"God's original purpose that man should be in harmony with God's personality, be like his Creator"
I am no more a sinner than I am a unicorn! Don't talk foolish!
"God's original purpose that man should be in harmony with God's personality, be like his Creator"
You gotta be kidding! The bible God is the most evil and ugly character ever invented in fiction.
vexen.co.uk
1. The Old Testament God is Evil1.1. God Creates Evil Regardless of Human Free Will
"I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the LORD do all these things." (<a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/isaiah.html#Chapter45" jqpu_title=' Isaiah 45:7 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Yeshayahu / Isaiah / Isaias
7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.'>Isaiah 45:7)
<a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/isaiah.html#Chapter45" jqpu_title=' Isaiah 45:7 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Yeshayahu / Isaiah / Isaias
7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.'>Isaiah 45:7 affirms that God creates darkness and disaster. It is not a creation of mankind, nor of fallen beings or Satan. The Hebrew word here that is translated as "disaster" could also mean "wickedness", "hurt", "affliction" or "adversity". God creates these things directly. Any argument that asserts that evil is a result of Human free will must first get over the fact that the Christian Bible states that God creates evil and disaster itself. Not only does this God create darkness and disaster, but it actively "does" them too. For example in <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/job.html#Chapter42" jqpu_title=' Job 42:11 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Iyyo¯bh (Book of Truth) (Job)
11 Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold.'>Job 42:11 God is described as doing evil to Job as part of its test of Job even though Job is described as holy and blameless. In other words, the evil done by God on Job was not the result of Job's free will. Also, his children and animals are all slaughtered too, as collateral damage 1. God doesn't merely create evil and suffering as possibilities, it actively chooses to do them itself.
<a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/psalm_104.html" jqpu_title=' Psalm 104:27-30 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Tehillim (Book of Truth) / Psalms
27 These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season.
28 That thou givest them they gather: thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good.
29 Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust.
30 Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.'>Psalm 104:27-30 notes that God sometimes makes animals happy and sometimes "terrifies them" as part of the daily rhythm of life as described in general by Psalm 104, although the King James Version nicely tones this down to "troubles" them.
The Book of Lamentations confirms that free will cannot stop evil, when evil comes from God, nor can man stop goodness, when goodness comes from God:
Who is he that can speak, and it happens, when the Lord command it not?37
Out of the mouth of the Most High proceedeth not both evil and good?38<a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/lamentations.html#Chapter3" jqpu_title=' Lamentations 3:37-38 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Eikhah / Lamentations
37 Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?
38 Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good?'>Lamentations 3:37-38
1.2. Satan and God are Interchangeable 2
“Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.”
<a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/psalms.html#Chapter139" jqpu_title=' Psalms 139:12 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Tehillim (Book of Truth) / Psalms
12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.'>Psalms 139:12 (KJV)
“And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.”
<a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/2_corinthians.html#Chapter11" jqpu_title=' 2 Corinthians 11:14 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: 2 Corinthians
14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.'>2 Corinthians 11:14
As various authors copied copies of the Hebrew Scriptures, changes accumulated in the stories. Sometimes, the same story appears twice. There are even two accounts of the Creation that contradict each other in the details. One such doubled story shows us clearly that the Old Testament God is evil, and Satan itself is not a separate being, but is actually part of God, a face of God. There is one occasion when David took a census of his men in order to count how many could fight in the armies of Israel. <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/1_chronicles.html#Chapter21" jqpu_title=' 1 Chronicles 21:2 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Chronicles / 1 Chronicles / 1 Paralipomenon
2 And David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go, number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan; and bring the number of them to me, that I may know it.'>1 Chronicles 21:2 and <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/2_samuel.html#Chapter24" jqpu_title=' 2 Samuel 24:2 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Shemuel (2nd half) / 2 Samuel / 2 Kingdoms
2 For the king said to Joab the captain of the host, which was with him, Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the number of the people.'>2 Samuel 24:2 both contain a copy of the exact same text:
“So David said to Joab and the commanders of the troops, "Go and count the Israelites from Beersheba to Dan. Then report back to me so that I may know how many there are."”
<a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/1_chronicles.html#Chapter21" jqpu_title=' 1 Chronicles 21:2 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Chronicles / 1 Chronicles / 1 Paralipomenon
2 And David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go, number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan; and bring the number of them to me, that I may know it.'>1 Chronicles 21:2
| “So the king said to Joab and the army commanders with him, "Go throughout the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beersheba and enroll the fighting men, so that I may know how many there are."”
<a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/2_samuel.html#Chapter24" jqpu_title=' 2 Samuel 24:2 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Shemuel (2nd half) / 2 Samuel / 2 Kingdoms
2 For the king said to Joab the captain of the host, which was with him, Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the number of the people.'>2 Samuel 24:2
|
What had happened is that God had a rule: That David was not allowed to 'number' Israel. But, for some reason, David went ahead and did so. As a result, God punished them all for breaking his rule. But, it is very telling when we examine the preceding verse: Who inspired David to count Israel's fighting men?
“Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel.”
<a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/1_chronicles.html#Chapter21" jqpu_title=' 1 Chronicles 21:1 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Chronicles / 1 Chronicles / 1 Paralipomenon
1 And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.'>1 Chronicles 21:1
| “The anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, "Go and take a census of Israel and Judah."”
<a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/2_samuel.html#Chapter24" jqpu_title=' 2 Samuel 24:1 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Shemuel (2nd half) / 2 Samuel / 2 Kingdoms
1 And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah.'>2 Samuel 24:1
|
In one copy of the story, we are told Satan told David to do so. In the other, it was God. How can this be? It is because in the Old Testament, Satan and God are the same being. Satan in the Old Testament is merely the face that God puts on when it is testing its people. "The anger of the Lord" is Satan. It was common in old religions ( Hinduism, Roman religions, etc) for gods to have multiple faces, each associated with different emotions. In the Christian Bible, Satan is God.
A similar confusion of roles happens in the Book of Job. In <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/job.html#Chapter1" jqpu_title=' Job 1:8-12 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Iyyo¯bh (Book of Truth) (Job)
8 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?
