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Sunday, June 28, 2009

101 contradictions in the Bible

 




       Before reading this booklet please note the following points:


 "Any argument should be examined throughly before accepting or rejecting
 its' claims. To do otherwise is to rely on the fickle emotions of the
 heart even when they run contrary to all rationality." - Shawn Smith


 "For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace...." (1st
 Corinthians 14:33 King James Version Bible)


 "If the Christian feels that a logical discussion is more than we should
 expect when considering religious matters, let him be encouraged by the
 Biblical passage at Isaiah 1:16: " . . . come let us reason together." -
 (Gary Miller Author of "Missionary Christianity - A Muslim's Analysis")


 "But intellectual bondages are harder to shatter; the slave himself fights
 to retain them." - Ahmed Deedat


                               The Challenge


 The question which I present before my reader is: "If I can show you 101
 Contradictions in the Bible will you listen to what I have to say?" Will
 you agree to this challenge? If so read on. If not, thank you for reading
 this far.


 The objective of this little booklet is to present to my readers 101
 contradictions in the Bible. In doing so I want to promote the idea that
 many things which you may have always taken for granted as being true, may
 not be necessarily so. If this is the case, then the question arises "is
 there some source which can be utilized in order to find the truth without
 us being presented with illogical explanations and contradictions? I
 personally believe this reliable source exists, but first I have to show
 you that the source which you now depend upon, namely The Bible, is not
 reliable.


 I will challenge the reliability of the Bible by demonstrating 101 of it's
 contradictions. Now if someone were to give testimony in a court of law
 and he or she were found to give 101 contradictory statements under oath,
 the testimony of that person would be rejected. I think we can all agree
 that this is only reasonable. Why not use the same standard when judging
 the reliability of the statements of The Bible?


 Let it be made clear right at the beginning, I have no desire to offend
 anyone's religious convictions. We have a God given right to believe what
 we want and I would never try to take that away from anyone. Additionally,
 if someone is offended by this book then toss it in the trash, or pass it
 on to someone else. The main thing I want you to do is use your mind and
 don't be guided by emotions alone. God has given you a brain, USE IT!!! If
 you have read this far you must either be intrigued by my challenge or you
 are one of those "Bible Thumpers" who is convinced that I will never find
 contradictions in the Bible and if I do find 101 then there is an easy
 explanation for each one of them. He will be quick to quote the verse from
 the Bible in 2 Timothy 3:16 where it says:" All scripture is given by
 inspiration of God..." I like explanations. I find people who argue that
 black is white and day is night to be quite interesting. On this point
 Donald Morgan had this to say in an article entitled "Introduction to the
 Bible and Biblical Problems":


 "While Biblicists are capable of offering some sort of explanation for
 nearly any biblical problem that can be uncovered, such explanations
 should be unnecessary. The point is not whether some explanation can be
 conceived, but rather that a perfect and loving God certainly could,
 should, and would do a much better job of it were he to have anything to
 do with the writing of a book."


 Let us begin. You will need a Bible to look up the references. Please do
 not take my word for anything without confirming it with sources. Any
 argument should be examined throughly before accepting or rejecting it's
 claims. To do otherwise is to rely on the fickle emotions of the heart
 even when they run contrary to all rationality. Additionally, to my
 Christian readers who may be a bit intimidated by the this booklet, they
 should remember that according to Acts 17:11, Paul praised the Jews at
 Beroea because they "searched the scriptures daily" in order to see if the
 things Paul was preaching to them "were so". (Acts 17:11). That's all I am
 asking you to do here - read the "scriptures" and see if what the Church
 has been telling you is really "so".


 As Isaiah 1:18 says: "Come now, let us reason together."


                   101 Clear Contradictions In The Bible


 Contradiction #1
 Who incited David to count the fighting men of Israel? (a) God did (2
 Samuel 24:1) (b) Satan did (1 Chronicles 21:1).


 Contradiction #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).


 Contradiction #3
 How many fighting men were found in Judah? (a) Five hundred thousand (2
 Samuel 24:9). (b) Four hundred and seventy thousand (1 Chronicles 21:5).


