Alistofover700inconsistenciesintheBible Fromwww.skepticsannotatedbible.com Genesis Godcreateslightandseparateslightfromdarkness,anddayfromnight, onthefirstday.Yethedidn'tmakethelightproducingobjects(the sunandthestars)untilthefourthday(1:14-19).1:3-5 Godspendsone-sixthofhisentirecreativeeffort(thesecondday) workingonasolidfirmament.Thisstrangestructure,whichGodcalls heaven,isintendedtoseparatethehigherwatersfromthelowerwaters. Thisfirmament,ifitexisted,wouldhavebeenquiteanobstacletoour spaceprogram.1:6-8 Plantsaremadeonthethirddaybeforetherewasasuntodrivetheir photosyntheticprocesses(1:14-19).1:11 "Hemadethestarsalso."Godspendsadaymakinglight(beforemaking thestars)andseparatinglightfromdarkness;then,attheendofa hardday'swork,andalmostasanafterthought,hemakesthetrillions ofstars.1:16 "AndGodsettheminthefirmamentoftheheaventogivelightuponthe earth."Really?Thenwhyareonlyatinyfractionofstarsvisiblefrom earth?Underthebestconditions,nomorethanfivethousandstarsare visiblefromearthwiththeunaidedeye,yettherearehundredsof billionsofstarsinourgalaxyandahundredbillionorsogalaxies. YetthisversesaysthatGodputthestarsinthefirmament"togive light"totheearth.1:17 Godcommandsusto"befruitfulandmultiply,andreplenishtheearth, andsubdueit:andhavedominionover...everylivingthingthatmoveth upontheearth."ThisverseisusedtojustifyChristianoppositionto birthcontrol,toconcernfortheenvironment,andtoanimalrights.The earthwasmadeforhumans,andtheycandoastheydamnwellpleasewith it.1:28 Allanimalswereoriginallyherbivores.Tapeworms,vampirebats, mosquitoes,andbarracudas--allwerestrictvegetarians,astheywere createdbyGod.But,ofcourse,wenowknowthattherewerecarnivorous animalsmillionsofyearsbeforehumansexisted.1:30 GodmakestheanimalsandparadesthembeforeAdamtoseeifanywould strikehisfancy.Butnoneseemtohavewhatittakestopleasehim. (Althoughhewastemptedtogoforthesheep.)Aftermakingtheanimals, GodhasAdamnamethemall.Thenamingofseveralmillionspeciesmust havekeptAdambusyforawhile.2:18-20 God'sclever,talkingserpent.3:1 Godwalksandtalks(tohimself?)inthegarden,andplaysalittlehide andseekwithAdamandEve.3:8-11 Godcursestheserpent.Fromnowontheserpentwillcrawlonhisbelly andeatdust.Onewondershowhegotaroundbefore--byhoppingonhis tail,perhaps?Butsnakesdon'teatdust,dothey?3:14 Godcursesthegroundandcausesthornsandthistlestogrow.3:17-18 GodkillssomeanimalsandmakessomeskincoatsforAdamandEve.3:21 CainisworriedafterkillingAbelandsays,"Everyonewhofindsme shallslayme."Thisisastrangeconcernsincetherewereonlytwo otherhumansaliveatthetime--hisparents!4:14 "AndCainwentoutfromthepresenceoftheLORD."4:16 "AndCainknewhiswife."That'snice,butwherethehelldidshecome from?4:17 LamechkillsamanandclaimsthatsinceCain'smurdererwouldbe punishedsevenfold,whoevermurdershimwillbepunishedseventy-seven fold.Thatsoundsfair.4:23-24 Godcreatedamanandawoman,andhe"calledtheirnameAdam."Sothe woman'snamewasAdam,too!5:2 Thefirstmenhadincrediblylonglifespans.5:5,5:8,5:11,5:14,5:17, 5:20,5:23,5:27,5:31,9:29 The"sonsofGod"copulatedwiththe"daughtersofmen,"andhadsons whobecame"themightymenofold,menofrenown."6:2-4 "Thereweregiantsintheearthinthosedays."6:4 Goddecidestokillalllivingthingsbecausethehumanimaginationis