Zone1 Are You Willing to Do Anything God Asks of You?

[Carl in Michigan]

You never know why He asks. You may never know

 

[Road Runner]

Good story,.. if it's actually true. Doesn't seem like it, but you never know when it comes to the internet.

 

[alang1216]

You never know why He asks. You may never know

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How do you know when it is God speaking or if it's Satan?

 

[Meriweather]

How do you know when it is God speaking or if it's Satan?

Listen closely. Is it a Godly voice with a Godly request, or a Satanic voice with an evil request.

 

[alang1216]

Listen closely. Is it a Godly voice with a Godly request, or a Satanic voice with an evil request.

Was telling Joshua to kill every living thing in Jericho a 'Godly' request? If you were asked to commit genocide, how would you know the request came from God and not Satan? Seems like the reality is not so clean as simply good and evil.

 

[Meriweather]

Was telling Joshua to kill every living thing in Jericho a 'Godly' request? If you were asked to commit genocide, how would you know the request came from God and not Satan? Seems like the reality is not so clean as simply good and evil.

First, what would have to happen before killing every living thing is seen as the word of God? The Old Testament speaks of what was taking place among the various tribes, including those inhabiting Jericho.

Remember, this is a time of no antibiotics, no mental health professionals. Word comes that the people inhabiting Jericho were practiced child sacrifice, incest, bestiality, pedophilia to the extent that sexually transmitted disease was running rampant. The abuse of children resulted in children abusing those younger than they, and STDs were spreading from this, not to mention already in infants having had STDs passed on by their mother. Imagine the psychological damage taking place throughout the generations.

The Israelites may have seen these practices and diseases spreading into other tribes (and perhaps into their own?) where illness and death were spreading and mental health deteriorating.

Let's fast forward to the time of Harry S. Truman and the bombing of Hiroshima. The President and others agonized over this decision, but ultimately decided it was the lesser of two very great evils. Today, we still argue over whether it was the right decision. Were the Israelites facing a similar dilemma where they prayed long and hard for an answer? I think there is enough notation in the Bible to give them the benefit of our (legitimate) doubts.

 

[alang1216]

First, what would have to happen before killing every living thing is seen as the word of God? The Old Testament speaks of what was taking place among the various tribes, including those inhabiting Jericho.

Remember, this is a time of no antibiotics, no mental health professionals. Word comes that the people inhabiting Jericho were practiced child sacrifice, incest, bestiality, pedophilia to the extent that sexually transmitted disease was running rampant. The abuse of children resulted in children abusing those younger than they, and STDs were spreading from this, not to mention already in infants having had STDs passed on by their mother. Imagine the psychological damage taking place throughout the generations.

The Israelites may have seen these practices and diseases spreading into other tribes (and perhaps into their own?) where illness and death were spreading and mental health deteriorating.

What Bible are you reading, I don't recall any of that as justifications.

Let's fast forward to the time of Harry S. Truman and the bombing of Hiroshima. The President and others agonized over this decision, but ultimately decided it was the lesser of two very great evils. Today, we still argue over whether it was the right decision. Were the Israelites facing a similar dilemma where they prayed long and hard for an answer? I think there is enough notation in the Bible to give them the benefit of our (legitimate) doubts.

Apples and oranges. To be comparable, Truman would have ordered the Army to go to Hiroshima after the bombing and kill all the survivors.

 

[Meriweather]

What Bible are you reading, I don't recall any of that as justifications.

I am speaking of what is mentioned in other Biblical books, not just Joshua. (Exodus is one good example, and Joshua did take part in that Exodus.)

 

[Meriweather]

Apples and oranges. To be comparable, Truman would have ordered the Army to go to Hiroshima after the bombing and kill all the survivors.

Were innocents killed in Hiroshima? Isn't that comparable to innocents being killed in Jericho?

 

[Carl in Michigan]

Were innocents killed in Hiroshima? Isn't that comparable to innocents being killed in Jerico innocents. The culture was thoroughly corrupted. There is a point where people cannot be redeemed from sin.

There were no innocents. God is concerned about a person's soul -- the afterlife.

This life is the temporary version of the life to come.

 

[alang1216]

Were innocents killed in Hiroshima? Isn't that comparable to innocents being killed in Jericho?

Incidental vs intentional so yes, there is a big moral difference.

 

[alang1216]

I am speaking of what is mentioned in other Biblical books, not just Joshua. (Exodus is one good example, and Joshua did take part in that Exodus.)

I was not aware. Could point me to the passage? Thanks.

 

[Indeependent]

Was telling Joshua to kill every living thing in Jericho a 'Godly' request? If you were asked to commit genocide, how would you know the request came from God and not Satan? Seems like the reality is not so clean as simply good and evil.