9 Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?
10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.
11 But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.
12 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.'>Job 1:8-12 Satan approaches God and asks to test Job's loyalty to God. In <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/job.html#Chapter1" jqpu_title=' Job 1:11 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Iyyo¯bh (Book of Truth) (Job)
11 But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.'>Job 1:11 it is God who is asked "put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face". Satan's idea is that if God demolishes Job's good life, then Job will no longer be faithful to God. But Satan can't do this itself as it is God that has the power to do evil. In the next verse God gives that power to Satan:
“And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand.”
<a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/job.html#Chapter1" jqpu_title=' Job 1:12 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Iyyo¯bh (Book of Truth) (Job)
12 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.'>Job 1:12 [KJV]
So, Satan acts only when God gives it power to do so. Once again, we see that God and Satan are merely two facets of the same being. One final verse seals this idea. Who, when it comes to the concluding of the story in chapter 42, is given the credit for bringing evil against Job? It is God itself:
“[Job's friends and family] comforted him over all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him.”
<a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/job.html#Chapter42" jqpu_title=' Job 42:11 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Iyyo¯bh (Book of Truth) (Job)
11 Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold.'>Job 42:11 [KJV]
Other translations such as Young's Literal Translation phrase it in the same way. God and Satan are intertwined. Satan can't do anything except by the will of God. <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/psalms.html#Chapter139" jqpu_title=' Psalms 139:12 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Tehillim (Book of Truth) / Psalms
12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.'>Psalms 139:12, <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/1_chronicles.html#Chapter21" jqpu_title=' 1 Chronicles 21:1-2 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Chronicles / 1 Chronicles / 1 Paralipomenon
1 And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.
2 And David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go, number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan; and bring the number of them to me, that I may know it.'>1 Chronicles 21:1-2 and <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/2_samuel.html#Chapter24" jqpu_title=' 2 Samuel 24:1-2 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Shemuel (2nd half) / 2 Samuel / 2 Kingdoms
1 And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah.
2 For the king said to Joab the captain of the host, which was with him, Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the number of the people.'>2 Samuel 24:1-2, and <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/job.html#Chapter1" jqpu_title=' Job 1:8-12 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Iyyo¯bh (Book of Truth) (Job)
8 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?
9 Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?
10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.
11 But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.
12 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.'>Job 1:8-12, <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/job.html#Chapter42" jqpu_title=' 42:11 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Iyyo¯bh (Book of Truth) (Job)
11 Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold.'>42:11 all confuse good and evil, God and Satan into one single creative force, with God being described as not only the source of evil, but as its actual instigator. God cannot be benevolent.
1.3. Fear God 3
"And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people"<a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/exodus.html#Chapter32" jqpu_title=' Exodus 32:14 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Shemot / Exodus
14 And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.'>Exodus 32:14
"The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name"
<a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/exodus.html#Chapter15" jqpu_title=' Exodus 15:3 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Shemot / Exodus
3 The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name.'>Exodus 15:3
"For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God"
<a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/exodus.html#Chapter34" jqpu_title=' Exodus 34:14 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Shemot / Exodus
14 For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:'>Exodus 34:14
"Blessed is everyone that feareth the Lord."
Psalms 128
The Old Testament describes God as angry, fearsome, destructive and vengeful. In continual deviance from what a good god would do, and feel, the God of the Old Testament sometimes repents of its own actions and thoughts. How can a god that knows everything, and is never wrong, repent? How can a good god even have evil thoughts, let alone do evil actions?
It seems one thing that Old Testament gets right is its assertions that we should fear god. See <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/leviticus.html#Chapter25" jqpu_title=' Lev. 25:17 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Vayikra / Leviticus
17 Ye shall not therefore oppress one another; but thou shalt fear thy God: for I am the LORD your God.'>Lev. 25:17; <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/deuteronomy.html#Chapter6" jqpu_title=' Deut. 6:2 [KJV]' jqpu_content="About: Devarim / Deuteronomy
2 That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged.">Deut. 6:2, <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/deuteronomy.html#Chapter6" jqpu_title=' 6:13 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Devarim / Deuteronomy
13 Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name.'>6:13, <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/deuteronomy.html#Chapter10" jqpu_title=' 10:12 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Devarim / Deuteronomy
12 And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,'>10:12, <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/deuteronomy.html#Chapter10" jqpu_title=' 10:20 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Devarim / Deuteronomy
20 Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name.'>10:20, <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/deuteronomy.html#Chapter31" jqpu_title=' 31:12-13 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Devarim / Deuteronomy
12 Gather the people together, men and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the LORD your God, and observe to do all the words of this law:
13 And that their children, which have not known any thing, may hear, and learn to fear the LORD your God, as long as ye live in the land whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.'>31:12-13; <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/joshua.html#Chapter4" jqpu_title=' Joshua 4:24 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Yehoshua / Joshua / Josue / Lesous
24 That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the LORD, that it is mighty: that ye might fear the LORD your God for ever.'>Joshua 4:24; <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/1_samuel.html#Chapter12" jqpu_title=' 1 Sam. 12:14 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Shemuel (1st half) / 1 Samuel / 1 Kindgoms
14 If ye will fear the LORD, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall both ye and also the king that reigneth over you continue following the LORD your God:'>1 Sam. 12:14; <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/2_kings.html#Chapter17" jqpu_title=' 2 Kings 17:39 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Melakhim (2nd half) / 2 Kings / 4 Kingdoms
39 But the LORD your God ye shall fear; and he shall deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies.'>2 Kings 17:39; <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/job.html#Chapter28" jqpu_title=' Job 28:28 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Iyyo¯bh (Book of Truth) (Job)
28 And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the LORD, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.'>Job 28:28; <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/psalms.html#Chapter19" jqpu_title=' Psalms 19:9 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Tehillim (Book of Truth) / Psalms
