I posted a similar post a while back but thought I'd send it again, just to see if I get different suggestions.

Does anyone have any suggestions for websites or books which debunk the divinity of the Bible?

This is not for me, I am very convinced that the Bible is man made as well as all religions and I am very "learned" when it comes to the problems with religion and the Bible, however, I need a source I can use to refresh my memory about the problems in the Bible and have them all in one place which I can use as a reference when I talk to other people.


I am NOT looking for a "heavy" book that goes too much into one issue or the other. I want an easy read that more or less gets to the point about debunking the Bible. Not one where it is trying to be objective or sound scholarly. I don't want some scholarly dissertation on theology or philosophy, or some book focusing on the history of the Bible. And I don't want a book primarily focuses on atheism or skepticism (I've already read Hitchens, Dawkins, etc). I want a book that is a CRITIQUE of the Bible and specially highlights how it is not credible or acceptable.

I want a rather short book that basically gives you that gives you the bullet points on the problems in the Bible.

Something along the lines of the following:

http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/

I would like a book or pamphlet that highlights such things as:

1) Archaeological issues
2) Contradictions & errors in the Bible
3) Theological problems
4) How the things in the Bible are simply borrowed from ideas, thoughts, traditions of people at the time and area
5) Crazy, weird offensive stuff in the Bible (i.e. God commanding people to kill, weird commandments, racism, sexism, etc)
6) Logical fallacies

One of these days I know I am going to end up getting into a deep discussion with my dad about god, religion and the Bible. He's a very right wing, conservative Christian who used to be Mormon. I don't think he knows or understands how atheist I really am but when we do have "the talk" I want to make sure I am very well armed about my reasons for being atheist/agnostic and why I don't consider the Bible from God. The thing is he only has a very superficial understanding of the Bible & Christianity. He's very uneducated and never really read the Bible since he is not "a reader." It will be pretty easy debate and we are very respectful of each other so we are not going to argue or anything. I simply want him to understand WHY I can't believe in the Bible and maybe even plant some seeds there. I was responsible for de-converting my folks from Mormonism after I showed them my research.

Thanks guys.

evilbible.com

Also, I totally disagree with your strategy. It's nice to know how/why the bible is nonsense, but you're allowing your theist father to shift the burden of proof. You'll never win an argument that way.

You can have the most well-reasoned, eloquent, in-your-face, undeniable explanation for why your father's beliefs are bullshit and he can still resort to "faith" "belief" "a test from god", etc.

The only way to beat a theist is to keep the burden of proof on them. Having a christian try to explain how the bible is a legit proof of deity is the best way to debunk the bible..



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/11/2013 05:17PM by kolobian.

I sort of disagree, at least in the case with my parents. He isn't pushing his religion on me. He doesn't preach or anything. I just know that the topic will come up and I will end up saying something along the lines of "I don't believe in the Bible and I believe it is man made." He will ask why and I want to have good reasons why you shouldn't believe in it.

I know my dad. He's ignorant but he is also open minded to hearing what I have to say. He's not like Mormons who will stick their fingers in their ears and refuse to hear the evidence. I've already de-converted him from Mormonism, using this very approach. I will point out to him all the reasons I think the Bible is "wrong" and why I can't put any faith in it. I will then use your approach, if he still insists to "just have faith" or whatever.

(in case you didn't see my earlier recommendation)

The Harlot by the Side of the Road, by Jonathan Kirsch

Easy read, focusing on sex, violence & scandal. And when you're done, you'll likely doubt any authenticity of the Bible.

'Tis a battle without a victor, I'm afraid, and whatever pamphlet you may find isn't likely to change your father's understanding of the Bible. However, there are a couple books I'll recommend for your own edification, and if your father is willing to read them, more's the better.

I've long held the contention that reading the Bible is the best antidote for belief in the Bible. It provides every argument you need that it's a morally reprehensible book of myth.

