This website is devoted to helping Christians properly defend their faith.
"For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist" (LUKE 21:15)
FROM THE WEBMASTER:
I don't claim to be the "expert".
When I need my car serviced, I go to a qualified mechanic. If I need
legal counsel, I seek out an attorney. If I need help answering "trick
questions" by Atheists and non-believers, I seek out EXPERT ADVICE!
Below are some popular "trick questions" posed by those who attempt to
deceive you. The following answers are provided by "experts". As
always, you are encouraged to do your own reading to become well studied
in these matters. Additionally, my disclaimer is that all "expert"
opinions are the property of their respective owners. I encourage all readers
to refer to Step
#1 OFTEN and REPEATEDLY! Additionally, you may run across a few
terms or words that may be unfamiliar to you in the following responses.
I recomend CARM'S THEOLOGICAL
DICTIONARY as a resource to better your understanding.
PLEASE do not simply "copy
and paste" the answers provided here in some vain attempt to "win"
an argument with an anonymous internet message board Atheist or non-believer!
A True Christian trusts and has faith in the WORD OF GOD. These answers
are for your
own edification. Use them as a guide to better
your understanding of God's WORD if a friend or loved one has requested
your advice . Remember -
"When you are to dispute with Jews,
Turks, Papists, Heretics, etc., concerning the power, wisdom, and majesty
of God, employ all your intelligence and industry to that end, and be as
profound and as subtle a disputer as you can ... Such arguments [for divine
truth based on human and earthly analogy] are good when they are grounded
upon the ordinance of God. But when they are taken from man's corrupt affections,
they are naught" - Martin Luther, Commentary of Galatians 1:3 and 3:15
#1)Jesus said the end of the world would come in his generation "(Mat 24:34 NRSV) Truly I tell you, *this generation will not pass away* until all these things have taken place. " Their generation did pass away, but the world didn't end.
A: http://www.endtimeinsights.com/site/v1/content/view/35/28/
http://www.neverthirsty.org/pp/corner/read/r00136.html
http://www.rbc.org/questions/print.php?catagory=bible&folder=prophecy&file=futureevents.xml
http://www.searchgodsword.org/lex/grk/view.cgi?number=1074
http://www.aramaicnt.org/HTML/ARTICLES/ShervthaGenea.html
#2)Jesus tells his disciples that those "who believe" can heal, handle snakes, cast demons out, speak in tongues, and drink poison.
(Mark 16:17-18 NRSV) And these signs will accompany those who believe: by using my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues;they will pick up snakes in their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover". Believers die from these activities all the time.
A: http://www.apocalipsis.org/difficulties/poison.htm
http://www.htmlbible.com/kjv30/henry/H41C016.htm#14-18
http://www.christiancommunitychurch.us/clevelandcommentary/Mark16.html
#3)The Exodus story is almost certainly a fabrication or at least extremely exaggerated. (Exo 12:37-38 NRSV) The Israelites journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about *six hundred thousand men* on foot, besides children. A mixed crowd also went...
A: http://reformed-theology.org/ice/newslet/bc/bc.98.06.htm
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/roman-jews.html#Strabo
http://www.answersingenesis.org/home/area/magazines/tj/docs/tj_v15n1_moses.asp
#4)Jesus was just a mortal man who had no special knowledge of modern cosmology. (Mat 24:29 NRSV) "Immediately after the suffering of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; *the stars will fall* from heaven, and the powers of heaven will be shaken.
A: http://www.pbc.org/dp/stedman/olivet/oliv08.html
http://www.historicism.com/sites/matt24/#c29
#5)Here is the certainly mythical story of how Jonah lived inside of a fish for three days: (Jonah 1:17 NRSV) But the LORD provided a large fish to swallow up Jonah; and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
A: http://www.abideinchrist.com/messages/jon1v17.html
http://www.htmlbible.com/kjv30/henry/H32C001.htm
#6)The test in the Garden of Eden was not a fair test considering it requires the knowledge of good and evil to not do something evil, yet this is what eating the fruit was supposed to give to the couple. (Gen 2:25 NRSV) And the man and his wife were both naked, and were not ashamed. (After eating the forbidden fruit) (Gen 3:10-11 NRSV) (Adam) He said, "I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself." (God) "Who told you that you were naked? Not knowing good from evil (Gen 3:5), they did something evil so God punished them...