9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.'>Psalms 19:9, <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/psalms.html#Chapter25" jqpu_title=' 25:14 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Tehillim (Book of Truth) / Psalms
14 The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.'>25:14, <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/psalms.html#Chapter33" jqpu_title=' 33:8 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Tehillim (Book of Truth) / Psalms
8 Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.'>33:8, <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/psalms.html#Chapter33" jqpu_title=' 33:18 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Tehillim (Book of Truth) / Psalms
18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;'>33:18, <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/psalms.html#Chapter34" jqpu_title=' 34:9 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Tehillim (Book of Truth) / Psalms
9 O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.'>34:9, <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/psalms.html#Chapter96" jqpu_title=' 96:4 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Tehillim (Book of Truth) / Psalms
4 For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods.'>96:4, <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/psalms.html#Chapter103" jqpu_title=' 103:11 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Tehillim (Book of Truth) / Psalms
11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.'>103:11, <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/psalms.html#Chapter103" jqpu_title=' 103:17 [KJV]' jqpu_content="About: Tehillim (Book of Truth) / Psalms
17 But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children;">103:17, <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/psalms.html#Chapter111" jqpu_title=' 111:10 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Tehillim (Book of Truth) / Psalms
10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.'>111:10, <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/psalms.html#Chapter112" jqpu_title=' 112:1 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Tehillim (Book of Truth) / Psalms
1 Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.'>112:1, <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/psalms.html#Chapter115" jqpu_title=' 115:13 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Tehillim (Book of Truth) / Psalms
13 He will bless them that fear the LORD, both small and great.'>115:13, <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/psalms.html#Chapter128" jqpu_title=' 128:1 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Tehillim (Book of Truth) / Psalms
1 Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways.'>128:1, <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/psalms.html#Chapter147" jqpu_title=' 147:11 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Tehillim (Book of Truth) / Psalms
11 The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.'>147:11; <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/proverbs.html#Chapter1" jqpu_title=' Proverbs 1:7 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Mishlei (Book of Truth) / Proverbs
7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.'>Proverbs 1:7, <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/proverbs.html#Chapter22" jqpu_title=' 22:4 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Mishlei (Book of Truth) / Proverbs
4 By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.'>22:4, <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/proverbs.html#Chapter24" jqpu_title=' 24:21 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Mishlei (Book of Truth) / Proverbs
21 My son, fear thou the LORD and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change:'>24:21; <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/ecclesiastes.html#Chapter5" jqpu_title=' Ecc. 5:7 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Qoheleth / Ecclesiastes
7 For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God.'>Ecc. 5:7, <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/ecclesiastes.html#Chapter12" jqpu_title=' 12:13 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Qoheleth / Ecclesiastes
13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.'>12:13; <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/jeremiah.html#Chapter5" jqpu_title=' Jer. 5:22 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Yirmeyahu / Jeremiah / Jeremias
22 Fear ye not me? saith the LORD: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it?'>Jer. 5:22. We should definitely fear such a god as this!
In Old Testament times, people were exposed to many different Gods. Frequently, people would simply have to be scared into worshipping one god over another. By representing it as powerful, destructive, jealous and harsh, the Jews who wrote the Old Testament were affirming that they believed their God should be worshipped, and other Gods should be abandoned.
"The third century Church Father, Tertullian, could not imagine how God could not demand fear":
“
But how are you going to love, without some fear that you do not love? Surely [an unfeared God] is neither your Father, towards whom your love for duty's sake should be consistent with fear because of His power; nor your proper Lord, whom you should love for His humanity and fear as your teacher.”
Tertullian 4
Quoted from " The Dark Side of Christian History" by Helen Ellerbe (1995) 5
1.4. Adam and Eve and Original Sin: The Immoral Schemes of God  The Adam and Eve story shows god as an immoral bad parent, not as a loving God (2006)
The immoral doctrine of original sin, where children are punished for the sins of their parents is hardly the scheme of a moral god. Adam and Eve were punished with death, pain, suffering and caused the evil of all mankind... yet they themselves 'sinned' before they knew the difference between Good and Evil. God must be immoral, if it punishes innocent people for sins they do not understand and could not resist.
1.5. The New Testament Tells us that the Old Testament God is Evil 2nd Century Marcionite Christians believed that the Old Testament God was Evil (2006)
The author of the Gospel of Luke wrote that Jesus said that 'a tree is known by its fruit' (<a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/luke.html#Chapter6" jqpu_title=' Luke 6:43-44 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Luke
43 For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
44 For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.'>Luke 6:43-44): "Good trees do not produce rotten fruit, and rotten trees do not produce good fruit". The Old Testament God, who says that he "creates evil" (<a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/amos.html#Chapter3" jqpu_title=' Amos. 3:6 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Amo¯s / Amos
6 Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?'>Amos. 3:6, <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/isaiah.html#Chapter45" jqpu_title=' Isaiah 45:7 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Yeshayahu / Isaiah / Isaias
7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.'>Isaiah 45:7), cannot therefore be a 'good tree', but must be a rotten one. <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/luke.html#Chapter12" jqpu_title=' Luke 12:5 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Luke
5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.'>Luke 12:5 warns us to fear God above anything else in life. An ancient form of Christianity was preached by Marcion, who realized that the God of the Old Testament must be Evil. As Marcion believed that the Good News of the New Testament was the plan of salvation from a good God, he believed that through Jesus the evil god the Old Testament had been defeated.
2. The New Testament God is Also EvilJesus and the Disciples accepted the Old Testament as God's word. They could only do this if they themselves believed that God was not benevolent. They also preached the goodness of God, despite his apparent evil. This is because they, like the writers of the Old Testament, do not care if god is 'good' or 'evil', they merely wish to do its will, in order to get rewards in heaven.
The Book of Revelations is the climax and final book of the New Testament, where it is said that God will once again revert to his Old Testament ways... the suffering and pain described in the apocalypse is something that a good god could never let happen. To even believe that God do this is to believe in a monstrous demon of a God.
