Dave, I really like your post and what you are saying is very true. Have you ever heard anyone say "The Bible contradics itsself". If you should ask them to show some of the scripture that are susposed to cotradics one another they will stutter and stammer and say well, "I can't show you off hand, but it does." The reality of this is the fact they may have never read the Bible. They are repeating something that someone told them. This is the way non-truth is spread, because people would rather believe a lie than the truth. The fact is, when a person studies the Bible and the numerical codes that are in the original Greek and Hebrew there are combinations of numbers that are consistant through out the scriptures. But people will accept fiction as being gospel without examining the facts. This is the true nature of man.

Hi James, Yes, I have been challenged many times by people who claim that there are many contradictions in the Bible. In fact, there are whole websites dedicated to showing these so-called contradictions to the unsuspecting and unstudied public. The fact is that no one has ever been able to prove one single contradiction in the Bible. While many may claim to, and some offer "proof" by posting passages that seem by themselves to be in conflict, when taken in their actual context, the passages do not contradict one another at all. In actuality, many of the passages that are used to demonstrate conflicts are put up by people who are fully aware that they are not contradictions, but they so hate the Bible that they will do anything to turn people away from it. By using scripture or even a secular book of history out of context, you can make it say whatever you want. Politicians are becoming very adept at creating ads during campaigns that make their opponents say exactly the opposite of what they really stand for by taking things they have said out of context. Their ad makers spend hours pouring over footage of speeches, news clips, etc., then, through the wonderful art of computerized cutting and splicing, make their opponents say things that they have never really said. While the words HAVE come out of their mouths, they have been taken out of order and our of context, giving them a completely different meaning. Exactly the same thing is done by those whose sole goal is to convince people that the Bible is full of contradictions. Sadly, many people fall for this kind of fraud without ever really digging into it themselves. The bottom line is, many highly educated archaeologists, scholars and linguists have studied the Bible, its roots, its history, its language, its sources, its writers and the early followers of Christ, and are convinced that not only does it have no contradictions, but it is also an incredibly accurate historical document. There are very few who have made a serious and educated life study of the Bible who would disagree. The more it is studied and the deeper it is scrutinized, the more likely it is to be found to be without fault or flaw. For anyone who really wants a good framework to help start to dig in and weigh the evidence for the Bible's accuracy, I recommend The Case for Christ, by Lee Strobel, an award-winning investigative journalist and author who has, himself, done some serious digging. God bless, Dave

Hi, Dave, So, the Bible contradicts itself? If the author of the Bible had been a single person residing in a short time span, I might get a little concerned about cotradictions. But it wasn't. The Bible is simply a collection of the memories of a very disparate group of people living within a span of many centuries. I would be more concerned if there weren't any contradictions - fanciful or not. The Bible did not exist until a group of scholars decided that certain writings supported their own take on what the Christian faith is all about. How many scripts, I wonder, were destroyed or hidden away because they ran contrary to what was good for the established church? To rely upon the Bible as a true account of the wishes of God is a little too risky. The Bible should be treated as what it is - a good book, full of good ideas and representing the wisdom and morality of years long gone. (I know that there are quotes from Jesus in his lifetime here but they are only what was remembered - He committed nothing to writing.) Last night I listened to three priests try to talk about The Davinci Code as if it really was as factual as many seem to believe. It has come to the point, as one priest said, that the population at large is so desperate for a new faith that they will believe ANYTHING and all these new beliefs have to be overcome by reason. Reason, unfortunately, is out of stock.

Hi: Gaaahhh -- Gary told me about this thread. Of course, you don't think I could read this thread and NOT have an opinion, hmm? Nope. ===== The modern Western school system, combined with the mindless drivel on TV serves to put countless young (and older) minds to sleep permanently....(snipped)...What this is now doing is creating a whole generation of young people who think they're great, can barely read or write, can't think for themselves, and have no work ethics. ===== I was raised to question *everything* and raised my own daughter the same way. I do agree that there's a dumbing down of society. Does anyone know a kid that reads anymore? Adults, too. Did you know that less than 10% of the population buys over 90% of the books sold? A few random thoughts.... 1) What is the "western school system?" What is ANY system if not the PEOPLE that run it? It's too easy to blame "systems." Systems don't live or breathe or make rules or decisions. The people that run them do. Want to bet that many of the people *in* the system have the kids that don't achieve or perform? When you see the few kids that have a brain and know how to use it... the kids that can compete and win... the kids that know what self esteem really is because they've earned it -- it's a safe bet that their parents aren't part of the "system." By process of elimination, I know whose parents ARE part of "the system" ... 2) I agree with who ever said the Bible is a collection of memories. When I was a tiny girl, when my family would get into their Sunday church clothes, Grandpapa would stay behind. One night, sitting out under the stars, I asked him why. He said he believes in God but he does not believe in organized religion. I asked him why. He said that when he walks into a church and sees all the gold and fancy pews while so many of God's children go hungry, it makes him want to cry and he wonders if it makes God feel the same way. He said that God gave his only son and in the face of that kind of sacrifice, he felt that building churches of gold & wealth makes us humans feel pious, but it isn't doing God's work. Using those funds to help God's less fortunate children would be God's work. THAT made me think. As an adult, I see the number of people that hold religion up as their shield and pedestal and act as though they are better than the rest of the world.... THAT makes me think. Is that how God would act? And I won't even get into the Catholic church and little boys. Point being, I have learned to make my decisions about people based on how they treat other people, not their stance on religion or God or christianity. Talk is cheap. Now, walking one's talk - that's rare. 3) In regard to the Da Vinci code... there are 3 things I have observed about most *average* people. a) most people will do anything to avoid having to think. b) Most people will do anything to defend their opinion once they've formed one, whether it's based on fact or not. See "a" Heh. Okay -- I could go on, but I'll give your poor eyes a break. : ) L

Ahhh Linda, I knew you'd like to make some comments! =================== "Did you know that less than 10% of the population buys over 90% of the books sold?" =================== I just gotta figure out how to get to that 10% - LOL! I think you can separate readers from non-readers (ie TV addicts). You can tell by their conversation. =================== "As an adult, I see the number of people that hold religion up as their shield and pedestal and act as though they are better than the rest of the world...." =================== Like the criminals who go out and do shocking things then "confess" their sins to some priest and think that such a thing makes it OK and squares the ledger for them. Oh dear, I had much stronger words in my mind. But for the sake of not wanting to offend others I'm gonna hold back. ==================== "Point being, I have learned to make my decisions about people based on how they treat other people, not their stance on religion or God or christianity. Talk is cheap. Now, walking one's talk - that's rare." ==================== EXACTLY! My thoughts too! ==================== "most people will do anything to avoid having to think" ==================== Right on the money again. That is why so many people get sucked into following the herd. And the herd is going... ... NOWHERE! Good comments from a lot of people here but I don't have enough time to acknowledge them all. Great topic Dave and very topical since this movie is generating so much interest. I've gotta say it again. The book stinks. OK. OK. OK... Wanna read a GREAT book? Plum Island by Nelson deMille. Read that then compare it to the quality of the writing and the "story" in the DaVinci Code. It's like comparing a racehorse to a Shetland pony. Gary