Prelude Press,
1993), p. 322.
2
"Interrogatories Served in Gaylor vs. Reagan," Freethought
Today (September
1983), p. 1.
3 George Gallop
Jr. and Jim Castelli, The
People’s Religion: American Faith in the 90’s (New
York: MacMillan, 1989), pp. 60, 61.
4 Gallup and
Castelli, p. 61.
5 Gallup and
Castelli, p. 60.
6 Gallup and
Castelli, p. 16.
7 Matthew 28:1;
Mark 16:1; Luke 24:10; and John 20:1
8 Matthew 28:2
(outside) vs. Mark 16:5; Luke 24:3-4; and John 20:11-12 (inside)
9 Luke 24:4
(standing) vs. Matthew 28:2; Mark 16:5; and John 20:12 (sitting)
10 Matthew 28:9
and John 20:14
11 Ingersoll,
Robert G., "Vindication of Thomas Paine," The
Works of Ingersoll, Vol. V (New York: Dresden, 1901), p.
483.
12 McCabe,
Joseph, The
History of Torture (Austin:
American Atheist Press, Reprinted 1982), pp. 12, 23.
13 McCabe, pp.
20, 21.
14 Paine,
Thomas, The
Age of Reason (New
Jersey: Citadel Press, 1974), p. 60.
15 Berggen,
W.A., and Van Couvering, John A., Catastrophes
and Earth History: The New Uniformitarianism (New
Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1984), p. 11.
16 White, Andrew
D., A History
of the Warfare of Science with Theology in Christendom,
Vol. II (New York: D. Appleton and Co., 1910), pp. 67, 68.
17 White, Vol.
II, p. 70.
18 White, Vol.
II, p. 27.
19 White, Vol.
II, p. 45.
20 White, Vol.
II, p. 68.
21 White, Vol.
II, p. 71.
22 White, Vol.,
II, p. 71.
23 White, Vol.
II, pp. 86-88.
24 White, Vol.
II, pp. 72-75.
25 White, Vol.
II, p. 70.
26 White, Vol.
II, p. 92.
27 White, Vol.
I, p. 132.
28 White, Vol.
I, p. 142.
29 White, Vol.
I, p. 160.
30 White, Vol.
I, p. 126.
31 White, Vol.
I, p. 93.
32 "The Ghosts,"
Ingersoll, Vol. I, pp. 301, 302
33 White, Vol.
I, p. 91. See also Draper, John W., History
of the Conflict Between Religion and Science (New
York and London: D. Appleton and Company, 1919), pp. 62, 63, 161.
34 White Vol. I,
pp. 325, 326. See also Draper, pp. 163, 294.
35 Draper, pp.
163, 164.
36 The
New English Bible with the Apocrypha, Oxford Study
Edition (New York: Oxford University Press, 1976), p. 1002.
37 Ecker, Ronald
L., Dictionary
of Science and Creationism (Buffalo:
Prometheus Books, 1990), p. 56.
38 Ecker, pp.
69, 70.
39 White, Vol.
I, pp. 114-115. See also Draper, pp. 62, 63.
40 White, Vol.
I, pp. 325, 326. See also Draper, p. 294.
41 White, Vol.
I, p. 325.
42 White, Vol.
I, p. 174, 175.
43 White, Vol.
I, pp. 171-173, 176.
44 White, Vol.
I, pp. 172, 173.
45 White, Vol.
I, pp. 331, 337.
46 White, Vol.
I, pp. 33-35.
47 White, Vol.
I, p. 325.
48 "Interviews,"
Ingersoll, Vol. V, p. 261.
49 McKinsey, C.
Dennis, The
Encyclopedia of Biblical Errancy (Amherst,
New York: Prometheus Books, 1995), p. 295.
50 Callahan,
Tim, Bible
Prophecy: Failure or Fulfillment? (Altadena,
California: Millennium Press, 1997), pp. 84-85.
51 White, Vol.
I, p. 257.
52 Harris,
Stephen L., Understanding
the Bible, 2d ed. (Palo Alto and London: Mayfield
Publishing, 1985), p. 61.
53 White, Vol.
II, p. 375.
54 Harris, p.
178.
55 Harris, p.
178.
56 Harris, p.
178.
57 Harris, p.
184.
58 McKay, John;
Hill, Bennett; and Buckler, John; A
History of Western Society, Vol. I (Boston: Houghton
Mifflin Company, 1983), p. 61.
59 Helms,
Randal, Gospel
Fictions (Buffalo:
Prometheus Books, 1989), pp. 59, 60.
60 Asimov,
Isaac, Asimov’s
Guide to the Bible (New
York: Avenel Books, 1981), p. 929.
61 White, Vol.
I, p. 249-256.
62 Ecker, pp.
31, 199.
63 Ecker, p.
106.
64 Ecker, pp.
122, 129-131.
65 Asimov, p.
796, and Harris, p. 275.
66 White, Vol.
I, p. 173.
67 "The
Christian Religion," Ingersoll, Vol. VI, p. 84.
68 Stein,
Gordon, An
Anthology of Atheism and Rationalism (Buffalo:
Prometheus Books, 1980), p. 178.
69 Harris, p. 2.
70 Harris, p. 2.
·
American Humanist Association
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