2.1. No Free Will The New Testament preaches at great length that we have no free will, and that God's punishment is arbitrary
The Bible teaches that there is no free will. Examining <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/exodus.html#Chapter33" jqpu_title=' Exodus [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Shemot / Exodus
19 And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.'>Exodus, <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/ecclesiastes.html#Chapter7" jqpu_title=' Ecclesiastes 7 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Qoheleth / Ecclesiastes
13 Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?'>Ecclesiastes 7, <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/ephesians.html#Chapter1" jqpu_title=' Ephesians 1 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Ephesians
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.'>Ephesians 1, <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/ephesians.html#Chapter2" jqpu_title=' Ephesians 2 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Ephesians
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.'>Ephesians 2, <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/matthew.html#Chapter5" jqpu_title=' Matthew 5:45 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Matthew
45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.'>Matthew 5:45, <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/acts.html#Chapter13" jqpu_title=' Acts 13 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Acts
48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.'>Acts 13, <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/romans.html#Chapter8" jqpu_title=' Romans 8 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Romans
28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.'>Romans 8, <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/romans.html#Chapter9" jqpu_title=' Roman 9 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Romans
10 And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;
11 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)
12 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.
15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.
18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.
19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?'>Roman 9, <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/2_timothy.html#Chapter1" jqpu_title=' 2 Timothy [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: 2 Timothy
9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,'>2 Timothy, <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/2_thessalonians.html#Chapter2" jqpu_title=' 2 Thessalonians [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: 2 Thessalonians
13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:'>2 Thessalonians, <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/titus.html#Chapter3" jqpu_title=' Titus 3:4-5 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Titus
4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,
5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;'>Titus 3:4-5 and <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/revelation.html#Chapter13" jqpu_title=' Revelations [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Revelation
8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.'>Revelations, we see that God's plan overrides our free will; those that do good do the specific good that God predestined them to do, and all others are ruled by Satan because God sends "powerful delusions" to them. The Christian Bible frequently states that God creates our future and decides our fates, no matter what our own will is. It constantly denies that we have free will. Some of the foremost Christians in history have taught that there is no free will, including St. Augustine (one of the four great founders of Western Christianity 6), Martin Luther (founder of Protestantism) and John Calvin.
The doctrine of predestination is like the doctrine of original sin. They affirm that God is not just, not moral, and is actively evil and arbitrary. Not only do god's plans override free will, but, God also punishes those who it has predetermined to be punished. There is no grand moral plan to god's will. It makes no sense to say that this is the behaviour of a good god. The New Testament makes more sense if its schemes are the plan of an evil god, rather than a good one.
2.2. God Destroys Families
Contradictions: The Bible also contains many verses that promote family values.
God itself sets some very poor examples when it comes to parenting.
“<a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/genesis.html#Chapter6" jqpu_title=' Genesis 6:7 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Bereishit / Genesis
7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.'>Genesis 6:7 says "And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them". What does this teach us? If our children do not turn out how we wished, then, we can follow the example of the perfectly just Christian God, and destroy them. And anything around them, including animals and other people. We can deliver group punishments in accordance with the worst offenders amongst them, and, the less bad amongst them are simply unlucky to have been around at the wrong time. It seems that when it comes to good parenting, it is not to the Christian God that we should look!”
"Noah, the Ark and the Flood, from the Bible Book of Genesis: 7.2. The Monstrous Actions of an Immoral God" by Vexen Crabtree (2013)
Genesis furnishes us with some additional horror in the stories of Lot and his family who lived in Sodom, and, of Abraham and his precious first son Isaac. In Genesis chapters 18 and 19, Lot is rescued from destruction by God's actions for his noble and commendable actions. What did he do? He tried to protect 3 male guests who had arrived at his house, from a mob outside who wanted to rape them. His method of protection was to send out his two virgin daughters and tell the crowd they could do as they pleased with them. In case we doubt God's judgement of Lot, Lot then goes and has children by both of his daughters. The story of Abraham and Isaac in Genesis chapter 22 has Abraham obey the voices in his head which tell him to murder his only son Isaac on an altar as a sacrifice to God. Abraham complies, and is massively rewarded by God. Any moral person would have sternly told Abraham that he failed God's test. These two stories tell us that obediance and male honour are valued far ahead of the protection of the family; rape of young daughters and child murder are both preferable to disobeying voices in your head, and risking your male guests from being mobbed.
<a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/deuteronomy.html#Chapter13" jqpu_title=' Deuteronomy 13:6-9 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Devarim / Deuteronomy
6 If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which is as thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which thou hast not known, thou, nor thy fathers;
7 Namely, of the gods of the people which are round about you, nigh unto thee, or far off from thee, from the one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth;
8 Thou shalt not consent unto him, nor hearken unto him; neither shall thine eye pity him, neither shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou conceal him:
9 But thou shalt surely kill him; thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people.'>Deuteronomy 13:6-9 says that if your relatives or friends try to get you to worship other gods, firstly you must not give in to them, and secondly, you must kill them. That's right - kill your relatives if they try to draw you away from your religion, "without pity". <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/genesis.html#Chapter17" jqpu_title=' Genesis 17:10,12,14 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Bereishit / Genesis
10 This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised. [...]
12 And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed. [...]
14 And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.'>Genesis 17:10,12,14 teaches that newborns are to be circumcized, and, those who are not are to be cast away from their friends and family. There seems to be no way to view such teachings in a moral way. The author(s) of the Bible severely lacked moral compassion and a sense of justice. Even when aiming at noble goals, such as respect for family life, the moral teachings derived from this instinct go instantly awry in the Bible - note that the punishment for cursing one's father or mother, and for adultery, is death (<a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/exodus.html#Chapter21" jqpu_title=' Exodus 21:17 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Shemot / Exodus
17 And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death.'>Exodus 21:17).
Throughout the Old Testament, male children are promised by God as the ultimate reward, women are often unable to bear children (but this fate never happens to men). Throughout the Old and New, the unequal and barbaric position of women in the family compared to men is infamously misogynistic - there are too many related verses to repeat here.
The teachings of Jesus do not bring much in the way of hope for family life:
“Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.”
<a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/matthew.html#Chapter10" jqpu_title=' Matthew 10:34-37 [KJV]' jqpu_content="About: Matthew
34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.">Matthew 10:34-37
“Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division: For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.”
