Why do so many people on this forum complain about unicorns in the Bible?

Question

Especially considering that only a very few Bible translations use the word "unicorn", why do I keep reading from various Bible critics who whine about the word "unicorn" as if it is some central principle of the Christian faith? Anyone with even a basic knowledge of etymology knows that UNICORN means "uni" [one] + "corn" [horn]. Thus, the word unicorn has been used for various animals, the most obvious being the rhinoceros and a less obvious one being a type of wild ox which looked like it only had one horn when viewed from the side.

What amazes me is that I keep reading critics on this forum complaining that Christians do not consider their ideas subject to falsification -- while "they" (the critics) are allegedly more scientific in revising their theories as new information exposes their flaws. Yet, I find that this forum has recurring complaints about the alleged "unicorn error" in the Bible -- and the many "Bible error websites" which they seem to be parroting don't remove the unicorn "error" despite being told that that bogus "error" was addressed several hundred years ago.

Bottomline: Why should anyone assume that Bible critics are more "scientific" when they don't revise their "Bible error lists" when their bad scholarship is exposed?

[I saw two new "unicorns in the Bible" complaints posted just today on this forum. And in virtually every case, the person posting the "error in the Bible" is mocking Christian believers and bragging about his/her superior intelligence and "scientific worldview." Go figure.)

And doesn't this indicate that Bible critics are guilty of following their belief system biases rather than pursuing sound evidence for their positions?

Answer 1

What Tuberoot said.

Answer 2

I guess they are not as knowledgeable as they think.

they look at the bible ,trying to find errors and when they don't they make it up.they don't have any understanding of what they are reading.

Answer 3

We use the word "unicorn"  in a facetious manner.  The same as with santa clause, the easter bunny, and the tooth fairy.  I'm not really sure what you are ranting about but please don't tell me the tooth fairy is mentioned in the bible too.

Answer 4

Because they go to Atheist's sites and derive that as a source of truth. They are only interested in gathering information that is commonly referred to as 'Bible Bashing'.

They do not care about scholarly works, or finding out the truth. They only care to gather the wood for the fire that will eventually burn them.

Answer 5

unicorns r nice n sweet, i lyk them:)

Answer 6

Because someone whose heart is hardened will not seek the truth. Instead they will seek whatever support they can find that allows them to cling to their unbelief.  They find it convenient to mock the beliefs of Christians by claiming that the Bible promotes fantasy animals like unicorns because it makes them feel superior or somehow more intelligent.

But in all their superior intelligence they will then shout from the rafters their belief of the fantasy man-made global climate change and attend rallies to save the endangered species that they claim man is killing off.  They never once consider the possibility that the unicorns spoken of in the Bible were actually nothing like the fantasy unicorns of children's tales but were thought to be large wild animals such as the Aurochs which are now extinct.  Because of the way the two horns this animal had appeared connected beneath its tough hide,  it was sometimes thought that it actually only had one horn that extended from one side of the beasts head through the skull to exit on the other side.

Of course then there's always the possibility that the idea that the unicorn is a myth is false.  After all, nothing like that has been seen in modern times.... or has it? ;)

http://hk.ibtimes.com/articles/20080614/...

They say it's a genetic flaw, but there's no way to prove that this one horned animal wasn't a common anomaly several thousand years ago, or that it  isn't actually the return of a lost species.  After all , in recent years, scientists have discovered that some plant and animal species they thought were extinct actually are not.

Whatever the reason for the term "unicorn" in the Bible, for anyone to say that the use of it  proves the Bible is fallible, is to make a less than educated statement.

Answer 7

the bible has unicorns?  thanks for pointing that out.  even more reason to understand christians are nuts.

Answer 8

It is not a matter of just this error, it is a matter of many many different species and their attributes that are also in error in the bible. Scientific flaws, mathematical flaws, regional flaws, etc,...

Singling this out does not excuse the FACT that bible is wrong on almost everything, nevermind the divinity of god.

Answer 9

It is very silly to ride on an unicorn when you can mount on an angel and fly the friendly skies of United just like the Almighty God in the Bible does...!!! Hey, if you see him wave hello from me, too ok?

Psalm 18:7-10 (NIV) The earth trembled and quaked,

and the foundations of the mountains shook;

they trembled because he* (*God) was angry.

8 Smoke rose from his nostrils;

consuming fire came from his mouth,

burning coals blazed out of it.

9 He* (*God) parted the heavens and came down;

dark clouds were under his feet.

10 He* (*God) mounted the CHERUBIM* (*an elite angel) and flew;

he soared on the wings of the wind.

Hey… Let’s face it hardly any Heathen God beats the sporty Bible God…!!!

Answer 10

Certain passages bring into question the validity of the entire bible. Who gets to decide what is a " mistake" and what is factual? What is literal and what is figurative? There are a couple passages that infer the earth is flat, among other troubling thoughts.

Answer 11

I guess that levels the playing field a little bit for you then...eventually no one will make sense anymore.

Answer 12

OK then..... Rant much?

Answer 13

True, the mention of unicorns, behemoths, leviathans and rabbits chewing their cud are not nearly as significant as there being no evidence for the Bible with the exception of locations and civilizations, or the major theological contradictions.  Even the lack of eyewitness evidence for Jesus or the miracles that supposedly surrounded his life is much more significant.