 Contradiction #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).


 Contradiction #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).


 Contradiction #6
 How old was Jehoiachin when he became king of Jerusalem? (a) Eighteen (2
 Kings 24:8). (b) Eight (2 Chronicles 36:9).


 Contradiction #7
 How long did he rule over Jerusalem? (a) Three months (2 Kings 24:8). (b)
 Three months and ten days (2 Chronicles 36:9).


 Contradiction #8
 The chief of the mighty men of David lifted up his spear and killed how
 many men at one time? (a) Eight hundred (2 Samuel 23:8). (b) Three hundred
 (1 Chronicles 11:11).


 Contradiction #9
 When did David bring the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem? Before
 defeating the Philistines or after? (a) After (2 Samuel 5 and 6). (b)
 Before (1 Chronicles 13 and 14).


 Contradiction #10
 How many pairs of clean animals did God tell Noah to take into the Ark?
 (a) Two (Genesis 6:19, 20). (b) Seven (Genesis 7:2). (But despite this
 last instruction only two pairs went into the ark (Genesis 7:8, 9))


 Contradiction #11
 When David defeated the King of Zobah, how many horsemen did he capture?
 (a) One thousand and seven hundred (2 Samuel 8:4). (b) Seven thousand (1
 Chronicles 18:4).


 Contradiction #12
 How many stalls for horses did Solomon have? (a) Forty thousand (1 Kings
 4:26). (b) Four thousand (2 chronicles 9:25).


 Contradiction #13
 In what year of King Asa's reign did Baasha, King of Israel die? (a)
 Twenty-sixth year (1 Kings 15:33 - 16:8). (b) Still alive in the
 thirty-sixth year (2 Chronicles 16:1).


 Contradiction #14
 How many overseers did Solomon appoint for the work of building the
 temple? (a) Three thousand six hundred (2 Chronicles 2:2) (b) Three
 thousand three hundred (1 Kings 5:16).


 Contradiction #15
 Solomon built a facility containing how many baths? (a) Two thousand (1
 Kings 7:26). (b) Over three thousand (2 Chronicles 4:5).


 Contradiction #16
 Of the Israelites who were freed from the Babylonian captivity, how many
 were the children of Pahrath-Moab? (a) Two thousand eight hundred and
 twelve (Ezra 2:6). (b) Two thousand eight hundred and eighteen (Nehemiah
 7:11).


 Contradiction #17
 How many were the children of Zattu? (a) Nine hundred and forty-five (Ezra
 2:8) (b) Eight hundred and forty-five (Nehemiah 7:13).


 Contradiction #18
 How many were the children of Azgad? (a) One thousand two hundred and
 twenty-two (Ezra 2:12). (b) Two thousand three hundred and twenty-two
 (Nehemiah 7:17). Contradiction #19
 How many were the children of Adin? (a) Four hundred and fifty-four (Ezra
 2:15). (b) Six hundred and fifty-five (Nehemiah 7:20).


 Contradiction #20
 How many were the children of Hashum? (a) Two hundred and twenty-three
 (Ezra 2:19). (b) Three hundred and twenty-eight (Nehemiah 7:22).


 Contradiction #21
 How many were the children of Bethel and Ai? (a) Two hundred and
 twenty-three (Ezra 2:28). (b) One hundred and twenty-three (Nehemiah
 7:32).


 Contradiction #22
 Ezra 2:64 and Nehemiah 7:66 agree that the total number of the whole
 assembly was 42,360. Yet the numbers do not add up to anything close. The
 totals obtained from each book is as follows: (a) 29,818 (Ezra). (b) 31,
 089 (Nehemiah).


 Contradiction #23
 How many singers accompanied the assembly? (a) Two hundred (Ezra 2:65).
 (b) Two hundred and forty-five (Nehemiah 7:67).


 Contradiction #24
 What was the name of King Abijah's mother? (a) Michaiah, daughter of Uriel
 of Gibeah (2 Chronicles 13:2). (b) Maachah, daughter of Absalom (2
 Chronicles 11:20). But Absalom had only one daughter whose name was Tamar
 (2 Samuel 14:27).


