DanBZ

I go a Christian school, and I am an atheist. I am particularly cynical of the Bible.
A speaker, who is a Biblical "expert" is coming to our school, and our Bible teacher has asked us to prepare some questions for this guy. Well, I want to torture this guy--show him that he's not much of an expert (just to have a little fun).

What questions should I ask him specifically for the purposes of trapping him?:devil1:

Toto

Can you share his name?

Ahriman

There are several threads here on this site concerning best arguments and debate tactics and stuff. A fun way, if you have time on your hands, is to browse the Skeptic's annotated bible.

There are several angles from which to confront a christian. No record of Jesus until Christian sources in the second century, the bible's contradictions and inconsistencies, religiosity as a cultural phenomenon, the incoherence of G-d's nature (no free will with G-d's omniscience), etc.

Roland

Ask him why the gospels are not mentioned by name until Irenaeus at around 180 AD.

If the authosrhip of those books is so reliable, why are they not mentioned until nearly 150 years after Jesus' alleged death?

And why does Justin Martyr, writing voluminously about Christianity at around 150 AD, only refer to them as "the memoirs of the apostles" and not by the names with which we are familiar? And why do many of his quotes not match those found in our canonical gospels?

Also, take a copy of the following website and ask him to explain why the details of Jesus' life only become commonly written about at around 150 AD.

http://members.iinet.net.au/~quentin.../OldTable.html

Just some suggestions.

Good luck.

hatsoff

That would be enormously disrespectful. You should rethink your plan.

John Kesler

I am curious why an atheist is going to a Christian school. At any rate, if the guest is a polished speaker and thinks quickly on his feet, I doubt that you will be able to "trap" him, or at least convince those who are Christians that you have done this. Before he speaks, you should find out who he is and what he believes. "Bible experts" have widely varying interpretations.

David B

What is wrong with disrespecting the disreputable?

Go ahead

David B

David B

Probably sent there. Otherwise, good advice. If a biblical inerrantist, why two conflicting creation accounts in the OT?. If not - why believe a flawed book?

David B

hatsoff

It's rude and juvenile. Anyway, if he can't even come up with some questions on his own, he will not be able to accomplish what he'd like.

hatsoff

The two versions of creation complement--not contradict--eachother.