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Yes no problem there for the biblical brute they call God all in a days work for this tyrant who delights In torturing his subjects whats most sickening is the slaughter of babies
Old testament is filled with racism, murder, sexism, incest, rape, genocide, baby killing, etc.
Thus saith the LORD of hosts ... Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel (1 Samuel 15:2-3)
Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones. (Psalms 137:9)
Yea, though they bring forth, yet will I slay even the beloved fruit of their womb. (Hosea 9:16)
While it is totally true that those are things said in the bible, and at this moment we see those acts (killing women and babies and animals) as horrible, I do feel like biblical quotes like that need some historical context to be fully appreciated and analyzed.
First of all the idea of slaying every man, woman, child and animal was a very common war practice at the time, for all nations and people of all religions. This was probably in part a military strategy, but not entirely. Most wars were thought of as not only people fighting people, but a test of who's god was stronger. Therefore when a battle was won it was seen as the work of god (any god be it the Jewish god or the Babylonian one). So it was common for people to kill and burn all animals and possessions after a battle, as those spoils belonged to god alone, and not the people of the nation.
Secondly the babies head against rocks psalm is horrible, yes. However it helpful to know that it is not some arbitrary statement of infanticide. The psalm was written about the Jews after their exile from their holy land to Babylon. They had been defeated and forced out of their homes and were therefore very upset. The psalm starts with them lamenting the defeat, and then in the end the writer is angry and wishes God to punish the Babylonians for conquering them and forcing them into exile.
So to be clear, those passages of the bible ARE quite gruesome and seem heartless. However its also very useful to see their larger historical context, showing that none of those beliefs are uncommon for the time period. And yes there is then the argument that they should not then be used for this time period, and in fact most people do not directly take these words without a grain of salt and rational thought.
Hi there ok let's be clear I know about the spoils of war and the way certain people behaved , but we have a huge problem here and this is it ...God who is all knowing and supposedly loving orders these murders with perfect knowledge and understanding he said in the bible that not one word or action of his can be questioned because he is God but yet you and others keep saying it's not in context .This is actually the only defence left for a Christian and it's pretty lame I have laid out chapter and verse for other Christians here and they ignore them, say an atheist can't interpret them, or context is wrong .
The truth is they cannot find the ways to back there God up .
Tell me if God made me in his image and I have never killed a living creature ( not even a fly ) and he has killed 2.8 million ( low estimate ) how does that make God a better person than me ? Do you not find that a bit unfair?
What really saddens Me God directly ordered infanticide and if the Christians on this site had of been there they would have applauded his decision and relished the deaths as God slaughtered innocents , now that's frightening .Can you not see how aligned this thinking is too what the Taliban think ? It's quiet a similar mindset . And remember you say " it has to be taken with a grain of salt " you justify this thugs actions and then say it has to be taken with a grain of salt , your God said and I repeat do not change one word of his command or law yet here we are yet another person changing his word to save him from his self ....God has killed more people than Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Sadam Hussein, Milosevic, Osama Bin Laden and Jim Jones combined. Why would you not follow them instead of God? Based on this standard, these monsters are compassionate compared to God.
First of all I find it interesting that you are assuming that I am Christian. Also if you look I was not debating your points or quotes, saying that somehow they do not show a hateful or racist god. I merely wanted to clarify them some, as I feel like biblical quotes (as with any quotes really) make more sense and can be better understood when you also look at world when/where they were written.
It seems to me that regardless of whether writings are sacred to you or not, a big piece of understand and interpreting them has to be looking at them through a historical lens. You understand Shakespeare more when you know about 16th century England. You know more about the bible (as a writing if not as a holy book) when you think about what the time period as well. I wasn't trying to say that god was or was not saying something, or that it was good or bad, I was simply trying to add in some level of historical context where I saw it lacking (not inaccurate, just lacking).
Ok that's cool and I don't want to offend you but when I hear someone make a statement about taking things historically it's in exact disagreement with what the bible says about the written word , so the difficulty for me coming from my position I have to take anything that's said as being the word of God as written . I wish you well and hope I didn't offend .
