How accurate is the bible?

Im new here, so I just want to first say hi to everyone! Hopefully someone here can help answer questions Im sure to have, and I look forward to discussing/debating with some of you!Okay, heres an honest question looking for an honest answer: How accurate is the bible? Specifically, how accurate is it in relation to history and archaelogy? I hear the bible being said to be one of the most accurate historical/archaelogical documents all the time, and I was wondering if there was any backing to prove it.
Also, are there any instances when it contradicts other historical documents, or even contradicts itself? When talking about contradicting itself I specifically want to know if there are any blatant contradictions in it, not little blurbs here or there.

You forgot geology too.Denesha[This message has been edited by Denesha, 03-29-2004]

Good morning. Let me ask you a couple of questions:

• What do you think of the Bible?
• What do you think of its historical accuracy?
• What do you think of its internal consistancy?

Also, you might wish to avail yourself of the forum's "search" function. You appear to be trolling for issues that are under continuous discussion here.Take care.

First let me apologize for not using the search feature. For some reason it just went over my head.To answer your questions
1) I think the bible has some good philisophical stuff in it (treat others as you want to be treated, that kind of thing)
2 and 3) I dont really have an opinion on its historical or internal consistancy, thats why I asked the questions. On the creation story, however, I think it should not be read literally, but as a big story used by an ancient culture to answer things like where we came from, how rainbows were made, and why snakes crawl on their bellies.And sorry if I came across as trolling, I know how much that can be a pain.

Really? If I may ask, how did you manage to read about the Global Flood, a miraculous Exodus, an unparalleled military conquest, a man-swallowing big fish, a virgin birth, possessed and suicidal pigs, a cursed fig tree, a magical fish picnic, a stroll on the lake, the resurrection of the dead, and zombies strolling the streets of Jerusalem, and come out with no opinion?Try something for me: read the passion narrative in Matthew and John and tell me if you find them to be cogent and consistent.

Ill be sure to read them, but first I have to crash. Its like 6:00 in the morning and I havnt gone to sleep yet...@_@ Ill respond to your question in the morning.
Goooooood night (or morning)

Well, the way I did it was to be entirely open to the idea that miraculous things can happen. Although I have opinions now, I could have asked the same question with no opinion ten years ago, wondering if there was any evidence that those miraculous things did or didn't happen.There can be very little likelihood of evidence for or against Jonah and his whale, but much likelihood of evidence for or against millions of people crossing the Red Sea, followed by the destruction of the entire Egyptian army. At the start of looking for that evidence, it is quite easy to have read the whole Bible and have no opinion about whether there is evidence for or against those miraculous things happening.

Dear Truthlover,I have a non off-topic question concerning accuracy. This obsede me. Was it a fish or a whale?Denesha

The Bible is a collection of works, varying in accuracy. However I doubt that any of the "historical" writings in the Bible reaches the level of the better ancient historians. None of the books included in the Bible were written to be objective histories.
Nor do archaeology or external historical evidence show it to be especially reliable. (In recent years archaeological investigation of the origins of Israel have completely rejected the idea of Joshuah's conquest and have called the idea of a United Monarchy over Israel and Judah into serious question).

ConsequentAtheistI dont have an opinion on all those things because I dont know that much about it, and I try and keep an open mind about things I dont know much about.PaulKYou wouldnt happen to have a link for that would you? It seems like it could be interesting.

Absolute rubbish! What could it possibly mean to say that you don't have an opinion about virgin births and walking on water and raising the dead because you don't know much about it? Do you likewise have an open mind on the Daoine Sidhe, Unicorns, Astrology and Alien Abduction?

Almost certainly ...

Absolute rubbish? So how is not jumping to conclusions without knowing a subject rubbish? I know enough about astrology to say that it makes too many vague generalisations and has many characteristics of a pseudoscience, but I dont know anything about the "Daoine Sidhe" so if someone was to tell me about it I would listen to them. After listening, Id ask for evidence to back it up, do more research, then form a thought on it. It may seem impractical, but I find that it works.So heres two questions for you: are there any instances where the bible is contradicted by other historical documents? Are there any instances where archaelogical expeditions disagreed with the bible? PaulK's already sort of mentioned one, it would be nice to hear some more.

To be honest the best starting point is a book - _The Bible Unearthed_ by Israel Finkelstein and Neil Asher Silberman. The authors are sometimes classed as "minimalists" but they are very far from the extremes of the authors I would put into that class.Here's Finkelstein's web page.
http://www.tau.ac.il/...es/archaeology/faculty/finkelcv.htmlHere's an interview with him
Page not found - Biblical Archaeology Society

Yes, it is absolute rubish to claim no opinion of the NT on the grounds of insufficient knowledge of virgin births and resurrections. I find it interesting that you seem perfectly capable of 'jumping to the conclusion' that having an opinion is equivalent to "jumping to conlusions".