 Contradiction #25
 Did Joshua and the Israelites capture Jerusalem? (a) Yes (Joshua 10:23,
 40). (b) No (Joshua 15:63).


 Contradiction #26
 Who was the father of Joseph, husband of Mary? (a) Jacob (Matthew 1:16).
 (b) Heli (Luke 3:23).


 Contradiction #27
 Jesus descended from which son of David? (a) Solomon (Matthew 1:6). (b)
 Nathan (Luke 3:31).


 Contradiction #28
 Who was the father of Shealtiel? (a) Jechoniah (Matthew 1:12). (b) Neri
 (Luke 3:27).


 Contradiction #29
 Which son of Zerubbabel was an ancestor of Jesus Christ? (a) Abiud
 (Matthew 1:13). (b) Rhesa (Luke 3:27). But the seven sons of Zerubbabel
 are as follows: I. Meshullam, ii. Hananiah, iii. Hashubah, iv. Ohel, v.
 Berechiah, vi. Hasadiah, viii. Jushabhesed (1 Chronicles 3:19, 20). The
 names Abiud and Rhesa do not fit in anywhere.


 Contradiction #30
 Who was the father of Uzziah? (a) Joram (Matthew 1:8). (b) Amaziah (2
 Chronicles 26:1).


 Contradiction #31
 Who as the father of Jechoniah? (a) Josiah (Matthew 1:11). (b) Jehoiakim
 (1 Chronicles 3:16).


 Contradiction #32
 How many generations were there from the Babylonian exile until Christ?
 (a) Matthew says fourteen (Matthew 1:17). (b) But a careful count of the
 generations reveals only thirteen (see Matthew 1:12-16).


 Contradiction #33
 Who was the father of Shelah? (a) Cainan (Luke 3:35-36). (b) Arphaxad
 (Genesis 11:12).


 Contradiction #34
 Was John the Baptist Elijah who was to come? (a) Yes (Matthew 11:14,
 17:10-13). (b) No (John 1:19-21).


 Contradiction #35
 Would Jesus inherit David's throne? (a) Yes. So said the angel (Luke
 1:32). (b) No, since he is a descendant of Jehoiakim (see Matthew 1:11, 1
 Chronicles 3:16). And Jehoiakim was cursed by God so that none of his
 descendants can sit upon David's throne (Jeremiah 36:30).


 Contradiction #36
 Jesus rode into Jerusalem on how many animals? (a) One - a colt (Mark
 11:7; cf. Luke 19:35). And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their
 garments on it; and he sat upon it." (b) Two - a colt and an ass (Matthew
 21:7). They brought the ass and the colt and put their garments on them
 and he sat thereon."


 Contradiction #37
 How did Simon Peter find out that Jesus was the Christ? (a) By a
 revelation from heaven (Matthew16:17). (b) His brother Andrew told him
 (John 1:41).


 Contradiction #38
 Where did Jesus first meet Simon Peter and Andrew? (a) By the sea of
 Galilee (Matthew 4:18-22). (b) On the banks of river Jordan (John 1:42).
 After that, Jesus decided to go to Galilee (John 1:43).


 Contradiction #39
 When Jesus met Jairus was Jairus' daughter already dead? (a) Yes. Matthew
 9:18 quotes him as saying, "My daughter has just died." (b) No. Mark 5:23
 quotes him as saying, "My little daughter is at the point of death."


 Contradiction #40
 Did Jesus allow his disciples to keep a staff on their journey? (a) Yes
 (Mark 6:8). (b) No (Matthew 10:9; Luke 9:3).


 Contradiction #41
 Did Herod think that Jesus was John the baptist? (a) Yes (Matthew 14:2;
 Mark 6:16). (b) No (Luke 9:9)


 Contradiction #42
 Did John the Baptist recognise Jesus before his baptism? (a) Yes (Matthew
 3:13-14). (b) No (John 1:32, 33).