<a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/luke.html#Chapter12" jqpu_title=' Luke 12:51-53 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Luke
51 Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:
52 For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three.
53 The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.'>Luke 12:51-53
Milder verses continue the theme; Jesus in <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/mark.html#Chapter3" jqpu_title=' Mark 3:31-35 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Mark
31 There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him.
32 And the multitude sat about him, and they said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee.
33 And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren?
34 And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!
35 For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.'>Mark 3:31-35 leaves his "brethren and his mother" outside after they call for him; giving no reason at all for shunning them, he instead says that his followers were his brethren and mother. <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/luke.html#Chapter2" jqpu_title=' Luke 2:41-49 [KJV]' jqpu_content="About: Luke
41 Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover.
42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast.
43 And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it.
44 But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day's journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance.
45 And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him.
46 And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.
47 And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.
48 And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.
49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?">Luke 2:41-49 tells a story of a 12-year-old Jesus; he wonders off for three days and his parents search for him, before finding him in a temple. They exclaim to him that they've been looking for him sorrowfully, and his cold response is covered by the last two verses of that story: "How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business? And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them". In both places a little courtesy would have cost nothing. The lack of respect continues in another story in Luke:
“"When one of his women listeners was so entranced by his teaching that she cried out 'Happy the womb that bore you and the breasts that you sucked!' Jesus shrugged off this praise of his mother. She was irrelevant: 'Still happier those who hear the word of God and keep it.' (<a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/luke.html#Chapter11" jqpu_title=' Luke 11:27-28 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Luke
27 And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked.
28 But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.'>Luke 11:27-28)."”
"The Gospel According to Woman: Christianity's Creation of the Sex War in the West" by Karen Armstrong (1986) 7
It is strange to hear Christians promote Christian family values as if they were a good thing, when the feelings of relatives are of such little concern to Jesus.
2.3. Jesus and the Crucifixion - A Trick 8Lance Sievert wrote:
“If I was The Devil I would manifest myself inside of a virgin, say that I am the Son of God and convince everyone that they can now be forgiven for every sin just by asking, thus opening the floodgates for an unprecedented and unending torrent of sin.
I would start with the uneducated and the poor. I would impress them with some magic tricks, teach them to pretend to eat my flesh, drink my blood and always, ALWAYS, use MY name when speaking to God.
I would most assuredly use my immortality to fool them into thinking I came back from the dead as proof of my divinity.
What better way to channel more souls away from God and straight into Hell?”
Lance Sievert
For a fuller analysis of the illogical nature of the crucifixion, see:
"The Crucifixion Facade" by Vexen Crabtree (2002)
The evidence and logic is even more compelling than the anecdote above. The whole scheme of the life of Jesus does not add up, and it is very hard to reconcile it with the plans of an all-knowing, good God. The crucifixion makes no sense. The crucifixion did not empower God as God is omnipotent. It did not aid its understanding of Humanity, as God is omniscient. God did not need to become Human to experience Human suffering: God already knew. God is able to judge us perfectly, because God is perfect, just and all-knowing. The crucifixion of Jesus did not improve God's judgement of us, as God's judgement was perfect both before and after the crucifixion. The crucifixion did not aid us, as "knowing Jesus" was not the point of the crucifixion unless God has arbitrarily condemned everyone to hell who happened to live before the founding of Christianity. That those who lived before the time of Jesus' crucifixion are also judged fairly by (perfect) God means that there was no actual point to it all except as a needless public relations exercise. The entire escapade seems to be an irrational story copied from pre-Christian myths.
But it does make sense if the God of the Bible is evil. Then the magic tricks make sense, as Lance Sievert has said, as the successful attempts of an evil god to impress us simple mortals.
3. Genocides and Divine Incitements to Murder3.1. Violence and Murder Endorsed in the Christian Bible
The Old Testament was rife with occasions when God not only sanctioned the murder, pillage and rape of the enemies of his chosen people, but, often God itself joined in, directly smiting people itself. <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/jeremiah.html#Chapter48" jqpu_title=' Jeremiah 48:10 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Yirmeyahu / Jeremiah / Jeremias
10 Cursed be he that doeth the work of the LORD deceitfully, and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood.'>Jeremiah 48:10 declares: "A curse on him who is lax in doing the LORD's work! A curse on him who keeps his sword from bloodshed!". It reminds me of <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/exodus.html#Chapter15" jqpu_title=' Exodus 15:3 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Shemot / Exodus
3 The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name.'>Exodus 15:3: "The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name".
It is clear that violence has a divine Biblical endorsement. But for what ends? <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/luke.html#Chapter14" jqpu_title=' Luke 14:23 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Luke
23 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.'>Luke 14:23 says "Compel people to come in!" for the purpose of "filling" the Church. Jesus himself declared "think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword" (<a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/matthew.html#Chapter10" jqpu_title=' Matthew 10:34 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Matthew
34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.'>Matthew 10:34). And henceforth, Christian history contains many unfortunate chapters where Christian groups anathematized one another as heretics, and proceeded to burn, torture and murder those who disagreed. Victims have been anyone who disagreed even on confusing technical points of Christian doctrine, members of other religions such as Muslims and Jews, and it seems, many other innocent victims ranging from outcasts who were accused of witchcraft ("Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live" - <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/exodus.html#Chapter22" jqpu_title=' Exodus 22:18 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Shemot / Exodus
18 Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.'>Exodus 22:18), homosexuals and finally, a small number who have genuinely plotted against the Church.
 Such attitudes are not merely disasters found in history. Even in the twentieth century, Pope Leo XII argued for violence and murder, based on religion:
“The death sentence is a necessary and efficacious means for the Church to attain its end when rebels act against it and disturbers of the ecclesiastical unity, especially obstinate heretics and heresiarchs, cannot be restrained by any other penalty. [...] If there be no other remedy for saving its people it can and must put these wicked men to death.”
Pope Leo XII 9
3.2. Some Genocides Committed Directly by GodSome of the genocides committed by God in the Bible are of the young, the innocent, and some are even the results of accidents. (Click the links below for full descriptions):
- 2 Kings 2:23-24 : 42 children are killed for calling a prophet "baldy", by two she-bears.
