Questions an atheist friend wanted to ask part 2.

[delizzle]

"Why would God say His Word was/is so important and should be heeded and then throw a massive hissy fit and do the whole Tower of Babel thing which confounded language of all of the people of the "whole earth" and scattered people across the "whole earth." As such, His Word has been translated and re-translated and translated again--all of which causes His passages to be added to, taken away from, or otherwise embellished based on the cultural understanding of the wordage of the scribe doing the translating. Seems kind of counterproductive and potentially detrimental to his followers as His book is his major way of communicating to us."

Not my words. Just relaying the question.

 

[BobRyan]

"Why would God say His Word was/is so important and should be heeded and then throw a massive hissy fit and do the whole Tower of Babel thing which confounded language of all of the people of the "whole earth" and scattered people across the "whole earth." As such, His Word has been translated and re-translated and translated again--all of which causes His passages to be added to, taken away from, or otherwise embellished based on the cultural understanding of the wordage of the scribe doing the translating. Seems kind of counterproductive and potentially detrimental to his followers as His book is his major way of communicating to us."

Not my words. Just relaying the question.

The less people actually know about the Bible - the more they imagine that they have all the right answers... and that God should "learn from them"... and that the Bible is horribly corrupted over time.. and that option-A is every bit as supported by the Bible as its counter option-B.

 

[Scarlett O.]

First of all, God did not throw a "hissy fit". God isn't a raving idiot who throws tantrums, that's a description of people.

Secondly, your friend isn't looking for answers. He's challenging you. It won't matter if he gets the perfect answer - he may not accept it, but look for more of what he thinks are reasons to reject God.

Yes, God's primary way of communicating with us is his word. Yes, people argue over it. That's because people are untrustworthy in heart, thought, and deed. God is infallible - ergo, so is his word.

 

[utilyan]

"Why would God say His Word was/is so important and should be heeded and then throw a massive hissy fit and do the whole Tower of Babel thing which confounded language of all of the people of the "whole earth" and scattered people across the "whole earth." As such, His Word has been translated and re-translated and translated again--all of which causes His passages to be added to, taken away from, or otherwise embellished based on the cultural understanding of the wordage of the scribe doing the translating. Seems kind of counterproductive and potentially detrimental to his followers as His book is his major way of communicating to us."

Not my words. Just relaying the question.

"His Word has been translated and re-translated and translated again--all of which causes His passages to be added to, taken away from, or otherwise embellished based on the cultural understanding of the wordage of the scribe doing the translating."

That would be great if you could show us examples of this. Just because we have plenty of translations they all pretty much can be traced back to a manuscript that can be seen with your own eyes.

The basic unit of communication according to scriptures is the Christian not the scriptures.

 

[delizzle]

First of all, God did not throw a "hissy fit". God isn't a raving idiot who throws tantrums, that's a description of people.

Secondly, your friend isn't looking for answers. He's challenging you. It won't matter if he gets the perfect answer - he may not accept it, but look for more of what he thinks are reasons to reject God.

Yes, God's primary way of communicating with us is his word. Yes, people argue over it. That's because people are untrustworthy in heart, thought, and deed. God is infallible - ergo, so is his word.

I think it's a valid question. God is not the author of confusion but he intentionally caused confusion according to the story of babel.

 

[Scarlett O.]

I think it's a valid question. God is not the author of confusion but he intentionally caused confusion according to the story of babel.

I don't have issues with the question but with the way the question is asked. Very accusatory.

With the word confusion, you are comparing apples and oranges. It's like saying, "He set the price of the tea set at $500 ." Two different words.

• In Genesis 11:7 in reference to Babel, the word confuse or confound in some versions, is the Hebrew word "balal". It means to mingle or to mix. God mingled and mixed the languages at Babel as to force the people into moving forth across the earth like he had commanded them to. They now had to segregate by language groups and disperse. Who knows what languages would be like if they had just obeyed God in the first place.

• In 1 Corinthians 14, the word confuse, as "God is not the author of confusion", is a Greek word, "akatastasia" meaning being is a state of disorder or disturbance or out of place.. The context of the whole chapter where that phrase is found is that too many people in the church were speaking at one time and Paul gave instructions on how to be orderly and take turns: those speaking in tongues, those prophesying [both men and women] , and women asking their husband questions.

So saying that God is not the author of confusion, yet he caused confusion at the Tower of Babel is not using the words correctly and drawing a supposition that is not true.

 

[delizzle]

With the word confusion, you are comparing apples and oranges. It's like saying, "He set the price of the tea set at $500 ." Two different words.

• In Genesis 11:7 in reference to Babel, the word confuse or confound in some versions, is the Hebrew word "balal". It means to mingle or to mix. God mingled and mixed the languages at Babel as to force the people into moving forth across the earth like he had commanded them to.
  
  So saying that God is not the author of confusion, yet he caused confusion at the Tower of Babel is not using the words correctly and drawing a supposition that is not true.

• 
  
  Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.”
  Genesis 11:7 NIV
  
  You may be correct that the word could mean to mix or mingle. Regardless, the intent was clear...to confuse.

 

[Alcott]

At biblegateway the footnote says balal simply means "confuse." Bible Gateway passage: Genesis 11 - New American Standard Bible

I wonder why this atheist friend [I give the benefit of the doubt that that is how this question came about] did not take it a step further and inquire about the LORD scattering people over the whole earth. That would include Antarctica and everywhere else.

Or does literalism in scripture always have to be modified a bit by anyone who claims to believe thus? [which is my view]