Are there many errors in the Bible?

[polonius]

Christians are supposed to believe that the entire Bible was inspired by God.

If this is true, than, in spite of his infinite knowledge, God made a number of mistakes.

Lets start with this one:

How did Simon Peter find out that Jesus was the Christ?

By a revelation from heaven (Matthew 16:17)

His brother Andrew told him (John 1:41) (This was before Peter was an apostle or even had begun to follow Christ.)

Matthew copying from Mark's, has Jesus tell the Apostles that Jesus was Christ. However, Matthew (who was not the Apostle Matthew) contradicts John's gospel.

There are many errors in the Bible which is supposed to have been inspired by God but obviously isn't.

I think that Fundamentalist are in a difficult position trying to claim that the Bible is inerrant.

[polonius]

[Replying to post 17 by onewithhim]

I hold that the Bible is inspired by God, and not dictated. Anything that involves humans will often be error-prone. The Bible has, thankfully, harmony throughout. The main theme is identifiable.

Please explain exactly what is involved in the process of being inspired by God that distinguishes it from dictation. If humans have written it down, introduced errors, added to or removed anything, then it hardly qualifies as the word of God. As it is, what you have said effectively puts the Bible into the domain of historical fiction even allowing for the so-called harmony throughout and an identifiable theme.

RESPONSE: How about some history and much fiction? Keep in mind that Jesus was crucified by the Romans in about 30 AD. The New Testament was written between 70 AD and 95 AD, or about 40-65 years after the events it describes by non-witnesses. Jesus original followers were Temple worshiping Jews in the meanwhile.

That's why I find so amusing fundamentalists beginning their arguments with the phrase "Jesus said...." evidently believing that they proved their arguments.