Why are there so much questionable things in the bible?

[tanakh]

That everyone seems to skip?

First of all, I'm an atheist. I was Christian but as I grew up, I realized that I don't believe in God. It doesn't make sense to me.
Anyway, even though I'm not a believer, I find religions very interesting. One of my 2018 goals is to read the bible, the whole thing. So yesterday I started and already on the first pages I found something very questionable in Genesis. The woman was created for the man? And the man dominates the woman? What?
I won't even start with Leviticus.

I also wonder why so many Christians never read the bible. How can you believe in something when you haven't even read your holy book?
So please tell me, how can you believe in something that has so many questionable things?

Hello and welcome to CC

I was not brought up in a Christian household. My mother had only a basic knowledge of Christianity having been placed in a Christian Orphanage from age 7 until she was 16. She never attended Church on a regular basis. My Father was an Atheist.
Apart from sporadic attendance at Sunday School and what I gleaned from Primary Education my knowledge of the Bible and Christianity was next to nothing. My journey towards Christianity started around age 25. Prior to that I too was something of an Atheist. In my mid twenties I realized there was something missing in my life that nothing seemed to satisfy. I began to explore Eastern religions and eventually met up with a group of Christians that led me to understand the gospel.

There is an awareness in every person in the world that there is an emptiness deep inside them. They try to ignore it by filling their lives with money, material things and relationships. Many go through life and continue to try to fill it with these substitutes but some wake up one day and realize that what is missing is a relationship with God that nothing in the world can match.

The Bible is not just a collection of old stories. It is one story of how God has planned to bring us back into a relationship with him and make us complete. I advise you to approach a Christian group and ask them to help you to understand the basic Christian message. In the UK we have a program called The Alpha Course which is designed for those seeking the kind of answers you are looking for. it may be available where you are. Or you should be able to find it on the Internet.

God Bless You

 

[BillG]

I can tell you more about what I think.
I'm actually looking for answers. I don't understand.

For example, I don't get why there's so much pain in the world. Why doesn't God to something about it?

In school, we learn about a God who loves everyone, no matter what. And if you're truly sorry for something you did, he will forgive you.
But the God from the bible seems so different to me.

Who is not to say he is not doing something about it?

You base this on what you see today.

Do you know what was happening in ancient times?

Babies being sacrificed to false Gods, sexual orgies going on at the same time. Slaves being killed just like that. What we see today and know of with modern history is nothing compared to what was going on during ancient times.

Such things have always been and will always be an abomination to God.

In fact before Israel went into the promised land Cannan.
This land was promised to Abraham approx 400 years before they entered it.

Genesis 15:16
16 But in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.”

God gave the people of the land time to repent.


As I understand it even when the Israelites surrounded the land there was still time for them to repent.

But they would not.

In early modern history who started to bring around change?

Christians, in the UK William Wilberforce a Christian bought about abolition of slavery.

Today we still have abortion. Sacrificing unborn children. Who comes against that? Christians.

After Jesus who started to bring about change. The early church.

So God is doing something about it.

And yes even if you fall foul of anything that he hates and is a sin he will forgive you.

 

[Lucy-Pevensie]

Hello Carla
The Bible is a spiritual book which talks about spiritual things and it can sometimes seem like a foreign language to the human mind.

In a way it is. Belief in God is found in the heart not in the head. You must have heard his voice however small & gentle or you wouldn't have come here asking questions. Seek him sincerely at quiet times. He knows if you are looking for him genuinely.
His spirit can guide you through your Bible study. Best to ask the one who authored it. Please ask Jesus into your heart, then you can start afresh the amazing journey through his word. The Bible is a book of many dimensions. I hope you come to know & love it and I get a new little sister. The Lord Bless you.

 

[nddreamer]

Dear Tanakh, I have a similar story. There was no faith in our home. I also had that emptiness inside of me that nothing could fill until I found the Lord. Once you find him, you know you're home.

