Sam Harris | Author | Big Think - On Interpreting Scripture

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Here is the next part of my series on responding to video comments from atheist Sam Harris. In this particular video he gives his view on Christian and Muslim scriptures.








I have several problems with Sam Harris' approach. Second He makes no difference between the Bible and the Koran. You can't equate them. When you have two sources that conflict with one another you are left with one of three possibilities:

a. They are both false.
b. The Bible is true.
c. The Koran is true.

However the possibility that they are both true are off the table. Harris immediately concludes that they are both false but he gives no reason for coming to that conclusion.

Harris makes several assertions without proof. He makes it seem like the The Bible and the Koran are both from the Bronze Age. This is not true. It took over 40 authors writing over a 1500 year-period on three continents from various cultures in three different languages telling a single story which we call the Bible. If you disagree all you have to do is provide evidence that the Bible has conflicts and contradictions - which Harris does not do. As for the Koran it dates no earlier than 500 AD - a lot later than the Bronze Age.

I also must point out that his arguments against the Bible concerning it's content being outdated holds no weight. Most of his complaints center around things like the Mosaic laws requiring women to be virgins when they get married seems to be forgetting details. For example in a society where prostitution is prohibitted (as in the Laws of Moses) then everyone men and women would be virgins when they marry. On top of that how can anyone who has seen the devastation caused by adultery not understand why its death penalty offense? Also how can anyone doubt that our society would not be better if these laws were lived out. Thank God for grace. It is because of grace than many of these crimes no longer have a death penalty.

Another insult that shows little knowledge of the Bible and history is when Harris said that there is nothing of consequence in the Bible and no moral attitude or thought that a man could have come up with. It's one of Christopher Hitchens' favorite challenges. The thing is, I know of a moral command that no human would ever come up with - Jesus said:

43"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. - Matthew 5:43-45

And the first century church was taught:

1If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. - Philippians 2:1-4

The one guilty of cherry-picking and taking scripture out of context are not just some Christians but atheists like Sam Harris. Don't take me at face value. Read the Bible for yourself and consider the culture and history and see how truly relevant they are today. I've just documented several errors that Harris makes, can you really afford to blindly accept everything he said? I can't. Can you?

Sam Harris | Author | Big Think