 Contradiction #43
 Did John the Baptist recognize Jesus after his baptism? (a) Yes (John
 1:32, 33). (b) No (Matthew 11:2).


 Contradiction #44
 According to the Gospel of John, what did Jesus say about bearing his own
 witness? (a) "If I bear witness to myself, my testimony is not true"(John
 5:31). (b) "Even if I do bear witness to myself, my testimony is true"
 (John 8:14).


 Contradiction #45
 When Jesus entered Jerusalem did he cleanse the temple that same day? (a)
 Yes (Matthew 21:12). (b) No. He went into the temple and looked around,
 but since it was very late he did nothing. Instead, he went to Bethany to
 spend the night and returned the next morning to cleanse the temple (Mark
 11:1-17).


 Contradiction #46
 The Gospels say that Jesus cursed a fig tree. Did the tree wither at once?
 (a) Yes. (Matthew 21:19). (b) No. It withered overnight (Mark 11:20).


 Contradiction #47
 Did Judas kiss Jesus? (a) Yes (Matthew 26:48-50). (b) No. Judas could not
 get close enough to Jesus to kiss him (John 18:3-12).


 Contradiction #48
 What did Jesus say about Peter's denial? (a) "The cock will not crow till
 you have denied me three times" (John 13:38). (b) "Before the cock crows
 twice you will deny me three times" (Mark 14:30). When the cock crowed
 once, the three denials were not yet complete (see Mark 14:72). Therefore
 prediction (a) failed.


 Contradiction #49
 Did Jesus bear his own cross? (a) Yes (John 19:17). (b) No (Matthew
 27:31-32).


 Contradiction #50
 Did Jesus die before the curtain of the temple was torn? (a) Yes (Matthew
 27:50-51; Mark 15:37-38). (b) No. After the curtain was torn, then Jesus
 crying with a loud voice, said, "Father, into thy hands I commit my
 spirit!" And having said this he breathed his last (Luke 23:45-46).


 Contradiction #51
 Did Jesus say anything secretly? (a) No. "I have said nothing secretly"
 (John 18:20). (b) Yes. "He did not speak to them without a parable, but
 privately to his own disciples he explained everything" (Mark 4:34). The
 disciples asked him "Why do you speak to them in parables?" He said, "To
 you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to
 them it has not been given" (Matthew 13:10-11).


 Contradiction #52
 Where was Jesus at the sixth hour on the day of the crucifixion? (a) On
 the cross (Mark 15:23). (b) In Pilate's court (John 19:14).


 Contradiction #53
 The gospels say that two thieves were crucified along with Jesus. Did both
 thieves mock Jesus? (a) Yes (Mark 15:32). (b) No. One of them mocked
 Jesus, the other defended Jesus (Luke 23:43).


 Contradiction #54
 Did Jesus ascend to Paradise the same day of the crucifixion? (a) Yes. He
 said to the thief who defended him, "Today you will be with me in
 Paradise" (Luke 23:43). (b) No. He said to Mary Magdelene two days later,
 "I have not yet ascended to the Father" (John 20:17).


 Contradiction #55
 When Paul was on the road to Damascus he saw a light and heard a voice.
 Did those who were with him hear the voice? (a) Yes (Acts 9:7). (b) No
 (Acts 22:9).


 Contradiction #56
 When Paul saw the light he fell to the ground. Did his traveling
 companions also fall to the ground? (a) Yes (Acts 26:14). (b) No (Acts
 9:7).


 Contradiction #57
 Did the voice spell out on the spot what Paul's duties were to be? (a) Yes
 (Acts 26:16-18). (b) No. The voice commanded Paul to go into the city of
 Damascus and there he will be told what he must do. (Acts 9:7; 22:10).


 Contradiction #58
 When the Israelites dwelt in Shittin they committed adultery with the
 daughters of Moab. God struck them with a plague. How many people died in
 that plague? (a) Twenty-four thousand (Numbers 25:1 and 9). (b)
 Twenty-three thousand (1 Corinthians 10:8).