A: http://www.faithtacoma.org/sermons/Genesis/genesis8.htm
http://www.therain.org/appendixes/app19.html
#7)The bible's primitive astronomy provides a longer day to complete the killing of all the Amorite men, women, and children. (Josh 10:12-13 NRSV) "On the day when the LORD gave the Amorites over to the Israelites, Joshua spoke to the LORD; and he said in the sight of Israel, "Sun, stand still *at Gibeon*, and Moon, *in the valley of Aijalon*."
A: http://www.christiancourier.com/questions/longDayQuestion.htm
http://www.physics.niu.edu/~morphis/evolution/metaphor.html
http://www.watchmanmag.com/0411/041118.htm
#8)Here is a dream of Nebuchadnezzar as the author of the book of Daniel imagined it. The author imagined a tree growing from the center of a flat earth and it reaching the sky that in his day was thought to be just a few miles high. The tree was visible to the "ends" of the flat earth. (Dan 4:10 NRSV) Upon my bed this is what I saw; there was a tree at the center of the earth, and its height was great. The word Hebrew word for earth here is ara: 772. 'ara', (Chald.), ar-ah'; corresp. to H776; the earth; by impl. (fig.) low:--earth, inferior (Dan 4:11 NRSV) The tree grew great and strong, its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the ends of the whole earth.
A: (Webmaster's Note - Ok, this "argument" is just completely stupid IMHO. Nevertheless....)
A: http://www.blueletterbible.org/tsk_b/Dan/4/10.html
http://www.htmlbible.com/kjv30/henry/H27C004.htm#1-18
#9) According to the bible, Ahaziah was 2 years older than his father Jehoram. (Jehoram was inflicted with a disease from God that killed him after an eight-year reign)(2 Chr 21:20 NRSV) (Jehoram) He was *thirty-two* years old when he began to reign; he reigned *eight years* in Jerusalem. ... They buried him in the city of David... So Jehoram died at the age of forty. (2 Chr 22:1 NRSV) The inhabitants of Jerusalem made his *youngest* son Ahaziah king as his successor; for the troops who came with the Arabs to the camp had killed all the *older* sons. So Ahaziah son of Jehoram reigned as king of Judah. (2 Chr 22:2 NRSV) Ahaziah was *forty-two* years old when he began to reign; he reigned one year in Jerusalem. ...
A: http://www.apologeticspress.org/abdiscr/abdiscr24.html
http://www.christiancourier.com/questions/ahaziahsAgeQuestion.htm
#10)The bible incorrectly says there are 4-legged insects. There are no insects anywhere that have 4 legs. (Lev 11:20-21 NRSV) "All winged insects that walk upon all fours are detestable to you. But among the winged insects that walk on all fours you may eat those that have jointed legs above their feet, with which to leap on the ground."
A: http://www.evidenceforchristianity.org/Pages/Q126.htm
http://www.scripturessay.com/q367c.html
http://www.biblemaster.com/bible/ency/isb/view.asp?number=3558
#11)The bible incorrectly states that rabbits (hares) chew their cud. (Deu 14:7 NRSV) Yet of those that chew the cud or have the hoof cleft you shall not eat these: the camel, the hare, and the rock badger, because they chew the cud but do not divide the hoof; they are unclean for you.
A: http://www.grisda.org/origins/04102.htm
http://www.asa3.org/archive/evolution/199505-10/0531.html
http://www.answersingenesis.org/docs/3725.asp
#12)Here again the bible seems to be saying that the earth is flat. Here are more verses describing it as God "drawing" a flat 2 dimensional circle on the *face* of the waters to make the earth. (Prov 8:26-27 NRSV) when he had not yet made earth and fields, or the world's first bits of soil. When he established the heavens, I was there, when he drew a circle on the face of the deep, (Job 26:10 NRSV) He has described a circle on the face of the waters, at the boundary between light and darkness. (Isa 40:22 NRSV) It is he who sits above the *circle of the earth*, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to live in; The Hebrew word for circle here is chuwg 2329. chuwg, khoog; from H2328; a circle:--circle, circuit, compass.
