If the bible is infallible, why are there so many christian sects?

Many people claim the bible is the infallible word of god. However, there are hundreds of Christian sects and denominations, all of which have differing interpretations of parts of the bible.

If the bible is infallible, why are there so many...

different sects and interpretations? And if it's all down to interpretation, does it make any sense to claim that it's infallible in the first place?

maybe, it's so people have a variety, and lots of people like options... so it could be to make them follow the religion the way they want?

I too find it amazing how it's apparently the infallible word of 'God', yet those who follow it pick and choose which bits they go along with. I wonder if 'God' is feeling vengeful over them treating his infallible word like a pick-and-mix candy stand...

How is this question ever logical? The Bible is the infallible word of God but that has nothing to do with the formation of the different sects. The Bible is infallible but man is fallible. Man can misunderstand an infallible book that is not surprising.

A Christian does not pick and choose what to follow. If one does that he is not a Christian. The Bible is a book of tat contains reports and does report some people's mistakes to show that they are mistakes. It would be foolish to follow those mistakes.

People have a wrong idea of what Bible is that s why such meaningless accusations arises.

WHAT YOU HAVE IS A LOT OF CARNAL PEOPLE HIDING BEHIND THE BIBLE FOR THEIR PERSONAL GAIN, USUALLY MONEY. I HAVE SEARCHED AND WILL BE FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE, BUT WHAT I AM SURE OF NOW IS THAT GOD IS HOLY AND WHOEVER COMES TO HIM MUST REGART HIM AS HOLY. YOU CAN NOT UNDERSTAND HIS TRUTH WITHOUT HIS HOLY SPIRIT GUIDING YOU. THAT IS WHERE ALL THE INTERPRETATIONS COME IN. THIS RELIGION SAYS YOU WILL GO TO HELL IF YOU WEAR PANTS OR MAKE UP, THE OTHER SAYS YOU CAN STILL PARTY AND CONFESS SUNDAY MORNING, SOME SAY MUSIC IS OF THE DEVIL LET'S NOT USE IT IN THE CHURCH, OTHERS SAY YOU ARE AN OUTCAST IF YOU LEAVE YOUR RELIGION AND SO ON. I SE MAN MADE RULES AND NO HOLINESS. THAT IS WHY YOU HAVE ALL THE PEOLPE IN CONFUSION AND SAYING THAT GOD IS NOT REAL OR POWERFUL. GOD HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE MANS LIES, THEY INCLUDE HIS NAME IN HOPES OF PUTTING FEAR IN THE PEOLPE, THAT WAY THE MONEY KEEPS ROLLING IN OR FOR THEIR OWN PERSONAL GAIN. I KNOW THAT IF PEOPLE RELLY SOUGHT GOD WE WOULD NOT HAVE ALL THESE RELIGIONS TRYING TO SAY THEY ARE RIGHT. I WAS RELIGIOUS ONCE BUT NOW I HAVE A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE GOD THAT CREATED THIS WORLD,THE HEAVENS, AND ALL OF US. GODS WORD WILL CHANGE YOU IN AN INSTANT IF NOT SEEN IN THOSE @ YOU I CAN TELL YOU THAT THEY ARE LIERS AND THE TRUTH IS NOT IN THEM. IF YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE PLEASE CONTACT ME. THANKS. GOD GIVES TRUE PEACE AND HE IS A GOD OF ORDER.

hey good question! it doesn't make sense. Hasn't the bible been translated edited and in many ways corrupted over the years as church leaders tempted to control their followers? That's why modern day revelation is so important, as well as necessary. God would call a prophet; not unlike Adam, Moses or Noah to spread his word and lead His people.

***A Christian does not pick and choose what to follow. If one does that he is not a Christian. The Bible is a book of tat contains reports and does report some people's mistakes to show that they are mistakes. It would be foolish to follow those mistakes***

So, when *was* the last time you stoned an insolent child, or put a homosexual to death? I mean, if it's the infallible word of God, you should follow it word for word, right?

***How is this question ever logical? The Bible is the infallible word of God but that has nothing to do with the formation of the different sects. The Bible is infallible but man is fallible. Man can misunderstand an infallible book that is not surprising.***

That's covered by the second part of my question. If the bible is 'infallible', but nobody is able to interpret it accurately, in what sense is it meaningful to call it infallible? Or to put it another way, how is an infallible text nobody can interpret accurately different from a fallible text that's clearly understandable, practically speaking?

religion is up to the individual to believe personally all I believe in I karma and partying lol I think if you can live truely with no guilt then you will have a peaceful afterlife which ever way the afterlife is

*** And if it's all down to interpretation, does it make any sense to claim that it's infallible in the first place?

To anyone who views the Bible as simply a collection of ancient books, it obviously makes no sense to declare it infallible. As you pointed out, there is not any sense in which the Bible is infallible if there is even a single person* who has misunderstood it.

