reply to Nazia

Submitted by true believer (India), May 24, 2006 at 05:42

Dear Nazia,

You should read the Bible in its totality before passing your judgement. You have quoted some snippets from the holy scriptures out of context. I will give you a couple of examples from your own quote to make you understand what I mean.

You wrote

>>Was Jesus trustworthy?

• John 8:14 "Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true."

  vs.

• John 5:31 "If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true."

  "Record" and "witness" in the above verses are the same Greek word (martyria).

According to the Jewish law the record of a person needed a witness to be accepted as the Truth.

Jn 8:13The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true.
Jn 8:14 Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came [YAHWEY] , and whither I go [YAHWEY]; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go.
Jn 8:15 Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man.
Jn 8:16 And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me.
Jn 8:17 It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true.
Jn 8:18 I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.
Jn 8:19 Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also.

AND

Jn 5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
Jn 5:31 If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.
Jn 5:32 There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.
Jn 5:33 You have sent to John and he has testified to the truth.
Jn 5:34 Not that I accept human testimony; but I mention it that you may be saved.
Jn 5:35John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light.
Jn 5:36"I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the very work that the Father has given me to finish, and which I am doing, testifies that the Father has sent me.
Jn 5:37And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form,
Jn 5:38 nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent.
Jn:39 You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me,
Jn:40 yet you refuse to come to me to have life.

In both places it is means that the record of JESUS record is true only because the heavenly father YAHWEY is his witness. There is no contradiction when you read the scriptures in totality.

You also wrote

>> Should we own slaves?

• Luke 12:47,48 [Jesus speaking] "And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes."

This is actually a part of a parable told by Jesus and does not promote slavery in any way. It speaks of the day when God shall come to judge this world.

Lk 12:39 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into.
Lk 12:40 You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him."
Lk 12: 41Peter asked, "Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?"
Lk 12:42 The Lord answered, "Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time?
Lk 12:43 It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns.
Lk 12:44 I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.
Lk 12:45 But suppose the servant says to himself, 'My master is taking a long time in coming,' and he then begins to beat the menservants and maidservants and to eat and drink and get drunk.
Lk 12:46 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.
Lk 12:47 "That servant who knows his master's will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows.
Lk 12:48 But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

Here I don't see Jesus promoting slavery in the Bible, do you ? Jesus never owned slaves while the wives of your prophet Mohammed did.

In both these cases you have quoted incomplete snippets from the Bible out of context to mislead us. There are hundreds of websites that do the same and maybe you conveniently copied and pasted content from there. I can give you a point by point rebuttal on some more of your quotes, but I don't have the time.

I am quoting from the books of Levicitus and Exodus in the Torah to give you another example.

Lev 20:10 And the man that committeth adultery with [another] man's wife, [even he] that committeth adultery with his neighbour's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.

Exo 21:23 And if [any] mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life,
Exo 21:24 Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,
Exo 21:25 Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.

This was the law of Moses which said that a man or woman proved guilty of adultery must be put to death.

The chapter 8 of the gospel of John deals with the Pharisees ( A group of Jews ) who were trying to trick Jesus into denouncing the Law of Moses ( given above )

Jn 8:1 Jesus went unto the Mount of Olives.
Jn 8:2 And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.
Jn 8:3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,
Jn 8:4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.
Jn 8:5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
Jn 8:6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
Jn 8:7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
Jn 8:8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
Jn 8:9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
Jn 8:10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
Jn 8:11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

All the Jews who accused her were sinners. Jesus could have stoned her because he was without sin, but He chose to forgive her. This is the spirit of Jesus Christ. Without this knowlege you will claim that Torah is no better that Sharia. You should read the bible in its totality before passing judgements.

Israel is the only Jewish state in the world but it does not follow these archaic laws, because they may have been relevant four thousand years back when people were wild and had to be controlled as animals. Her enemies like Amalakites were very viscious and evil and had to be exterminated completely for her to be safe. They are not relevant today. The laws in the land of Israel are in fact modern and civilized. In fact they became irrevelant after Jesus came into this earth. Because the bible says in the book of Galatians that

Gal 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

And from Jesus Sermon of the Mount from the gospel of Matthew

Matt 5:38 You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.'
Matt 5:39 But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.
Matt 5:40 And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.
Matt 5:41 If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.
Matt 5:42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
Matt 5:43 "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'
Matt 5:44 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
Matt 5:45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
Matt 5:46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?
Matt 5:47 And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?
Matt 5:48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

which means that no law is not above love. Without this knowlege you can claim that what Bible says is no different from Koran and the sharia laws based on it. I can discuss the contradictions in the Bible in my community, in fact I have always freely discussed the contradictions and doubts with priests and seminarians without them getting angry or provoked. I am sure you cannot do the same in your own community without being persecuted. Do you find any archaic laws based on the law of Moses in Israel or any of the nations in which Christians are a majority ? You don't, their laws and practices are fair and keeping with the modern times. But contrast it with the sharia laws in moslem countries like Saudi Arabia and Iran where today the law allows a woman to be mercilessly stoned to death if found guilty of adultery.

If you believe that the Bible is a fabrication why does Koran sura 5:66 says that Taurat(Torah of the Jews) and Injeel( New Testament Bible of Christians) were sent down from allah and moslems must believe in them. Caught by surprise eh ? If Torah and New Testament Bible are incorrect why does Mohammed your prophet ask you moslems to follow them ? My advice to you is to read the Bible, both the Old and the New Testament in totality from start to finish and then pass your judgement.

John 8:32 You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.

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