evil.Later(8:21),afterhekillseverything,hepromisesnevertodo itagainbecausethehumanimaginationisevil.Gofigure.6:5 Godrepents.6:6-7 Godwasangrybecause"theearthwasfilledwithviolence."Butdidn't Godcreatethewholebloodysysteminthefirstplace?Predatorand prey,parasiteandhost--weren'ttheyalldesignedbyGod?Oh,it's truethataccordingto1:30Godoriginallyintendedtheanimalstobe vegetarian.Butlater(3:18)hechangedallthat.Still,theviolence thatangeredGodwasofhisownmaking.Sowhatwasheupsetabout?And howwouldkillingeverythinghelptomaketheworldlessviolent?Didhe thinktheanimalswouldbehavebetterafterhe"destroysthemwiththe earth"?IguessGodworksinmysteriousways.6:11-13 GodtellsNoahtomakeonesmallwindow(18inchessquare)inthe450 footarkforventilation.6:16 Noah,thejustandrighteous.6:9,7:1 Noah,thedrunkandnaked.9:20-21 Godopensthe"windowsofheaven."Hedoesthiseverytimeitrains. 7:11 "Thewindowsofheavenwerestopped,andtherainfromheavenwas restrained."Thishappenswheneveritstopsraining.8:2 Noahsendsadoveouttoseeiftherewasanydryland.Butthedove returnswithoutfindingany.Then,justsevendayslater,thedovegoes outagainandreturnswithanoliveleaf.Buthowcouldanolivetree survivetheflood?Andifanyseedshappenedtosurvive,theycertainly wouldn'tgerminateandgrowleaveswithinasevendayperiod.8:8-11 Noahkillsthe"cleanbeasts"andburnstheirdeadbodiesforGod. Accordingto7:8thiswouldhavecausedtheextinctionofall"clean" animalssinceonlytwoofeachweretakenontotheark."AndtheLord smelledasweetsavor."AfterthisGod"saidinhisheart"thathe'd neverdoitagainbecause"man'sheartisevilfromhisyouth."SoGod killedalllivingthings(6:5)becausehumansareevil,andthen promisesnottodoitagain(8:21)becausehumansareevil.Themindof Godisafrighteningthing.8:20-21 Accordingtothisverse,allanimalsfearhumans.Althoughitistrue thatmanydo,itisalsotruethatsomedonot.Sharksandgrizzly bears,forexample,aregenerallymuchlessafraidofusthanweareof them.9:2 "Intoyourhandarethey(theanimals)delivered."Godgavetheanimals tohumans,andtheycandowhatevertheypleasewiththem.Thisverse hasbeenusedbybiblebelieverstojustifyallkindsofcrueltyto anmialsandenvironmentaldestruction.9:2 Allanimalshavehands.9:5 "Beyefruitful,andmultiply."With6billionpeopleonthisplanet,we needtodisobeyGodonthisone.9:7 Godisrightlyfilledwithremorseforhavingkilledhiscreatures.He makesadealwiththeanimals,promisingnevertodrownthemallagain. Heevenputstherainbowintheskysothatwheneverheseesit,itwill remindhimofhispromisesothathewon'tbetemptedtodoitagain. (EverytimeGodseestherainbowhesaystohimself:"Oh,yeah.... That'sright.Ipromisednottodrowntheanimalsagain.IguessI'll havetofindsomethingelsetodo.").9:9-13 Theentiretenthchapteristhefirstofmanyboringgenealogies(see1 Chr.1-9,Mt.1:1-17,Lk.3:23-28forotherexamples)thatwearetoldto avoidin1Tim.1:4andTit.3:9("Avoidfoolishquestionsand genealogies.")10:1-32 Godworriesthatpeoplecouldactuallybuildatowerhighenoughto reachhim(them?)inheaven.11:4 Godisworriedagain.Heremembershowhumansnearlybecamegodsby findingandeatingfromthetreeoflife(Gen.3:22).Itwasaclose call,butnowhefacesasimilarthreat.Hebeginstalkingtohimself againsaying,"Behold,thepeopleisone,andtheyallhaveone language."Hefearsthat"nownothingwillberestrainedfromthem, whichtheyhaveimaginedtodo."11:6 Anotherboringgenealogythatwearetoldtoavoidin1Tim.1:4and Tit.3:9.