Should I rattle off facts about human slaughter through the ages...?

Question

...as a response to those who seem to merely parrot scripture when responding to questions about who or what God is?

Some claim that a God exists and loves, protects, cherishes its children, followed by numerous citations of scripture. Would it be appropriate to follow up such with lists of say the human death tolls in natural disasters (e.g. 500,000 dead in a massive earthquake in China; 10,000 dead in some landslide in Peru, 50,000 dead from some typhoon in Indonesia)?

I'd argue these would be more factual than the scriptural quotations since human deaths are tangible and quantifiable, whereas the statements in scripture, though inspiring, seem a bit more challenging to prove, save on faith alone.

I'm not at all bitter. I'm just wondering whether it would be courteous to provide facts despite being replied to questions about the nature of God with quotations and not thought (similar to the way students plagiarize research materials for term papers in order to avoid having to invest thought into researching the truth).

Some might say the scripture is but fiction, but in my opinion we can't trust whether the events in the Bible truly occurred, and at the same time there is indeed value in some of the principles presented.

Look people, mainly I'm frustrated by those who choose to recite scripture in response to questions rather than providing their own thoughts.

So far no one has done this here and I appreciate this since you're speaking from your hearts and minds.

I wasn't trying to present the example of however many dead in a natural disaster to bring up the old "what God is this that lets so many die" argument, just as a counterpoint to the "Oh, you're asking a question about the existence of God? Here, let me rattle off Scripture and hope you'll go away so my belief system will not feel threatened."

Thanks to those who have reminded us that humanity has claimed more than its share of deaths for its own ends.

How about if we broaden my original statement to include deaths however they were caused? And not just the deaths of Jews , Poles, and Croatians killed in ethnic cleansing, but also the deaths of good people. Christians, for example, who have been tortured and killed by serial killers.

The latter are particularly poignant since we're narrowing the focus to people who have most likely followed the word of God and have been faithful, but perhaps in spite of this their last moments on earth were filled with most horrendous tortures and pain.

Answer 1

I just dont understand what your trying to say . People die in eathquakes = There is no god? I dont think that makes sense. Perhaps you should read more about Jesus. The struggles of his life, and how he died. We live in a world that has good, evil and unexplainable horrors. I suggest enjoying the good things of the world, and waiting to see what happens in the future!

Answer 2

Here you are citing deaths caused by natural disasters - earths plates moving causing earthquakes and so forth. During the eight years of Julius Caesar's Gallic Wars, it has been calculated that about 400,000 Gauls were slaughtered, and as many more were sold into slavery - this was after the first, second, and third Punic Wars which killed untold hundreds of thousands. If you make a close inspection of History, I think you will find that man, with his warring ways, has killed a lot more people than natural disasters have. What is the death count up to for civilians in Iraq? Over 600,000?

Answer 3

So using your logic, the one-sided God of only protection doesn't exist due to human death. Or are you stating that he only protects some? Here in Michigan, we must be God's new chosen people because we have no natural disasters to speak of.

I just proved that where you live has nothing to do with whether or not God exists so the people dying in the thousands over and over again in the same place around the world are probably dying due to where they live.

Does God's existance depend on whether or not I drown when I walk into Lake Michigan and choose not to swim? People die all the time for all kinds of preventable reasons and from all kinds of unexpected situations.

People die. Deal with it. You just have to be ready for it by searching your soul and knowing God.

Answer 4

Actually the natural disasters have nothing to do with. God orders entire towns and mass rapes in the bible. Also the mass killing of infants. Also that flood. God sounds like some Jeffrey Dahmer type person. He must take pleasure from killing all those people in the bible or he wouldn't do it. Then again he isn't real...

Answer 5

Quote, "Should I rattle off facts about human slaughter through the ages...?"

Is there enough space here? I'm thinking that there isn't. We're a feisty bunch of primates, and the Christian bible sets the tone, doesn't it? Oh, it's Tuesday, so it must be the day for another genocide! As Jerry Falwell said to Pat Robertson, where the hell is slavery when we need it?

Answer 6

yeah, religion is responsible for alot of death. Wars, hate ect.
But have you seen the South Park episode where religion is extinct and all that is believed in is Science. And then they have wars in the name of who's science is better than the other group's science? Heh. Anyhow, I think spirituality is very important but some new thought needs to go into it. Following a set of dusty rules never allows growth.

Answer 7

Everybody dies. God never told people to live near the ocean. How many years did the native American Indians live on this continent? I bet they were smart enouogh to not live near the ocean. Do you blame God when someone dies at age 99. LIke that isn't fair he couldn't live to be 100. People die on this earth. Christ offers eternal life after this life.

Answer 8

You forget all of the deaths in the name of God. Starting with the crusades, the Inquisition, suicide bombers, etc. God is used for all sorts of despicable acts. Natural disasters are one thing but man has outdone the death and misery caused by nature and all in God's name. Would God condone these acts or are we just using scripture to pursue our petty ambitions? God only knows.

Answer 9

i don't have any cabinets however i do flip it up loud ample to wherein matters fall off the pals cabinets and the cat places his head underneath a pillow,Q2 correct now i'm being attentive to the speaking heads,the tune is known as "Life In Wartime"

Answer 10

Faith is the substance of things hope for, the evidence of things not seen. You have never saw me writing that God is ONLY a God of love, It is true he is a God of love, But also he is the Judge & his wrath is true, God always give someone a chance, & then when they refuse, God can become a God of wrath.