as analyzed by Sheila Rangslinger

1 Timothy

• 1:4 Paul advises us to ignore "fables and endless genealogies." If we follow his advice we would ignore most of the Bible -- especially the genealogies found in Gen.10, 1 Chr.1-9, Mt.1, and Lk.3. See here.
• 1:10 Homosexuals (those "that defile themselves with mankind") are included in Paul's list of lawless, disobedient, unholy, and profane people. We're still waiting for that defense of homosexual behavior, but it seems political correctness is it.
• 1:17 Paul says that God is invisible. But the Bible says that lots of folks have seen him. (Gen.18:1, 32:30; Ex.24:9-11, 33:11; Num.14:14; Dt.4:4, 34:10; 1 Kg.22:19; Job 42:5; Ps.63.2; Is.6:1, 5; Jn.14:9) See here.
• 1:20 Paul delivered Hymenaeus and Alexander unto Satan so "that they might learn not to blaspheme." And the problem is, what?
• 2:4 Proverbs (16:4) says that God made wicked people so that he could torment them, but this verse claims that God wants everyone to be saved. See here and here.
• 2:5 In this verse, Paul says that Jesus was only a man. But Jn.1:1, 14 and Col.2:8-9 claim he was God. Where is the word "only"?
• 2:8 Paul wants people to pray everywhere; Jesus (Mt.6:5-6) condemns those who pray in public, saying they should pray in the closet instead. See here.
• 2:9 Women are to dress modestly, "with shamefacedness" -- "not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array." Yes, fancy dress in that time was a method of one-upsmanship. So what's the problem?
• 2:11-12 Paul forbids women to teach or "to usurp authority over" men. Rather they are to "learn [from men] in silence with all subjection [to men]." See here.
• 2:14-15 Men are superior to women in Paul's eyes, since Adam was made before, and sinned after, Eve. But even though women are inferior to men, Paul says they shouldn't be discouraged because they shall "be saved in childbearing." See above link.
• 3:2 "A bishop must be ... the husband of one wife." Apparently, it's OK for laymen to have several. Only SAB would look for a loophole like that.
• 4:1-4 "In the latter times some shall depart from the faith" by becoming vegetarians. I.e., legalism. Don't forget the other parts SAB leaves out.
• 4:7 Paul says to "refuse ... old wives' fables." What about old husbands' fables? Old Bible fables? In the ancient world the wives were the official talebearers. It's called social stratification.
• 4:8 Paul, who was something of a couch potato, thought that "bodily exercise profiteth little." In that day bare survival kept you fit and exercise was a luxury of the rich who wanted to show off.
• 5:5-6 Real widows are "desolate" and pray "night and day." But those widows that experience pleasure are "dead while [they] live." It means to live in luxury.
• 5:8 Jesus (Mt.5:31, 34) said that we should not concern ourselves with material things, but in this verse Paul says that anyone who behaves in this way has "denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel." How is providing for your house the same as being concerned (the word means extreme concern or worry) with material things?
• 5:9-15 You should help a widow only if she : 1) is over 70 years old, 2) had only one husband, 3) has raised children, 4) has lodged strangers, 5) has "washed the saints feet," 6) has relieved the afflicted, and 7) has "diligently followed very good work." Otherwise, let them starve. Otherwise, they already have means to survive. Hello? "But the younger widows refuse [to help]: for ... they will marry; having damnation." Besides the young widows are always idle tattlers -- "busybodies, spreading things which they ought not." He adds that "some are already turned aside after Satan." And that was a social reality of the place and time.
• 5:19 JW issue, we pass.
• 5:23 Paul advises us to stop drinking water. Rather, he says that we should drink wine for our "stomach's" sakes. But in other verses the Bible condemns drinking alcohol. Good advice also in Tijuana. See here.
• 6:1 Paul sees nothing wrong with slavery and admonishes slaves to "count their own masters worthy of all honor." But Jesus disagreed, saying one should serve only God (Mt.4:10, 23:10). See here -- serve means "worship".
• 6:5 Paul advises his followers to stay away from those who discuss important matters -- especially if they disagree with him. Yep. And SAB thinks you should not be warned against attending skinhead functions.
• 6:7 "We brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out." He likes it I guess.
• 6:10 Paul says that the love of money is the source of all evil. But Ecclesiastes (10:19) says money is the answer to all of life's problems. See here.
• 6:14 Paul expected Jesus to return within the lifetime of his contemporaries. He did. See here.
• 6:16 According to this verse, God dwells in light. But elsewhere the Bible says God dwells in darkness. See here.
• 6:16 Paul says "no man hath seen, nor can see" God. But other passages in the Bible claim that many have seen God (Gen.18:1, 32:30; Ex.24:9-11, 33:11; Num.14:14; Dt.4:4, 34:10; 1 Kg.22:19; Job 42:5; Ps.63.2; Is.6:1, 5; Jn.14:9). See above.
• 6:20 Paul instructs Timothy to avoid science, especially that which disagrees with him ("science falsely so called"). Actually, only that -- not science by itself. Other versions translate this phrase as "false knowledge", which may be more correct. It is more correct. However many fundamentalist Christians still use this verse ("science falsely so called") to justify their rejection of any idea, scientific or otherwise, they believe contradicts the bible. So they are as miseducated as SAB is. Now isn't that a surprise.