Zone1 Bible passages that are difficult to understand God

[Meriweather]

Because arguing that makes the mockery of a loving god already mentioned.

A merciful God protects His people, and His love flows over them. Think about this. How many more babies should God have allowed the Egyptians to kill before also mandating justice be served? The Egyptians showed no sign of freeing the Israelites and releasing them from service.

Our story is not about God behaves, but how we behave.

 

[Meriweather]

Do you really not see the portrayal of a weak and petty god in this instance?

Can you not see a weak and petty people?

 

[cnm]

What is the lesson being presented? It is not the mockery of a bald head. The story is being told to the Chosen People. what are they to take from it?

Their god is vengeful, petty and jealous.

 

[cnm]

Can you not see a weak and petty people?

Hmmm, so it's humanity's/the chosen people's fault YHWH is such an arsehole?

This fits very well with he/she/it being a human construct.

 

[Meriweather]

Their god is vengeful, petty and jealous.

And the humans are perfectly behaved.

 

[cnm]

Our story is not about God behaves,

Because its behaviour is too egregious.

 

[Meriweather]

Hmmm, so it's humanity's/the chosen people's fault YHWY is such an arsehole?

This fits very well with he/she/it being a human construct.

Maybe it's because most people have lost the ability to read from right to left. I find it odd so many cannot see what the people were doing.

Your cry seems to be, "Let's find God doing something wrong." Perhaps it is right to left reading that permits one to see people throwing a ball at God to see how it bounces back.

When you throw a ball against a wall, and it bounces back and hits you in the teeth, I'm betting you blame the wall, and not what you threw and how you threw it.

 

[Meriweather]

Because its behaviour is too egregious.

Look at human behavior. What has been going on?

 

[cnm]

Maybe it's because most people have lost the ability to read from right to left. I find it odd so many cannot see what the people were doing.

They were inventing gods.

 

[cnm]

Look at human behavior. What has been going on?

Look, squirrel!

 

[cnm]

So, at this point, YHWH has been reduced to a toddler. 'You were naughty so I'm going to throw a tantrum.'

 

[Meriweather]

They were inventing gods.

If you believe God was "invented" why are you blaming him and criticizing his behavior? If they were inventing God, they were also inventing his behavior, correct? Why invent that behavior?

 

[cnm]

If you believe God was "invented" why are you blaming him and criticizing his behavior?

Because his invented behaviour does not send a message of invented love. It is incongruent and therefore hurtful to contemplate.

If they were inventing God, they were also inventing his behavior, correct? Why invent that behavior?

To explain apparently malicious events, to rationalise empire and as a control mechanism.

 

[Meriweather]

Because his invented behaviour does not send a message of invented love. It is incongruent and therefore hurtful to contemplate.

It would if you properly understood the Hebrew, and began thinking outside the box of the modern Western world. Basically, you have invented another God for yourself--one that you don't have to believe. Old Testament stories very much about understanding ourselves--i.e., human behavior--ourselves then, ourselves today. We start the ball rolling and are then astonished by the reaction.

 

[JoeB131]

If you believe God was "invented" why are you blaming him and criticizing his behavior? If they were inventing God, they were also inventing his behavior, correct? Why invent that behavior?

That's an easy one.

Because the universe itself is capricious and unfair. So we need the "God Bullshit" as Howard Beale once said, to convince ourselves that there has to be a purpose to it all. When the universe still ends up being capricious and unfair, we assign those traits to God or tell us he has to have a good reason for it.

For the Sheep-lovers who wrote the OT, God was every force of nature they didn't understand. A plague just killed a bunch of people? God must have been mad at David for ordering a Census! Ehud's head just blew up because he ate some shellfish? Well, Shellfish must be an abomination unto the Lord.

Today we have germ theory and understand shellfish allergies, of course. But we have the biggest one of all. We are all gonna die at some point. So, what's an easier sell on an emotional level? That you just cease to be when you die, or that if you are really good and give the Church a bunch of money, you get into the Puppies and Sunshine heaven and get to see your dead Nana!

 

[Calypso Jones]

What does the Universe do that is capricious and unfair?