(* or a married person for that matter)

Every faith claims that only its followers are on the right path, only their scripture is the word of god and only they are going to heaven. Well, let me enlighten you about these so called word of gods, they are all lies that were written to control people like you and I. You must not take everything at face value and you will be wise to do some research on Criticism of religion and the bible. You will learn that the old testament was written by many different authors which was then translated into languages such as Greek and Latin and then finally into German, Ducth, English, etc. Indeed the new testament is much the same and the quraan which claims to be 'canonical' are sometimes directly taken from the bible or from the judaic histories. Similarly, I looked at the Baghvad Gita, Vedas and other Puranic literature. They all sound like they came from some person's wild imagination. Would you take the greek legends to be true? I think not. These religions will pass too as did the ancient Greek and Egyptian religions. No one worships Zeus today, and no one suffers any more from not doing so...

*A Christian does not pick and choose what to follow. If one does that he is not a Christian.*

I'm a witch, will you kill me if your a Christian? Why not? The bible says you shall not suffer a witch to live.

The bible also says one should not have sex before marriage. I was one of the only virgins in the school, a good 70% of the school was Christian at least 50% of the pregnant teenagers also claimed to be Christians.

Oh, when was the last time you killed someone for committing adultery? The bible says you should do so.

must I continue?

Every follower of the bible picks chooses what they do do not follow, even yourself.
Some will say well it's outdated, ot that's not how our society is now a days
It's the word of god, is it not? god doesn't expire, since when does his words expire? He is all knowing, isn't he, he knows what he's doing, if he's real that is, lol.

***How is this question ever logical?***

Logic and religion don't mix... a better question would be: WHICH Bible is infallible?

***People have a wrong idea of what Bible is that s why such meaningless accusations arises.***

Its hilarious how you call a question that YOU cannot answer intelligently, meaningless.

***The bible also says one should not have sex before marriage.***

No it doesn't.

stephanieg's answer is strait to the point and correct. I just would not put it in complete caps cause it makes it hard to read.

***THAT IS WHY YOU HAVE ALL THE PEOLPE IN CONFUSION AND SAYING THAT GOD IS NOT REAL OR POWERFUL.***

Actually most people who say God isn't real, say so because God's existence cannot be proven.

All these laws about killing witches and stoning adulters and whatnot are all a part of the old testament. Laws which were established under the law of moses. these laws were done away with when Christ came and fulfilled the law of moses and replaced it with a higher law.

So part of the Bible is obsolete then? How can a book be both obsolete AND infallible?

stephanieg your answer is to the point. What you have written is correct. You have correctly described the behavior of the Catholic church. I do not say that other Churches are perfect. there are errors in them also. But most of what you described can be found in the Catholic Church.

***If the bible is 'infallible', but nobody is able to interpret it accurately, in what sense is it meaningful to call it infallible?***

Spiritual things are Spiritually discerned. We can understand the Bible through the Holy Spirit.

The Bible is infallible but that does not mean that every thing in it can be taken and applied to us. This is what people do not understand. It cannot be applied because of the simple reason that the Bible was written to people of different ages, of different cultures etc. But the main theme of the Bible, the crux of the matter is applicable to all. Here are examples:

***I'm a witch, will you kill me if your a Christian? Why not? The bible says you shall not suffer a witch to live.***

No because that instruction was given to a certain people of a particular time for a particular purpose. Moreover this in a punishment instruction for those people not a law for all.

***The bible also says one should not have sex before marriage. I was one of the only virgins in the school, a good 70% of the school was Christian at least 50% of the pregnant teenagers also claimed to be Christians.***

This is a law and violating this is a sin.

Finally let all understand that the Bible is an infallible book. It is not a Law Book from which everything has to be fallowed. The Bible is book of report of what a people did, it contains prophesies, it has laws, it has revelation of God etc.

***Spiritual things are Spiritually discerned. We can understand the Bible through the Holy Spirit. ***

Then why is it so hard to find any two self-proclaimed Christians who agree on their spiritual understanding of the Bible? Are we going to get into a no-true-scotsman fallacy here?

***The Bible is infallible but that does not mean that every thing in it can be taken and applied to us. This is what people do not understand. It cannot be applied because of the simple reason that the Bible was written to people of different ages, of different cultures etc. But the main theme of the Bible, the crux of the matter is applicable to all.***

Where does the bible state which bits are now obsolete? And why can't any two sects agree on which bits are obsolete?

***But most of what you described can be found in the Catholic Church. ***

WRONG. Most of what she described can be found in virtually ALL denominations of Christianity... including yours. We know you like to demonize Catholicism every chance you get, you've made that quite obvious... grow up...

***This is a law and violating this is a sin.***

WRONG... as usual... there is NO law in the bible against premarital sex... AT ALL.

***Then why is it so hard to find any two self-proclaimed Christians who agree on their spiritual understanding of the Bible?***

NO it is not hard to find agreeing Christians. In fact Christians agree on a lot of things. There may be a few very insignificant things that they me have a disagreement with.

***Where does the bible state which bits are now obsolete? And why can't any two sects agree on which bits are obsolete?***

Things that don't apply to us are not obsolete. For example in the Bible talks about a man who went and laid with another man's wife. That is a report of a man and obviously is not supposed to be followed. If a punishment is pronounced on that man again that does not mean that, that is the punishment for such acts always. In all this what is the view that He has expressed is what we have to study and apply to us. It is really weired what people expect from a the Bible.