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Exactly. Like Noland said why would any Christian be embarrassed by any part of God's Word.
Hi:
I think the problem most people have is not with the people's actions in the OT per se. In other words, looking at our modern world, it is conceivable that people can murder, rape, steal etc. However, what is terrible is looking at all the horrible things God did according to the OT - all the things he condoned, and even encouraged and instigated, such as inducing a man to sacrifice his own child, encouraging the Israelites to kill and rape those of other tribes etc. I think that is disgusting and revolting. No one has been able to explain to me why God sanctioned these things.
Of course, as I'm sure you know, this is not the only obstacle I have to believing in a supernatural being, but it is certainly something that puzzles me.
old testiment is great. if you know much about the mid east you can see that OT only confirms the difference between jews and arabs is greatly exaggerated.
why the hostility towards the church friend--- bad experience?
old testiment is great. if you know much about the mid east you can see that OT only confirms the difference between jews and arabs is greatly exaggerated.
why the hostility towards the church friend--- bad experience?
Hi:
If you are responding to my post (I may be wrong), please clarify. I don't understand what you posted.
I've been watching you for some time. Another friend of mine told me about this site some time back. I just never posted.
Oh ok, yes I am "big kid" I think Montana is sweet for looking out for me. We are good friends, yes a Christian and an Atheist can be friends
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gretchen_SDCA
Hi:
I think the problem most people have is not with the people's actions in the OT per se. In other words, looking at our modern world, it is conceivable that people can murder, rape, steal etc. However, what is terrible is looking at all the horrible things God did according to the OT - all the things he condoned, and even encouraged and instigated, such as inducing a man to sacrifice his own child, encouraging the Israelites to kill and rape those of other tribes etc. I think that is disgusting and revolting. No one has been able to explain to me why God sanctioned these things.
Of course, as I'm sure you know, this is not the only obstacle I have to believing in a supernatural being, but it is certainly something that puzzles me.
I understand how someone who does not know the Bible very well would think this, that's why we have realize that God did not condone everything in the Bible, just like He does not condone everything that happens to today. Also the time it was written has to be considered and to whom it was written. I believe the truth of the OT transcends through time.
This is an interesting thread. I've always been puzzled by the huge difference between OT God and NT God! Did God really okay all those horrible things done in the OT? Or did the crazy men back then just THINK that God was telling them to do stuff? These days that would be called a mental illness.
I think the problem most people have is not with the people's actions in the OT per se. In other words, looking at our modern world, it is conceivable that people can murder, rape, steal etc. However, what is terrible is looking at all the horrible things God did according to the OT - all the things he condoned, and even encouraged and instigated, such as inducing a man to sacrifice his own child, encouraging the Israelites to kill and rape those of other tribes etc. I think that is disgusting and revolting. No one has been able to explain to me why God sanctioned these things.
Of course, as I'm sure you know, this is not the only obstacle I have to believing in a supernatural being, but it is certainly something that puzzles me.
Exactly! This then raises three problems:
1. Agree that the accounts in the Old Testament actually happened which would present the biblical God and so-called "God of the universe" as a bloodthirsty, maniacal, petty, vengeful deity who is no better than any human.
2. Agree the accounts [well at least the conquest] are as described and are nothing more than old fashioned barbarity justified in the name of a deity by scandalizing the conquered as evil people who had to be wiped out to preserve the purity of another people.
3. Agree the accounts are pure embellishments to make the Israelites and their god appear more important and powerful than they really were which would make the storytellers liars with an apparent bias.
This is an interesting thread. I've always been puzzled by the huge difference between OT God and NT God! Did God really okay all those horrible things done in the OT? Or did the crazy men back then just THINK that God was telling them to do stuff? These days that would be called a mental illness.
The latter is far more likely. Heck, they make that god look as bad as they do the devil.
Ever read Numbers chapter 31? It starts with the writer telling us God spoke to Moses and told him to go butcher the Midianites because in a previous chapter, the Midianite women allegedly seduced the Israelites to worship a false god. Remember, the Midianites may have been the ones to introduce the Israelites to Yahweh in the first place AND they were the people that Moses' wife came from as well as his father-in-law who helped Moses set up a mobile government of soughts.
Moses sends an army to carry all the extermination and even they had some scruples. They decided not to kill the women and children which pissed off 'ol Mo once he found out. So what does the righteous, God fearing, upright Moses do? He orders the soldiers to kill ALL the non-virgin women and male children (do we really want to know how they determined which females were virgins?) and then told them (the soldiers) they could keep the virgins for themselves and split up all the loot they brought back.
Now, does this sound like the orchestration of a "loving" and "merciful" god, the insanity of an unstable mind on too many desert mushrooms OR the imagination of writers trying to make a certain people appear more imposing than they really were? Slice it any which way you like and you still will have problems.
No,ILNC is a grown intelligent woman and that part about watching her for some time sounds kind of creepy to me.
Now why do you have to go there? I'm sure you know full well what I meant. I KNOW she is a 'grown intelligent woman.' Sorry if you did not get the humor.
I've watched EVERYONE on here [including you] for a few months now while reading through these threads. Is that better?
Any more input about the actual thread subject?
Thanks.
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I think Montana is sweet for looking out for me. We are good friends, yes a Christian and an Atheist can be friends 