 

[Deade]

To believe in God, one must be drawn into the fold (John 6:44.) By asking believers to explain themselves might be God's intent to call you. Once you have received the Holy Spirit, It will talk to you and teach you His word. This is spirit talk and not audible talk as we are accustomed. Think of telepathy. Once you have been guided by the Holy Spirit for a while you will know His voice. See John 10:4.

Keep looking, God can be found.

 

[Angela53510]

That everyone seems to skip?

First of all, I'm an atheist. I was Christian but as I grew up, I realized that I don't believe in God. It doesn't make sense to me.
Anyway, even though I'm not a believer, I find religions very interesting. One of my 2018 goals is to read the bible, the whole thing. So yesterday I started and already on the first pages I found something very questionable in Genesis. The woman was created for the man? And the man dominates the woman? What?
I won't even start with Leviticus.

I also wonder why so many Christians never read the bible. How can you believe in something when you haven't even read your holy book?
So please tell me, how can you believe in something that has so many questionable things?

Welcome to CC! I am glad you found us!

I was also raised a "Christian" meaning Christian values and a Baptist Sunday school for a few years. I think I had glimmers of the truth of God, when I was a child, but I was not born from above. I started reading the KJV when I was 12, in the Psalms. Loved it, but the language was too bogged down. Try and read a newer translation, preferably in German, your native language, or "heart" language.

By the time I was 16, I was a complete atheist. I did not live morally, made stupid decisions, and it is by the grace of God I am here to tell you my story. When I was 21, I realized there had to be "something" more, and decided I did not know everything, and that perhaps I better be agnostic. In other words, admitting I didn't know everything. That set me looking to find out if there was "a god." I read all the holy books of the great religions, including the Qur'an and the Baghavad Gita. I meditated with Buddhists. I danced with Sufis. I got involved in some New Age cults.

Meanwhile, there was a revival in the area I lived in. It was weird! Everyone was telling me to believe in Jesus! Well, I knew they believed what they believed, but how could I believe? I just didn't believe Jesus was real. But, because my grandmother was a Christian, I got a modern English translation and started to read the New Testament. (My advice is to read Genesis to chapter 11, then jump to the gospel of John, in the NT, and then read the other gospels, and the rest of the NT. Leviticus - well, it isn't really for us, those laws were for the Levites and priest, to they could be pure before a holy God. The principle is there, but no need to follow all those rules, like not wearing a garment made of of 2 different fibres, etc. That is context, but that is a whole different thread!)

As I read the NT, I could not understand a word! I had circles all of the page for stuff that didn't make sense, and BIG question marks! The whole thing made no sense! Meanwhile, people kept telling me I needed Jesus. I became a little defensive, too. Then, I met my future husband, who was a Christian. He told me the missing part of the gospel.

He told me about all the people in the Bible that Jesus forgave for their sins. We talked all night about people who sinned, and how God turned them around. Then he told me I needed to repent of my sins! Wow! No one mentioned that before! And I was a major sinner, and knew it! But, then I learned in Romans, we have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23 NET

At that point, God opened the heavens and spoke to me. He told me he was real, and that he was the Saviour of the world (John 3:16). He told me to serve him, and to read my Bible!

This was not some drug trip, or hallucination! This was stone cold sober, and a voice I can still hear today! God saved me! I have been following him ever since. (Although I did spend a few years in the desert, when I was very ill, but God never left me!)

I opened up the Bible, and started reading the passages in the New Testament I had read before! Suddenly, it made sense! It was about Jesus. All those circles and question marks made sense! They were about Jesus!

So that was 37 years ago. I have read the Bible over 50 times in English, in many versions. I have read the Bible completely in French twice, my second language. I also have read parts of the OT in Hebrew, and most of the NT in Greek. Those languages I learned in seminary. God called me to seminary, and there I learned so much more. And yes, I had questions about things in the OT, too! I had professors to ask, books to read and study! And I just kept reading the Bible over and over. And God always has showed me the answers to my questions.

