Bible Stories - Chapter 2

[flamingtiger123456]

Because we have all rejected God, we deserve to die and be separated from God. To be separated from God is to be cut of from the "Tree of Life". Fundamentally, there is no difference between those who died at Heshnob nor those who die in their beds of old age. Who creates life, can take life away.

[barry0728]

Is that so? You sound pro-choice.

[ShespeaksUC]

hahaha no really i actually laughed out loud

love the stories these are awesome!

[flamingtiger123456]

"Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man". Perhaps this does not entirely account for how God can justify the mass murder of woman and children which we see. However, fundamentally we all deserve death. Our lives belong to God, whatever happens to us is because God has allowed it. God controls when we die and how we die. Is there really a difference between someone living to 80, or dying at the age of 16 by a blade?

[flamingtiger123456]

In verse Deuteronomy 2:25 God gives a reason for why Heshbon is so utterly destroyed, he wants to put the "terror and fear of you on all the nations under heaven." From this, it is reasonable to conclude that God's intention was to show his power and authority through his people. The God of the Jews must be real if he gives them the power to destroy a nation so utterly. The Bible tells us that Fear of God encourages us to keep his commandments. In Ecclesiastes 12:13 it says:....

[Transitiving]

I'm glad people aren't reading this stuff looking for inspiration on how to live or looking at god as a role model for how to interact with others

[PinoX7]

hehe, the hells angels are gonna be protesting in my town 2morrow, Funny you mention it

[SpiritualAtheist]

Please don't let them know that I compared them to the ancient Israelites or they'll come looking for my ass! :-)

[7lucky777777]

what are u doing tell me

[anangel13]

There's hardly anything in the bible that can not be "justified" or "explained" by a scholar in the attempt to sweeten the gruesome and cruel things that are described in it: starting off by saying that "those were different tiems".

It sure doesn't seem like the bible and its story needed an upgrade after all, considering it's still THE WORD to follow... ;o)

~Angel XIII~

[laffer35]

Here is a recent example from Youtube.. I commented on a video of a Christian song (Here we are to Worship) asking why they did not make songs about the atrocities God commands in the Bible - after all, being in the Bible, these things should be considered 'good'. I mentioned killing babies as an example.

[laffer35]

(I'm starting to really hate this 500 character limit!)

And here is a reply I got -

"It does say that God commanded for babies be killed, but let's not take it out of its context! WHY did god command that? If they hadn't been killed, HIS CHOSEN PEOPLE would have been killed instead. His greater PLAN would have been destroyed. so yes, god commanded it because it was good."

[SpiritualAtheist]

That's pretty delusional. Unfortunately responses like that are fairly common, especially among fundamentalists.

[laffer35]

I doubt if anyone could have written a more horrible book than the Old Testament even if they set out to write a barbaric book to begin with.

And you're spot on about these Bible scholars trying to make lame excuses for the atrocities comitted in the Bible. I cannot see how anyone in their right mind could try to make up excuses for God killing BABIES!

It's truely amazing and beyond sickening how people can do that.

[laffer35]

In fact, sometimes I doubt they *really* believe this stuff. It seems like they're playing mindgames at times. I mean, any rational person would go insane if he knew there was even the slightest chance he would end up in *eternal* torture!

[laffer35]

(damn 500 character limit!)

And you'd think they would be horribly depressed for the rest of their lives if someone they knew died without believing in God, even if that person was someone they just barely knew.. heck, even the thought of total strangers being tortured *forever* should be enough to make most rational people depressed.

[Censeo]

When I first heard about hell, I believed only really bad persons could ever be sent there. Not just for not believing. Don't many Christians think the same now, or even, that hell don't exist? Or that hell is temporary purification for sinful people?

[laffer35]

Can't say I've heard Christans say that.. however, I have heard a theory that hell does not involve torture but rather a "seperation from God", whatever that means.

[laffer35]

And I forgot to mention - even if only bad people were sent there, I would still find it horrible. I don't think there is any crime so horrible that an eternal punishment is justified.

I don't believe in punishment for the sake of punishment either but that's a different topic.

[Censeo]

I think the same. Punishment can only have three purposes and the last I mention i don't think is valid. Correction, protection from the individual, scare others to do the same (often death penalty). Hell does neither of these, not even the last one, cause we haven't seen anyone go there to suffer.

[SpiritualAtheist]

Yes, hell has evolved over the centuries. Although there are still a fair amount of people who believe hell is eternal and it is fire. At least that's what the polls suggest. It is frightening to think that there are parents, even today, who teach their children that god roasts sinners in an actual fire.

[SpiritualAtheist]

I don't think the public fully appreciates just how vast an ideological difference there is between those who believe in an actual burning hell and those who believe in some metaphorical version.