Demolishing Supposed Bible Contradictions: Exploring Forty Alleged Contradictions - Volume 2, Ken Ham, Bodie Hodge & Tim Chaffey, Editors (Master Books) 2012

Following in the footsteps of the first volume, Demolishing Contradictions Vol. 2provides reasonable answers for 40 more challenges to the integrity of Scripture. Contributors to this volume include Bodie Hodge, David Wright, Tim Chaffey, Mariah Smith, Michael Belknap, Tommy Mitchell, Troy Lacey, Ron Dudek, Tommy Mitchell, Kyle Runge, Eric Lutz, David Chakranarayan, Jeremy Ham, John Bartlett Jr., Frost Smith, Dan Lietha, Georgia Purdom, and Chris Russell. If you're familiar with the first volume, you'll be pleasantly surprised to find that it is once again organized canonically. This resource is divided in to five sections of questions (Genesis, Exodus through Deuteronomy, Joshua through Malachi, Matthew through John, and Acts through Revelation), which makes it a handy grab-off-the-shelf reference tool.

This book begins with a reminder that we can fall into the trap of simply answering a skeptic's objections. This back and forth leaves us on the defensive and even makes our position look weaker [because the other guy's always on the offensive]. It is important that we not only answer their questions, but that we ask them questions on the tail-end of our response. Specifically, we should ask them questions that point out the contradictions of their worldview, for we are in the end comparing the nits of alleged Bible contradictions which turn out to be misunderstandings to the dragons of very real and serious contradictions in their non-Biblical worldviews! As Hodge and Chaffey note in the Introduction:

"Pointing outsupposed contradictions in the Bible is really nothing more than a smoke screen to keep people distracted from the real issue - the numerous contradictions in the humanistic worldview. The sad thing is that skeptics don't realize it's just a smoke screen. Not only are they blinded from the truth of God's Word, but they also have a tendency to be blinded to the contradictions and inconsistencies of their own worldviews" [p.15].

Accordingly, they offer practical advice on how to point out the self-refuting nature of their worldviews, by bringing up matters as mundane as clothing and wedding bands or as profound as truth, love, purpose, morality and the nature of science itself.

One of the things that I like about this volume is that it allows for variant interpretations in some cases. What I mean by this is that the contributors acknowledge that sometimes [not always] there is more than one possible solution to a Bible puzzle. In these cases, they will typically show why one is preferable or more strongly supported than another, but leaves the matter up to the reader to decided between two or more acceptable solutions to the proposed question. The humility this book shows in this regard is important because, while I absolutely affirmt that there are reasonable answers to any proposed Bible puzzle, we are not omniscient and the limitations of present human knowledge cannot allow us to be overly dogmatic on non-essentials.

As the back cover reminds us, “Too often the Bible is dismissed by people who have heard it is simply filled with myths and mistakes, and many have abandoned the faith, not understanding there wasn't an error at all.” But as I said there are reasonable answers to any alleged mistake or proposed contradiction in the Bible.

Here’s a list of the questions this resource answers:

• Were plants created on day 3 or day 6?
• Was Eve created on day 6 or not?
• Could the events of day 6 have fit within 24 hours?
• Did God contradict Himself concerning what He said Adam could eat?
• When was the earth dry after the Flood of Noah's day?
• Who destroyed Sodom? In Genesis 19:13, two angels claim they would destroy Sodom, but verse 24 records that the Lord destroyed it.
• Did Abraham have one son or more than one?
• What is God's name in the Old Testament?
• Did the fifth plague kill all of the Egyptian livestock or not?
• Is God a God of war or a God of peace?
• Did animal sacrifices remove sin?
• Do rabbits really "chew the cud"?
• Deuteronomy 34 states that Moses was in good health at 120 years old; does Deuteronomy 31 suggest otherwise?
• Does God really abhor human sacrifice as stated in dDeuteronomy 12:31, or did He accept it in the case of Jephthah [Judges 11]?
• Is the earth immovably set on pillars or hanging on nothing?
• 1 Samuel 9:1 states that Kish (Saul's father) was the son of Abiel, but 1 Chronicles states that Kish was the son of Ner... so which is it?
• Was David offered three years of famine or seven years of famine?
• 2 Samuel and 1 Chronicles seem to claim that david paid different prices to different individuals for the site of the temple... did he?
• How long did God say people will live after Noah?
• Were stars created before or after the creation of the earth?
• Did Jesus go up or down the mountain to deliver the Sermon on the Mount?
• Did Jesus contradict Himself by calling people fools?
• Should Christians pray in public or not?
• Was John the Baptist Elijah or not?
• Why does the Bible say to be like a child, but then to put away childish things?
• The book of Matthew states that the mother of James and John asked Jesus for a special privilege, while the book of Mark declares that James and John actually asked for this honor... so who was it?
• Did the fig tree Jesus cursed wither immediately?
• Was Jesus wrong about Zechariah's father?
• When was the Temple veil torn in two?
• Did Jesus first appear to the 11 disciples on a mountain in Galilee or in Jerusalem behind closed doors?
• Was Jesus in the wilderness or at the wedding in Cana three days after His baptism?
• Did the cock crow once or twice?
• When did Jesus cleanse the Temple?
• Can a thief go to heaven?
• God said it was not good for man to be alone, so why did Paul say it is good to remain single?
• Who gets the blame for original sin - Adam or Eve?
• Is money the root of all evil?
• Is all Scripture inspired by God, or is some of it the opinion of the writers of Scripture?
• Why would Lot be called righteous in 2 Peter 2:7-8 when he did so many bad things as recorded in Genesis 19?
• Did Enoch die as Hebrews 11:3 seems to imply or was he taken as stated in Genesis 5:24 and Hebrews 11:5?
• Can God be tempted?
• Are Christians living contradictions because they don't follow all of the Old Testament laws?

This book is just as awesome and practical as the first one. Pick up a copy today.

You can view the book trailer at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shs9dHcNOzo&feature=player_embedded or buy it from Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Christianbook. Also available in e-book format.

Rev Tony Breeden, from the Bookwyrm's Lair

http://bookwyrmslair.wordpress.com

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the New Leaf Publishing Group Book Bible Defender’s Review Team a href="http://www.creationconversations.com/group/bible-defenders">http://www.creationconversations.com/group/bible-defenders>. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 a href="http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html">http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”