- 1 Samuel 6:19 : God kills 50 070 (or 70) of the men of Beth Shemesh for looking in (or "at") the Ark of the Covenant.
- 1 Kings 20:30 : God makes a wall fall on and kill 27 000 of an army retreating from some Israelites.
- Numbers 16:16-49 : Death to all those who complain (14 950 of them altogether).
- 2 Samuel 6:6-11 : God kills someone for accidentally touching the Ark of the Covenant.
- The Flood, which saw God wipe out all of humankind, is neither a good response to being displeased, nor is it even a good moral story symbolically. The authors of this story believed in an immoral and fearsome god which should be wholly rejected. See: "Noah, the Ark and the Flood, from the Bible Book of Genesis" by Vexen Crabtree (2013).
3.3. Genocides Committed or Ordered By GodThis collection of Biblical genocides was started by a different author whose credentials I misplaced in the 1990s; it is not a complete documentation of divine slaughter in the Bible, but there are numerous books which do have fuller lists. Here is a snapshot:
<a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/exodus.html#Chapter32" jqpu_title=' Exodus 32:27-28 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Shemot / Exodus
27 And he said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.
28 And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.'>Exodus 32:27-28 "[Moses' orders to his army] he said to them, "The Lord God of Israel commands every one of you to put on his sword and go through the camp from this gate to the other and kill his brothers, his friends and his neighbours. The Levites obeyed and killed about 3000 Men that day."
<a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/exodus.html#Chapter32" jqpu_title=' Exodus 32:29 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Shemot / Exodus
29 For Moses had said, Consecrate yourselves today to the LORD, even every man upon his son, and upon his brother; that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day.'>Exodus 32:29 "Moses said to the Levites, "Today you have consecrated yourselves as priests in the service of the Lord by killing your sons and brothers, so the Lord has given you his blessing."
<a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/numbers.html#Chapter31" jqpu_title=' Numbers 31:17 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Bamidbar / Numbers
17 Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him.'>Numbers 31:17 (Moses) "Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him (in other words: women that might be pregnant)."
<a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/deuteronomy.html#Chapter7" jqpu_title=' Deuteronomy 7:1 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Devarim / Deuteronomy
1 When the LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou;'>Deuteronomy 7:1 "When Yahweh your god has settled you in the land you're about to occupy, and driven out many infidels before you...you're to cut them down and exterminate them. You're to make no compromise with them or show them any mercy."
<a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/joshua.html#Chapter6" jqpu_title=' Joshua 6:21-24 [KJV]' jqpu_content="About: Yehoshua / Joshua / Josue / Lesous
21 And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword.
22 But Joshua had said unto the two men that had spied out the country, Go into the harlot's house, and bring out thence the woman, and all that she hath, as ye sware unto her.
23 And the young men that were spies went in, and brought out Rahab, and her father, and her mother, and her brethren, and all that she had; and they brought out all her kindred, and left them without the camp of Israel.
24 And they burnt the city with fire, and all that was therein: only the silver, and the gold, and the vessels of brass and of iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the LORD.">Joshua 6:21-24 "With their swords they killed everyone in the city, men, women, young and old. They also killed the cattle, sheep and donkeys. ... And they burnt the city with fire, and all that was therein: only the silver, and the gold, and the vessels of brass and of iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the Lord."
Judges 20: Description a battle and city-burning, with no morality or sense of loss at all.
<a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/judges.html#Chapter20" jqpu_title=' Judges 20:42-48 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Shofetim / Judges
42 Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel unto the way of the wilderness; but the battle overtook them; and them which came out of the cities they destroyed in the midst of them.
43 Thus they inclosed the Benjamites round about, and chased them, and trode them down with ease over against Gibeah toward the sunrising.
44 And there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men; all these were men of valor.
45 And they turned and fled toward the wilderness unto the rock of Rimmon: and they gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men; and pursued hard after them unto Gidom, and slew two thousand men of them.
46 So that all which fell that day of Benjamin were twenty and five thousand men that drew the sword; all these were men of valor.
47 But six hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness unto the rock Rimmon, and abode in the rock Rimmon four months.
48 And the men of Israel turned again upon the children of Benjamin, and smote them with the edge of the sword, as well the men of every city, as the beast, and all that came to hand: also they set on fire all the cities that they came to.'>Judges 20:42-48 "... and them which came out of the cities they destroyed in the midst of them. ... And there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand of the best Benjamine soldiers; ... and they gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men; ... and slew two thousand men of them. So that all which fell that day of Benjamin were twenty and five thousand men that drew the sword; ... And the men of Israel turned again upon the children of Benjamin, and smote them with the edge of the sword, as well the men of every city, as the beast, and all that came to hand: also they set on fire all the cities that they came to."
<a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/1_kings.html#Chapter20" jqpu_title=' 1 Kings 20:30 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Melakhim (1st half) / 1 Kings / 3 Kingdoms
30 But the rest fled to Aphek, into the city; and there a wall fell upon twenty and seven thousand of the men that were left. And Benhadad fled, and came into the city, into an inner chamber.'>1 Kings 20:30 "But the rest fled to Aphek, into the city; and there a wall fell upon twenty and seven thousand of the men that were left."
<a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/1_samuel.html#Chapter15" jqpu_title=' 1 Samuel 15:1-8 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Shemuel (1st half) / 1 Samuel / 1 Kindgoms
1 Samuel also said unto Saul, The LORD sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the LORD.
2 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt.
3 Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.
4 And Saul gathered the people together, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah.
5 And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley.
6 And Saul said unto the Kenites, Go, depart, get you down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them: for ye showed kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.
7 And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until thou comest to Shur, that is over against Egypt.
8 And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.'>1 Samuel 15:1-8 "Now listen to what the Lord Almighty says. He is going to punish the people of Amalek because their ancestors opposed the Israelites... 3-8 : With 210000 soldiers they killed all the men, women, children, babies, cattle, camels and donkeys."
<a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/esther.html#Chapter9" jqpu_title=' Esther 9:12-16 [KJV]' jqpu_content="About: Esther
12 And the king said unto Esther the queen, The Jews have slain and destroyed five hundred men in Shushan the palace, and the ten sons of Haman; what have they done in the rest of the king's provinces? now what is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee: or what is thy request further? and it shall be done.
