Originally posted by KellyJayAnd I guess you are okay with all the bizarro entailments of your view that I have been discussing for pages and pages. Oh well, I tried!
It was the God did this ... because, that was where I was having an issue and
still do. You still don't get it! God creates life and takes it away, it is God that
does that no one else, and yet you find fault in some actions God takes. I guess
you are okay with all dying nice peaceful deaths in their sleep in a very old age?
God is not like any other ...[text shortened]... the boundaries on life itself so
there isn't any comparison between God and any other.
Kelly
Originally posted by LemonJelloIn His all-knowingness He apparently decided this was the best way to do the most good in the long run. I am in no position to judge God or tell Him how He should conduct His business. Would you allow a 2-year old to tell you how you should do your business. I guess that would be a "YES" in your case.
So in His all-knowingness and all-powerfulness, He couldn't figure out some other way to save the few?
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Originally posted by RJHindsAre you in any position to understand how you ought to relate with others and conduct your own social affairs? If yes, why are God's affairs so radically different? If no, then I'm not too surprised.
In His all-knowingness He apparently decided this was the best way to do the most good in the long run. I am in no position to judge God or tell Him how He should conduct His business. Would you allow a 2-year old to tell you how you should do your business. I guess that would be a "YES" in your case.
Originally posted by LemonJelloTo understand God’s commandment we must understand that the Canaanites were extremely evil people. They were brutal, cruel, practicing incest, bestiality, and cultic prostitution. They even sacrificed their children to their deity by fire. God had given the people over 400 years to repent (Genesis 15:13-16). When they did not God used the Israelites as an instrument to inflict capital punishment. The Canaanites were aware of God’s awesome power (Joshua 2:10, 11; 9:9). This awareness should have inspired them to repent. The example of Rahab and her family is evidence that not all the Canaanites had to perish (Judges 6:25). Most of the other wars in the Old Testament were defensive ones.
[b]You apparently did not give my post much thought. Whenever the killing occurred, floods, wars, they were always to protect God's people.
You miss the whole point, you think the people that died in the flood were innocent people...they were not.
Are you honestly trying to say that there were no non-guilty entities that suffered and died in such ...[text shortened]...
God is good, He is holy and He is love.[/b]
That's ok. I thank you for your thoughts.[/b]
God does not desire the death of the wicked. He would rather that they turn from the sin than perish (Ezekiel 33:11; John 3:16). The violence commanded by God in the Old Testament was intended only for a particular time and a particular people. He gave no command to continue war forever against unbelievers. At no time in the Bible does God ever command His people to kill those who reject the faith.
In the case of the flood, these people were not entirely human. They were the Nephelim, and this would be an extensive topic in itself..
Originally posted by checkbaiter"Those evil bastards! See, there's one of their children. If we hadn't just conquered them, he would have been sacrificed to an idol at dusk!"
To understand God’s commandment we must understand that the Canaanites were extremely evil people. They were brutal, cruel, practicing incest, bestiality, and cultic prostitution. They even sacrificed their children to their deity by fire. God had given the people over 400 years to repent (Genesis 15:13-16). When they did not God used the Israelites as a ...[text shortened]... ere not entirely human. They were the Nephelim, and this would be an extensive topic in itself..
"So, what do you want us to do with him, captain?"
"Here's a sword. Kill him, since he is the product of such a despicable society."
Originally posted by LemonJelloI try to do the best I can with my limited knowledge and intelligence. I just thank the Lord for what He has allowed me to have. I do not claim to have perfect knowledge in how to relate to other people. So if I offend you I can only ask that you and God will forgive my short comings. Am I wrong to assume that you do not have perfect knowledge to be able to judge God?
Are you in any position to understand how you ought to relate with others and conduct your own social affairs? If yes, why are God's affairs so radically different? If no, then I'm not too surprised.
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Originally posted by checkbaiterFirst of all, there is virtually no evidence in the OT that this wickedness of was either (a) incorrigible or beyond reform; particularly since God is supposed to be all-powerful, you would think He could have made more of an effort in that regard or (b) any worse in that respect than other cultures of the time, such as the Israelites themselves. They were brutal, cruel, incestuous, bestial and prostitutive you say? Yeah, surely the Israelites were never those things in that time. Like remember when the Israelites acceded to slaughter the Canaanites at command to destroy all and show no mercy? Yeah that's not the trait of a cruel or brutal people. 🙄 And I'm sure the Israelites had never heard of such things as incest or bestiality or prostitution. 🙄 And, as for the child sacrifice, it's not even clear in the OT if the Canaanites' putative crime was child sacrifice per se, or just child sacrifice unto Moloch!
To understand God’s commandment we must understand that the Canaanites were extremely evil people. They were brutal, cruel, practicing incest, bestiality, and cultic prostitution. They even sacrificed their children to their deity by fire. God had given the people over 400 years to repent (Genesis 15:13-16). When they did not God used the Israelites as a ...[text shortened]... ere not entirely human. They were the Nephelim, and this would be an extensive topic in itself..
You can treat all the above as just an aside. The fact is, even if it were granted that the Canaanites were an evil people; and even if you were granted that these evils you mention merit being slaughtered by a rival group (which is otherwise rather dubious); you clearly cannot claim that all the Canaanites that were slaughtered were deserving of this fate. What of the innocent children and women? What about their treatment suggests righteous love and justice? God, in His loving way, couldn't bear to have the poor innocent Canaanite children sacrificed unto Moloch's glory; He would rather they be slaughtered without mercy unto His own glory; is that honestly what you are implying here? 🙄
Another (of many others) totally outrageous aspect of this story is the role of the Israelites as the vengeful hand of God, as the "instrument" as you say. God couldn't do his savage and gory and unmerciful (but, oh, according to you, just and loving) dirty work directly; He had to order the Israelites to slaughter for Him? I'm sure it is just great for the moral development of a people for them to be ordered to savagely slaughter another people without mercy. That's clearly how a loving and just father figure would want his children to play with others. 🙄 Is this how a loving and just father instructs?