If you don't follow Gods orders, then he'll punish you. He is like the master and we are his slaves. Because of this, it gave people the idea that having slaves was OK.
Eventually, some people found a group of not very civilized humans.
Brought them into slavery, (because God makes slavery sound like a good thing) and then treated them like they were lesser human beings.
If you don't follow Gods orders, then he'll punish you.
Actually, he won't do anything.
Because of this, it gave people the idea that having slaves was OK. Eventually, some people found a group of not very civilized humans. Brought them into slavery, (because God makes slavery sound like a good thing) and then treated them like they were lesser human being
Ok, two things mate: the institution of slavery was very different during Bible times and under the Roman Empire from the trans-atlantic slave trade. People used to sell themselves into slavery in order to pay off a debt and to get free housing, food, clothing, etc. Slaves were expected to obey their masters, and masters were expected to look after their slaves properly. After Constantine and the influence of Christianity on the Roman empire, slave-holders were required to release their slaves on the seventh year and forgive all debts. It was a system based on economic realities rather than sexual or racial prejudices.
Had you abolished slavery back then, thousands of people may have starved to death. Of course the Bible wouldn't have advocated something so evil :)
Also, the Bible outright condemns enslavement IE those brought into slavery against their will. IE the entire book of exodus, Slave traders are listed as condemned, Timothy condemns taking another person against their will...
That's how racism came to be.
Actually it came to be through colonization and imperialism. A lot of it in the US came after the civil war and after abolition.
"slave-holders were required to release their slaves on the seventh year and forgive all debts. It was a system based on economic realities rather than sexual or racial prejudices."
The seven year rule only applied to male israelite slaves. It doesn't apply to women or people from other nations as shown in the verses below. So it was very much based on sexual and racial prejudices.
Leviticus 25:44-46 - "Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves. You may also buy some of the temporary residents living among you and members of their clans born in your country, and they will become your property. You can bequeath them to your children as inherited property and can make them slaves for life, but you must not rule over your fellow Israelites ruthlessly."
In other words, permanent slavery is okay as long as they are not Israelites. During slavery in the United States people used to say slavery is okay as long as they are from Africa. I wonder where they got that idea.
"Also, the Bible outright condemns enslavement IE those brought into slavery against their will. IE the entire book of exodus, Slave traders are listed as condemned"
I don't know what version of the Bible you're reading but it's clearly not the one the rest of us read. Not only does Exodus not condemn slavery, it defines the rules for it.
Exodus 21:2-6 - "If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, he shall go free, without paying anything. If he comes alone, he is to go free alone; but if he has a wife when he comes, she is to go with him. If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the woman and her children shall belong to her master, and only the man shall go free. But if the servant declares, ‘I love my master and my wife and children and do not want to go free,’ then his master must take him before the judges. He shall take him to the door or the doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl. Then he will be his servant for life."
In other words, to get around the 6 year limitation you can hold a slave's wife and child hostage to get him to be your slave for life.
Exodus 21:20-21 - "Anyone who beats their male or female slave with a rod must be punished if the slave dies as a direct result, but they are not to be punished if the slave recovers after a day or two, since the slave is their property."
So it's okay to beat your slaves because they are your "property" as long as they survive the beating, and guess who said that? Lets jump to the beginning of the chapter 20 to see where it all begins. "And God spoke all these words. He goes on to say "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery...'"
He made a point of saying that he brought them out of the land of slavery. Why would he mention that unless he thought slavery was a bad thing? Hmmm...god thinks slavery is bad but says it's okay to make permanent slaves out of women and non-israelites. This is just one of many examples of god playing favorites.
Here is one about selling your daughters into slavery/marriage.
Exodus 21:7-11 - "If a man sells his daughter as a servant, she is not to go free as male servants do. If she does not please the master who has selected her for himself, he must let her be redeemed. He has no right to sell her to foreigners, because he has broken faith with her. If he selects her for his son, he must grant her the rights of a daughter. If he marries another woman, he must not deprive the first one of her food, clothing and marital rights. If he does not provide her with these three things, she is to go free, without any payment of money."
