benja burns

I was talking to my church youth leader about some of the problems and contradictions in the Bible recently. She suggested that I find the ones I think are the biggest and ask my pastor about them to see if he can explain them. What do you think are the biggest contradictions/problems with the Bible?

spamandham

Why does it matter if the Bible contains contradictions? I'm certain your pastor will be able to explain away any of them if he is skilled in making things up, i.e. apologetics.

There are numerous web sites devoted to Biblical contradictions, and many threads on the topic have been discussed here as well. Only a trivial amount of effort is required to find them.

Harry Bosch

The battle of Gideon, when God stopped the sun in its path, in order to extend the day and allow Joshua to continue his slaughter. How would stopping the sun extend the daylight on earth? {Ancient Jews believed that the Sun orbited around a stationary Earth}

Sven

The most recent contradiction thread with lots of examples (and some silly apologetics) can be found here:
http://www.iidb.org/vbb/showthread.php?t=90033

My favourite is still Judas' death, because there are (at least) three contradictions in a very short passage.

Javaman

I believe the fact that Jesus is forbidden from being the King of the Jews by God himself is a good contradiction. Although Jeremiah 22 says the descendants of Jeconiah are cursed thusly:

Jeremiah 22
30 This is what the LORD says:
"Record this man as if childless,
a man who will not prosper in his lifetime,
for none of his offspring will prosper,
none will sit on the throne of David
or rule anymore in Judah."
See all of Jeremiah 22 for the details.

Matthew puts Jeconiah in Jesus' lineage (which opens a different can of worms):

Matthew 1
12 After the exile to Babylon:
Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel,
Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,