How Much Of The Bible Is Forged ?

[modeller]

I've read various reports on the literacy of the diciples and of only 1% literacy in general at the time of Jesus. What is the likelihood that this site
has some validity. ?

http://www.modernghana.com/news/328978/1/half-of-new-testament-forged-bible-scholar-says.html

[vetuste_ennemi]

The odd interpolation aside (like the trinitarian reference in one of the letters of James), I don't think any of it is forged except in the sense that the authorship is usually wrongly ascribed. I thought NT scholars usually accepted most of the Pauline letters as genuine. Luther I think doubted the canonicity of Hebrews. The gospel of John is obviously a far later work than its "author" and can be attributed to a Hellenizing fan of St. Paul. How the magic mushroom inspired Revelation got into the canon is anybody's guess.

[mikey4444]

The difficulty with the Bible is that it was never a "book" to start with, rather a collection of bits and pieces cobbled together to suit a ruling class at the time. Some of the sources of these bits may have more reliability than others. Its man that made it into the all-in infallible source of everything, not a god.

All religions are invented, and Christianity is no exception.

[jomifl]

Surely no forgery involved, just mis-interpretations, mis-spellings, mis-understandings, mistakes, misprints and misogyny. Same result though.

[Zeuhl]

Of course none of the Bible is credited to the Disciples

It's unlikely any of it was written down anywhere near the dates it was supposed to have happened

[Mattk]

The bible we know today is an editorial of bits either removed or added similar to what Mikey says.

[jim360]

Depends on how near is near. I understood that the gospels were dated at approximately 70 AD and later. That's not exactly immediate but still within the elders. The epistles are dated usually at around 50 AD onwards, again well within the relevant lifetimes. I've never heard the forgery theory before. Doesn't really make much difference to me.

[modeller]

I would suggest most of the bible is not so much forgery but rather fiction based on a few facts and the further you go back the more that would apply. This of course is true of all history. The difference is the bible is treated by believers as fact , whereas history is more likely to be cross referenced from several independent sources. eg Roman and Jewish.

[atalanta]

Because the gospels were written by hand ( long, long before printing) and copied by hand, and re-copied by hand, by the time printing was developed there were literally thousands of the Greek manuscripts of the gospels, all with small or even huge differences. Making definitive versions of all these was never even a remote possibility. Let alone agreeing on the translations of them.

[mibn2cweus]

How could the "Word of God' be a forgery?

Next thing they'll be telling us is that "Mother Goose" was forged!

[jim360]

It was? NOOOOOOOO!!!

[society]

"jomifl
Surely no forgery involved, just mis-interpretations, mis-spellings, mis-understandings, mistakes, misprints and misogyny. Same result though. "

I agree with Jom ^^^

[jomifl]

Society, I left out miscalculations, do you still agree?

[society]

Jom, yes.

Just this morning a similar question crossed my mind. I believe because of the difference in language and the interpretation this is possible.

[EDDIE51]

Until printing was invented the only way to get a bible was to pay a scribe to copy one out. This was so expensive that only very richest churches could afford one. The priests could say anything that suited their purpose and, without fear of contradiction say that it was 'in The Bible' . They were terrified when printing was invented as the cost of a Bible dropped to the point where more people could afford one and read it for themselves (or get someone to read it to them) This was the end of the priests monopoly on bibles and they could no longer twist it , or simply make it up, to suit themselves. Understandably they were panic stricken and did everything possible to delay the introduction of 'cheap' printed Bibles.

[modeller]

Is it any wonder there are over 4000 registered Christian associations and
280 listed English bibles all claiming to be the true version. In addition there are thousands of cults , which includes JWs and Mormons. They are termed false Christians.
By definition they are all mainly forgeries and fiction believed as fact by
millions.

[EDDIE51]

Interesting link here, the translation of the Bible was very controversial and at one time translation from Latin into the 'common tongue' was punishable by a death sentence !
http://www.users.ms11.net/~dejnarde/english_bible_translation.htm

[naomi24]

It's highly unlikely that the disciples were the authors of any of the gospels - and the bible, as we know it today, has been altered countless times. It is alleged that Paul, the founder of Christianity, who was a prolific writer, but who never met Jesus, and never heard him speak, did not always see eye to eye with those who had known Jesus. No surprise there!

[Octavius]

Good link Eddie, but in them days there wasn't much that wasn't punishable by death! It is said that during the reign of Henry VIII (around Tynedales time) over 70,000 people were executed in England.

[beso]

The Old Testament, its prequels and sequels are nothing more than old stories passed down through generations since Man learned to speak. They were written down at a time when literature of any kind was almost magical, which is why they have taken on their larger than life reputations.

The New Testament was a cynical attempt to fulfill the "prophecies" of the Old Testament. Jesus Christ was no more real than Harry Potter.

[Octavius]

Harry Potter is real, I've seen him on chat shows.