Define genocide when the city was offering their children on altars everyday.

 

[Carl in Michigan]

In the fourth generation your descendants will return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.”

 

[Meriweather]

Could point me to the passage?

You are capable of locating them yourself. If nothing else, Google can give you an assist. Put in child sacrifice, beastiality, etc. As I said to begin with, The Book of Joshua does not begin with all the problems in Jericho. However, throughout Exodus and other books we see the acts from which the Israelites were separating themselves from others.

 

[fncceo]

Are You Willing to Do Anything God Asks of You?​

If he asks nice, sure.

If he sends someone else to ask for him, I make no promises.

 

[alang1216]

Define genocide when the city was offering their children on altars everyday.

Human sacrifice was practiced by many Canaanite religions, including at times, the Hebrews themselves.

The story of Jephthah and his unfortunate daughter has been the subject of numerous critical commentaries, ranging from feminist objections to the treatment of women in patriarchal societies to textual analysis suggesting that parts of the Jephthah narrative actually belong to that of the earlier judge Jair. The story of Jephthah's daughter is also thought to show that human sacrifice to Yahweh was not an unknown phenomena. Indeed, as late as the time of the prophet Jeremiah, the residents of Jerusalem were reportedly immolating their children, thinking that this was required by God. Jeremiah 7:31 states:

"They have built the high places of Topheth in the Valley of Ben Hinnom to burn their sons and daughters in the fire—something I did not command, nor did it enter my mind."

While the Valley of Ben Hinnom is traditionally believed to be a place of pagan sacrifice, Jeremiah clearly needs to convince his audience that God does not require such acts. Indeed, while the story of Abraham and Isaac takes place before the story of Jephthah and his daughter, it may be the case that the stories were written in reverse order, in which case the story of Isaac may have been promulgated to counteract the idea that God inspired Jephthah to make his infamous vow. In any case, the story of Isaac's sacrifice, where God saves the child after demanding that the father slay him, seems the exact reverse of the story of Jephthah's daughter, where the father vows to make a similar sacrifice while under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

Some scholars have suggested that in the evolution of the Israelite religion, human sacrifice to Yahweh was not uncommon. In this view, the Israelite practice of redeeming first born sons making offerings at the Temple of Jerusalem may have evolved out of an earlier tradition in which parents were once expected to sacrifice their first born children to God. Later, the Israelites would make their refusal to engage in such practices a hallmark of their religion, in opposition to the Canaanite traditions out of which their faith had evolved.

 

[Indeependent]

Human sacrifice was practiced by many Canaanite religions, including at times, the Hebrews themselves.

The story of Jephthah and his unfortunate daughter has been the subject of numerous critical commentaries, ranging from feminist objections to the treatment of women in patriarchal societies to textual analysis suggesting that parts of the Jephthah narrative actually belong to that of the earlier judge Jair. The story of Jephthah's daughter is also thought to show that human sacrifice to Yahweh was not an unknown phenomena. Indeed, as late as the time of the prophet Jeremiah, the residents of Jerusalem were reportedly immolating their children, thinking that this was required by God. Jeremiah 7:31 states:


While the Valley of Ben Hinnom is traditionally believed to be a place of pagan sacrifice, Jeremiah clearly needs to convince his audience that God does not require such acts. Indeed, while the story of Abraham and Isaac takes place before the story of Jephthah and his daughter, it may be the case that the stories were written in reverse order, in which case the story of Isaac may have been promulgated to counteract the idea that God inspired Jephthah to make his infamous vow. In any case, the story of Isaac's sacrifice, where God saves the child after demanding that the father slay him, seems the exact reverse of the story of Jephthah's daughter, where the father vows to make a similar sacrifice while under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

Some scholars have suggested that in the evolution of the Israelite religion, human sacrifice to Yahweh was not uncommon. In this view, the Israelite practice of redeeming first born sons making offerings at the Temple of Jerusalem may have evolved out of an earlier tradition in which parents were once expected to sacrifice their first born children to God. Later, the Israelites would make their refusal to engage in such practices a hallmark of their religion, in opposition to the Canaanite traditions out of which their faith had evolved.

I hate to break this to you, but if he did it, everyone else was appalled and he probably lost his leadership.
But nice try.

 

[BreezeWood]

Define genocide when the city was offering their children on altars everyday.

surly that is not true ...

“Take your son to the land of Moriah and kill your son there as a sacrifice for me. This must be Isaac, your only son, the one you love. Use him ...

- the heavens made lite of your lying.

 

[Bezukhov]

Some people will do whatever the voices in their heads tell them to do, and damn the consequences.