 Contradiction #59
 How many members of the house of Jacob came to Egypt? (a) Seventy souls
 (Genesis 46:27). (b) Seventy-five souls (Acts 7:14).


 Contradiction #60
 What did Judas do with the blood money he received for betraying Jesus?
 (a) He bought a field (Acts 1:18). (b) He threw all of it into the temple
 and went away. The priests could not put the blood money into the temple
 treasury, so they used it to buy a field to bury strangers (Matthew 27:5).


 Contradiction #61
 How did Judas die? (a) After he threw the money into the temple he went
 away and hanged himself (Matthew 27:5). (b) After he bought the field with
 the price of his evil deed he fell headlong and burst open in the middle
 and all his bowels gushed out (Acts 1:18).


 Contradiction #62
 Why is the field called "Field of Blood"? (a) Because the priests bought
 it with the blood money (Matthew 27:8). (b) Because of the bloody death of
 Judas therein (Acts 1:19).


 Contradiction #63
 Who is a ransom for whom? (a) "The Son of Man came . . . to give his life
 as a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45). " . . . Christ Jesus who gave himself
 as a ransom for all . . . " (1 Timothy 2:5-6). (b) "The wicked is a ransom
 for the righteous, and the faithless for the upright" (Proverbs 21:18).


 Contradiction #64
 Is the law of Moses useful? (a) Yes. "All scripture is . . . profitable .
 . ." (2 Timothy 3:16). (b) No. ". . . A former commandment is set aside
 because of its weakness and uselessness . . . " (Hebrews 7:18).


 Contradiction #65
 What was the exact wording on the cross? (a) "This is Jesus the King of
 the Jews" (Matthew 27:37). (b) "The King of the Jews" (Mark 15:26) (c)
 "This is the King of the Jews" (Luke 23:38). (d) "Jesus of Nazareth, the
 King of the Jews" (John 19:19).


 Contradiction #66
 Did Herod want to kill John the Baptist? (a) Yes (Matthew 14:5). (b) No.
 It was Herodias, the wife of Herod who wanted to kill him. But Herod knew
 that he was a righteous man and kept him safe (Mark 6:20).


 Contradiction #67
 Who was the tenth disciple of Jesus in the list of twelve? (a) Thaddaeus
 (Matthew 10:1-4; Mark 3:13-19). (b) Judas son of James is the
 corresponding name in Luke's gospel (Luke 6:12-16).


 Contradiction #68
 Jesus saw a man sitting at the tax collector's office and called him to be
 his disciple. What was his name? (a) Matthew (Matthew 9:9). (b) Levi (Mark
 2:14; Luke 5:27).


 Contradiction #69
 Was Jesus crucified on the daytime before the Passover meal or the daytime
 after? (a) After (Mark 14:12-17). (b) Before. Before the feast of the
 Passover (John 13:1) Judas went out at night (John 13:30). The other
 disciples thought he was going out to buy supplies to prepare for the
 Passover meal (John 13:29). When Jesus was arrested, the Jews did not
 enter Pilate's judgement hall because they wanted to stay clean to eat the
 Passover (John 18:28). When the judgement was pronounced against Jesus, it
 was about the sixth hour on the day of Preparation for the Passover (John
 19:14).


 Contradiction #70
 Did Jesus pray to The Father to prevent the crucifixion? (a) Yes. (Matthew
 26:39; Mark 14:36; Luke 22:42). (b) No. (John 12:27).


 Contradiction #71
 In the gospels which say that Jesus prayed to avoid the cross, how many
 times did he move away from his disciples to pray? (a) Three (Matthew
 26:36-46 and Mark 14:32-42). (b) One. No opening is left for another two
 times. (Luke 22:39-46).


 Contradiction #72
 Matthew and Mark agree that Jesus went away and prayed three times. What
 were the words of the second prayer? (a) Mark does not give the words but
 he says that the words were the same as the first prayer (Mark 14:39). (b)
 Matthew gives us the words, and we can see that they are not the same as
 in the first (Matthew 26:42).


