Why do people hardly ever talk about the darker side of the Christian God?

Question

2 Kings 2:23-24 "23 Then he went up from there to Bethel; and as he was going up the road, some youths came from the city and mocked him, and said to him, "Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!" 24 So he turned around and looked at them, and pronounced a curse on them in the name of the Lord. And two female bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the youths."

lol, give me a moment to stop laughing. OK, the man in these verses is Elisha, one of Gods mighty prophets, and apparently although he was closer to God than just about everyone else, he still never practised temperence. Oh yeah and even though Elisha couldn't take some mocking from little kids, why is it that God obeyed Elishas vengeful prayer, and send bears after the children? Don't know about you guys but I never heard this story in sunday school, they seem to take out all the hard core parts and just keep in the happy rainbow and candy parts. Theres other instances like this one but this ones just bad.

Answer 1

Because people are afraid of the things that put them, or their beliefs in a bad light. Heck, Pharoh tried to let his people go a couple times, and he kept hardening his heart. That fellow enjoys killing people to prove a point.

Answer 2

What you call a "Darker side of God" is actually the fact that there is a termination point in patients for the wickedness of mankind. We Christians do not avoid discussion of it, we simply understand it. It is your misunderstanding that there is some attempt to focus on the so called "rainbow or candy parts" but if you actually ever think, you'll realize that the hundreds and thousands of missionaries, preachers, evangelists, etc. worldwide are warning everyone that before this universe was created, dimensions for good and evil spirits were divided and to make a decision to accepts God's invitation into the good eternal spaces. The "happy rainbow and candy" existance is reserved for those who accept Christ's offer to repent of the their sins, have them washed from the records through a ceremonial death called baptism and continue life, avoiding sin until the end. Those who do will live in the place where God and Angels live. God knows the future of each person and can therefore justifiably terminate the days of those who will never change. Just as the prophet determined that the time for those children was over and they would go on to their eternal reward at the hands of those bears, so shall we all reach our end of days in various manners.

Answer 3

There is no dark side. However, you are correct that many are uncomfortable with what they believe to be a dark side. Many are not educated enough in the OT to understand it. Yes, God is love but God is also just. A just God will at times have to administer punishment. I realize how funny it may seem for these kids to use the word "Bald head". Bald head was a taunt of scorn (Is. 3:17, 24). These children were not little kids. They were older teens of a responsible age. They were blaspheming God by trying to cast doubt on Elisha's report of the "going up" of Elijah. So, both God and his newly designated prophet were to be vindicated so proper respect would be shown. This was not seen as "some mocking from little kids." The kids were not simply calling him names.

Answer 4

"I am that I am", rests on the seventh day, and has been resting. So, who do you think has been in charge, while the big guy sleeps. Certainly not the Priests and Popes, who can't follow simple instructions. While your in the woods, pass quietly, and no harm will come to thee. If you wish to raise a ruckus, reap what you have sewn. The Faiths, Prophets, Seraphs, Cherub have been running amok. Hard to keep track of what the little darlings have been up to.
Much has be dome in the name of the Lord, much he has been given credit for, when it is man's bad judgment that has caused such perils and torments to transpire.

Answer 5

Why don't you just believe in God and be happy. To me this so called bible was written by some writers and over exaggerated the problem. I don't think that was exactly what happen. If you start a gossip and it continues all over the world and gets back to you, it wouldn't be the same gossip, so many people changed the words and twisted the string and you ended up with something way different. I think we should just beleve on our God and just be happy.

Answer 6

John 3:16.

Answer 7

Oh yes Holy Divine One, "I love you so much that I'm going to kill you right now and condem you to the firey pits of hell"

Obviously you didn't pay too much attention in English when you had to go over the Crucible. Also, if you haven't noticed that it was not until sometime recently in the past so many years that people started to portray "god" as an extreamly good "I love all" type of god. Please do research into all aspects of something before saying things

Answer 8

They never teach about Jephthah and his daughter either. Nor do they discuss the REAL reason why Abraham didn't bat an eye when asked to sacrifice his son (because child sacrifice was commonplace among the ancient Hebrews).