Do you think selling your daughter to someone is a moral thing to do? God doesn't have a problem with it so it must be okay, right?
People used the Bible to justify slavery. Here are some books written by people explaining how the Bible justifies slavery and should therefore be allowed.
In other words, permanent slavery is okay as long as they are not Israelites. During slavery in the United States people used to say slavery is okay as long as they are from Africa. I wonder where they got that idea.
Yet you've totally ignored the fact that the US slaves came to America against their will; they did not sell themselves to settle a debt.
So it's okay to beat your slaves because they are your "property" as long as they survive the beating, and guess who said that?
You did. Beating slaves is ok but killing them is not isn't the same as beat them as long as you like, and then just hope they don't die.
He made a point of saying that he brought them out of the land of slavery. Why would he mention that unless he thought slavery was a bad thing?
Where in the Bible does it say slavery is a good thing? Being in debt is a terrible thing too, doesn't mean it can be abolished just like that.
Do you think selling your daughter to someone is a moral thing to do? God doesn't have a problem with it so it must be okay, right?
confusing israelite tribal law with laws of morality
The people who thought the Bible could justify slavery had no knowledge of the ancient system and broke every other law for the Israelites (IE eating shell fish).
"you've totally ignored the fact that the US slaves came to America against their will; they did not sell themselves to settle a debt."
I'll address this below.
"Beating slaves is ok but killing them is not isn't the same as beat them as long as you like, and then just hope they don't die."
First of all I didn't say it like that. Second, even if I did it say it that way it still fits the what was said in those verses. Regardless, the fact that god, who is supposedly the most moral being to ever exist, said it's okay to beat your slaves. Do you honestly think a moral god would say that? That's not a rhetorical question. I really want an answer.
Where in the Bible does it say slavery is a good thing?
Where in my reply did I say the Bible said it is a good thing? I said it was an okay thing, not a good thing.
Being in debt is a terrible thing too, doesn't mean it can be abolished just like that.
There are multiple types of slavery in the Bible, and not all of them are to get out of debt. For example, in Deuteronomy 20: 10-15 Moses says, "When you march up to attack a city, make its people an offer of peace. If they accept and open their gates, all the people in it shall be subject to forced labor and shall work for you. If they refuse to make peace and they engage you in battle, lay siege to that city. When the Lord your God delivers it into your hand, put to the sword all the men in it. As for the women, the children, the livestock and everything else in the city, you may take these as plunder for yourselves. And you may use the plunder the Lord your God gives you from your enemies. This is how you are to treat all the cities that are at a distance from you and do not belong to the nations nearby.
So not only are people forced into slavery by gods chosen people, the women are considered plunder.
Isaiah 50 says, "This is what the Lord says: “Where is your mother’s certificate of divorce with which I sent her away? Or to which of my creditors did I sell you? Because of your sins you were sold; because of your transgressions your mother was sent away."
These people were clearly not working voluntarily as servants to pay off their debts. The slave isn't the one selling themself, they are being sold by someone.
Joshua chapter 9 talks about how Joshua and his army is going around slaughtering cities in the name of the lord, but due to some subterfuge by one of the towns he ends up forcing them into a lifetime of slavery instead of killing them.
King Solomon used forced slave labor to build "the lords temple."
1 Kings 9:15-22 - "Here is the account of the forced labor King Solomon conscripted to build the Lord’s temple, his own palace, the terraces, the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, Megiddo and Gezer. (Pharaoh king of Egypt had attacked and captured Gezer. He had set it on fire. He killed its Canaanite inhabitants and then gave it as a wedding gift to his daughter, Solomon’s wife. And Solomon rebuilt Gezer.) He built up Lower Beth Horon, Baalath, and Tadmor in the desert, within his land, as well as all his store cities and the towns for his chariots and for his horses—whatever he desired to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon and throughout all the territory he ruled. There were still people left from the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites (these peoples were not Israelites). Solomon conscripted the descendants of all these peoples remaining in the land—whom the Israelites could not exterminate—to serve as slave labor, as it is to this day. But Solomon did not make slaves of any of the Israelites; they were his fighting men, his government officials, his officers, his captains, and the commanders of his chariots and charioteers.
