Difference between revisions of "Points of Contention"

From Smiting Shepherds
Jump to: navigation, search
 
(5 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
 
[[File:Asimov.png|center]]
 
[[File:Asimov.png|center]]
  
The Bible is essentially a [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_qLociz7CY Sessions compilation party album] of anonymously-written holy texts based off of rumors and urban legends. These texts were then translated, and these [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMkJuDVJdTw translations were translated many times]. No one has seen the original texts, and history has forgotten the names of anyone who might have. Throughout history, these translators inserted their own embellishments and original material into the text. The divinity of these texts was arbitrarily declared by a committee. Not all sects agreed with their results, so they formed their own committees, which added or removed books as they saw fit.   
+
The Bible is essentially a [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-y_djOJur8 compilation party album] of anonymously-written holy texts based off of rumors and urban legends. These texts were then translated, and these [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMkJuDVJdTw translations were translated many times]. No one has seen the original texts, and history has forgotten the names of anyone who might have. Throughout history, these translators inserted their own embellishments and original material into the text. The divinity of these texts was arbitrarily declared by a committee. Not all sects agreed with their results, so they formed their own committees, which added or removed books as they saw fit.   
  
As a result, the Bible contradicts itself at virtually every opportunity. '''How can one find guidance from the Bible, when the Bible is unsure of what it believes?''' However, this nebulousness is what makes the Bible so powerful. By being intentionally confusing and contradictory, rebellion becomes impossible, since there is no way to know what to rebel against. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juche Juche], the North Korean state ideology, exploits this same principle.
+
As a result, the Bible contradicts itself at virtually every opportunity. '''How can one find guidance from the Bible, when the Bible is unsure of what ''it'' believes?''' However, this nebulousness is what makes the Bible so powerful -- by being intentionally confusing and contradictory, rebellion becomes impossible, since there is no way of knowing what to rebel against. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juche Juche], the North Korean state ideology, exploits this same principle.
  
 
{{Quotebox|
 
{{Quotebox|
Line 12: Line 12:
 
|}}  
 
|}}  
  
The clergy use this confusion to their advantage. Since any Biblical teaching can be contradicted by some other biblical teaching, the clergy can “prove” that any statement which is contrary to their personal agenda is false. Through [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exegesis exegesis], priests can strategically interpret scripture to make anything you say wrong, and anything they say right. Thus, they are able to maintain hegemony, with regards to discourse.
+
Since any Biblical teaching can be contradicted by some other biblical teaching, the clergy can “prove” that scripture mandates their personal agendas. Through [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exegesis exegesis], a priest can strategically interpret scripture to make anything you say wrong, and anything they say right. Thus, they maintain hegemony with regards to discourse.
  
However, turnabout is fair play. With foreknowledge, any of their arguments can be turned against them, by invoking its theological counterargument. At the risk of looking foolish, this will lead the priest into an emotionally heated argument which will bore spectators. By sending the priest into pointless tangents, you will [[Our_Strategy|eat at their time]], and slowly creep them closer to [[The_Church%27s_Weaknesses#Burnout|burnout]].
+
However, turnabout is fair play. With foreknowledge, any of their arguments can be turned against them, by invoking its theological counterargument. At the risk of looking foolish, this will lead the priest into an emotionally-heated argument which bores spectators. By sending the priest into pointless tangents, you will [[Our_Strategy|eat at their time]], and slowly creep them closer to [[The_Church%27s_Weaknesses#Burnout|burnout]].
  
Lists of these counterarguments are present below. You should familiarize yourself with them, but there is no need to memorize them; you can always sneak a peek at your mobile device to view this site, or excuse yourself to the restroom to do so. The important thing is to know what to look for, and how these arguments work:
+
Lists of these counterarguments are presented below. You should familiarize yourself with them, but there is no need to memorize them; you can always sneak a peek at your mobile device to view this site, or excuse yourself to the restroom to do so. The important thing to remember is what to look for, and how these form of these arguments works:
 
*'''Many of these are based on conflicts between the Old and New Testaments.''' In general:
 
*'''Many of these are based on conflicts between the Old and New Testaments.''' In general:
 
**'''When you need to take a soft approach, cite the New Testament,''' and mention how all of the laws of the Old Testament -- including the Ten Commandments --  were “abolished” (EPH 2:15) during the crucifixion. This results in a clean slate between God and man, where all debts were canceled, and all charges were dropped (COL 2:13-14).
 
**'''When you need to take a soft approach, cite the New Testament,''' and mention how all of the laws of the Old Testament -- including the Ten Commandments --  were “abolished” (EPH 2:15) during the crucifixion. This results in a clean slate between God and man, where all debts were canceled, and all charges were dropped (COL 2:13-14).
**'''When you need to take a hard approach, cite the Old Testament,''' and mention how Jesus’ teachings merely amend the old laws without replacing them (1PET 1:25), because Jesus explicitly taught that every single character of the Old Testament laws were valid (MAT 5:17-19; JOH 7:19; LUK 16:17). Any attempt to dance around this problem defies Christ’s direct teachings.<ref name="Harrison"> G. P. Harrison, ''50 Simple Questions for Every Christian'' (Prometheus Books, 2013).</ref>
+
**'''When you need to take a hard approach, cite the Old Testament,''' and mention how Jesus’ teachings merely amend the old laws ''without'' replacing them (1PET 1:25), because Jesus explicitly taught that every single character of the Old Testament laws were still valid (MAT 5:17-19; JOH 7:19; LUK 16:17). Any attempt to dance around this problem defies Christ’s direct teachings.<ref name="Harrison"> G. P. Harrison, ''50 Simple Questions for Every Christian'' (Prometheus Books, 2013).</ref>
 
