The Skeptics' Overrated Bible on Romans as analyzed by Sheila Rangslinger

• 1:3 Paul says that Jesus is the son of David "according to the flesh." If so, then, Joseph is the biological father of Jesus. But this contradicts Matthew (1:18, 22:41-45) and Luke (1:34) which claim that Joseph was not Jesus' father. See here.
• 1:16 Is salvation by faith alone? See here.
• 1:18 "The wrath of God" is on all unbelievers. Mere argument by outrage.
• 1:20 Paul claims that the existence and nature of God is self-evident; thus, unbelievers are "without excuse." But Job 11:7 denies this, saying that no one can "by searching find out God." The word in Job means to catch, deliver, attain, or acquire, contrary to SAB's KJV-English analysis.
• 1:24, 26, 28 God abandons those who don't know him to "uncleanness and vile affections." Which according to Paul, is what they want anyway.
• 1:26-28 With his usual intolerance, Paul condemns homosexuals (including lesbians). This is the only clear reference to lesbians in the Bible. Still waiting for actual proof that homosexuality is not a moral error but a variation to be tolerated.
• 1:27 Paul explains that "the natural use" of women is to act as sexual objects for the pleasure of men. Yeah, it says "pleasure of men" -- if SAB thinks that this isn't a natural relationship, I can recommend he take a sex education course. We pass on the JW issue which obviously concerned SAB greatly.
• 1:31-32 Homosexuals (those "without natural affection") and their supporters (those "that have pleasure in them") are "worthy of death" and should be killed. See above.
• 2:6, 13 Here Paul tells us that everyone will be judged "according to his deeds," but in several other places (Rom.3:20, 28; Gal.2:16; Eph.2:8-9) he contradicts himself by insisting that people are judged by their faith alone. See above, 1:16.
• 2:11 Paul says that God does not respect anyone. But this contradicts Gen.4:4, Ex.2:25, Lev.26:9, 2 Kg.13:23; and Ps.138:6. See here.
• 3:5 Paul asks the very good question: "Is there unrighteousness who taketh vengeance [upon innocent people]?" The obvious answer to this is, yes. Paul then quickly adds, "I speak as a man." What else could he speak as? A donkey or a god, perhaps? SAB shows his vast appreciation of ancient rhetorical methods.
• 3:7 Paul says it's OK to lie to defend God's truth. See here.
• 3:8 Paul says that those who accuse him of lying deserve damnation. If it's an important enough topic (eternal salvation), explain why not.
• 3:10, 12, 23 Paul claims that there never has been a righteous or good person. But according to Gen.6:9, 7:1; Job 1:1, 2:3, and Lk.1:5-6, Noah, Job, Zechariah, and Elizabeth were all good and righteous people. See here.
• 3:20, 28 Paul says that people a judged by their faith alone. The idea that our beliefs determine whether we are saved or damned is unjust. I'd sure like to know why, but SAB just says it and thinks that is enough.
• 3:23 Paul says that "all have sinned." But this disagrees with 1 John (1 Jn.3:6, 9, 5:18). See here.
• 4:2 Was Abraham justified by faith or works? Paul says by faith; James (2:21) says by works. So which is it? Is salvation by faith or by works? See here.
• 4:5-6, 13; 5:1 Paul claims that people are justified by their faith alone -- without regard to, or even in spite of, their works. But James (2:14, 17, 24-26) clearly denies this by saying: "By works a man is justified, and not by faith only." See it again, plus 1:16.
• 4:19 Paul says that Abraham needed God's help to father Isaac when he was 100 years old. But Abraham, when he was even older, managed to father six more children with a new wife without any divine assistance (Gen.21:2, 25:1-2). By Jewish tradition Abraham was rejuvenated and made younger. A miracle either way, and a non-answering of a gasp from SAB.
• 5:9 The guilty are "justified" and "saved from wrath" by the blood of an innocent victim. Who volutarily gave his life. A value that the ancients admired, but SAB the bloodophobic doesn't.
• 5:12 God punishes everyone for someone else's sin; he then saves them by killing an innocent victim. But is it true, as this verse says, that everyone must die? See here, we pass on creationism issue.
• 5:14 According to Paul, death is a punishment for sin. Yet here Paul says that "death reigned ... even over them that had not sinned." And a little earlier (3:10, 23) he told us that all have sinned. See above.
• 5:20 God gave the law so "that the offence might abound." Well now that's a good reason! I'm sure SAB would think lawless anarchy would be a good idea in his neighborhood.
• 7:4 Paul says the law is dead and no longer binding. But Jesus said that the law will be binding in its entirety "till heaven and earth pass away." (Mt.5:17-19) See here.
• 7:6 Paul says the law is dead. but Leviticus (23:14, 21, 31, 41) says the law will "be a statute forever." See link in article above.
• 7:18 There is nothing good about Paul. See here as SAB tortures yet more Greco-Roman rhetoric for his own purposes.