Today, my hope and prayer is that on your read-through-the-Bible, you will not just find words and questions, but you will find Jesus. Jesus who lived and died, and was raised from the dead. And who loves you, and is calling you, even now.

"because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and thus has righteousness and with the mouth one confesses and thus has salvation." Romans 10:9-10

"For this is the way God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world should be saved through him" John 3:16-17
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[Waggles]

That everyone seems to skip?
First of all, I'm an atheist. I was Christian but as I grew up, I realized that I don't believe in God. It doesn't make sense to me.
Anyway, even though I'm not a believer, I find religions very interesting. One of my 2018 goals is to read the bible, the whole thing. So yesterday I started and already on the first pages I found something very questionable in Genesis. The woman was created for the man? And the man dominates the woman? What?
I won't even start with Leviticus.
I also wonder why so many Christians never read the bible. How can you believe in something when you haven't even read your holy book?
So please tell me, how can you believe in something that has so many questionable things?

1. And the man dominates the woman? Where is that in Genesis 2?
(BBE) And the Lord God said, It is not good for the man to be by himself:
I will make one like himself as a help to him.
Genesis 2:18
(BBE) For this cause will a man go away from his father and his mother and be joined to
his wife; and they will be one flesh.
Genesis 2:24
Where is all this oppression you speak of?

2. What are all these questionable things that are problematic for you?

3. Start with the gospels - Luke and John are excellent gospels
to learn of Jesus as your Saviour and God.

 

[Magenta]

In the UK we have a program called The Alpha Course which is designed for those seeking the kind of answers you are looking for. it may be available where you are. Or you should be able to find it on the Internet.

God Bless You

The Alpha Course is now taught all over the world! It was while I was going through the Alpha Course thirteen years ago, after many years of running and seeking, that I finally came to the realization that I no longer needed any more convincing of the Truth of God's Word I was baptized when the course finished The church I have been attending for some time now recently hosted an Alpha Course, and I was invited to be an assistant It was really nice to revisit it; it has been updated since I went through it all those years ago.

 

[CherieR]

Why did Jesus die for my sins?
I wasn't even there yet.

He died for your sins because he loves you very much. Jesus came for you and me. He left heaven's glory to rescue us. He longs to be gracious to you and show you compassion. He welcomes you to come into his arms outstretched. You can come to him just as you are and he will love you.

Here are some songs you can look up:

- When God Ran
- Oh Come to the Altar
- He has come for us( God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen)
- Just as I am
- Noel by Lauren Daigle
- Somewhere in Your Silent Night by Casting Crowns

 

[Blain]

That everyone seems to skip?

First of all, I'm an atheist. I was Christian but as I grew up, I realized that I don't believe in God. It doesn't make sense to me.
Anyway, even though I'm not a believer, I find religions very interesting. One of my 2018 goals is to read the bible, the whole thing. So yesterday I started and already on the first pages I found something very questionable in Genesis. The woman was created for the man? And the man dominates the woman? What?
I won't even start with Leviticus.

I also wonder why so many Christians never read the bible. How can you believe in something when you haven't even read your holy book?
So please tell me, how can you believe in something that has so many questionable things?

I have found the main issue is not that Christians haven't read their bibles it's that they have read it, not understood it, and then raise themselves on a lonely pedestal as the only ones who understand scripture and proper doctrine. The bible does have some things in it that I myself am uneasy about especially the whole sexist theme that seems to play out throughout the bible. I have noticed that for most part God has raised up and used men to be his instruments I mean how many women do you see in the bible of great statures? Not many but even so I do not think he is sexist or favors men but I can understand where your coming from

 

[Angela53510]

Just one more thing, about Genesis 3. That order for men and women was AFTER the Fall.