If they actually taught the entire Bible rather than just the nice stuff + tithing and gay bashing, people would leave Christianity in droves. That's why they don't teach the other BS.

Answer 9

Since I am not you, I cannot comment on why the people around you hardly ever talk about the passage that you mentioned. I am a Christian and my church does talk about the ENTIRE Bible (of course, not all in one day) instead of just talking about "the happy rainbow and candy parts."

1) Regarding the passage that you quoted, mocking someone is a very rude thing to do. These youths were not just happen to be there. As the passage stated, these youths came from the city and mocked him. This was a deliberate act committed by the youths. And also, there were not just 1 or 2 youths. There were 42 of them that got mauled, which implies there were probably more than 42 youths. So, somehow, this group of youths ganged up together, came out from the city to meet Elisha on the road, with one purpose only -- to mock Elisha. Unfortunately, we are living in society where we sugar-coat the offenses committed by the kids to protect them. Just because something is done by kids, it does not give the kids any excuses to get away with things. Sometimes, kids have to learn things the hard way; and I am sure that these youths had learned a hard lesson.

2) Many people condemn the Bible of oppressing the women. Many use Paul's writing in the Corinthians as the evidence. But you need to put things in the correct context; you cannot apply today's context in the Bible. Back in those days when the apostle Paul was alive, women were considered as dirt. But if you truly examine Paul's writings, he was actually liberating the women of those days. He never said that women couldn't serve in church; he was simply stating the correct role of a woman should have in church. He even equipped different women to serve in church. In many of his writings, he praised people (both men and WOMEN) for their work. Now, put these in the context of Paul's days, what Paul did truly liberated the women in those days. In addition to that, the famous passage about the qualities of a noble wife (Proverbs 31).

10 *A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.
11 Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.
12 She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
13 She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.
15 She gets up while it is still dark;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her servant girls.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.
18 She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.
19 In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20 She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.
21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for her bed;
she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is respected at the city gate,
where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies the merchants with sashes.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.
26 She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all.”
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
31 Give her the reward she has earned,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

Somehow, people get an idea that Bible suggests that women should only stay at home and take care of kids, do all the chores, ...etc. I really don't know where they got the idea from. In verse 16, it says, "She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard." If this woman were just a "stay-at-home mother" (please don't take me wrong, there is nothing wrong with stay-at-home mother; to me, this is a decision made by the family), how would she be able to buy a field?! And also, "earnings" implies work because earning is something that you get after you work. So, clearly, this woman of noble character does work. But to me, the key to this passage is the last verse, "Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate." Back then city gate was the place where people would make annoucements to the whole town. By praising someone at the city gate, this is like making a public annoucement to "show off" the good deeds that this person has done. In the context, it is the woman's work ought to be praised at the city gate. And who else can do a better job to praise this woman's work other than this woman's husband and children?! I am a man and I am married. I can tell you that many men which include myself do not give our wives enough credits. No wonder the women feel that that they are being oppressed. Now, with all these explanations, where do you get the idea that somehow Bible oppresses women?? It is because some men are not doing a good job in being good husbands; don't blame the Bible.

This is just one of the MANY issues that people accuse the Bible/Christianity of. I don't have the time nor the space to get into each and every issue. But my take is, before accusing the Bible or Christianity of anything, maybe you should have a better understanding of what the Bible really talks about instead of taking couple verses out of context and build your accusations on that.

Answer 10

Because they're God-fearing...maybe if they talked about it two female bears from a state that has bears in it would come into their comfortable suburban living rooms and maul them...

I do remember learning about Sodom and Gomorrah, raining fire and brimstone and the whole Abraham almost killing Isaac think...God's pretty scary when you think about it...

Answer 11

Why don't people stop and look deep into their own hearts and see they are so filthy and need to repent and stop looking for excuses like "look at the old testament, look at these Christians, look at this scripture." Oh I know, I was like that too, let me tell you, it's a pain full thing to have to examine ourselves and so much easier to look around and find a way not to reflect on our own refection.