13 Then said Esther, If it please the king, let it be granted to the Jews which are in Shushan to do to morrow also according unto this day's decree, and let Haman's ten sons be hanged upon the gallows.
14 And the king commanded it so to be done: and the decree was given at Shushan; and they hanged Haman's ten sons.
15 For the Jews that were in Shushan gathered themselves together on the fourteenth day also of the month Adar, and slew three hundred men at Shushan; but on the prey they laid not their hand.
16 But the other Jews that were in the king's provinces gathered themselves together, and stood for their lives, and had rest from their enemies, and slew of their foes seventy and five thousand, but they laid not their hands on the prey,">Esther 9:12-16: The Jews slaughter enemies in an internal strife in the Persian empire, at least 75800 enemies are killed.
<a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/hosea.html#Chapter13" jqpu_title=' Hosea 13:16 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Ho¯shea / Hosea / Osee
16 Samaria shall become desolate; for she hath rebelled against her God: they shall fall by the sword: their infants shall be dashed in pieces, and their women with child shall be ripped up.'>Hosea 13:16 "Samaria shall become desolate; for she hath rebelled against her God: they shall fall by the sword: their infants shall be dashed in pieces, and their women with child shall be ripped up."
Revelations is full of genocides. Here are some.
<a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/revelation.html#Chapter6" jqpu_title=' Revelation 6:8 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Revelation
8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.'>Revelation 6:8 (the 4th seal) "I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.
<a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/revelation.html#Chapter9" jqpu_title=' Revelation 9:15 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Revelation
15 And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.'>Revelation 9:15 (the 6th seal) "And the four angels who had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year were released to kill a third of mankind."
Revelation 4th Seal and 6th Seal. Here's a quick calculation assuming an initial population of 6 000 000 000:
1/4 are killed when the 4th seal is opened: 1/4 of 6.0 billion is 1.5 billion, leaving 4.5 billion survivors.
1/3 are killed then the 6th seal is opened: 1/3 of 4.5 billion is 1.5 billion, leaving 3.0 billion survivors.
Exactly half of Humankind are killed, and this calculation uses only two of the seven seals!
It is an incredibly difficult task to explain to Christians who decide to kill in god's name that they are in fact going against the Bible, because this is simply not the case.
4. Sowing Seeds of Confusion - Not the Antics of a Good God 10The Book of Numbers in the Hebrew Scriptures / Old Testament contains two examples of some very limited communication methods used by God. Both would have serious deleterious consequences if we didn't ignore these verses.
- <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/numbers.html#Chapter12" jqpu_title=' Numbers 12:6 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Bamidbar / Numbers
6 And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.'>Numbers 12:6 has God say "Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I, the Lord, will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream". But this is a clear-cut path to chaos and anarchy, and would immediately undermine all religion. If we trusted <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/numbers.html#Chapter12" jqpu_title=' Numbers 12:6 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Bamidbar / Numbers
6 And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.'>Numbers 12:6, then, it would mean that Christianity isn't true, because too many people have had visions of Krishna and Buddha. Likewise, Hinduism cannot be true because too many people have had visions of a monotheistic God. Instead, it must be the case that most visions are actually wrong - they are delusions and illusions. Fortunately for us, we have learnt much about human neurology and we know many of the physiological and neurological causes of visions (see: Experiences of God are Illusions, Derived from Malfunctioning Psychological Processes). We know simply to disregard <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/numbers.html#Chapter12" jqpu_title=' Numbers 12:6 [KJV]' jqpu_content='About: Bamidbar / Numbers
6 And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.'>Numbers 12:6.
- <a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/numbers.html#Chapter22" jqpu_title=' Numbers 22:21-34 [KJV]' jqpu_content="About: Bamidbar / Numbers
21 And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.
22 And God's anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him.
23 And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way.
24 But the angel of the LORD stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.
25 And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall: and he smote her again.
26 And the angel of the LORD went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.
27 And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff.
28 And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?
29 And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee.
30 And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay.
31 Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face.
32 And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me:
33 And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee, and saved her alive.
34 And Balaam said unto the angel of the LORD, I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again.">Numbers 22:21-34 tells a rather odd story where a man, Balaam, is travelling one way, when God wants him to go another. God's method of communication here - out of all the means available to the miracle-worker Creator of the Universe, is to have the donkey do things. At first the donkey merely resists because God sends an invisible angel to stand in their way, that only the donkey can see. The man, of course, has no idea why the donkey is being stubborn and strikes the donkey a few times. I could not think of a poorer method of communication than an unspeaking invisible angel. It is so daft that the Qur'an makes fun of it in <a href="http://www.holybooks.info/sura_31.html" jqpu_title="31:19" jqpu_content=" Sura 31 (Luqman - Luqman)
19 Be modest in thy walk, and lower thy voice; the most hideous of voices is the ass's.'
Translation: Arthur Arberry.
Academic translation, free from sectarian bias. The downside is that the semi-literal translation can make the text hard to understand in places.
">Sura 31:19 - "indeed, the most disagreeable of sounds is the voice of donkeys". When the donkey speaks, things get a little clearer - eventually. The moral of the story is somewhat shaky: if an animal resists doing what you want, then do not make it obey you because it might be God trying to communicate with you.
- The parables of Jesus are famous for two reasons. Firstly, because they are often catchy and often repeated by many in the influential Christian world. And secondly, because they are so confusing that consensus on their meanings is very rare, and, often in the New Testament itself it describes Jesus' very own disciples as not understanding them.
“It seems that not only does the Bible describe a God who is a very poor communicator, but that the Bible itself is communicated very poorly.”
It is theologically problematic that Jesus decided not to write anything down. For thousands of years, mistranslations of important Biblical verses have misinformed the masses on even important points, such as whether Jesus' mother was a virgin or not. The Bible has caused endless confusion with the irregularities, inconsistencies and ambiguities of its text. On top of that are the mistranslations, cultural misunderstandings and outright subjectivist attempts at exegesis by those who are genuinely and passionately trying to understand the core text of their religion. It seems that not only does the Bible describe a God who is a very poor communicator, but that the Bible itself is communicated very poorly.