 Contradiction #73
 What did the centurion say when Jesus dies? (a) "Certainly this man was
 innocent" (Luke 23:47). (b) "Truly this man was the Son of God" (Mark
 15:39).


 Contradiction #74
 When Jesus said "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" in what
 language did he speak? (a) Hebrew: the words are "Eli, Eli . . . "
 (Matthew 27:46). (b) Aramaic: the words are "Eloi, Eloi . . . " (Mark
 15:34).


 Contradiction #75
 According to the gospels, what were the last words of Jesus before he
 died? (a) "Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit!" (Luke 23:46). (b)
 "It is finished" (John 19:30).


 Contradiction #76
 When Jesus entered Capernaum he healed the slave of a centurion. Did the
 centurion come personally to request Jesus for this? (a) Yes (Matthew
 8:5). (b) No. He sent some elders of the Jews and his friends (Luke 7:3,
 6).


 Contradiction #77
 (a) Adam was told that if and when he eats the forbidden fruit he would
 die the same day (Genesis 2:17). (b) Adam ate the fruit and went on to
 live to a ripe old age of 930 years (Genesis 5:5).


 Contradiction #78
 (a) God decided that the life-span of humans will be limited to 120 years
 (Genesis 6:3). (b) Many people born after that lived longer than 120.
 Arpachshad lived 438 years. His son Shelah lived 433 years. His son Eber
 lived 464 years, etc. (Genesis 11:12-16).


 Contradiction #79
 Apart from Jesus did anyone else ascend to heaven? (a) No (John 3:13). (b)
 Yes. "And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven" (2 Kings 2:11).


 Contradiction #80
 Who was high priest when David went into the house of God and ate the
 consecrated bread? (a) Abiathar (Mark 2:26). (b) Ahimelech, the father of
 Abiathar (1 Samuel 21:1; 22:20).


 Contradiction #81
 Was Jesus' body wrapped in spices before burial in accordance with Jewish
 burial customs? (a) Yes and his female disciples witnessed his burial
 (John 19:39-40). (b) No. Jesus was simply wrapped in a linen shroud. Then
 the women bought and prepared spices "so that they may go and anoint him
 [Jesus]" (Mark 16:1).


 Contradiction #82
 When did the women buy the spices? (a) After "the sabbath was past" (Mark
 16:1). (b) Before the sabbath. The women "prepared spices and ointments."
 Then, "on the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment" (Luke
 23:55 to 24:1).


 Contradiction #83
 At what time of day did the women visit the tomb? (a) "Toward the dawn"
 (Matthew 28:1). (b) "When the sun had risen" (Mark 16:2).


 Contradiction #84
 What was the purpose for which the women went to the tomb? (a) To anoint
 Jesus' body with spices (Mark 16:1;Luke 23:55 to 24:1). (b) To see the
 tomb. Nothing about spices here (Matthew 28:1). For no specified reason.
 In this gospel the wrapping with spices had been done before the sabbath
 (John 20:1).


 Contradiction #85
 A large stone was placed at the entrance of the tomb. Where was the stone
 when the women arrived? (a) They saw that the stone was "Rolled back"
 (Mark 16:4). They found the stone "rolled away from the tomb" (Luke 24:2).
 They saw that "the stone had been taken away from the tomb" (John 20:1)
 (b) As the women approached, an angel descended from heaven, rolled away
 the stone, and conversed with the women. Matthew made the women witness
 the spectacular rolling away of the stone (Matthew 28:1-6).


 Contradiction #86
 Did anyone tell the women what happened to Jesus' body? (a) Yes. "A young
 man in a white robe" (Mark 16:5). "Two men . . . in dazzling apparel"
 later described as angels (Luke 24:4 and 24:23). An angel - the one who
 rolled back the stone (Matthew 16:2). In each case the women were told
 that Jesus had risen from the dead (Matthew 28:7; Mark 16:6; Luke 24:5
 footnote). (b) No. Mary met no one and returned saying, "They have taken
 the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him"
 (John 20:2).