Psalms 2:8 says "Ask of me (god), and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance (slaves)."
There are many more verses, but that should be more than enough to make my point. God clearly doesn't have a problem with slavery. I think the video at the bottom of this post shows just how ridiculous the Biblical god is when it comes to slavery.
"confusing israelite tribal law with laws of morality"
Whether it's labeled a tribal law or a law of morality makes absolutely no difference. It doesn't change the fact that the Biblical god doesn't have a problem with people selling their daughters into slavery, so he is not someone we should be taking moral advice from.
The people who thought the Bible could justify slavery had no knowledge of the ancient system and broke every other law for the Israelites (IE eating shell fish).
First of all, how do you know what laws they broke? Second, even if they broke other laws that doesn't change anything. What laws they did or didn't break has nothing to do with what the Bible says about slavery. My point is that the Bible supports slavery and those people had every right to think slavery was okay based on what the Bible says.
So here are the questions I would like you to answer.
1. Is it moral to beat slaves?
2. Is it moral to sell your daughters as slaves/wives?
3. Is it moral to conquer entire cities in gods name and force them to be your slaves who must do extremely difficult work like building temples to the lord, palaces, walls and more?
4. Would a moral god condone any of the things from the first 3 questions?
I think its disgusting that your attempting to justify slavery, saying "if slavery didnt exist back then people would starve." Thats the exact same arguments made by slave owners (most deeply religous christians btw) to justify the ownership of other human beings, along the lines of "we shelter them, feed them, and teach them hard work."
Thats the exact same arguments made by slave owners (most deeply religous christians btw) to justify the ownership of other human beings, along the lines of "we shelter them, feed them, and teach them hard work."
Which slave-owners, the ones who purchased slaves who sold themselves voluntarily to pay off a debt or the slave owners who took part in the trans-Atlantic slave trade (a practice that went against biblical principles)? The abolitionist movement (most deeply religious christians) argued that the slavery that was being practiced in Europe and the US was not the same as under the Roman empire and in the Middle east - and rightfully so, they were completely different!
I think it's disgusting that you'd have been prepared to let people starve to death for the sake of an ideal. If someone wanted to sell themselves in exchange for an agreed upon item or service, it's their choice! Fortunately the bible encourages helping people so that they will not need to, but it would take one sick f* to have abolished slavery back then.
No it was the secular wing of christians in the north whom dissaproved of slavery (they were still pretty racist however), it was the more deeply religous christians of the south who took the bible at its core that believed slavery was justified. Btw, many of the slaves. Were starved to death on their way over here by slave ships, and/or beaten to death by cruel masters, the women raped by white slave owners, familys torn apart, Im not saying they should've starved to death, but living in a hell like that isnt a much nicer alternative
No it was the secular wing of christians in the north whom dissaproved of slavery (they were still pretty racist however), it was the more deeply religous christians of the south who took the bible at its core that believed slavery was justified.
>secular christianity
>Abolitionism
Pick one and only one. The Northern abolitionists were pretty darn religious.
Btw, many of the slaves. Were starved to death on their way over here by slave ships
They were taken against their will and were mistreated. The bible outright condemns this. Enslavement =/= slavery.
Im not saying they should've starved to death, but living in a hell like that isnt a much nicer alternative
Again, you need to learn more about slavery as an institution. The slaves during bible times and under the Roman empire were different from the US and Europe.
Just because slavery is used for both what happened in the United States during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, and what was done in biblical times, doesn't mean that they are the same. Biblical slavery is much more similar to indentured servitude as it existed in the early colonial era in the United States.
People chose to indenture themselves to a person for several years in order to pay off a debt. It was not forced upon a person (this is the key difference). In fact I would say that slavery as it is referenced in the bible is more freeing then serfdom in the middle ages of Europe, but we seem to except that as simply a political and social construct.
The two means and practices of slavery are very different and should not be compared directly. Also it sounds to me as though orangepeel is referencing biblical slaves many times, and you seem to be reading it as though the reference is to 17th century slaves.
