Why would God hurt people?

Question

I mean no disrespect and obviously I am not Christian, so I am curious as to why so many times in the bible God has either killed people (plagues, etc) and even requested that someone sacrifice a son/daughter just to prove that they love him? It makes no sense to me, I would never asked someone I loved to do harm to anyother to prove a point. Thank you for any answers or opinions.

Answer 1

You have to learn how to read the Scriptures and understand how our humanity is involved with it (e.g.) editing, time constraints, calamities, etc. etc. You must remember that the theology of the Old Testament is an developing theology. For example, in the Old Testament is is said in Exodus that if one follows God's statutes and commandments they will have life. If they do not then they will die. A greatly emphasized way of saying, "if you do the will of God then you will be rewarded and if not then you will come to tragedy of some kind." Yet, this is not the final word. Note that there is the book of Job. Job is a just man who follows God, but comes to great tragedy. If you put the books together you will find that the Jewish people are trying to solve the same mystery all people experience; why bad things happen to good people? I hope this shows you that just because it is written in one book in the bible there is nothing more to say or think on. That is why there are the other books to flesh out such a mystery.
When you reach the New Testament you will notice St. Paul writes that God punishes by not intervening. He punishes not by inventing something up (lightening bolts etc.), but lets the person stay in the sin they choose and only rescues when they turn to Him again. So, you see what you have read in the Old Testament is not the final word nor was it no longer discussed. The Exodus, Job, and Paul's letters show that we continue to discuss such a mystery. I am sorry that I cannot explain more clearly, but I am in a rush and have another appointment to attend. May the Lord bless and keep you. May the light of His face shine upon you.

God's and your beast of burden
Fr. john

Answer 2

The Old Testament represents a different time in human history, and is basically concerned with the "chosen people" as against other "non-chosen" people. There was no Christianity back then, and the Jews lived in a world of many gods against whom they and their God fought.

God authorized the invasion by the Israelites of Jericho and all the other Canaanite cities and the wholesale slaughter of men, women, children and animals, because the Israelites were the chosen people and the people they slaughtered were not.

It's a different set of morals for a different time. That's why the Bible has to be read with care and thoughtfulness.

Answer 3

One can see from the responses that many have a literal belief in what their Bible "said"; the interpretation was taken as actually happening and the intended-lesson was not learned.

It was not meant to be this way.

"God" is a Concept about truth, truth in yourself and how you interact with Everything else.

"God" is not about a singular being and there will never be any judging of your conduct except by yourself; upon physical death you will review your own conduct and it will be put to you, simply "this is You"; there will be No Judgment, Condemnation, nor will there be a "Heaven" for you to slumber in as there is work to do, yet, you may rest as you wish. All your fualts will be addressed by you and self corrected in reincarnation(s) and you alone will hold yourself responsible to Everything. This is the truth in reality.

The biblical interpreations were events intepreted by people in ancient times, they wrote it as They saw it, what else could they do? It is no surprise that it was written "God" sent a plauge, who else but "God" could do this? Their existence was built on selling a bill of Goods and that bill of Goods was "A God" to be feared; never mind that bacteria killed millions, they can say it was God as neither they nor simple poeple knew what Bacteria was at the time; yet, still in these days people are still buried up to their ears in sand.

If you wish to step back 2000 years to the thought processes of those times and see how religious zelots Used Religion for personal gain; Look No Further Than Bahgdad anb ask yourself, how can they believe what they are saying when they blow up 75 people in the name of "God".

This is truth.

Answer 4

Well before the plagues and diseases broke out and killed the people, God had already warned them ahead of time not to do certain things. But the people were inclined to the stubborness of their own hearts. They brought the hurt upon themselves and it is the same today. The problem is that people really do not understand how loving God is. But man has a mind and will to do whatever he wants even to the point of his own destruction. Just think about it, a man will strap a bomb to himself and blow himself up. Don't you know how many times God spoke to him in dreams, in his conscience, through people. But he just shut God out and fell to his own imagination. As for Abraham, God asked Him to sacrifice his only son, but Abraham moved on what he "thought" God meant to go and kill him. The bible said that Abraham thought to himself that if I kill Issac my only son, God will have to raise him up again, because God said the promise would come through Issac. And, Issac would have to be alive for that to happen. Abraham was rationalizing this in his own thoughts. No where in the bible has God ever commanded His people to sacrifice his children. God's terms of offering up Issac was different from what Abraham understood. Jeremiah 32:35 says, "........to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through fire unto Molech: which I commanded them not, neither came it into my mind that they should do this abomination to cause Judah to sin". From this passage we see human sacrifices were an abomination to the Lord.

Answer 5

First of all, just because you wouldn't do something is no reason to say God can't do it. You are holding Him to your human standards and that's not right.

Beginning a sentence with "If I were God I would......" is never good simply because you are NOT God. You don't think like Him and you do not fully understand His ways.

God has the power to dispense both justice and mercy, and He also holds the keys to life and death.

And He does not wantonly murder innocent people. Sometimes He enacts judgment on those who rightly deserve it. And never forget, much good can come of suffering. Look at what the death of Jesus accomplished.

By the way, only once was a man asked to sacrifice his son (Abraham) and God did not let him do it. It was only a test and Abraham passed. God would never have allowed him to actually go through with it.

By the way, yours is a good and honest question. God bless you.

Answer 6

You're pulling one of the hundreds of violent things God did in the Old Testament, vs the thousands He did in the New Testament.

The plagues happen to have been as a result of thier defiance. The request for Abraham to kill his son was a test and God stopped him before he did it.

Answer 7

I don't know why God would hurt people. I do not know that God would hurt people. I don't know that God has hurt people. Of course, I don't even know if God exists and I don't trust the Bible as a good history book. Maybe it was just a story to make a point.

Answer 8

If you're referring to Abraham - he didn't sacrifice Isaac - God was testing him to see how much faith he had. I think that God wanted men (and women) who really were 'on fire' for Him. It may not make sense to you but all the great characters in the Bible were people who trusted God in all circumstances.

Answer 9

No after Noah and the flood he promised never to do that again and when he asked for sacrifices he never actually carried them out. It was a test to see how far people were willing to go with God. Would they follow him even if it meant scacficing their child.

But I do get your point it does seem odd especially as "he" wouldn't do such extreme things to prove his existence.

Answer 10

God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son as a test. He went to the extreme for reasons

1) to test Abraham's faith
2) to show us that we have to be willing to trust Him

In the Old Testament, when God sent a plague, it was as judgement. what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. and when a person died in hope, they were released from Hell later anyways (Zecharaiah 9:9-12). God is like a gardener: He prunes the vine branches so they can both be purified and to be able to weather harsh conditions.