I recently read an article in the paper about an atheist preaching to Christians, trying to save them. He said that when he was younger he was a Christian but the more he read the bible the more it lead him to not believing. one passage that he pointed out was one where God sent two bears to slaughter 42 children who were taunting a prophet!!! he said that this passage lead him to atheism because of God's cruelty. Is this true!!!! If you know would you please give me the passage and where I can find it in the Bible!!!! thanks a lot!!!!!
2007-03-19 05:14:13 · 29 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I am a Christian!!! just to throw that out there!!!!
And I have read the bible and am aware of Gods wrath..it just seemed so....I don't know...they were just children....so many too....it seems so sad!!!!
2007-03-19 05:37:48 · update #1
Several people have all ready given you the scripture location, but here is the reason.
God's prophets are very special. God has given them a very special job, to speak and do exactly what God has given to them. Prophets are like God him self speaking to us.
The children (youths) were knowingly taunting the prophet (and therefore God). And God repaid their taunts.
2007-03-19 05:26:00 · answer #1 · answered by tim 6 · 3⤊ 3⤋
Yes, that it true. If you want to talk about God in the Old Testament, there all a lot more incidents showing the wrath of God. He had David slaughter his enemies all the time. One time David's sin cost him a thousand of his own men.
The Old Testament reflects God's wrath and justice. The New Testament reflects God's love, grace and mercy.
The Law of the O.T. was given to us to show us we could never fulfill it in the flesh. To be perfect in the flesh was to never, not even once to break any of the hundreds of laws of the O.T. not just the ten commandments. The law said an eye for an eye. Christ said turn the other cheek. There is a reason God gave us the law and showed us it's consequences, so we could understand his mercy.
Read what Paul says about the law in Romans 7, read the whole chapter.
2007-03-19 05:32:44 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
In reading this text it is important to understand a few things. First of all, these children were what we would call youths. They were probably in their teenage years. Second, replace the word mocking with persecuting. This sheds a whole new light into the situation.
It is important to realize that the bible has been translated many times. Many important truths have been manipulated through the ages. In fact, some have been taken out completely.
God is loving and kind. Yet, he will not tolerate such actions as performed by these youth. They were, in a sense, prohibiting Elisha from spreading his word to other areas.
2007-03-19 05:38:32 · answer #3 · answered by Michael H 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Yep. It's in 2 Kings somewhere. But do not mistake this!! This curse, which was followed by so visible a judgment of God, was not the effect of passion, or of a desire of revenging himself; but of zeal for religion, which was insulted by these boys, in the person of the prophet; and of a divine inspiration: God punishing in this manner the inhabitants of Bethel, (the chief seat of the calf worship), who had trained up their children in a prejudice against the true religion and its ministers. It may be probable that God decided to take these little heathen children before they made any more errors that would lead them to eternal damnation. Who knows?
2007-03-19 05:37:21 · answer #4 · answered by Michelle_My_Belle 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Sticks and stones will break my bones, but calling me names will get you eaten.
These must of been really bad kids, because even today you should not mock your elders. I can't imagine how strict they were about stuff like that over 2,000 years ago. That's one thing people have to keep in mind when reading the Old Testament. To fully appreciate the stories in the Bible, you have to read the whole thing, and not one story. After that, you probably will have a better understanding of why things happened the way they did. The underlying message of the Bible in general is about God's love for his people period. He is the perfect Father, and like any good Father he probably didn't like these kids picking on his children.
2007-03-19 05:27:35 · answer #5 · answered by Lance 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Properly read, the Bible is the most potent force for atheism ever conceived. – Isaac Asimov
I left Christianity because it was very clear to me from reading the Bible, that deity was not loving and not good. I don't care what people say, actions speak louder than words.
2007-03-19 05:27:45 · answer #6 · answered by KC 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
2 Kings 2:23-24
And he went up from thence unto Bethel; and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children (youths) out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head.
(Bald head was a taught of scorn Isaiah 3:17,24)
And he (Elisha) turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the Lord. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare (mauled) forty and two children of them.
Mauled - means to handle roughly or manhandle - not kill.
God and His newly designated prophet were to be vindicated so proper respect might be shown. Don't mess with God's prophets. God told Israel not to raise rebellious children because disobeying God is an eternal lake of fire in hell. God was telling Israel that if they raised rebellious children that He would send them to the lake of fire in hell at the second death.
Forty two children and 2 bears. The bears didn't kill the children they mauled them or handled them roughly. That's 21 children to a bear. These weren't little 2 year old babies, because they wouldn't know that bald head meant to scorn someone.
For sure these 42 children learned not to scorn a prophet of God. The prophet probably saved them from a life of rebellion and made a believer out of them immediately. Thereafter I bet those 42 children held God and God's prophet in reverance and awe. God chastens those He loves and God loves little children.
So if you parents love your children you will discipline them and teach them to respect the Lord. Our Creator is a very orderly God.
2007-03-19 05:56:18 · answer #7 · answered by Jeancommunicates 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
From there Elisha went up to Bethel. While he was on his way, some small boys came out of the city and jeered at him. "Go up baldhead," they shouted, "go up baldhead!" The prophet turned and saw them, and he cursed them in the name of the Lord. Then two shebears came out of the woods and tore forty two of the children to pieces. (2 Kings 2:23-24 NAB)
2007-03-19 05:17:46 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 0⤋
If you find this horrible, just wait until the final judgment. Billions of people will be thrown in hell for their sin. Lesson: don't mess with God.
"Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows."
Galatians 6:7
Also, read this if you really want an explanation :
http://www.christian-thinktank.com/qmeanelisha.html
2007-03-19 05:33:21 · answer #9 · answered by Gui 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Yes, God has the capacity to be cruel. You remember the plagues in Exodus? However, the fact that God can be cruel, yet give us His Son do die for us so that he doesn't have to be cruel shows not only a change in heart, but that He loves us. Yes, God is an angry God. But He gets angry because He loves us, and wants us to do right. Same thing when a parent gets mad at their child for disobeying. They love us and wants us to do right.
2007-03-19 05:21:21 · answer #10 · answered by GLSigma3 6 · 2⤊ 2⤋