The Bible is an Inconsistent Document

1. GE 6:4 (Giants) You are correct about absence of evidence. However, the fact that there are no remains of these individuals at all suggests that either they did not exist, or their remains have been systematically destroyed. It's far more likely that they did not exist. Meganthropus are a terrible candidate - they inhabited Java, an island in Southeast Asia, and on top of that, they weren't even a derivation of homo sapien (1), and thus, would not have looked like humans or had civilizations like are purported in Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, and Samuel. On top of that, Numbers 13:33 states that "we were in our own sight as grasshopper" and the Meganthropus were only about 8 feet tall. The fact remains that the Bible purports there to be Giants without evidence for them at all. The contradiction remains. 2. Gen 7:19 (Flood) My opponent uses the Bible as evidence for why a global interpretation of the flood must be false, which is clearly circular reasoning. However, I shall indulge him and consider the flood to be local, because this is a decent assumption anyway. If the Nephilm are not related to pre-flood people, how did a race of Giants begin in that region? Spontaneously? On top of that, no flood would have killed every living thing even on the mountains, or the "fowl of the heavens" (7:23). Furthermore, "fifteen cubits" (7:20) is nowhere enough water to cover mountains - the Jewish cubit was only about 17 inches (2). The contradiction remains. 3. 2 Sam 24:9 (Soldiers) My opponent now pretends that reserve soldiers are somehow not fit for military service, even though they are already serving in a reserve capacity. The contradiction remains. 4. Gen 7:2, 8, 9 (Ark) In another copy-pasted argument, my opponent goes further and further from what God has ordered Noah to take. Genesis 7 has passages where God mandates Noah take clean beasts, unclean beasts, fowl, and beasts that "creepeth" into the ark. Actually, "nephesh" means "the complete life of a being" (3) and the word "basar" means flesh or body. So these say nothing about what kind of animal God ordered Noah to take. Thus, there is still a problem of fitting these animals onto the ark. And as for genetic viability... again - ONLY TWO is not a viable population. If my opponent can demonstrate that God really meant seven instead of two, even though he said both, and that Noah took seven, his point on speciation MIGHT be valid. However, also consider that all the humans on the ark were related to one another. Thus, there was not a viable HUMAN population because none of them would have dared commit the sin of incest, which is biblically punishable by death. The contradictions remain. 5. LEV 11:6 (Hares) Copraphagy is NOT regurgitation. Rabbits and hares do NOT bring up their food to eat again - they poop it out. The contradiction remains. 6. GEN 3:14 (Serpents) Seed of the woman refers to humans writ large... But in any event, while serpents may get some dirt in their mouth, they do not EAT dirt, which is what Genesis states. The contradiction remains. 7. GE 1:29 (Plants) Poisonous plants cannot be food. Food is "any nourishing substance that is eaten, drunk, or otherwise taken into the body to sustain life, provide energy, promote growth, etc." (5). And actually, Conium, which is poisonous hemlock, is native to the Mediterranean region (6). Also, Nightshade is native to Western Asia (7). However, this is beside the point, as God told man that he could eat all these things, which is clearly false. The contradiction remains. 8. Gen 7:6 (Noah's Age) My opponent makes a terribly weak argument concerning human life expectancy, especially considering that scientists have evidence concerning life expectancy all the way back to the Paleolithic era - 10,000 BC and further back, when man first started using stone tools (8). There IS evidence for the life expectancy of humans during this time - my opponent apparently neglected to read it last round. The contradiction remains. 9. Acts 1:18 & Mat 27:5-7 (Judas' Death) Are you kidding? Did you read Acts 1 ?? Verse 16 states: "Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before CONCERNING JUDAS, which was guide to them that took Jesus." Then it goes on to state that Judas was with them and purchased a field with the reward of his iniquity. Of course this is a contradiction!!! 10. Mat 27:46, Luk 23:46, Joh 19:30 (Jesus' Death) While nobody explicitly states that these are Jesus' last words, the story moves immediately to his death, suggesting that he neither said nor did anything significant between these statements and his death. Jesus' drink while at Golgotha is reputed to be three different things in three different gospels. The only thing they have in common is that Jesus was offered a drink. There's even contradiction about whether or not he actually DRANK it! Now about this chronology... "1 "And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" 2. Some that are nearby bring a sponge with vinegar in it to him. 3. Then when Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, "It is finished." 4. Then he bowed his head and said "Father, unto thy hands I commend my spirit" with a loud voice. 5. After the cry of the loud voice, he yielded up his spirit." 1. Ok. 2. Ok, though what was on the sponge is a contradiction too. 3. "When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost." - NOT that he said "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit." 4. In Luke's account (where he says this) he hasn't been given anything to drink yet. 5. Ok. So we have a problem compiling all the stories. Was he given a drink or not? What was he given to drink? Did he actually drink it? What were his last words? All four of these are presented in the various gospels. Consider: 1. Jesus is given something to drink (Mark, Matthew, John). 2. Jesus is not given something to drink (Luke). 3. Jesus is given wine and myrrh (Mark). 4. Jesus is given vinegar (John). 5. Jesus is given vinegar and gall (Matthew). 6. Jesus drinks on the cross (John). 7. Jesus refuses to drink (Mark). 8. Jesus' last words are "It is finished" (John). 9. Jesus' last words are "My God, why have you forsaken me" and a loud cry (Mark, Matthew). 10. Jesus' last words are "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit" (Luke). All of these cannot possibly be true. Clearly these cannot all be correct. The contradictions remain. ******************* While the lack of evidence for giants may introduce an argument from ignorance, there are abundant contradictions my opponent has yet to refute, so the resolution is still perfectly sound. There need only be one contradiction to satisfy the resolution. He also attacks my arguments in desperation, stating that they are "created," have "no evidence," and that they are "not original." Of course they're not original - they're quotes!! I ask the reader if one needs any special evidence to consider whether or not these are contradictions. Obviously the answer is that common sense shows these are contradictions. Again, please construct your own arguments instead of copy-pasting text from websites. 1. http://en.wikipedia.org... 2. http://en.wikipedia.org... 3. http://en.wikipedia.org... 4. http://www.htmlbible.com... 5. http://dictionary.reference.com... 6. http://en.wikipedia.org... 7. http://en.wikipedia.org... 8. http://en.wikipedia.org...