*'''Question Christ's resurrection.''' This is the highest-value target; if the resurrection is untrue, then the entire Christian religion is invalidated (1COR 15:17).<ref name="Harrison"></ref>
 
*'''Question Christ's resurrection.''' This is the highest-value target; if the resurrection is untrue, then the entire Christian religion is invalidated (1COR 15:17).<ref name="Harrison"></ref>
*'''Do not argue.''' ''The goal is to waste the priest’s time'', and to get them to invoke some thought-terminating cliché like “You need to find the answers for yourself,” or some other polite paraphrase of “I can’t be bothered with dealing with you.” Getting the clergy member to publicly announce that they have no answers would do more for our cause than simply proving them to be wrong.
+
*'''Do not argue.''' ''The goal is to waste the priest’s time'', and to get them to invoke some thought-terminating cliché like “You need to find the answers for yourself,” or some other polite paraphrase of “I can’t be bothered with dealing with you.” Getting the clergy member to publicly admit that they are incapable of offering answers or guidance will do more for our cause than simply proving them wrong.
  
These points of contention have been binned into the following categories, which deal with...
+
These points of contention have been binned into the following categories, which deal with:
 
*[[Points_of_Contention_with_the_Nature_of_God|The Nature of God]]
 
*[[Points_of_Contention_with_the_Nature_of_God|The Nature of God]]
 
*[[Points_of_Contention_with_the_Book_of_Genesis|The Book of Genesis]]
 
*[[Points_of_Contention_with_the_Book_of_Genesis|The Book of Genesis]]
Line 33: Line 33:
 
*[[Minor Points of Contention]]
 
*[[Minor Points of Contention]]
  
These listings are sufficient, but not complete. I admit that these listings are poorly-organized; I will try to correct this in the future, and I apologize for any inconvenience. All love should be given to the authors of [http://www.1001biblecontradictions.com/index.html 1001 Bible Contradictions] and the [http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/ Skeptic’s Annotated Bible]; these listings -- and this site -- would not be possible without their Herculean efforts.
+
'''These listings are sufficient, but not complete.''' We admit that these listings are poorly-organized, and we apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. All love should be given to the authors of [http://www.1001biblecontradictions.com/index.html 1001 Bible Contradictions] and the [http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/ Skeptic’s Annotated Bible]; these listings -- and this site -- would not be possible without their Herculean efforts.
  
 
==References==
 
==References==

Latest revision as of 06:24, 22 May 2021

Asimov.png

The Bible is essentially a compilation party album of anonymously-written holy texts based off of rumors and urban legends. These texts were then translated, and these translations were translated many times. No one has seen the original texts, and history has forgotten the names of anyone who might have. Throughout history, these translators inserted their own embellishments and original material into the text. The divinity of these texts was arbitrarily declared by a committee. Not all sects agreed with their results, so they formed their own committees, which added or removed books as they saw fit.

As a result, the Bible contradicts itself at virtually every opportunity. How can one find guidance from the Bible, when the Bible is unsure of what it believes? However, this nebulousness is what makes the Bible so powerful -- by being intentionally confusing and contradictory, rebellion becomes impossible, since there is no way of knowing what to rebel against. Juche, the North Korean state ideology, exploits this same principle.

But no public man...ever believes that the Bible means what it says: he is always convinced that it says what he means.
—George Bernard Shaw

Since any Biblical teaching can be contradicted by some other biblical teaching, the clergy can “prove” that scripture mandates their personal agendas. Through exegesis, a priest can strategically interpret scripture to make anything you say wrong, and anything they say right. Thus, they maintain hegemony with regards to discourse.

However, turnabout is fair play. With foreknowledge, any of their arguments can be turned against them, by invoking its theological counterargument. At the risk of looking foolish, this will lead the priest into an emotionally-heated argument which bores spectators. By sending the priest into pointless tangents, you will eat at their time, and slowly creep them closer to burnout.

Lists of these counterarguments are presented below. You should familiarize yourself with them, but there is no need to memorize them; you can always sneak a peek at your mobile device to view this site, or excuse yourself to the restroom to do so. The important thing to remember is what to look for, and how these form of these arguments works:

  • Many of these are based on conflicts between the Old and New Testaments. In general:
    • When you need to take a soft approach, cite the New Testament, and mention how all of the laws of the Old Testament -- including the Ten Commandments -- were “abolished” (EPH 2:15) during the crucifixion. This results in a clean slate between God and man, where all debts were canceled, and all charges were dropped (COL 2:13-14).
    • When you need to take a hard approach, cite the Old Testament, and mention how Jesus’ teachings merely amend the old laws without replacing them (1PET 1:25), because Jesus explicitly taught that every single character of the Old Testament laws were still valid (MAT 5:17-19; JOH 7:19; LUK 16:17). Any attempt to dance around this problem defies Christ’s direct teachings.[1]
  • Question Christ's resurrection. This is the highest-value target; if the resurrection is untrue, then the entire Christian religion is invalidated (1COR 15:17).[1]
  • Do not argue. The goal is to waste the priest’s time, and to get them to invoke some thought-terminating cliché like “You need to find the answers for yourself,” or some other polite paraphrase of “I can’t be bothered with dealing with you.” Getting the clergy member to publicly admit that they are incapable of offering answers or guidance will do more for our cause than simply proving them wrong.

These points of contention have been binned into the following categories, which deal with:

These listings are sufficient, but not complete. We admit that these listings are poorly-organized, and we apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. All love should be given to the authors of 1001 Bible Contradictions and the Skeptic’s Annotated Bible; these listings -- and this site -- would not be possible without their Herculean efforts.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 G. P. Harrison, 50 Simple Questions for Every Christian (Prometheus Books, 2013).