Hi there listen I find it quiet incredible you and your fellow Christians seem to constantly rewrite what your God said , why wasn't your God clearer ? No where in the bible did he tell you or anyone to change his words ? So why lie for your religion ? Why not be honest at least you're meant to be a Christian? Just so we are clear here's what your God said ....,Man does not have the authority to change the will of God on any subject. We have been given severe warnings in several places in the Bible concerning any changes that we try to make to God's word. As we have already seen in Galatians 1:6-9, if we pervert the gospel by changing it, we will be accursed.
Another such warning comes in the closing verses of the Bible. Revelation 22:18-19 says, "For I testify unto everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book, if anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; And if anyone takes away from the words of this book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, and from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book." These are very stern warnings that should get our undivided attention...... Now read Galatians again ACCURSED that's what your GOD said now you can cry and say " oh it's out of context " the usual retort I don't really care because you's are committing the ultimate sin of questioning your God and by all accounts he does not like that.
I really dont see how this is arguing what I was saying at all. I was saying that if you look historically slavery in ancient Mesopotamia was not the same practice as was seen in 17th century America. Same word is used in both situations, but it means a different thing. I really can't see how this is in any way an interpretation of the bible (either correct or not).
its always saying how you are better then every one and your chosen. and the people from eagypt and the people of muhamed and the people that followed Jesus.
even though it doesn't really say the last one
my point is you cant be better then someone and have equality.
an the bible is a totaly slut shaming book. so much negative about a girl trying to get a good rub.
and masturbation the big no no it just puts people in that category and shames and belittles them till death
there is so much wrong with the bible Koran and Torah its just not fair. we get one life, and one choice. to live like a kid thinking your better cuz you say a few cute words.
or to grow up and push forward in life to make yourself and family and friends life better.
the bible is like the red pill or the blue pill from the matrix.
God shows not partiality to any one nation. God extends His love to His elect, which come from all different tongues and nations; God destroys all who disobey Him.
Well gods a jerk, he allows so many catastrophies. To happen, btw did all those filistine children deserve to be killed? Were the babies and infants who lived in Sodom and Gohmora deserve to be killed? Why is it that all these fundementalist Christians and Orthodox Jews want to kick out all the Palestinian natives who had lived for centuries in that location simply because the "Israelites" are Gods chosen people?
Turn to Psalm 107. And yes, the children deserved to die as well. Even though they were children, they were evil and deserved death; for all deserve death.
The bible makes endless justifications of the Hebrews to enslave all the children, murder all the men, and rape all the women of the tribe that they conqured, basically saying that since they are "Gods chosen people" they are superior to all other tribes and races.
they were His chosen people but not because they were black or white or brown. it wasnt based off skin color it was based off their culture, ideals, morals etc
So if a bunch of Israelis burnt down your house, kilked your family, raped your wife, etc. its ok, because they are Gods "chosen people" . God apparently isn't even kind to his chosen people, he allowed them to be enslaved by the Egyptians for years, and when he finally decided to free them (by slaughtering Egyptian children) he allowed them to get lost in the desert for 40 years.
Are you familiar with hypothetical answers? I'm pretty sure if that user doesn't believe in God, and is answering that way, then it's by assuming the theistic claim as true just to play along.
It points out the flaws in the claims as well as pointing out the hypocrisy of the religions followers, If i said that Mario can jump high, does that mean that Mario exists? No, it means that there is a fictional character from a fictional video game world that i am referring to.
Yet it does not condem slavery in any passage in the bible, saying that someone is equal, but actually treating them as an equal are two very different things, in fact it goes further to prove racism by the fact that Hebrew slaves were only to serve their master for six years, slaves of any other race and/or nationality were to be slaves for life according to the bible, that sir is racism.
"If you buy a hebrew slave, he is to serve for only six years, set him free on the seventh year and he will owe you nothing for his freedom." (Exodus 21:2-6 NLT)
There is no passage that states that the same rules apply to those who are not Hebrew
And he said, Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai. And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands.