A: http://www.trueorigin.org/flatearth01.asp
http://www.apologeticspress.org/faq/r&r8612a.htm
#13)Problems with the story of the Tower of Babel - (Skeptics don't believe this a "rational explaination" for the development of multiple languages. Additionally, the skeptics believe this story demonstrates an "anthropomorphic God" and a faulty understanding of Cosmology) (Gen 11:4-7 NRSV) Then they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves; otherwise we shall be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth." The LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which mortals had built. And the LORD said, "Look, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do; nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. Come, let us go down, and confuse their language there, so that they will not understand one another's speech."
A: http://www.directionjournal.org/article/?927
http://www.christiancourier.com/archives/babel.htm
http://www.pbministries.org/books/pink/Gleanings_Genesis/genesis_16.htm
#14)Jesus incorrectly said that he was mentioned by Moses in his law. (Luke 24:44 NRSV) Then he said to them, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you--that everything written about me in the law of Moses,...
A: http://www.bibletruths.net/Archives/BTAR127.htm
http://www.shol.com/featheredprop/jesus_bible.htm
#15)Jesus incorrectly states that no one has ascended into heaven except the "Son of Man". (John 3:13 NRSV) No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. (John 3:15 NRSV) that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. (But here is Elijah *ascending* to heaven-) (2 Ki 2:11 NRSV) As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them, and Elijah *ascended in a whirlwind into heaven*.
A: http://www.carm.org/diff/John3_13.htm
http://www.tektonics.org/firstascent.html
#16)The author of Matthew says there are 42 generations from Abraham to Jesus. (Mat 1:17 NRSV) So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon to the Messiah fourteen generations. (3 x 14 = 42) The number of generations he actually lists is instead 41.
A: http://www.rationalchristianity.net/num_generations.html
http://answering-islam.org.uk/BibleCom/mt1-1.html
#17)Jesus quotes another scripture that doesn't exist in the canonized bible. (John 7:38 NRSV) and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, 'Out of the believer's heart shall flow rivers of living water.'"
A: http://www.gospelchapel.com/Notes/500_599/577.html
http://www.crossings.org/theology/theolo334.htm
http://www.gospelchapel.com/Sermons/John/56.htm
#18)Paul gives a list of things that supposedly indicate the "last days", but the things he listed are things that are continually going on all the time. (2 Tim 3:1-5 NRSV) You must understand this, that in the last days distressing times will come. For people will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, inhuman, implacable, slanderers, profligates, brutes, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to the outward form of godliness but denying its power. Avoid them!
A: http://www.preceptaustin.org/2_timothy_31-5.htm
http://www.calvarychapelburbank.org/Summary2Timothy.htm
http://www.pbc.org/dp/stedman/timothy/3789.html
#19)Jesus lists things that supposedly indicate the "last days", but his list is of things that are continually going on throughout history (Matthew 24:3-14) When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?" Jesus answered them, "Beware that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, 'I am the Messiah!' and they will lead many astray. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not alarmed; for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places: all this is but the beginning of the birth pangs. "Then they will hand you over to be tortured and will put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of my name. Then many will fall away, and they will betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because of the increase of lawlessness, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world, as a testimony to all the nations; and then the end will come....(Here is the only specific thing Jesus says and it is right before the specific "coming on the clouds of heaven") (Matthew 24:29) "Immediately after the suffering of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven will be shaken. (Again vague nonspecific things that have been going on throughout all history (except for the Messiah statement which has only been going on since the Babylonian Exile ~2500 years ago)
A: (Webmaster's Note - OK, this is redundant and was fully answered in Question #1 above, nevertheless..)
http://www.christnotes.org/commentary.asp?ViewCommentary=Matthew+24&Version=MHC
#20)Here is Satan telling Jesus (who was supposed to be God and owner of the world according to christian religions) to worship him and he will "give" him the world? (Mat 4:8 NRSV) Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor; (Mat 4:9 NRSV) and he said to him, "All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me."
