Is God all for non-violence?

Answer 1

Neither the God of the Hebrew Bible nor the God of the Christian New Testament is a non-violent god, as innumerable examples from both scriptures testify.

Despite his including "thou shalt not kill" among the Ten Commandments, he often commands his followers to do violent deeds.

Exodus 21:15, 17 - A child who hits or curses his parents must be executed.

Exodus 17:13 - Joshua, with God's approval, kills the Amalekites "with the edge of the sword."

Exodus 22:18 - "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live."

Exodus 31:14 - Those who break the Sabbath are to be executed.

Exodus 32:27-28 - God orders the sons of Levi (Moses, Aaron, and the other members of their tribe that were "on the Lord's side") to kill "every man his neighbor." "And there fell of the people that day about 3000 men."

Leviticus 20:11-13 - If a man has sex with his father's wife, kill them both. If a man "lies" with his daughter-in-law, then both must be killed. If a man has sex with another man, kill them both. The list of bloodthirsty intolerance goes on throughout Leviticus.

Deuteronomy 7:2 - God instructs the Israelites to kill, without mercy, all the inhabitants (strangers) of the land that they conquer.

And the list goes on
http://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com/cruelty/long.html

Answer 2

Are you coming at this from a peace-at-all-cost perspective and deflecting by phrasing the question in the way you did? I'm guessing yes. The problem with the line of thinking is if the enemy (lets say islamofascists) is trying to kill you we all know a non-violent approach will not work unless you desire to loose. Can't always sit down and talk things out, or have the bad guy go in his corner to think about what he did, sometimes you have to destroy them first, then sit down and debate with friends if it was too violent afterwards. I'm sure a God would be fine with it, besides if he is not going to remove evil its our responsibility to do so.

Answer 3

since the realm of infinite reality is unison by nature, and since it has nothing against itself, there would be no need for it to be violent. If it was violent, it would not be going against a part of itself, because since every part is one with itself, being violent would make it go completely against itself. That is chaos, not peace or love, and if you imagined a God being chaotic and having a strong desire to kill itself, well he would be more like a tyrannical child than an all-knowing essence.

Answer 4

ESV Ecclesiastes 3:1 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: 2 a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; 3 a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 6 a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; 7 a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 8 a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.

There is even a time for war and a time to kill. However i do not believe that those who are conducting today's wars are doing God's will. They are doing it for selfish reasons.

Answer 5

Well is he helping over in Iraq, NO! So, he does not care one way or the other so I'd say he's all for violence!

Answer 6

if this is connected to your last question, i believe God has no problem with law-abiding citizens defending themselves. let me guess....you think citizens shouldn't be allowed to own firearms? don't get me started.

Answer 7

Nope!

Answer 8

If you believe the Bible god is a childish bloodthirsty tyrant.

So no he would be incredibly violent.

Answer 9

ask the Philistines

Answer 10

Yes, I think he is.

Although when it comes to protecting yourself and your family, I think he'd
want us to to this.