• 8:26 In Mt.6:9-13 Jesus teaches his disciples how to pray. Yet here Paul says that Christians don't know how to pray. No, Paul says WHAT, not HOW (in what manner).
• 8:29-30 Everyone is predestined by God to be either saved or damned; they can do nothing to affect their final destiny. See here.
• 8:31 No one can oppose Christians since god is on their side. And the problem is, what?
• 8:32 "He that spareth not his own son" shouldn't be trusted by anyone. Where SAB exegetes that from the verse is one of those mysteries. Maybe he's trying to be funny.
• 8:33 A Christian cannot be accused of any wrongdoing. Not after Judgment Day and God's grace, which is what the contxt is all about.
• 8:38 Is is possible to fall from grace? See here.
• 9:11-12 God makes some people that are destined to go to heaven and others that will go to hell. There is nothing that they can do to change the will of God. Paul says that this is how it should be, saying: "What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known" damns most of mankind to eternal torments of hell for things they either didn't do or couldn't avoid doing? See above, 8:29-30 -- it's not as simple as SAB is.
• 9:14-22 "What shall be say then? Is there unrighteousness with God?" It sure looks like it! Mere smart remark by SAB.
• 9:33 Misquote of Is.28:16. See principles here (if it is not an LXX or known variation).
• 10:4 "Christ is the end of the law." Yet Jesus said (Mt.5:17-19) that the law will be binding "till heaven and earth pass." See above.
• 10:8 Paul misquotes Dt.30:14. See above.
• 10:13 Paul says that whoever calls on the name of Jesus will be saved. But Jesus said: "Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven." (Mt.7:21) See here.
• 10:18 Paul says that everyone, even in his day, had the gospel preached to them. Even the Native Americans, Asians, Pacific Islanders? Not in the oikoumene or Roman Empire, which is what Paul refers to here, and which the word may well have reached all around -- though Paul is quoting Psalms which refers to God's message in creation. In any case, if Paul is right about that, then Jesus is a false prophet, since he said he would return before the gospel was preached to everyone. (Mt.10:23) See here.
• 11:7-10 God blinded the Jews so they wouldn't recognize Jesus as the Messiah. Because, as Paul says, they did not want it.
• 11:26 Paul says that all Israel shall be saved. But Jesus said (Mt.8:12) that "the children of the kingdom" (Israel) would be cast into the outer darkness. Oops. SAB misses where Paul redefines Israel as people of faith.
• 12:9 Let your love be genuine. Do good; avoid evil. He likes it.
• 12:10 Be kind to others. Ditto.
• 12:14 Paul says we should "bless and curse not." Yet in 1 Corinthians (16:22) he curses all those who don't love Jesus. See here.
• 12:15 Show empathy toward others. He likes it.
• 12:16 Associate with the lowly. Don't pretend to be wiser than you are. Ditto.
• 12:17 Don't return evil for evil. Ditto.
• 12:18 Try to "live peaceably with all men." Again!
• 12:19 - 21 Be kind to your enemies. Overcome evil with good. Again! Amazing!
• 13:1-4 "The powers that be are ordained of God." Whoever resists them will be damned (contrary to Acts 5:29). See here.
• 13:8 "Love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law." He likes it.
• 13:9-10 "If there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." Well, that sounds nice, but what about Ex.22:18? And if we shouldn't covet, then why does Paul say that we should in 1 Cor.12:31 and 14:39? See here.
• 13:9-11-12 Paul believed that the end of the world was coming soon. "The day is at hand." See here.
• 14:2 Paul says that only wimps are vegetarians. Contextually more like, only the weak in faith will eat no meat at all for fear of risking eating meat consecrated to idols.
• 14:5 In speaking about the Sabbath, Paul says that some observe one day and others another day. He says that's OK with him. But the Old Testament god was not so understanding (Ex.20:8, 31:13-17, 35:2-3; Dt.4:12-14, Is.56:2). See here.
• 14:5 Good advice: "Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind." He likes it, even as he decontextualizes it.
• 14:13 Don't judge other people or cause them to fall. Ditto.
• 14:14 Paul says that every kind of animal is OK to eat. But the Dt.14:7-8 clearly forbids using certain kinds of animals for food. See here and here.
• 14:19 Good advice: "Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another." He likes it.
• 14:21 Is it OK to drink alcohol or eat meat? See above and here.
• 14:23 "He that doubteth is damned ... Whosoever is not of faith is sin." And the problem is what?
• 15:2 Should we try to please others? See here.
• 15:33 Paul claims that God is peaceful, but Ex.15:3 says he is warlike. See here.
• 16:1 Paul speaks of "Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church." But the Revised Standard Version calls her a "deaconess", which would make would make her a church leader. If the RSV translation is correct, this verse contradicts the requirement that women not be permitted to teach and that they must be silent in church (1 Cor.14:34-35, 1 Tim.2:11-12). Nope. See series here.
• 16:17-18 JW issue. We pass.