The Bible Unearthed by Neil Silberman and Israel Finkelstein is another great resource. It shows how biblical archaeology has effectively disproved many of the most important events recorded in the Old Testament and shows that ancient Israel came from the Canaanites, refuting the Bible's claim that they were invaders from Egypt who took the land by force.

> I've long held the contention that reading the
> Bible is the best antidote for belief in the
> Bible. It provides every argument you need that
> it's a morally reprehensible book of myth.

I agree and that is why I want to have a handy set of sources in the Bible to cite. Neither him or I are going to sit together and read the whole dang Bible.

Finding a good translation of the Bible makes it easier to read, although I understand that it's not something you're particularly interested in reading. I use the NET Bible - it's not only an accurate and easy-to-read translation, but it provides copious notes.

I wonder, though, why you and your father would want to discuss a book that neither of you is interested in reading. It seems a bit absurd to me to simply rely on someone else's collection of Bible quotes and criticisms without actually knowing for yourself the context behind them. Forgive me if I come off as rude, but this sounds both intellectually lazy and dishonest. I'd lobby the same accusation at any believer who would mine the Bible for quotes that seem to back up their assertions.

That's why I'll still recommend you read straight from the source material and do your due diligence. If you get a good list of damning Bible quotes - and I have no doubt you'll find plenty - I hope you'll research them before employing them in argument.

I am not being lazy. I studied the crap out of the Bible while I was Mormon, and I simply have more important things to do in my life now than read the Bible cover to cover all over AGAIN. And I simply don't have the mental ability to remember all the crazy s**t that's in the bible. I don't have a photographic memory, and, like I said, don't have the TIME to read the whole Bible all over again. I've got more important things to do in my life than read the Bible from cover to cover.

You don't need to read the whole Journal of Discourses to believe that Brigham Young and other early Mormon church leaders were wackos and not prophets of God.

It is a collection of everything the Bible says, arranged by topic, and it shows all the contradictions and nonsense, in bullet-points.

You can print it out - it runs about 60 pages.

http://packham.n4m.org/bible.htm

See also my list of books and websites at http://packham.n4m.org/links1.htm

Thanks Richard! That's what I am looking for.

A book that really helped me was written by a believer, Bart D. Ehrman. The title is Jesus, Interrupted, subtitled "Revealing the Hidden Contradictions in the Bible (and Why We Don't Know About Them)."

Finkelstein and Silberman: The Bible Unearthed: Archeology's New Vision of Ancient Israel and the Origen of its Sacred Texts. This is one of the titles on Richard Packham's website.

This is still THE book on Biblical Archeology. DH is taking a class on the Bible this summer at Stanford and the professor refers to this book. It's in paperback. It's not a scholarly text, but rather a relatively easy to read. From the Amazon description:


"In this iconoclastic and provocative work, leading scholars Israel Finkelstein and Neil Asher Silberman draw on recent archaeological research to present a dramatically revised portrait of ancient Israel and its neighbors. They argue that crucial evidence (or a telling lack of evidence) at digs in Israel, Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon suggests that many of the most famous stories in the Bible -- the wanderings of the patriarchs, the Exodus from Egypt, Joshua's conquest of Canaan, and David and Solomon's vast empire -- reflect the world of the later authors rather than actual historical facts.
Challenging the fundamentalist readings of the scriptures and marshaling the latest archaeological evidence to support its new vision of ancient Israel, The Bible Unearthed offers a fascinating and controversial perspective on when and why the Bible was written and why it possesses such great spiritual and emotional power today."

Does anyone have any other suggestions?

Age of Reason by Thomas Paine. Short. Paine discusses his issues with the Bible. A classic.

Demon Haunted World by Carl Sagan. Sagan discusses the standards for claims that relate to the claims in the Bible.

Why I am not a Christian by Bertrand Russell.

Papa Ken,

On your recommendation I went to the library and got The Harlot by the Side of the Road. Hubby and I began reading the book to each other. We've been having some great talks together about it.

I can't wait to read the entire thing. Thanks for recommending!