 Contradiction #87
 When did Mary Magdelene first meet the resurrected Jesus? And how did she
 react? (a) Mary and the other women met Jesus on their way back from their
 first and only visit to the tomb. They took hold of his feet and worshiped
 him (Matthew 28:9). (b) On her second visit to the tomb Mary met Jesus
 just outside the tomb. When she saw Jesus she did not recognize him. She
 mistook him for the gardener. She still thinks that Jesus' body is laid to
 rest somewhere and she demands to know where. But when Jesus said her name
 she at once recognized him and called him "Teacher." Jesus said to her,
 "Do not hold me . . . " (John 20:11 to 17).


 Contradiction #88
 What was Jesus' instruction for his disciples? (a) "Tell my brethren to go
 to Galilee, and there they will see me" (Matthew 28:10). (b) "Go to my
 brethren and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to
 my God and your God" (John 20:17).


 Contradiction #89
 When did the disciples return to Galilee? (a) Immediately, because when
 they saw Jesus in Galilee "some doubted" (Matthew 28:17). This period of
 uncertainty should not persist. (b) After at least 40 days. That evening
 the disciples were still in Jerusalem (Luke 24:33). Jesus appeared to them
 there and told them, "stay in the city until you are clothed with power
 from on high" (Luke 24:49). He was appearing to them "during forty days"
 (Acts 1:3), and "charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait
 for the promise . . . "(Acts 1:4).


 Contradiction #90
 To whom did the Midianites sell Joseph? (a) "To the Ishmaelites" (Genesis
 37:28). (b) "To Potiphar, an officer of Pharoah" (Genesis 37:36).


 Contradiction #91
 Who brought Joseph to Egypt? (a) The Ishmaelites bought Joseph and then
 "took Joseph to Egypt" (Genesis 37:28). (b) "The Midianites had sold him
 in Egypt" (Genesis 37:36). Joseph said to his brothers "I am your brother,
 Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt" (Genesis 45:4).


 Contradiction #92
 Does God change his mind? (a) Yes. The word of the Lord came to Samuel: "I
 repent that I have made Saul King . . ." (1 Samuel 15:10 to 11). (b) No.
 God "will not lie or repent; for he is not a man, that he should repent"
 (1 Samuel 15:29). (c) Yes. "And the Lord repented that he had made Saul
 King over Israel" (1 Samuel 15:35). Notice that the above three quotes are
 all from the same chapter of the same book! In addition, the Bible shows
 that God repented on several other occasions: I. The Lord was sorry that
 he made man" (Genesis 6:6). " I am sorry that I have made them" (Genesis
 6:7) ii."And the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do to his
 people" (Exodus 32:14) iii.(Lots of other such references).


 Contradiction #93
 The Bible says that for each miracle Moses and Aaron demonstrated the same
 by their secret arts. Then comes the following feat: (a) Moses and Aaron
 converted all the available water into blood (Exodus 7:20-21). (b) The
 magicians did the same (Exodus 7:22). This is impossible, since there
 would have been no water left to convert into blood.


 Contradiction #94
 Who killed Goliath? (a) David (1 Samuel 17:23, 50). (b) Elhanan (2 Samuel
 21:19).


 Contradiction #95
 Who killed Saul? (a) "Saul took his own sword and fell upon it. . . . Thus
 Saul died... (1 Samuel 31:4-6). (b) An Amalekite slew him (2 Samuel
 1:1-16).


 Contradiction #96
 Does every man sin? (a) Yes. "There is no man who does not sin" (1 Kings
 8:46; see also 2 Chronicles 6:36; Proverbs 20:9; Ecclesiastes 7:20; and 1
 John 1:8-10). (b) No. True Christians cannot possibly sin, because they
 are the children of God.


 Every one who believes that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God . . (1
 John 5:1). "We should be called children of God; and so we are" (1 John
 3:1). "He who loves is born of God" (1 John 4:7). "No one born of God
 commits sin; for God's nature abides in him, and he cannot sin because he
 is born of God" (1 John 3:9). But, then again, Yes! "If we say we have no
 sin we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (1 John 1:8).


