Why does the Bible promote sexism, slavery, murder, and the like? I realize these are old testament things mostly, but then why were they ever written at all, as inspired by God. It seems contradictory that God is love, yet God encouraged these things. Can anyone explain? Does this not have the fingerprints of human bias all over it, such that a man who wished to promote slavery, murder, sexism, etc. wrote them in a book of "God"? I'm honestly curious if someone could explain this to me.
These blatant moral wrongs are not reconcillable with the "God is love" philosophy, in my opinion.
Please do not take offense. I truly want to understand. Please give thoughtful answers, and refrain from quoting the Bible - that doesn't help me understand any better, only perspectives and reasoning do. Thanks in advance.
2007-01-27 20:51:04 · 18 answers · asked by eastchic2001 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Just for your info, jacka*s, I'm not a college freshman. I have a Bachelor's degree at 20 and now at 21 I'm in law school. Thanks.
2007-01-27 21:03:44 · update #1
For those who say they don't know what I'm talking about, here is an example:
I desire, then, that in every place the men should pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or argument; also that the women should dress themselves modestly and decently in suitable clothing, not with their hair braided, or with gold, pearls, or expensive clothes, but with good works, as is proper for women who profess reverence for God. Let a woman learn in silence with full submission. I permit no woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she is to keep silent. For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. Yet she will be saved through childbearing, provided they continue in faith and love and holiness, with modesty. [1 Timothy, chapter 2]
2007-01-27 21:07:11 · update #2
Back in the day the world was prodominately based on patriarchcal societies. Your identity and your family's was based on the male lineage of your geneology. This system carried into business, government, and of course religion. Women were and are in some cultures second class citizens or property. (mid-east). As far as God encouraging things, not likely, but the male priesthood would have made it seem that way when religious laws and myths were written. It was a way for people to gain and keep power over others. Religion had power over everybody, but by the 'church' giving power to males over the women the church guarentees its power by receiving power from merchants, laborers, and other men in general. In short..."We(the church) dominate you and rule your world, but you rule your females." Its fine to be ruled as long as you get to take your frustrations out on another. It was mortal man who wrote the laws and customs, not God. Not that it seems that hHe minds or I'm sure we would have heard something by now.
God and the Bible are double stuffed with contradictions. This is nothing new, but reflects humanity as well. For example as you mentioned "God is love." Let's review...
In the earliest stories which grew into the Bible and Torah God destroted the old gods before creating the universe, but we are told not to murder. God is disatisfied with the people on the planet he created, so he floods it except for a single family, but we are told to be tolerant and forgive. A brother steals his brother's legacy and blessing with God's approval, but we are told not to steal. We are told that God is omnipotent and has all knowledge of everything past, present, and future, but He plants an apple tree in Eden and tells Adam and his second wife not to eat from it. But He knows the future. Does He warn Able, or stop Cain from comitting murder? In today's court God would be named an accomplice. Prior knowledge of a murder and taking no steps to stop it, or aid the victim.
Today is no different. Any crime you can think of, some degenerate has tried to justify it with religion or a personal message from God. ANd sadly many times the offenders' faith will find a way to let it slide to avoid being embarrassed or sued.
I have read the big book and keep to the 10 rules. I only hope that this is enough. I have found the churches of today are too bizarre and distorted to be followed. I don't think God cares if you pray in a field or in a gold leafed cathedral with a fortune spent on gold tokens and icons. I'll stick to the field, after all it is the houes He built.
Its all about money and power Easty, God has little to do with the religious world these days.
2007-01-27 21:32:30 · answer #1 · answered by vaughndhume 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Sexism - waaaay back then there weren't any equal rights for women. There were hardly any in the 1900's for that matter. No promotion of sexism, though. That's just the way it was. Murder - it was documented, not promoted. Cain was indeed punished for the slaying of his brother. Slavery - another thing that was neither promoted or encouraged. It was documented, such as the enslavement of the Hebrews by the Egyptians. Basic fact, not endorsement. the Bible is a book that has told the history of an ancient culture, if not many. The Ten Commandments are a good base on information if you would like to actually look into the BIble and see just what God thinks about murder, adultery, theft, etc.
2007-01-28 04:58:46 · answer #2 · answered by Jana Q 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Firstly god never encouraged or encourages sexism, murder and the like. Like the men and women of the old testament and all men and women everywhere today... We were all born with the freedom to choose to do, whether right or wrong, good or bad, God gave us that. But what we do after 'deciding Yes thats what we will do or no i wont do that' that choice was made all on our own.
God is love and that was expressed on Calvary and in thousands of thankful christians lives today.
2007-01-28 05:07:37 · answer #3 · answered by saynhope 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
You will not get a logical response from christians because no justification exists for what you read. You will get evasion and lies. They will tell you the accounts are historical statements of events and the god of the bible didn't promote or condone the events. I've read these passages. Many of these horrible events are CLEARLY promoted and condoned by god. Any christian saying otherwise 1) hasn't read the bible 2)lacks the ability of comprehend the obvious 3) is lying in the hope their bluff won't be called. In any case, thanks for making this very valid point once again.
2007-01-28 05:14:02 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
If you will read the Old Testament and compare it with the cultural history of the Middle East, then you will have a good sound understanding.
Remember, God wanted a pure people but.....did not and still does not get what he wanted and still wants.
GOD is not a murder but He demands purity holiness and obedience through segregation from worldly practices. GOOD READING AND GOOD LUCK.
El Sombra Sabe
2007-01-28 05:13:26 · answer #5 · answered by El_Sombra Sabe 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
God punished woman because she gave Adam the fruit. So man controlled woman, until man made woman his equal. I'm not sure exactly when that happened, but it did.
God allowed his own people to be slaves. I don't know if it was right with god, but he did. Then he had the Jews take slaves, maybe it was payback, I don't know
God says though shalt not kill, he doesn't condone murder. He allowed a sentence of death for breaking his laws. He says, you should fear and love God. That is his authority.
2007-01-28 04:59:39 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
When you separate out God's attributes and all that you leave is love then you have a god with a little g made in the image of man. God is just and holy as well as love. If we have made a god in our image then his love is man's love. Man's love is selfish without God because all we have left is our own will, desire, and sense of right and wrong. If we leave out God's justice and holiness we have no objective basis for understanding what we see in the bible because everything we see in it is warped by our definition of god with a little g.
2007-01-28 05:12:33 · answer #7 · answered by hisgloryisgreat 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
God is a God of Love first, in the old testament he hald many killed due to their sins, Today God is 1st a God of Love, He gave us 2000 yrs. of Love so far, Then when God sees all this wikedness going on, he then will be a God Of Judgement, & then a God of Wrath, We need to get thing that God is a God of LOVE all the time, Convitions on people keeps them from also saying God is a God of Judgement, & also a God of Wrath
2007-01-28 05:00:05 · answer #8 · answered by birdsflies 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The story of humanity is one of suffering and inhumanity. If you have grasped that these are Old Testament things, then you have learned an important lesson. this is the whole reason that Christ came, to set us free from this kind of moral wrong. If you look and see, NO WHERE in the New Testament is anything like this advocated, or validated. Christ came to teach us a better way. This is the real reason that they are in the Bible.
2007-01-28 05:02:29 · answer #9 · answered by great gig in the sky 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
refrain from quoting the bible? only perspectives and reasoning can help you? you've already decided the bible is not worth considering. so then why ask? God never condones murder. Do you know what murder is and is not? Just read the whole bible for yourself it's your best chance if you really want to understand God's perspective.
2007-01-28 04:58:39 · answer #10 · answered by David P 3 · 3⤊ 1⤋