The Bible! It is the most widely known and read book ever, revered by billions of people throughout the world. It exercises influence—directly or indirectly—on almost every person today, and it has been the most dominant power in human history.
But very few people have challenged the Bible.
Can we trust the Bible to be the infallible word of God? Is its historical content accurate? Are its teachings valid? Can its instruction be considered moral and righteous? Is it entirely free of internal contradictions? (From the Introduction, p. 7)
Somebody ought to tell the truth about the Bible. The preachers dare not, because they would be driven from their pulpits. Professors in colleges dare not, because they would lose their salaries. Politicians dare not. They would be defeated. (p. 9)
Is the Old Testament inspired? If it is, it should be a book that no man—no number of men—could produce. It should contain the perfection of philosophy. It should perfectly accord with every fact in nature. There should be no mistakes in astronomy, geology, or as to any subject or science. Its morality should be the highest, the purest. (p. 13)
According to “Samuel,” David took a census of the people. This excited the wrath of Jehovah, and as a punishment he allowed David to choose seven years of famine, a flight of three months from pursuing enemies, or three days of pestilence. David, having confidence in God, chose the three days of pestilence; and thereupon, God, the compassionate, on account of the sin of David, killed seventy thousand innocent men.
Under the same circumstances, what would a devil have done? (p. 24)
Can we believe that Christ raised the dead?
A widow living in Nain is following the body of her son to the tomb. Christ halts the funeral procession and raises the young man from the dead and gives him back to the arms of his mother.
This young man disappears. He is never heard of again. No one takes the slightest interest in the man who returned from the realm of death. Luke is the only one who tells the story. (p. 40-41)
Is it not strange that at the trial of Christ no one was found to say a word in his favor? No man stood forth and said: “I was a leper, and this man cured me with a touch.” No woman said: “I am the widow of Nain and this is my son whom this man raised from the dead.” (p. 43)
At last, in the dusk of death, Christ, finding that he was mistaken, cried out: “My God My God! Why hast thou forsaken me?” (p. 48)
Not before about the third century was it claimed or believed that the books composing the New Testament were inspired.
It will be remembered that there were a great number of books, of Gospels, Epistles and Acts, and that from these the “inspired” ones were selected by “uninspired” men. (p. 52)
All that is necessary, as it seems to me, to convince any reasonable person that the Bible is simply and purely of human invention—of barbarian invention—is to read it. (p. 79)
Let it be remembered that all churches have persecuted heretics to the fullest extent of their power. Toleration has increased only when and where the power of the church has diminished. (p. 93)
It is not certainly known who in fact wrote any of the books of the Old Testament. (p. 106)
If the Bible is the foundation of all civilization, of all just ideas of right and wrong, of our duties to God and each other, why did God not give to each nation at least one copy to start with? (p. 110)
Read the story of Jephthah and his daughter, and then tell me what you think of a father who would sacrifice his daughter to God, and what you think of a God who would receive such a sacrifice. This one story should be enough to make every tender and loving father hold this book in utter abhorrence. (p. 118-119)
If all will admit that all have an equal right to think, then the question is forever solved; but as long as organized and powerful churches, pretending to hold the keys of heaven and hell, denounce every person as an outcast and criminal who thinks for himself and denies their authority, the world will be filled with hatred and suffering. (p. 131)
Had we been born in Turkey, most of us would have been Mohammedans [Muslims] and believed in the inspiration of the Koran. … If some man had denied this story we should probably have denounced him as a dangerous person, one who was endeavoring to undermine the foundations of society, and to destroy all distinction between virtue and vice. … We would have insisted that the best and wisest men believed the Koran. … We would have regarded Christians as the vilest of men, and on all occasions would have repeated “There is but one God, and Mohammed is his prophet!” (p. 138-139)
It must not be forgotten that there are two accounts of the creation in Genesis. … These accounts are materially different, and both cannot be true. (p. 150)
Modern Christians, ashamed of the God of the Old Testament, endeavor now to show that slavery was neither commanded nor opposed by Jehovah. Nothing can be plainer than the following passages from the twenty-fifth chapter of Leviticus: “Moreover of the children of the strangers that do sojourn among you, of them shall ye buy, and of their families that are with you, which they begat in your land: and they shall be your possession.”
If the Bible be true, God commanded his chosen people to destroy men simply for the crime of defending their native land. They were not allowed to spare trembling and white-haired age, nor dimpled babes clasped in the mothers’ arms. They were ordered to kill women, and to pierce, with the sword of war, the unborn child.
NEW BOOK REVEALS TRUTH ABOUT THE BIBLE
(Los Angeles, CA; July 6, 2005) Robert G. Ingersoll, one of the greatest freethinkers of his time, took the initiative to do what few dared—challenge the validity of the book that over 2 billion people look to as their source of guidance. Through his numerous lectures and writings, Ingersoll had gone in depth to raise legitimate objections to the historical and spiritual claims found within the Bible.
By sifting through Ingersoll’s works, Dean Tipton has found the key selections on this topic and compiled them into one book, Challenging the Bible. The result is a book that brings Ingersoll’s wisdom into an organized format to enable the reader to think critically about the Bible and its effects on human history.
[*In an excerpt, the following argument is presented: “The Old Testament was printed for the first time in 1488. Until this date, it existed only in manuscript and was constantly exposed to erasures and additions.”
Criticisms of the Bible *remain to be underexposed even though it *remains to be the most influential literary work in human history. By providing this perspective, Challenging the Bible offers readers the rare opportunity to expand their thoughts on the Bible in order to have a more complete picture of this book.
More information about the book can also be found at the Immediex Publishing website www.immediex.com