Many followers of the christian belief use the bible as the cornerstone for their morality on social issues; from abortion to capital punishment one will hear that killing is wrong and against the word of their deity.
However, according to their bible, their deity employed a form of capital punishment on the population it supposedly created when it flooded the earth.
How can one rationalize worshiping a deity that does not abide by the same moral standards they do?
2007-07-02 04:20:34 · 21 answers · asked by genaddt 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
simple
the liberal christian apologetics is that the flood in genesis 8 is metaphorical, and that water represents the water of baptism, washing away the sins of human kind at that time
Edit: conservative christianity has bogus science and will take the position that the flood was literal, and that god made humans and can take human life as he sees it
Edit 2: to back what randy g said, the bible is clearly pro-death penalty, and even jesus of nazareth himself when asked by pontious pilate if he has a response to his death sentance remained mute, instead of saying the death penalty is wrong
2007-07-02 04:24:05 · answer #1 · answered by ? 3 · 6⤊ 3⤋
Christians believe in an afterlife. When people are killed by God, they are brought back to God. Their souls live on. If they were good people, they are even rewarded. In this context, God flooding the earth was not even a bad thing.
In any case, this is not that different of an argument as a child arguing that his parents are not fair because they get to do what they want to do and the child does not. You parents, if they are good parents, do not always appear to be abiding by the same moral standards as the child, but the fact is that they know what is best for that child. From a Christian standpoint, your argument is missing a lot of pieces to the overall puzzle.
2007-07-02 04:26:35 · answer #2 · answered by Mr. Taco 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
God is holy and just and you really wouldn't want Him any other way. God defines his descriptions. He doesn't have love. He is love. He doesn't have strength - he defines strength.
So, He doesn't compromise his justice the way we do. He wouldn't be holy and just anymore. Aren't you glad people like Hitler will have to stand before God?
Okay, back to the question: The earth was filled with evil people. It was so bad that God was sorry he ever made man (Genesis 6). Now, there was a problem. God had a plan to redeem man and send His son. He had to repopulate the earth for this to ever happen. Noah was the only righteous man left. God started over with him.
God had a bigger plan than the people alive at that time. It extended to you and me.
All of those people went to heaven anyway (after the resurrection of Christ) because the law had not been given and it wouldn't have been fair for them to be judged when they had no law. (We have the law and know we need a Savior) God is fair - you could even meet them someday in heaven.
EDIT: It is also an excellent point that Noah invited everyone on board......
2007-07-02 04:30:20 · answer #3 · answered by fanofchan 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You're missing the main point, I think. They aren't against Capital Punishment, just Capital Punishment meted out by another human being. So, if we could create a trial system where those found guilty would be smote down by their deity while still in the courtroom instead of by lethal injection 15 years and 200 appeals later, then they'd be ok with it.
2007-07-02 05:39:43 · answer #4 · answered by mikalina 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Well, let's see...by that time we humans had pretty much done away with God, morality and standards of any kind. God told Noah to build an Arc to save the only people who believed in Him and abided by His rules...and wiped out everyone else. God promised Noah that he would never do that again, and unlike Man, God keeps his word. I can rationalize worshiping God because God is the one that makes the rules, and I agreed on my own to follow them. If you don't want to, you don't have to...you had better just be thankful God isn't wiping unbelievers off the map anymore.
2007-07-02 04:27:18 · answer #5 · answered by The Nag 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Another example is that their deity burns people alive to punish them for trivial sins, and the punishment is for an eternity. I don't know any human capable of such cruelty. This is because people have invented a deity that is very wrathful, jealous, and difficult to understand. I've noticed, though, that the Christian concept of God has been changing recently to be softer, gentler, and more merciful. This is why the flood story is being seen as a metaphor and the doctrine of hell is losing favor among many Christians.
2007-07-02 04:33:20 · answer #6 · answered by Graciela, RIRS 6 · 4⤊ 2⤋
The Flood is from a part of the bible which could be classified as mythology. Again in the new versions of the bible the commandment has been changed from"Thou shalt not Kill" to"Thou shalt not murder".It´s a very accommodating tome.
2007-07-02 04:32:32 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
What are you talking about? The Bible expressly authorizes the death penalty. What do you mean that capital punishment is always wrong?
I think that you confuse murder with capitol punishment.
This is a silly "straw man" argument. It is not a real objection to Christianity or the Bible.
2007-07-02 04:26:43 · answer #8 · answered by Randy G 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
um - capital punishment.
Where are those Christians? I have never met any.
Obviously they do follow the Bible.
How can you infer a small faction represents the majority?
Do you know the majority of laws in the world are based on the Bible's Mosaic laws and the Ten Commandments?????
Go bash some Muslims or Buddists -
2007-07-02 04:28:30 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
Hello dear!
Well, your question is valid, but we know how and what they have accomplished by this tactic! Thus, although they did wrong, still through this the top guys have gained and are gaining a lot!
2007-07-02 05:30:55 · answer #10 · answered by soubassakis 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