So tell me, who decides which version of the Bible is “right” then? Versions of the Bible in the past, the rather distant past, have several contradictions with current versions, which of course have been “corrected.” All of the versions we are familiar with today of course are infallible because historians have looked over them and lots and lots of research has been done–but who does that research? It’s not God; God has no need for research. God has certainly allowed people in the past to write some crazy things in their “Bibles,” showing that God does not have a universal ban on false writings about God. Since false writings have occurred and there have been discrepancies among the versions of God’s Word over time and historians and researchers are fallible, being humans, the question of whether the bible is “right” or not becomes question of interpretation of no longer the Bible but God Himself. If you think that God would use humans to cleanse the impurities out of the Bible over time, what makes you sure that he’s done? If you think that all of the versions are right even with their contradictions, I like you (but perhaps Zen would be a better religion for you). The real point that is behind all of this is that religion is about faith, not logic. It?s not a puzzle; you can?t put the pieces together. All you can do is look back and see how God fit them together. Case in point: Perl. You can?t understand someone else?s perl (else you are a better man than I), but it?s running and you can watch if you want to.

I think you hit the nail on the head with the subject Bob. Truth and logic of beliefs or literature or any type of concept depends on the interpreter and in the case you have given is the American public.

We all have necessities and limitations, and I believe that the majority of our necessities are born from or limitations. Our beliefs are neither logical or consistent as they are only a reflection of our needs, the need to believe in good and bad, which is which and when is that true; or when is that true for “us”.

The need to believe in a life after death and an all Powerful however is a consistent need and is the base of nearly all beliefs, religions, sects etc. Apart from being consistent it is also logical, as marketing goes you wouldn’t get far with a religion that doesn’t claim to hold the key to life after death and that at the top of the “their” hierarchy is the “The Almighty”.

Rob, I believe living by a book, in this case the Bible, is a lot easier than having to live by your own decisions and by your own choices. To decide for oneself based on ones own principles is not easy as it’s active, much easier to live passively and say, “Well, that’s what it says in the Bible”, or an eye for an eye etc. Personally I prefer the active way to life and I feel I am lucky to be able to live that way as I am able to decide for myself, but others would argue the differ.

It’s a funny old world.

Either you can believe it all – or you can believe none of it.

BTW, it only contains what you believe to be inconsistancies. If you study it contextually, grammatically and historically you will come to a different conclusion. I’m betting that you’ve not studied it all.