Really, the Fall is the world we live in, more or less today. Everything dies, there is turmoil and strife. And the serpent, the devil, continues to tempt people and destroy their lives. We sin freely, and without even knowing it, until we hear the Word of God, and understand our need for repentance and salvation from God!


The plan of creation was for men and women to be equal. In Hebrew, the woman was not created to be a "help meet," but rather an "ezer-warrior."

The word ezer in Hebrew occurs 21 times in the OT. Twice for the woman (Gen. 2;18, 20) and 3 times for countries whom Israel applied for military aid. In other words, strong countries (Isa. 30:5;Ezekiel 12:14; Daniel 11:34).

Now, here is the kicker - the word ezer is found 16 times for God as Israel's helper. So not merely a help "meet' but rather a strong helper! A really STRONG helper! And those 16 times are consistently used in a military sense. Israel needed military strength and help from God. (I can list those references, if you need!)

So, more than a "strong" helper, but a WARRIOR helper! God created his daughters to be ezer warriors with our brothers. God created the ezer woman to break the man's aloneness by soldiering with him whole heartedly and at full strength for God's gracious kingdom. The man needs everything she brings to their global mission.

So, no, God did not create woman at all to be "dominated" by men. The man and the woman were under the curse, from Genesis 3, kicked out of the Garden of Eden, and other consequences. And so women were dominated, and abused and mistreated. In most cultures, they were second class citizens, or in fact, not citizens at all, just a step above slaves.

But, Jesus Christ came to save us, and also to change us. To make us more like him. Image bearers, male and female. He came to break the curse of the garden, and give us eternal life. But he also came to restore women to their ezer-warrior created status. Not some wimp woman stuck in the kitchen, barefoot and pregnant. But restore us in the mission with God, to fight evil, and to rescue sinners.

Don't let anyone try to tell you different. Men dominating women is from the curse. God created men and women in his image, to rule the world together. We failed at that mission, but God sent Jesus to die on the cross for our sins, and to begin the restoration and reconciliation process of humanity, and establishing the Kingdom of God! And to bring healing to the relationship of men and women, and to take away the curse of roles, and take us back to the state where we were equals in the Garden of Eden.

Anything else is bad Bible interpretation!

 

[Waggles]

First of all, I'm an atheist ... I realized that I don't believe in God. It doesn't make sense to me.

God in his wisdom already has foreseen this problem and so he brought in a
new and living way by his Holy Spirit.
Now you can experience God directly and know, not just believe in him.
To become a Christian is the book of Acts and the rite off passage is outlined
in Acts 2:38-39

38 And Peter said, Let your hearts be changed, every one of you, and have baptism [water]
in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will have the Holy Spirit
given to you.
39 For the word of God is for you and for your children and for all those who are far off,
even all those who may be marked out by the Lord our God.
Acts 2: [BBE - Bible in Basic English]

You can experience God the Son and God your Father in Heaven directly by the
indwelling Holy Spirit - the Comforter, the Spirit of truth.
And further when this happens God will give you a spiritual language, which is
called a new tongue or tongues for short - by which you can directly pray to God
in the Spirit.

13 Jesus said to her, Everyone who takes this water will be in need of it again:
14 But whoever takes the water I give him will never be in need of drink again;
for the water I give him will become in him a fountain of eternal life.
23 But the time is coming, and is even now here, when the true worshippers will give
worship to the Father in the true way of the spirit, for these are the worshippers desired
by the Father.
24 God is Spirit: then let his worshippers give him worship in the true way of the spirit.
John 4:

https://www.facebook.com/revivalfellowshipeurope

 

[Magenta]

Why did Jesus die for my sins?

 

[Nehemiah6]

So please tell me, how can you believe in something that has so many questionable things?

Carla, the Bible will make absolutely no "sense" (humanly speaking) until and unless a person is saved by grace and indwelt by the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who opens the eyes of those who are spiritually blind, and opens the understanding of those who are in spiritual darkness, so that they may understand what the Bible is all about.