Once again, words and actions differ extremley, for example, the founding fathers of the USA put all men are created equal in the declaration of independence, but owned slaves because they considered people of African descent to be subhuman, they didn't think of them as people, much like how the bible views non hebrew people.
Another little verse God approving slavery there are loads Genesis 16:8-9
And he said, Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai. And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands.
Those are two different generations you're trying to compare there. In Biblical times ethnic races that we refer to today had not even been decided then. (For those that believe in this)- God created the Adamic race, firstly Adam and Eve to be the perfect Christ children and we were supposed to follow their example but we f*cked it for ourselves. The definition of racism as we know it today is not likely to not have had the same meaning back then it would have more likely been 'each kind of people had their own position' without being considered racist and now we live in a time where just about anything and everything is considered racist or can easily be mistaken for racism.
It compared to todays standard is racism, pedophilia back then wasn't seen as taboo (its even depicted in the bible numerous times) but today we don't look back at that and say "well they didn't know any better." We see how uncivilised they are, btw if the bible is of your opinion the work of god, then you must believe that god saw no problem with this
This might help racist god ...,n Deuteronomy chapter 7 the God tells the Israelites that there are other ethnic groups living in the promised land. Does God tell them to live in peace and harmony with them, with everyone respecting each others’ differences? No he tells them “to smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them nor shew mercy unto them. Neither shalt thou make marriages with them.” (This isn’t the only time the Israelites exterminated others, see here) God commands the Israelites to exterminate another people, not for any crime but merely because they are a different ethnic group with a different religion. This exceeds even the Ku Klux Klan level of racism.
They'll find some way to justify or interpret it to thier liking, anyone can take a statement and stretch it enough to where its interpretation fits their agenda/point of view
I'm really not sure. Bible by my knowledge was written by humans to build a better sociability for their rulers to govern their cities. The Bible might be written under a specific aim. But I think that not Bible rises the racism, but we humans use Bible's teachings to prove false things.
There is the story told by Jesus of the good samaritin. It was a story that really annoyed thepharisees because it helped break that racism against foreigners.
God created everyone and everything. He does not discriminate. However, many kingdoms over the centuries. Have committed many lawless deeds. In
2 Peter 2:7-10 the people of Sodom and Gomorrah are described as "those who indulged the flesh in its corrupt desires and despised authority" so whatever the dirty mind can think of they did without fear of punishment. No local aurthority kept the people in check.
Can you imagine seeing people murdered, raped, beatened, held against their will, communicating with demons, dabbling in the occult, etc everyday done by everyone even children?
This was what it was like for Lot to witness all these atrocities and nothing he could do, but pray to God and keep his family from the sinfulness of those cities.
They even went as far as attempting to rape God's angels, "the men of the city, the men of Sodom, surrounded the house, both young and old, all the people from every quarter; and they called to Lot and said to him, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may have relations with them." But Lot went out to them at the doorway, and shut the door behind him, and said, "Please, my brothers, do not act wickedly." Genesis 19:4-13.
So as you can tell the people of Sodom and Gomorrah are extremely wickedy. They had to be destroyed.
In Noah's time angels (before Lot) came down from Heaven. Who defies God and manifested as powerful, large being and had sex with women, and produced half breeds known as Nephilim. These half breeds are described in Genesis 6:4 "There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare [children] to them, the same [became] mighty men which [were] of old, men of renown."
So the sins of mankind increased more so becuase now you have got intelligent beings guiding you away from God even further.
So far everyone including children were not so innocent after all. Not only that, God gave them a chance at redemption. He allowed Noah (in return God will not destroy them) to find 100 - 1 people who are righteous, but Noah could not find at least one person.
The same sins also were practiced by the Egyptians. Pharoah did not want to release God's (now enslaved) chosen people. He treated them cruelly. God in return sent the plagues to convince Pharoah. The last being the slaughter of the first born sons in the land. However, the God gave the Israelites a tip to avoid the angel of death. Only the Israelites were spared of the plagues.
