[Thor]

Originally Posted by OBCT

Sounds like the kind of stuff the god of the universe could command from his creation if he so chose. It's that fine balance between love and justice - sometimes we as humans do things that are "mean" to get the point across to children as a consequence. You know that instance when you know they will not learn unless you impose a consequence even you dislike - for their long-term benefit. Amplify that feeling, your perspective on the situation and your power to intercede ten thousand times, and you'll be just barely on your way to God's understanding of human sin.

Ultimately its just the interpretation, of these words. So this is what organized religion has done for a long time, fine tuning their 'understanding' of what the words mean from the orginal text.

To me its quite clear the people who wrote the testaments are just men reciting a story they believe to be true, not witnesses or humans given divine direction to write the word of god. The fact we see such massive failings in all these books in 'God' is a clear indication to me its not from a supreme being but from flawed humans.

Sure, jealousy is a human emotion, but you've gotta admit that our language limits word choice. That said, God is "jealous" of our attention. And why shouldn't He be? He created us for the primary purpose of praising Him (because He created us; for those of us who accept that idea, it's the least we could do, no?). It might sound childish to you, but it's as straightforward as I can make it.

That to me is the most messed up part, the fact he needs praise, heaven is all about praising him for eternity, those who don't praise him end up in hell for eternity, our thoughts are subject to thought crime.

As a freedom loving human, how do you honestly find peace with a celestial dictator who not only watches you when you wake, but when you think!

I can't really "explain away" the genocide.

Because of religions before Christianity, fear is a KEY component of other religious texts predating the testaments. The followers need to know their god is vengefull and that there is reward to obedience. No strange coincidence these books pre dating Christianity were commissioned by Pharoes and other high leaders of the ancient world to placate the masses who were brutally worked, treated, and the afterlife/promise of paradise was one of the few things those poor souls had to keep them from revolting.

I don't actually have much intelligent to say in regards to the raping virgins text. I suspect there's much more to the story in context than it seems on the surface, but it does come across as lewd and perverse without further review, I'll admit that.

See if this is a book of God, God's word. Then why 2000yrs later is it not clear and conscise. Why isn't it not contradictory, brutal, and massively flawed.

Its a simple answer for me, its written by man, and its about their imagined God.