Another Doubter

This week's lectionary story has us looking at the familiar story of Doubting Thomas. You can read it here.

Sticking with my usual looking at the weekly story from a different angle, I am not going to focus on Thomas's doubts, but will look at some of my own. This passage is a part of why I question some of what I have been led to believe about Christianity in general and the bible in particular.

I should probably just admit that I'd have likely been in Thomas's camp on this one. I mean bodies don't just disappear, nor do they resurrect. That has never happened before. You're going to have to prove it to me. 
I'd have been a heretic even 2000 years ago -- well, at least a skeptic.
Truthfully, if any of the other disciples had been absent that day, they might have felt the same. I think Thomas gets an undeserved moniker over this.

But the part of the text that confuses me is found in verse 22 where Jesus breathes on them and says,  "Receive the Holy Spirit."
Wait! What?!
Isn't that what happens at Pentecost?
Isn't that still seven weeks away?

John writes this and then moves on to Jesus admonishing Thomas's doubts like the gift of the Holy Spirit is no big thing. 
And what about Luke's account found in Acts 2?
And what about that teaching that the bible never contradicts itself?
Excuse me, but apparently the Holy Spirit inspired text was misinterpreted by one or both of these authors because I think this is a contradiction. It isn't just a different perspective. It's a different time and a separate  event. 

I'm really not sure what this story means for Doubting Thomas, or for doubting John.
Apparently Thomas's beliefs (slow, though they may have been) were enough to keep him in God's good grace. Hopefully, the same can be said for me.

After writing and reading this I am wondering -- What about the bible in particular or religion in general gives you reason to doubt?
You may not be alone.
It might make for a good conversation or a decent post.

John