So the first thing you need to ask yourself is "What is questionable about the Lord Jesus Christ?" This is the key to understanding the Bible. Which means that you will need to read and study the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) carefully to determine if there is anything questionable about Jesus Christ. Once that issue is settled, you can move forward to believing on the Lord Jesus Christ and being saved. Which means that you will need to repent of your unbelief (which is true for all of humanity) and receive Him as Lord and Savior. After that the Bible will start making perfect sense (although there are some things in it which are hard to be understood).

 

[Dino246]

That everyone seems to skip?

First of all, I'm an atheist. I was Christian but as I grew up, I realized that I don't believe in God. It doesn't make sense to me.
Anyway, even though I'm not a believer, I find religions very interesting. One of my 2018 goals is to read the bible, the whole thing. So yesterday I started and already on the first pages I found something very questionable in Genesis. The woman was created for the man? And the man dominates the woman? What?
I won't even start with Leviticus.

I also wonder why so many Christians never read the bible. How can you believe in something when you haven't even read your holy book?
So please tell me, how can you believe in something that has so many questionable things?

Hello and Welcome, Carla,
I would like to add a brief thought to what Angela53510 posted a couple previous to this post.

In Genesis 3, Eve was deceived into eating from the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Adam was with her, and he also ate. As a result of this rebellious action, their eyes were opened. As a consequence of this, God told them what would happen. He directly cursed the ground and the serpent, and He told the man and woman what would happen to them. Among other things, God said to the woman, "Your desire will be for your husband and he will rule over you."

God did not say, "he must rule over you" or "I want him to rule over you." Rather, God simply told Eve what would happen. The way men treat women in most cultures is an accurate depiction of God's declaration. Sadly, most non-Christians, and many Christians misinterpret this passage, thinking that it is right for men to dominate women.

My suggestion to you: don't get turned off reading by the things in the Bible that don't make sense to you. Rather, keep a notebook as you read, jotting down things that don't make sense. As another person noted, recognize that you aren't likely to understand everything right away. God will answer your questions, if you keep seeking answers.

You also asked, "How do we know it's not just a bunch of made-up stories?" There is a long answer to that, but a few parts of it include fulfilled prophecy, traceable history of the text, the testimony of Jesus' first apostles, and the changed lives of millions who have chosen to follow Jesus. God is real. He loves you and He is working in your life. I sincerely hope you keep reading, and that you stick around here.

 

[Nehemiah6]

... especially the whole sexist theme that seems to play out throughout the bible...

This is good for laughs. Had the Feminists and FemiNazis not come along and started talking about "sexism", we would not even have seen this remark.

This is a modern phenomenon (and also a symptom of a sick society) which focuses on racism, sexism, homophobia, Islamophobia, etc. rather than the truth about the human condition -- that all human beings are sinners who need to repent and be converted.

So whether one likes it or not the truth of the matter is that (1) God -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are ALL MASCULINE, (2) God created the first human being a man -- Adam, and (3) God created the first woman FOR THE MAN, not the man for the woman. So if anyone wants to talk about "sexism" what they are saying is that God is "sexist" (which is utter nonsense).

1. Christians should understand that Feminism is rooted in Communism, and both of them REJECT GOD.

2. Christian women should understand that Feminism is REBELLION against God, Christ, and the Bible.

3. Christians should understand that God has SPECIFIC ROLES for men and women in the home, in society, and in the churches. Rejecting God's plan for humanistic nonsense results in serious problems, and they are all around us in society.

 

[breno785au]

That everyone seems to skip?

First of all, I'm an atheist. I was Christian but as I grew up, I realized that I don't believe in God. It doesn't make sense to me.
Anyway, even though I'm not a believer, I find religions very interesting. One of my 2018 goals is to read the bible, the whole thing. So yesterday I started and already on the first pages I found something very questionable in Genesis. The woman was created for the man? And the man dominates the woman? What?

