Although some Christians might have a strong faith and belief in God, there’s no doubt that there are some passages in the Bible that are controversial. Ahead are 15 red flags in the Bible.
1. War and Violence.
Although God’s teachings are about love and morality, there are many accounts of war, conquests, and violence. Sometimes, these events, and the reasons for them, are spoken about in ambiguous ways. For example, in both Mark’s and Matthew’s gospels, Jesus speaks of how it’s important not to be alarmed at the news of war because these “must take place.”
2. Slavery.
Quite alarmingly, the Bible didn’t condemn slavery. Instead of insisting that people release their slaves, the Bible provided guidelines for people to follow when owning slaves. In books such as Exodus, laws are provided to encourage the basic rights of slaves, but that’s not enough.
3. Gender Inequality.
How women are sometimes treated in the Bible seems to confirm gender inequality. For example, there are passages about women not being allowed to speak and being forced to stay in the home. Confusingly, there are also Bible verses that confirm gender equality, such as, “There is neither Jew nor Greek; there is neither slave nor free; nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:23).
4. Genocide.
There are controversial passages in the Bible regarding the Canaanites and Israelites that have proven challenging for many Christians to understand and ignore. It’s difficult to conceptualize how God can be loving yet wipe out nations and masses of people.
5. Condemning Homosexuality.
There are six passages in the Bible that refer to homosexuality, and some are very hard for believers to wrap their heads around. For example, in the book of Leviticus, it’s described as “detestable” for a man to lie with a man and there are recommendations that such people should be “put to death.”
6. Condoning The Death Penalty.
Although God teaches forgiveness and love, there are verses in the Bible that seem to clash with this idea. For example, in the book of Genesis, it’s said that anyone who kills another person should be killed. Then, in Leviticus, it’s said that anyone who hurts his neighbor should have whatever violence he inflicted placed onto him.
7. Condemning Other Religions.
If you view God as being universal and embracing multiple religions, it can be jarring to read about how religions other than Christianity are forbidden. Many Bible verses speak of “one God” and salvation only being through Him. There is also emphasis placed on how believing in Jesus is the only way in which people can be saved.
8. Child Abuse.
Although there are passages that display God’s love for children, there are other verses that make one shake their head in confusion. A popular example can be found in Proverbs: “Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.” A lesser-known passage is found in Psalms: “Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against a rock!”
9. Killing Animals.
Many instances in the Bible talk about the slaughtering and eating of animals for food. For example, in Corinthians, Paul tells his people, “Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience.” Then, Genesis states, “Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you.” It’s challenging to accept this in our modern time when there’s a vegan movement and animal activism.
10. Tattoos.
While the Bible doesn’t necessarily condemn tattoos, some passages can be interpreted in this way. For example, Leviticus states, “You shall not make any gashes in your flesh for the dead or tattoo any marks upon you.” There is also the idea that the body is a temple of God, which can therefore make things like tattoos seem sinful.
11. Divorce.
Divorce is only allowed under certain circumstances, like when there’s adultery or abandonment in a marriage. This can feel a bit restrictive because there are so many good reasons why a marriage should end. In addition, there are Bible verses that state if men or women get divorced and remarry, they’re guilty of committing adultery. Um, what?
12. Polygamy.
Although there are such strict rules about divorce, things get a bit cloudy when it comes to polygamy. In the Old Testament, polygamy is allowed, and many men have more than one wife, such as Judah, David, and Abraham. In some cases, polygamy was considered lawful and mandatory—if a man died without leaving a male heir his brother was forced to marry his widow.
13. Contradictions.
The Bible contains many contradictions that can make your head spin. The story of Jesus’s birth is a prime example. In the Gospel of Matthew, it states that Mary and Joseph fled to Egypt after the wise men brought gifts. Meanwhile, in Luke, it states that after Jesus was born, his parents stayed in Bethlehem for 40 days.
14. Harming Innocent People.
There are Biblical passages that speak of how God harmed innocent people, such as when animals, children, and women were drowned during the Flood (Genesis 7:20-23). This seems quite brutal, especially since only Noah and whoever was in the Ark were allowed to survive. What about all the others?
15. Stoning.
Although the Bible says murder is not allowed—it’s even a commandment—there is talk of how people were stoned for committing various sins. Sometimes, people were even stoned to death for their faith, which doesn’t seem to make sense.
16. Find love with the power of your mind — our sister site, Sweetn, shows you how.
Take their fun quiz and try their research-powered tools to transform your love life in weeks. They’ll help you change your perspective on love and relationships and restore your belief that your ideal partner is out there. Click here to start.