Many of the popular Christian teachings have been interpreted by those who have no understanding of what the Bible or God is about. Take Catholic priests. They all undergo 12+ years of education only a third of this time do they actually learn directly from the Bible. Yet, they are supposed to be experts of the Bible.
God judged people according to their deeds and only when He does do people open their eyes. It takes a miraculous act to convince people. Unbelievable! We ourselves only seem to believe what we can see.
"Air is not important unless you are not getting any."
- Unknown
I will leave this quote up here for you to make whatever you will out of it.
1. So everyone in Sodom and Gomorrah were "rapists"? Even the children? The infants? Did they deserve to die?
2. Why would god even allow the Israelites to be enslaved in the first place? And rather than using his "divine intervention" to free the Israelites himself without any blood shed or at least punishing only the pharoah directly, instead he decided to send plagues that killed every first born child of egypt
3. Almost every violent act commited by the crusaders in the dark ages correlates in direct word with the bible, the christianity that exist today is the secularized watered down version which resulted from the enlightenment.
4. I dont see how that quote on air has anything to do with this
1) God created everything so He can do whatever He wants to every single creation. Yet, He only does so in order for us to benefit. It is a wonder why He doesn't just erase us all from existence whenever we sin. Those Egyptian infants would end up just like their parents. Pagan, sinful, and evil really.
2) God allowed them to be enslaved because most of the Israelites served other gods like the Pagan Nations. So when they realized there was no other god than God that is only when God intervened. The Israelites promised to obey God, but did not live up to it. Therefore, resulting in them being enslaved multiple times all of which God freed them from.
The Egyptians killed all the infants of the Israelites because they were afraid of an uprising. Then when God's angel killed their first born sons of the Egyptians suddenly, He's the unfair one. All the Egyptians had a hand in the mistreatment, massacre, and beating of the Israelites.
3) Crusaders are Christians who twist God's word. Fighting amongst themselves. They were the early Catholic Church.
Please do not mix up popular belief with the Bible. They are not the same.
I think if you would see that quote of air can be transferred to God's guidance.
1) Wow, so its fair to punish a child for the misdeeds of their parents? In that logic, a convicted mass murder who is sentenced to death who happens to have children should also be given the death penalty for their fathers crimes, how does this make any logical sense?
2) Well apparently God allowed many other religions before him to be worshiped without problem, so apparently he had to punish his own people for this misdeed, and btw, if he truly showed himself to exist to the israelites, why would they worship their own made up God? That would be like being shown who the true God is, knowing what he could do to you for disobeying him, but deciding to make up your own idol to worship, once again this makes no logical sense.
3) The Crusaders followed the instructions from the bible very closely:
1. Kill the Entire Town if One Person Worships Another God:
" Suppose you hear in one of the towns the LORD your God is giving you that some worthless rabble among you have led their fellow citizens astray by encouraging them to worship foreign gods. In such cases, you must examine the facts carefully. If you find it is true and can prove that such a detestable act has occurred among you, you must attack that town and completely destroy all its inhabitants, as well as all the livestock. Then you must pile all the plunder in the middle of the street and burn it. Put the entire town to the torch as a burnt offering to the LORD your God. That town must remain a ruin forever; it may never be rebuilt. Keep none of the plunder that has been set apart for destruction. Then the LORD will turn from his fierce anger and be merciful to you. He will have compassion on you and make you a great nation, just as he solemnly promised your ancestors. "The LORD your God will be merciful only if you obey him and keep all the commands I am giving you today, doing what is pleasing to him." (Deuteronomy 13:13-19 NLT)
2. Kill Followers of Other Religions:
1) If your own full brother, or your son or daughter, or your beloved wife, or you intimate friend, entices you secretly to serve other gods, whom you and your fathers have not known, gods of any other nations, near at hand or far away, from one end of the earth to the other: do not yield to him or listen to him, nor look with pity upon him, to spare or shield him, but kill him. Your hand shall be the first raised to slay him; the rest of the people shall join in with you. You shall stone him to death, because he sought to lead you astray from the Lord, your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that place of slavery. And all Israel, hearing of this, shall fear and never do such evil as this in your midst. (Deuteronomy 13:7-12 NAB)