So please tell me, how can you believe in something that has so many questionable things?

Dear Carla,

That scripture you speak on in Genesis is God explaining what will happen because of sin, and hasn't it happened so?

And how can I/we believe? Well see, I believe because God has revealed Himself to me in my spirit.

I too have many questions, many answered so far, many I still seek answers to.

The bible says by faith we understand... People want to understand before they have faith, it does not and will never work that way. Faith first, then understanding will come.

Some people run to God asking questions, others run from God asking questions... Who do you think will get the correct answers?

 

[stillness]

The woman was created for the man? And the man dominates the woman? What?
please tell me, how can you believe in something that has so many questionable things?

Your correct, God did this on purpose and hid the truth in parabols? Unless we seek we don't find:
He said, "Seek and you shall find, nock and it shall opened, ask and you shall receive." Something to do with being lost.

You appear to have done one thing correct: Ask and you shall receive. I say appear because It's about asking Him.
God has answered my questions and I could answer yours. But having questions answered only goes so far:
"Lean not on your own understanding but trust in the Lord."

About your question: The woman was created for the man? And the man dominates the woman? What?
We are created in the image of God, but God is Love and does not dominate His bride.
Man was not meant to be a dictator, neither will he find the Love of God in what he conquers.
I'm sure others will explain this was the result of the fall:
A fallen world where the woman seduced the man and becomes an idol over him and if falls apart.
I have lived with an idol of woman in my heart practically my whole life.
We have a void In our heart to be filled by God's Spirit and will not be satisfied until we find our rest in God.
To find requires to seek: This is the beginning of finding our purpose. I hear the Lord speak every other day and seeking doesn't end. Proof of God doesn't help us believe, proof is in the creation revealing Him. God is Light, even the natural light of creation reveals Him: there is no time at the speed of light, but proof of eternity at the speed of light doesn't help you believe in eternal Life. "Faith that works by Love," is by receiving the Spirit of God, and there has to be room in our hearts to receive. That void is on purpose, but we fill it with other things that can't satisfy, until we are willing to "Suffer the loss of all things that we may gain Christ."

 

[star]

Okay look.
I need you to explain the bible to me, please.
Yes I know, I'm only 17 and have no life experience yet. But I did think about what I believe. It's not like I wouldn't want to believe, it has a lot of advantages. But I can't because I can't believe it. I just can't.

So basically, there's this really old book, talking about how there's a God and telling all of these stories. How can you know that it's not made up?

First of all, if you do not believe, then there is no explaining it to you. One has to at least have an open mind if they want to understand a subject or have it explained to them. We come to God through faith and without faith it is impossible to please God.

No one can explain this "old book" to you but you can seek to find God and through God's Holy Spirit, He will help you to understand His Word. Will you ever understand it all? Absolutely not. God ways are not our ways. God's ways are higher and unlimited than our feeble minds can comprehend.

Could you accept the possibility that perhaps you are wrong? One comes to an experience with God through the heart/spirit/soul and not with a mind that has closed down to the possibility that He does not exist.

 

[Hungry]

Carla, you are correct there are inconsistencies with what most people believe and what the Bible actually states. It’s really simple but most people don’t want to accept that we were created as servants. If you really want to find God, look in science books. Then once you find Him, you can get to know Him in the Bible. Nothing is random, all creation is engineered. Just look at your house that you are in. It has a structure, a way to heat it and cool it. There is electricity running through it, plumbing and insulation. Not only do you have those things, but you even have systems that regulate those systems, with back up systems for those systems. The details that are involved in you taking one breath and how the oxygen is filtered, transported to your cells, mixed with glucose sustaining life, producing energy and heat. If the house you live in had to be designed and constructed, what makes you think that organisms infinitely more complex just happened? You were created. Whether or not you decide to serve Him is up to you.