It cannot be the case, therefore, that people need the Bible nor that people have to know the right things, or have the right beliefs, in order to fulfil God's plan. (In-)famous playwright Tim Rice once had this idea, too, and put it to verse...:
“
You'd have managed Peter better if you'd had it planned
Now why'd you choose such a backward time and such a strange land?
If you'd come today you could have reached a whole nation
Israel in 4 BC had no mass communication!”
Jesus Christ Superstar (1971)
Written by Tim Rice
We have seen that God's communication methods in the Bible are portrayed in a highly unclear, indirect and obscure way (at best). Sometimes (such as with Balaam) God seems to be an incompetent communicator. Is there an underlying reason? The answer depends on your notion of God's personality. You see, its poor communication is only a problem if you happen to think that God wants us to know the truth and to believe the right things. What if God wants us to have different beliefs and religions at different times and in different places? Then, God's ambiguous whisperings make more sense.
God's Methods of Communication: Universal Truth Versus Hebrew and Arabic Criticism of the Christian Bible God Must Be Evil (If It Exists)
“If we knew the truth, our existential crises, mental angst and warring world religions would have no grounds to vex. If god revealed itself to everyone, in no unclear terms, there could be no disagreement. But god does not do this. God remains hidden - and if god is the source of any of our world religions, it seems that it is intentionally giving conflicting messages. Saying one set of things to one group of people; appearing as a multitude of gods to others, and appearing not at all to many. These appear to be the tactics not of a god that wants us to understand and unite, but of one that actively encourages division, war, conflict, confusion and stress. [...]
Religions that fight each other tend to make their adherents believe in them even more strongly. Group solidarity comes into effect: when you have enemies, you keep a closer grip on your friends and also reinforce your own group identity. So, an evil God would appear to mankind in a variety of guises and preach a number of powerful, but conflicting, religions. It would therefore create maximum confusion, and maximum suffering, through war and intolerance. It would preach to each religion that its followers were right and other followers were wrong! These groups would all wholeheartedly believe that as God (or, the gods) has revealed the truth to them, other religions must be wrong and ungodly. That way, most of the weak, inferior, pathetic people that the evil god creates would fall foul of one religion or another, and be duped! Once duped, they'd cling to the lies even more the stronger because of the existence of competing religions. An evil God, indeed, would do this, and this is exactly the state the world is in. Coincidence? If there is a God, it is surely evil!”
"God Must Be Evil (If It Exists)" by Vexen Crabtree (2003)
If you think it is far-fetched to say that the Christian god intentionally causes confusion and division, and is therefore evil, then perhaps one more story of the Bible will help, from Genesis chapter 11:
1Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. 2As people moved eastward* they found a plain in Shinar [Babylonia] and settled there. [...]
4Then they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth."
5But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower the people were building. 6The Lord said, "If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. 7Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other."
8So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. 9That is why it was called Babel - because there the Lord confused the language of the whole world. From there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth.
<a class="Subtle" href="http://www.holybooks.info/genesis.html#Chapter11" jqpu_title=' Genesis 11:1-9 [KJV]' jqpu_content="About: Bereishit / Genesis
1 And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.
2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there.
3 And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar.
4 And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.
5 And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.
6 And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.
7 Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.
8 So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.
9 Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.">Genesis 11:1-9
Some justifications that mankind was attempting to steal God's power or aiming to be like God (i.e. 'reaching the heavens') don't make sense, as God is all-knowing and would have known that this was impossible to do by building a tower, no matter how high.If you accept this story as fable and myth, then, it is clear to see that it is the attempt of a primitive people to explain why Humans have different languages. As such, the story isn't really a religious one and ought to be ignored. If you accept that Bible is the Word of God, however, it shows the Christian Biblical God to be the author of confusion and division, just as we already suspected.
5. The Problem of Evil List pages on the Problem of Evil
If God is all-powerful and all-good, it would have created a universe in the same way it created heaven: with free will for all, no suffering and no evil. But evil and suffering exist. Therefore God does not exist, is not all-powerful or is not benevolent (good). A theodicy is an attempt to explain why a good god would have created evil and suffering. The most popular defence is that it is so Humans could have free will. However the entire universe and the natural world is filled with suffering, violence and destruction so any Humanity-centric explanation does not seem to work.
Arguments that God Must be Evil, by Vexen Crabtree (2003)
“The existence of such large quantities of suffering, despair, pain, of natural disasters such as earthquakes, of the death of the unborn and the immense suffering of lovers & kind-hearted people means that god is evil and intentionally creates life in order to create suffering. That all life exists in a food chain means that life is completely tied to death, and such a barbaric biological cycle could only have been made by an evil god. Also, that such a god appears not to exist, or actively hides itself, is a source of confusion, conflict, war and stress and is again more likely the antics of an evil god. Given the state of the natural world, it is impossible that a good god exists. It is more likely that an evil god exists, but, it is sensible to assume that there is no god of either type. Even if there is not a god of either type, as the dominance of death and violence in the natural world, a result of nature being abused by life and not being designed for life, I think the evil symbol of Satan is the best representative of the state of reality and the universe, whether or not an actual evil god exists.
If God did exist and was evil, it would undoubtedly lie and tell everyone it was a good god and that it loved them. It would create maximum confusion by preaching multiple conflicting religions. It would create heaven and make it hard to get to in order to tease and torture people into making their own lives hell. As all of those things happen, if there is a God, it is doing the things an evil God would do!
Once I recognized and accepted this state of affairs and adequately called myself a Satanist, I could concentrate my life on happiness, love, stability and peace. Because I know and understand that death always wins, that life is temporary, I waste no time on short-term whims that reduce my quality of life, or of those around me, and I waste no time with spiritual pipe dreams. Recognizing Satan as the personified meta-figure of reality is self-affirming, life-affirming, positive, honest and clarifying.”
"God Must Be Evil (If It Exists): 5. Conclusion" by Vexen Crabtree (2003)
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