2) Suppose a man or woman among you, in one of your towns that the LORD your God is giving you, has done evil in the sight of the LORD your God and has violated the covenant by serving other gods or by worshiping the sun, the moon, or any of the forces of heaven, which I have strictly forbidden. When you hear about it, investigate the matter thoroughly. If it is true that this detestable thing has been done in Israel, then that man or woman must be taken to the gates of the town and stoned to death. (Deuteronomy 17:2-5 NLT)
3. Kill People for Working on the Sabbath:
The LORD then gave these further instructions to Moses: 'Tell the people of Israel to keep my Sabbath day, for the Sabbath is a sign of the covenant between me and you forever. It helps you to remember that I am the LORD, who makes you holy. Yes, keep the Sabbath day, for it is holy. Anyone who desecrates it must die; anyone who works on that day will be cut off from the community. Work six days only, but the seventh day must be a day of total rest. I repeat: Because the LORD considers it a holy day, anyone who works on the Sabbath must be put to death.' (Exodus 31:12-15 NLT)
4.Infidels and Gays Should Die:
So God let them go ahead and do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other's bodies. Instead of believing what they knew was the truth about God, they deliberately chose to believe lies. So they worshiped the things God made but not the Creator himself, who is to be praised forever. Amen. That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. And the men, instead of having normal sexual relationships with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men and, as a result, suffered within themselves the penalty they so richly deserved. When they refused to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their evil minds and let them do things that should never be done. Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, fighting, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They are forever inventing new ways of sinning and are disobedient to their parents. They refuse to understand, break their promises, and are heartless and unforgiving. They are fully aware of God's death penalty for those who do these things, yet they go right ahead and do them anyway. And, worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too. (Romans 1:24-32 NLT)
5. Kill People Who Don't Listen to Priests:
Anyone arrogant enough to reject the verdict of the judge or of the priest who represents the LORD your God must be put to death. Such evil must be purged from Israel. (Deuteronomy 17:12 NLT)
6. Kill Nonbelievers:
They entered into a covenant to seek the Lord, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and soul; and everyone who would not seek the Lord, the God of Israel, was to be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman. (2 Chronicles 15:12-13 NAB)
7. If A Man Rapes A Woman, He Should Marry Her:
"If a man is caught in the act of raping a young woman who is not engaged, he must pay fifty pieces of silver to her father. Then he must marry the young woman because he violated her, and he will never be allowed to divorce her."
(Deuteronomy 22:28-29 NLT)
8. Death To Rape Victim:
"If within the city a man comes upon a maiden who is betrothed, and has relations with her, you shall bring them both out of the gate of the city and there stone them to death: the girl because she did not cry out for help though she was in the city, and the man because he violated his neighbors wife."
(Deuteronomy 22:23-24 NAB)
9. Rape Of Female Captives:
"When you go out to war against your enemies and the LORD, your God, delivers them into your hand, so that you take captives, if you see a comely woman among the captives and become so enamored of her that you wish to have her as wife, you may take her home to your house. But before she may live there, she must shave her head and pare her nails and lay aside her captive's garb. After she has mourned her father and mother for a full month, you may have relations with her, and you shall be her husband and she shall be your wife. However, if later on you lose your liking for her, you shall give her her freedom, if she wishes it; but you shall not sell her or enslave her, since she was married to you under compulsion."
(Deuteronomy 21:10-14 NAB)
10. Sex Slaves:
"When a man sells his daughter as a slave, she will not be freed at the end of six years as the men are. If she does not please the man who bought her, he may allow her to be bought back again. But he is not allowed to sell her to foreigners, since he is the one who broke the contract with her. And if the slave girl's owner arranges for her to marry his son, he may no longer treat her as a slave girl, but he must treat her as his daughter. If he himself marries her and then takes another wife, he may not reduce her food or clothing or fail to sleep with her as his wife. If he fails in any of these three ways, she may leave as a free woman without making any payment." (Exodus 21:7-11 NLT)
Please do not mix up personal interpretation with what the Bible actually says
How do you know its not Zues's guidance? Seems just as likely