Why Do So Many Believe the Bible to Be True When it is So Clearly Self-Contradictory?

[RedFever]

One of the Symbols of Christianity (the Other Being the Fish)

1. Who incited David to count the fighting men of Israel?
(a) God did (2 Samuel 24: 1)
(b) Satan did (I Chronicles 2 1:1)

2. In that count how many fighting men were found in Israel?
(a) Eight hundred thousand (2 Samuel 24:9)
(b) One million, one hundred thousand (1 Chronicles 21:5)

3. How many fighting men were found in Judah?
(a) Five hundred thousand (2 Samuel 24:9)
(b) Four hundred and seventy thousand (I Chronicles 21:5)

4. God sent his prophet to threaten David with how many years of famine?
(a) Seven (2 Samuel 24:13)
(b) Three (1 Chronicles 21:12)

5. How old was Ahaziah when he began to rule over Jerusalem?
(a) Twenty-two (2 Kings 8:26)
(b) Forty-two (2 Chronicles 22:2)

Source: https://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~wwu/YaBBAttachments/101_Contradictions_In_The_Bible.pdf

Updates

+1 y

It seems I've upset quite a few people here, but I simply do not understand why. I mean, isn't the truth important to you? I would rather be told the truth and know what's real, even if that truth is extremely painful and unpleasant. Then again, we do of course live in a world where people actually prefer to be told comforting lies, because their fragile egos can't handle anything less. The belief that humanity is "special" is, of course, utter nonsense, but it's one belief the Bible promotes.

[Hispanic-Cool-Guy]

Those aren't contradictions, you just aren't understanding nor reading the contexts.

I'm sleepy right now but I'm going to answer a couple you put up there.

1. Who incited David to count the fighting men of Israel?
(a) God did (2 Samuel 24: 1)
(b) Satan did (I Chronicles 2 1:1)

The answer is both. God tested David's obedience by allowing Satan to sudduce David's obedience and David disobeyed.

2. In that count how many fighting men were found in Israel?
(a) Eight hundred thousand (2 Samuel 24:9)
(b) One million, one hundred thousand (1 Chronicles 21:5) Joab didn't count some men of the Tribe of Levi and Benjamin.

2 Samuel 24:9

Then Joab gave the sum of the number of the people to the king.

And there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men who drew the sword, and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.

1 Chronicles 21:5-6

Then Joab gave the sum of the number of the people to David.

All Israel had one million one hundred thousand men who drew the sword, and Judah had four hundred and seventy thousand men who drew the sword.

But he did not count Levi and Benjamin among them, for the king’s word was abominable to Joab.

I'll answer more so called "contradictions" if you want me too.

Going to sleep now.

[Hispanic-Cool-Guy]

The Bible repeats same events from different perspectives.

[RedFever]

"The answer is both. God tested David's obedience by allowing Satan to sudduce David's obedience and David disobeyed."
Oh, okay. Well, I'm sure you can provide the Biblical passage that confirms this view. Right?

[Hispanic-Cool-Guy]

Ex is Job. Satan was the one that desired to destroy Job and God allowed Satan to attacked Job but in the process of it all God tested and refined Job's character in the end.

[RedFever]

Now you're talking about Job, but it's Samuel and Chronicles that contradict each other in that example. If it's also mentioned in Job, then where? Which chapter and passage?

[Hispanic-Cool-Guy]

No. There's no contradiction. It's your own perception. Satan tempted David to disobey God; and God through His divine sovereignty allowed Satan to do it as God is involved in everything either directly or indirectly as He is God and nothing escapes His divine will and knowledge.

[Nikki6t6]

All your contradictions have been refuted an over abundance of times. Although I couldn’t post the links because I just signed up yesterday and don’t have the level required to do so.

I’m not going to list all the ones I found because there’s hundreds. But here’s just one if anyone would like to do a search.

Google faith foundation - irrefutable contradictions of the Bible refuted.

[RedFever]

You signed up yesterday? You're already on Xper level 2. Anyway, if they've been "debunked", well that would be interesting to see, because even though I'm not a Christian (and this is one reason why), if someone could actually demonstrate why this religion is true, and all the others false, then THAT would impress me a lot! :)

[RedFever]

Maybe you were thinking of this:
faithfoundedonfact.com/.../
Will go over it.

[Tanisa]

Shut up! Although the bible has many contradictions in it, even billions believe that it came from God. That's a clear evidence that the bible is divine!

[RedFever]

What? You think a book is "divine" simply because people BELIEVE it to be divine? Please don't tell me you actually believe that. This is a joke, right?

[Tanisa]

What? Please don't tell me that you actually believe I'm serious.
You're also joking, right?😂 I was just trolling 😂😂

[RedFever]

Whew! You're a good troller. :)

[Tanisa]

Thank you 😂

[UCrayCray]

You got me too
I even downvoted you

I’ll take it back 😊

[RedFever]

@UCrayCray Yeah, I did the same. I'm taking my downvote back :)

[RasberrySlushPuppy]

Because people have a logical fallacy in that when they are shown a collection of situational descriptions if just one of them relates to an actual event whether it's coincidence or not theyll believe the book is truly predicting events. They choose what they want to believe and will defend it even someone challenges their belief. They just think you're a scepticist, a believer of science.

