From: utzoo!decvax!harpo!npoiv!hou5f!hou5b!hou5c!hou5e!hou5a!hou5d!houxz!ihnp4!laidbak!trsvax!ljw
Newsgroups: net.religion
Title: Re: Biblical contradictions
Article-I.D.: trsvax.223
Posted: Tue Mar  1 14:00:33 1983
Received: Tue Mar  8 03:05:26 1983
References: utcsrgv.1122

Every once in a while, someone who hasn't done any research on the matter
points out what on the surface appear to be errors or contradictions in the
Bible, yet after 1900+ years no one has come up with any "contradiction"
that doesn't have an answer.

Let's look at the Lev. 20:21 / Deut. 25:5 example:  Lev. 20:21 states,
"If a man takes his brother's wife, it is impurity; he has uncovered his
brother's nakedness, they shall be childless."  Deut. 25:5 states, "If 
brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of
the dead shall not be married outside the family to a stranger; her husband's
brother shall go in to her, and take her as his wife, and perform the duty of
a husband's brother to her."  (both quotes from RSV).  If one studies the
context, one will find that the first case deals with incest or adultery
("takes" would be better translated "rapes"), while the brother is still 
alive.  But when the brother dies, his wife is no longer married (see Rom. 7:2,
I Cor. 7:39, et. al) and is freed to remarry.  No in those days, all possessiwere handed down to the sons.  If there was no sons to get the possessions,
then the brother was to marry his sister-in-law, and raise up a son who would
get to keep the dead brother's possessions, thus keeping the possessions in
the family and not giving it to "strangers."

If anyone is interested, there are several books on the topic of answering
supposed contradictions and errors in the Bible.  In my opinion, the best
(and must reading for anyone thinking about coming up with a "new contra-diction") are those edited by Josh McDowell ("Evidence that demands a Verdict,"
"More Evidence that demands a verdict," "Answers to Tough Questions Skeptics
Ask about the Christian Faith," et. al.).  There are of course other books,
but his are the most researched ones I've seen.

By the way, as long as we are on the subject of "contradictions" and "absurdities", does anyone know of any books that answer point-by-point some of the
"contradictions" in evolution (books similar in style to those mentioned above).
I am specifically interested in why there are so many gaps in the fossil
records among transitional life forms (i.e. half fish, half amphibian, quarter
fish, three-quarter amphibian, etc.).

Since you asked for a list of "absurdities", I'll offer one that is probably
appropriate:
	Prov. 26:4 states that we are NOT to answer fools (lest you be like
him yourself), whereas Prov. 26:5 states that we ARE to answer fools (lest
he be wise in his own eyes).  The reason for this difference is not visible
to the unenlightened, for there are two different Hebrew words translated
fool here.  The "fool" in verse five means someone who doesn't know any
better, and if you would correct them, they would accept the correction and
would increase in knowledge.  This word is often translated "simple (minded)".
The fool in verse four, on the other hand, is a person whose mind is so closed
that even if sound evidence were offered to the contrary, they would not
accept the instruction due to the hardness of their heart (see also Prov.23:9).
An example of this is the refusal of some scientists to visit the place in
Texas where dinosaur tracks and human footprints were found side-by-side to
see if it actually was true.  Their "minds were made up and didn't want to
be confused by the facts."  

I don't want to be a verse four type of fool (which is why I am asking for
more information on evolution's reply to it's "alledged contradictions"
before I offer any criticism on the subject.) and I hope this letter has
helped.
				Larry J. West
			    ...microsoft!trsvax!ljw

P.S.  If you find any "real" contradictions (and I don't mean smokescreens
you developed to justify some sin), mail them to me.  I live only a couple
of miles from the largest seminary in the world (Southwestern Baptist), and
would be delighted to research it for you and help you (and I) come to a
fuller understanding of what the Bible teaches.