05/08/2024
THIS IS SO CRITICAL
Is the Bible really reliable when it claims it is the word of God? The word “reliable” is the character or state of being reliable, trustworthy and dependable. The Oxford Learners Dictionary defines reliability as One, “The quality of being able to be trusted” and two, “The quality of being likely to be correct or true.” Everyone in a right state of mind, loves to deal with people, institutions, things, machines, beings, systems, theories, postulations and books that are reliable, trustworthy, correct and true. But how do you know something is either reliable or unreliable, correct or incorrect, true or untrue? The answer is obvious! Scrutiny, examination, testing and asking questions.
In our day-to-day activities, before we buy a car, a motorbike, a television, a machine, a computer, a phone, a product, or access a service, we always want to be sure of authenticity, reliability and credibility. This we tend to ascertain by evaluation, reasoning, analyses, scrutiny and asking questions. For example, if we are dealing with products, we tend to ask questions such as; What is the name of the manufacturer? What is the credibility of the manufacturer? What track record do they have? Is the product really from the said manufacturer? What makes their products so authentic? How effective is the product in addressing the anomaly for which it was manufactured? We ask similar questions when we are dealing with people or looking for services. Examinations and questions like these are done to help us avoid being disadvantaged, fooled, cheated or deceived in the long run.
If we are so painstakingly critical about matters of time and space, what then should be our attitude towards our world views, matters of God, the supernatural and matters of eternity? Shouldn’t we, as human beings, be more critical of individuals or books that mold our views concerning these matters of high importance? Shouldn’t we begin to ask questions about reliability of the worldviews, books or individuals, to which we commit our lives and eternal destinies to? Shouldn’t we ask ourselves, why we do believe in the things that we believe? Isn’t it fair and important we begin to find out why we either accept or reject the books of faith, such the Bible or the Quran? Getting anything wrong about these things would definitely have a negative impact on us. It would either cause us to live illusionary lives or cost us our eternity. The questions to always ask as a seeker of truth or reliability, concerning our worldviews, would be: “what if I am wrong?”, “And why do I believe in the things that I believe?”
Even though you will expect people to treat these matters with a razor-sharp caution and the uttermost seriousness, however, these are the matters majority of people least subject to scrutiny. A great mass of the people on earth, today, commit their lives to worldviews, individuals, movements, cultures, books, especially the Bible or the Quran, without subjecting them to at least a preliminary test, if not even a rigorous one.
If we constrain our subject to just the Bible or the Quran, you would notice that scores of multitudes in the world, either accept or reject either of them, merely on the claims/stories of parents, grandparents, teachers, pastors, imams, leaders, professors and colleagues. You don’t have many a people asking critical questions of reliability, credibility and authenticity. Go out on the streets and ask the masses why they either accept or reject, either the Bible or the Quran, and see the kind of unseasoned responses you will get. An honest, truth-seeking person asks questions. Why should I believe this? Is this true? What makes this true? Did such and such and such really happen? Can I really accept this? Why should I commit my live to this course?
The Bible is a book with a massive worldwide subscription. Many, especially Christians and Jews consider it as the word of God. They considered it as special mainly because of its grandiose claims. These grandiose and “superfluous” biblical claims, places Bible on an exclusive pedestal on its own. Examining it therefore is important because, if the Bible were found reliable in its historicity and inspiration, then it would corroborate and confirm its “superfluous” claims and the doctrines, thereby giving humanity strong evidence to embrace the biblical worldview and at the same time, giving strong evidence against all other faiths and their sacred books. This is so because there would be no viable reason to believe in other worldviews. However, if the Bible were found unreliable, either in its historicity or inspiration, then the claims of the Bible would be a myth, a hoax, a make belief, an embellishment or the spouts of some early century religious crazies, hippies and bigots. This would make Christianity, Christians, Jews and their sympathizers and subscribers, one of the most pathetic, the most deceived, if not fooled, bunch of self-deluded people. And this would then mean, another worldview, which is more plausible and reliable would have to be sought.
In anyway, we are dealing with a Bible, which is not a modern document but an ancient one. How do we verify an ancient document with ancient claims? How do we put it under scrutiny? Do we send it to the courtroom, the journalist studio, the scientific laboratory? Even though it’s not a modern document, detailing modern events, and even though we cannot carry the Bible to the courtroom, the studio or the laboratory, yet by applying scientific and historical methodology, we would be able to ascertain the historical and inspirational reliability of the Bible and vice versa. Scientist and historians use scientific methodology in ascertaining the authenticity of ancient history, documents and events. Again, by the use of reason, we can likewise look out for evidences of inspiration. We expect that if the Bible is the word of God, it should leave behind a trail of evidence in this respect. As the word of God, we expect that it wouldn’t violate certain well-known principles. For instance, it’s future prediction must be reasonably accurate and fulfilled. Again, it is expected that it’s scientific claims, must on a reasonable degree, agree with modern science. This is because, the writer of the Bible, if he is God must get certain facts and principles right.
In open-mindedness and laying aside bias, sympathies, prejudices, and even public opinion, let’s now examine the Bible to ascertain its reliability. This is very important because bias, sympathies, prejudices, and public opinion, if not laid aside, could color or taint evidence, without leading to the right conclusion. We all have our biases, but in searching for the truth, we need to check them. An example is a Judge who has a bias against the police. To him, every police officer is a liar, devoid of the truth. Assuming this Judge is going to preside over a case that involves a police officer, without checking his or her bias, no amount of honesty and reasonable proof of innocence, will set the police officer free from being found guilty. Here, the police officer will be found guilty, not because the evidence suggests so, but simply because the Judge allowed his/her bias and prejudice towards the police to work against the weight of evidence led at the given trial. On the other hand, let’s assume that this same Judge has a bias and holds a prejudice against Bishops. To this same Judge, a Bishop is incapable of committing a crime. If this same Judge presides over a criminal case involving a Bishop, without laying aside this bias and prejudice; the likely result of the case would be that, the bishop will be declared innocent - if even the evidence points otherwise. This is how many people taint the evidence pertaining to worldviews, religions, organizations, groups, churches, ethnic groups, they either belong to or are opposed. Let’s kick start our examination expedition!
EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK, "THE CASE FOR THE BIBLE"