("Avoidfoolishquestionsandgenealogies.")Alsonotethe ridiculouslylonglivesofthepatriarchs.11:10-32 PoorPharaohcouldn'tresistthe"veryfair"Sarai,andhetakesher intohisharem.(Shemusthavebeenwellpreserved,sinceshewasabout seventyyearsoldatthetime.)12:15 TheAmalekitesweresmittenbeforeAmalek(fromwhomtheydescended)was born.AmalekwasthegrandsonofEsau(Gen.36:12).14:7 Abrahamcircumciseshimselfandallofthemalesinhishousehold.Since hesupposedlyhad318slavesbackin14:14,pooroldAbemusthavebeen prettybusywithhisknife.Butitwasworthit.Penisesaresupremely importanttoGod.Andhecan'tstandforeskins.17:23-24 Sarah,whoisabout90yearsoldandhasgonethroughmenopause,laughs atGodwhenhetellsherthatshewillhaveason.SheasksGodifshe will"havepleasure"withher"Lord"[Abraham],whenbotharesovery old.Godassuresherthathewillreturnandimpregnateheratthe appointedtime.18:11-14 God,whoisplanninganothermassmurder,isworriedthatAbrahammight trytostophim.soheaskshimselfifheshouldhidehisintentions fromAbraham.18:17 "AndtheLordwenthisway."Nowwheremightthatbe?18:33 Lot[thejustandrighteous(2Pet.2:7-8)]offershisdaughterstoa crowdofangelrapers.19:8 Lot'snamelesswifelooksback,andGodturnsherintoapillarofsalt. 19:26 Lotandhisdaughterscampoutinacaveforawhile.Thedaughtersget their"justandrighteous"fatherdrunk,andhavesexualintercourse withhim,andeachconceivesandbearsason(wouldn'tyouknowit!). JustanotherwholesomefamilyvaluesBiblestory.19:30-38 "TheLordvisitedSarah"andhe"diduntoSarahashehadspoken."And "SarahconceivedandbareAbrahamason."(God-assistedconceptions neverresultindaughters.)21:1-2 TheseversessuggestthatIshmaelwasaninfantwhenhisfather abandonedhim,yetaccordingtoGen.17:25andGen.21:5-8hemusthave beenabout16yearsold.ItmusthavebeentoughforpoorHagartocarry Ishmaelonhershoulderandtothen"casthimunderoneoftheshrubs." 21:14-18 AbrahamnamestheplacewherehenearlykillsIsaacafterJehovah.But accordingtoEx.6:3,Abrahamcouldn'thaveknownthatGod'snamewas Jehovah.22:14 Godswearstohimself.22:16 AbrahamneededGod'shelptofatherIsaacwhenhewas100yearsold (Gen.21:1-2,Rom.4:19,Heb.11:12).Buthere,whenheisevenolder,he managestohavesixmorechildrenwithoutanyhelpfromGod.25:2 Abrahamlivedtobe175yearsold.25:7 Ishmaellived137years.25:17 Isaac'swife(Rebekah),likehismother(Sarah),wasalsobarren.25:21 JacobnamesBethelforthefirsttime28:19,beforemeetingRachel. Laterin35:15,justbeforeRacheldies,henamesBethelagain.(Iguess thenamedidn'ttakethefirsttime.) JacobgoesinuntoLeahbymistake.29:23,25 "AndJacobwentinuntoher.AndBilhahconceived,andbareJacoba son."(Thesearrangementsneverseemtoproducedaughters.)30:4 Leah,nottobeoutdone,givesJacobhermaid(Zilpah)"towife."And Zilpah"bareJacobason."30:9 Racheltradesherhusband'sfavorsforsomemandrakes.Andso,when Jacobcamhome,Leahsaid:"Thoumustcomeinuntome,forsurelyIhave hiredtheewithmyson'smandrakes.Andhelaywithherthatnight." PresumablyGod,bytellingusthisedifyingstory,isteachingus somethingaboutsexualethics.30:15-16 Andfinally,"GodrememberedRachel...andopenedherwomb.Andshe conceivedandbareason[surprise,surprise]."30:22 Labanlearns"byexperience"thatGodhasblessedhimforJacob'ssake. "Byexperience"means"bydivination",atleastthatishowmostother versionstranslatethisverse.30:27