 Contradiction #97
 Who will bear whose burden? (a) "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfil
 the law of Christ" (Galatians 6:2). (b) "Each man will have to bear his
 own load" (Galatians 6:5).


 Contradiction #98
 How many disciples did Jesus appear to after his resurrection? (a) Twelve
 (1 Corinthians 15:5). (b) Eleven (Matthew 27:3-5 and Acts 1:9-26, see also
 Matthew 28:16; Mark 16:14 footnote; Luke 24:9; Luke 24:33).


 Contradiction #99
 Where was Jesus three days after his baptism? (a) After his baptism, "the
 spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. And he was in the
 wilderness forty days . . . (Mark 1:12-13). (b) Next day after the
 baptism, Jesus selected two disciples. Second day: Jesus went to Galilee ?
 two more disciples. Third day: Jesus was at a wedding feast in Cana in
 Galilee (see John 1:35; 1:43; 2:1-11).


 Contradiction #100
 Was baby Jesus's life threatened in Jerusalem? (a) Yes, so Joseph fled
 with him to Egypt and stayed there until Herod died (Matthew 2:13 - 23).
 (b) No. The family fled nowhere. They calmly presented the child at the
 Jerusalem temple according to the Jewish customs and returned to Galilee
 (Luke 2:21-40).


 Contradiction #101
 When Jesus walked on water how did the disciples respond? (a) They
 worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God" (Matthew 14:33). (b)
 "They were utterly astounded, for they did not understand about the
 loaves, but their hearts were hardened" (Mark 6:51-52).


                       Conclusion: What I want to say


 As I asked earlier, "If I can show you 101 contradictions in the Bible
 would you agree to listen to what I have to say?" I have presented the
 contradictions before you; now the following is what I have to say. I
 promise not to be long-winded.


 I mentioned earlier that I believe there is a source we can turn to where
 we can find the truth and know what God wants for us. The late Amed
 Deedat, a self-taught scholar of the Bible, had this to say in his little
 booklet "Is The Bible God's Word?":


 How do we know that a book claimed to be from God is really the Book of
 God. One of the tests, is - the message emanating from an Omniscient (all
 knowing) Being MUST be consistent with itself. It ought to be free from
 all discrepancies and contradictions. (Pg.34)


 Do you think that this a fair statement, the idea that something from God
 will not contain any contradictions? I think we can all agree that this is
 a fair statement. Given what Mr. Deedat has provided us with as an acid
 test as to the truth of a book which claims to be from God, let us now
 turn to the Holy Quran, the book Muslims claim is the word of God, and see
 what it has to say:


 Do they not ponder over the Quran? Had it been from any other than God,
 surely there would have been many contradictions in it. (Quran Chapter
 4:82)


 Perhaps many of my readers have doubts that the Quran is the word of God.
 In this verse the reader is being admonished to consider the Quran by
 giving close attention to it , and to verify if our doubts are genuine and
 whether it is from God or not. We are asked to verify the authenticity of
 the words of the Holy Quran with a simple test - if it is from other than
 God there will many be discrepancies in it.


 So now the responsibility is on us to take up this challenge and see if
 the Quran is from God or not. Now the "Bible Thumper" will of course be
 quick to attack the Quran even if he has not read it. But the fulfillment
 of this challenge necessitates that we actually pick the book up and read
 it. But not only read it but study and examine it with great care. Are you
 willing to take up this challenge, to read the Quran and see if there are
 any contradictions in it, or are you so unsure that you may not find the
 answer you are looking for that you will not bother trying at all? Go
 ahead, pick up the Quran today and see what it has to say. I think you
 will be very surprised by what you find. What do you possibly have to lose
 by taking up my challenge? You may even learn something new which is
 always exciting.


        May Allaah in his infinite mercy guide us all to the truth.


 Insha'Allah w Ameen ya Rub.
 Fi Amanillah (Embedded image moved to file: pic00491.gif)
 W'ssalaamu'alaykum w rahmatullahi w barakatuh,
 Hasan (Embedded image moved to file: pic02995.gif)

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Six C's of Character - Yasir Fazaga