i have always been told by Christians that God is so forgiving and loving...etc. However i am now reading the Old Testamont, Exodus, and basically God seems like a child to me. he is jealous, angry, mean, and unforgiving. he MAKES the pharoah deny Moses, and then punishes him for it! in fact, he barely seems like a diety to me, more like a greedy ruler. i am very confused. if the Bible is a guideline for the Christian faith, this must be who he is to Christians. but his character contradicts everything i have ever heard about him. please explain why he is such a jackass!
2007-01-09 18:18:08 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
insulting me does not answer my question... it just gets you reported. :)
2007-01-09 18:23:39 · update #1
The answer would be that Jesus, God in human form, is the person that "christianity" is based off of. Therefore, the guideline for the christian faith would be the New Testament in most cases. However, you are accurate in your interpretation of the god presented in the Old Testament.
2007-01-09 18:25:25 · answer #1 · answered by jenn_smithson 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
You're right. There's no question that Old Testament God was at war with humanity. You're correct about Pharaoh too. Most people don't pick up on this fact but according to Exodus the Pharaoh had no free will to set the Isralites free. Yet God sent the plagues anyhow.
When people say God is love they're talking about New Testament God. But even that love is conditional. If you fail to believe in this warm and fluffy, all-merciful God he will chuck you into hell and let you roast for eternity.
2007-01-10 03:02:54 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think it really depends on your religion and your personal relationship with God how you see him. Not all religions picture him as being mean and vengeful. Some religions use that tactic to scare people into being righteous.
I personally picture God, my Heavenly Father, as being much akin to my earthly Father. He loves me unconditionally, and will always do so, but that doesn't mean he'll approve of everything I do. I think the Bible upholds that. More in the New Testament than the Old Testament.
2007-01-10 02:32:34 · answer #3 · answered by Whitney Ann 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The reason some tree-hugger Christians tell you that God is some fluffy-happy love guy who doesn't care what you do and is just dinking around is that they ARE NOT REAL CHRISTIANS!
Anyone who reads the Bible, as you are, realizes that God doesn't screw around and play these mind games. God is here to kick some backside and our job is either to cooperate or become collateral damage.
Face it: wars still happen, people still die horribly, and numerous so-called Christian leaders are regularly exposed for the liars and perverts they are. The God of the Old Testament didn't go anywhere. He is still here and HE IS MAD!
So shape up or go to Hell. Literally.
2007-01-10 02:25:44 · answer #4 · answered by Hate Boy! 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
God is portrayed that way by man ... specifically the priestcraft, in order to control the masses. The church wants mankind to feel threatened so that they can be controlled.
God is none of those things. He is a power, not a human being and does not feel the emotions of anger, jealousy and certainly not meanness. The only true LOVE is love from God and it is not an emotion ... the love we feel as humans is actually attachment, not true love. One is only reunited with true love when reunited with God.
2007-01-10 02:41:52 · answer #5 · answered by MyPreshus 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not all religions portray him as mean. I am a member of The CHurch of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and we do not beleive him to be a mean God.
As for the Bible, I too thought that, but as you read the scriptures if you will pray before and after each time you read them, you will begin to see that it's not about being mean, it's about tring to teach people obedience and having concequences for disobedience. IF you think of him as our Heavenly Father and we his children, then it becomes about teaching, not about just being mean.
I hope you'll try praying before and after each time you read the scriptures and ask for understanding. It helped me learn so much more and understand the scriptures better.
GOOD LUCK
2007-01-10 02:33:40 · answer #6 · answered by Mountain Bear 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Look at the stories of all the Gods in the world and most seemed to be mean when they were young gods and mellowed out with age. same as human kind.
2007-01-10 02:31:54 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Therein lies the reason we are not all Christians.
They seem to blind themselves with ignorance.
If you're going to say you 'live by the bible/word of god' etc, at least read the book!!!!
I am constantly astounded by people who come to my door to convert me. They leave dumbfounded when I show them what is in the book they carry.
Ignorance is not an excuse people!!!
2007-01-10 02:26:51 · answer #8 · answered by GM Au 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think you need to study more. I only follow the Tanakh (the OT), and I do not find G-d to be like this at all.
Find a teacher who can work with you to figure things out. You might be surprised at what you find out about G-d and about yourself.
2007-01-10 02:29:17 · answer #9 · answered by Shossi 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Didn't you see the news in Scientific American last year? God was diagnosed as having bi-polar personality disorder and schitzophrenia. That explains it all.
2007-01-10 02:28:46 · answer #10 · answered by BuddyL 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