[Starman5]

nice question. You are quite right. This is not the real book. Except for the Qur'an, the other holy books were written after the prophets died. so they are broken. but the Quran was written at the time of the prophet when it was revealed. so the original is not lost. The Bible, Torah and Psalms, unfortunately, are not real books. The originals have always been lost.

[Starman5]

@redfever Do you accept what I said on this subject?

[RasberrySlushPuppy]

All books are man made. Made to make money from you

[Starman5]

@RasberrySlushPuppy No, not all books are man-made. All the holy books were sent by God. Except for the Qur'an, other holy books have lost their originals. because other holy books were preached to the public but not written. It was written after the prophets died. but this has caused confusion. but the Quran was written down as it was revealed. so original

[RasberrySlushPuppy]

Someone with a philosophical imaginative mind has a way of writing books. Poets children's story tellers. Even Shakespeare? Is Shakespeare a prophet? No.

[Starman5]

@RasberrySlushPuppy Shakespeare is not a prophet. do not talk nonsense. You don't have to believe what I'm told. but that's the truth

[RedFever]

Not really, no. The Quran is just as false. Every religion is false. In this day and age we just don't need to resort to supernatural explanations anymore, because we understand reality far better than the people who were around when those books were written.

[RasberrySlushPuppy]

I agree with @redfever we now are so populated we experience everything there is to experience if you are outside. Never once have I come across anything strange that needed me to turn to faith. It's called karma you do bad bad comes to you. Good comes to those who do good. You can't say something's evil if your mind is wired differently to others. One person's thoughts don't decide the world's fate. The entire world had so many different cultures and the only reason there is hatred is because of religions created by those who hated the world themselves. People who are troubled tend to write about it.

[strateguy632]

Very good you showed two different counts, and counting events,. so simply: both happened in different regions and times.

[beefcakebradybatson]

Most fundamentalists are uneducated, believing the Bible the only book they need to read.

[Erron_Black]

The Torah and the Bible were changed. quran has not changed

[Asuka30]

What about hundreds of the Old testament prophecies about jesus christ?

[Hispanic-Cool-Guy]

These people just don't understand the Bible.

[RedFever]

Are you serious? There aren't any. That's why Jews never accepted the claims made by that phony messiah.

[Hispanic-Cool-Guy]

No. Most Jews when Jesus preached the gospel couldn't believe because God blinded their eyes because they were beyond salvation for being the horrible pricks they were i. e. the majority of the Pharisees. Other good hearted Jews accepted the lord Jesus.

John 12:37-43

But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him, that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke: “Lord, who has believed our report?

And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?”

Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again:

“He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, Lest they should see with their eyes, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.”

These things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke of Him.

Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

[najekim]

They drank the Kool-Aid of religious dogma.

[ItsMeItsMe1989]

the church is paid to tell them what to think

[Andres77]

You'll find out.

[RedFever]

Really? When? How? Elaborate.

[Andres77]

I'm not going to try and convince you of anything.
I wish you the best, truly.
There are things I believe that you don't.
That's fine.
I'm not going to convince you to change your mind.
But you are going to die.
I hope for your sake that you're so sure of what comes next that you can rest easy.
If you believe something... fine.
Don't beat up or bully others for their beliefs.
I'm not saying you are doing that but questions like this tend to go there.
Really? Yes.
When? When you die.
How? When the two angels take you to the next place.
If I'm wrong, yay for you. No consequences.
If I'm right... too late.

Bottom line: we're all going to die.
Do you know what's next?
No, you don't. You're acting on your belief and you hope you're right.
That's what everyone in the history of the world has done. You and I are no better.
We'll die and it will be too late.
So... yeah, really. You'll find out when you're dead.
You'll find out.
And it will be too late.
If I were you I'd focus on ensuring the fate of your own soul and not play "debate monkey" trying to unseat other's beliefs.
Unless you're just a self-righteous bully that thinks "being right" is more important than the value of your soul.

[RedFever]

What on earth are you babbling on about? How about actually addressing the question, rather than trying to avoid it? I can safely assume you're a Christian, because those people are the absolute WORST when it comes to giving a straight, simple answer to a question.

[Andres77]

Does it really matter?
I'm done. I'll stay out of this one.

[RedFever]

Yes, it matters.

[Andres77]

I said my piece.
I like you, I don't want to fight.
I'm going to shut up now.
Good night.

[RedFever]

We're not fighting. Good night! :)

[lycanthrope3]

Good luck

[RedFever]

Good luck? With what?

[lycanthrope3]

Some of the answers

[RedFever]

Oh, okay. :)