A couple of weeks ago Pastor moon spoke on the Genealogy of Jesus from Matthew. There’s another one in Luke, in this one Joseph’s father is given a very different name from the Matthew text. Can you give an explanation as to why this is so?
— Liam
Um, Liam. Are we quite clear on the concept of this site?
The tagline at the top of the page reads, “A ton of useful information about screenwriting.” There is no mention of Jesus or testaments (new or old).
Maybe you were looking for John August Swanson, an artist who deals with religious themes.
Anyway, you’re here now, so let me try my best to answer your question.
The Bible, the book you’re holding in your hand? Contrary to what a lot of people assume, it was written by a bunch of different people, over a very long period of time. Unlike the important texts of certain religions (c.f. Scientology), the information didn’t all come through one person. It’s natural that multiple storytellers might disagree on certain details.
As centuries passed, different texts were added and removed, and there’s always been controversy about these decisions. Plus, not a word of the Bible was written in English, so you’re always dealing with translation issues.
For these reasons, many people would say that what’s important is the larger themes, rather than a certain person’s name.
If your Pastor Moon says the Bible is the word of God, make sure he clarifies exactly what he means. Some Christian scholars will say the Bible is divinely inspired, which to me is an elegant way of addressing the human role in putting thought to parchment.
I hope this helps. If you’re still frustrated by the contradictions in the text, you might prefer a more free-form religion like Flying Spaghetti Monsterism.