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Biblical Infallibility or Mental Health?

Lee Salisbury

It is understandable why Christians insist on biblical infallibility. The questioning of any bible verse calls into question the Christian's faith in an omniscient God. Any threat to the bible is a threat to their faith, their commitment to Jesus, and ultimately their self-identity. For believers, the bible must to be true, regardless of contradictory evidence. Some go so far as believing the earth must be flat because the bible states the earth has four corners. In the interest of what we hope is a mutual desire for truth and integrity by all concerned, the following is a sample of questionable bible verses with comments in italics for the inquirer's consideration:

Jos 15:21 "And the uttermost cities of the tribe of the children of Judah toward the coast of Edom southward were Kabzeel, and Eder, and Jagur, And Kinah, and Dimonah, and Adadah, And Kedesh, and Hazor, and Ithnan, Ziph, and Telem, and Bealoth, And Hazor, Hadattah, and Kerioth, and Hezron, which is Hazor, Amam, and Shema, and Moladah, And Hazar-gaddah, and Heshmon, and Beth-palet, And Hazar-shual, and Beer-sheba, and Bizjothjah, Baalah, and Iim, and Azem, And Eltolad, and Chesil, and Hormah, And Ziklag, and Madmannah, and Sansannah, And Lebaoth, and Shilhim, and Ain, and Rimmon:" all the cities are twenty and nine, with their villages: Why does the "inspired Word of God" say 29 when the actual count is 39?

Ez 1:9 "Now this was their number: 30 gold dishes, 1,000 silver dishes, 29 duplicates; 30 gold bowls, 410 silver bowls of a second kind, and 1,000 other articles. All the articles of gold and silver numbered 5,400. Sheshbazzar brought them all up with the exiles who went up from Babylon to Jerusalem." Why 5,400 when simple addition totals 2,499?

Ez 2:3-64 "The whole assembly numbered 42,360" Why 42,360 when the assembly listed totals 29,818?

MK 9:2 "And six days later, Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John, and brought them up to a high mountain by themselves."
Lk 9:28 "And some eight days after these sayings, it came about that He took along Peter and John and James, and went up to the mountain to pray." There are at least twenty bible errors involving numbers that an inept, hurried monk might make, but hardly an omniscient God. If these errors are due to copyists, then what confidence can one have that there might not be other errors or that God who allegedly inspired the bible is Himself not subject to errors and omissions?

Num23:19 God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent; Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?
Jas1:17 Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation, or shifting shadow.

VS

Ez 14:9 And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the LORD have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him
I Kg 22:22 And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also. Ex32:14 So the LORD changed His mind about the harm which He said He would do to His people. ICh 21:14-15 So the LORD sent a pestilence on Israel; 70,000 men of Israel fell. And God sent an angel to Jerusalem to destroy it; but as he was about to destroy it, the LORD saw and He repented over the calamity, and said to the destroying angel, "It is enough;
God acknowledges that he is just like man participating in lies, and changing his mind.

Jn1:3 "All things came into being by Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being."
Col1:16 "For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities all things have been created by Him and for Him."

VS

Is45:7 "The One forming light and creating darkness, Causing well-being and creating calamity; I am the LORD who does all these."
Amo3:6 "If a trumpet is blown in a city will not the people tremble? If a calamity occurs in a city has not the LORD done it?
Lam3:38 Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both good and ill go forth? God and Jesus admit responsibility for darkness, calamity, and ill? "I am the LORD who does all these." Would this include plagues, wars, earthquakes, hurricanes? With such a God who needs Satan?

Jas1:13 "Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone."

VS

Num14:22 "Surely all the men who have seen My glory and My signs, which I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness, yet have put Me to the test (tempted Me) these ten times not listening to My voice"
Gen22:1 "Now it came about after these things, that God tested (tempted) Abraham"
IISam24:1 "Now again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and it incited (tempted) David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah."
I Ch 21:1 "Then Satan stood up against Israel and moved (tempted)David to number Israel." God is tempted, God tempts others. God and Satan tempt King David. Here God and Satan are the same!

finish later

Published: 5/25/2001
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