A: http://hank.dkat.com/basearch.php3?action=full&mainkey=SATAN%26%2339%3BS+KINGDOM
http://www.blueletterbible.org/faq/nbi/73.html
http://christiananswers.net/dictionary/satan.html
#21)The Deuteronomist outlaws foreign sorcery, but the bible authors use a multitude of their own sorcerers (called prophets) to contact a supernatural power (their god) and to attempt to determine the future. (Deu 18:10 NRSV) No one shall be found among you who makes a son or daughter pass through fire, or who *practices divination*, or is a soothsayer, or an augur, or a *sorcerer*, "Sorcerer practices" or "Divination and Magic" From Holman's Bible Dictionary: An attempt to contact supernatural powers to determine answers to questions hidden to humans and usually involving the future.
A:)http://www.creationists.org/spirits.html
http://bibletools.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Def.show/RTD/ISBE/Topic/Divination
#22)Jesus here is simply wrong, a man can serve several masters and hate all of them or love all of them. Even though this is just an analogy, an analogy is suppose to draw a parallel from something that makes sense. (Mat 6:24 NRSV) "No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. ...(Mat 6:24 NRSV) ... You cannot serve God and wealth.
A: (Webmaster's Note - Ok, once again this "argument" is just completely stupid IMHO. Nevertheless....)
http://bibletools.org//index.cfm/fuseaction/Bible.show/bibleBook/40/sChap/6/sVerse/24/sVerseID/23307/eVerseID/23307/version/KJV/opt/COMM/RTD/JFB
http://www.pbc.org/dp/zeisler/4628.html
#23)The Apostle Peter takes an Old Testament verse out of it's context to try to make it seem as though it was forecasting a future event. Some observers see people acting funny, speaking in tongues that they are not capable of during their "filling of the Holy Spirit" at the "Pentecost". They then conclude they are all drunk. Peter tells them that they aren't drunk, but they are filled with the Holy Spirit, that is why they are acting strange. (Acts 2:15-16 NRSV) Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o'clock in the morning. No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: (Peter then goes on to quote the prophet Joel, claiming that this filling of the spirit means they are in the "last days" before the coming of the "great day of the Lord". A) The prophet Joel was making another vague prediction about how Judah and Israel are going to get back together and of a great war that the Jews would have with many nations of which only they will survive (this is Joel's "Lord's great and glorious day"). Of course this prophecy failed because it never happened. (Joel 2:28 - 3:21) B) Peter was wrong as this has nothing to do with the Pentecost or Jesus. C) Peter takes this prediction and turns it into a validation that they were in the last days before Jesus was to come back which was his "Lord's great and glorious day". D) It was natural for Peter and the Apostle Paul in his letters to assume this because Jesus himself said he would come back before all of the disciples had died. (Mat 16:28) E) Jesus never came back, not then, and not in the almost 2000 years since, so Peter was wrong about them being in the "last days". (Acts 2:17 NRSV) 'In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall ... (Acts 2:19-20 NRSV) And I will show portents in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist. The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the coming of the Lord's great and glorious day.
A: (Webmaster's Note - Ok, now THIS "argument" is rather twisted because it is based upon multiple mis-interpretations. The author of this "argument" is obviously assuming that the reader agrees with his (or her) earlier suppositions which, of course, have clearly been addressed and fully answered above. Nevertheless, we will first address the meaning of Acts 2, then the meaning of Joel, and then provide some commentary as to the Atheist's erroneous conclusions)
http://www.christiancommunitychurch.us/clevelandcommentary/Acts02.html
http://www.abideinchrist.com/messages/joe2v28.html
http://www.studylight.org/com/guz/view.cgi?book=ac&chapter=002
http://www.studylight.org/com/bcc/view.cgi?book=joe&chapter=002
http://www.valleybible.net/resources/AdultEducationClasses/BibleDifficulties/NewTestamentDifficulties/difficulties.acts2.shtml
http://www.mindspring.com/~mamcgee/grace_answers23.html
So! These are the great 23 "Biblical Errors" which have been thrown around the internet for years. The answers provided should edify the concerned Christian and provoke thought amongst the agnostic. I can only hope and pray for the Atheist. For a more exhaustive list of "Biblical Difficulties" and their respective explanations, I recommend CARM'S complete Listing: http://www.carm.org/bible_difficulties.htm
This page is continually under construction. As time permits, I will add more skeptical questions and their respective answers. In the meantime, click HERE to get back to Step #1 or the SWORD below to go HOME.
