Sincere question for Christians.?

Question

How do you reconcile worshiping a deity that is capable of so much murder and killing?

Do you see the bible as symbolic and not literal?

This is really for those Christians here who can think by themselves.

Maybe you think my words were harsh but I received some great answers and they were not all just copy and paste either.

mia is the only thumbs down from me.

Answer 1

Jesus was teaching a TOTALLY different religion based on mystic principles and would have been forgot if not for Paul who reshaped the faith into something Christians today wouldn't understand or agree with at all. It took several more major alterations by Roman Emperors and Popes to get this faith on it's feet enough to go out and kill all the mystics that were still trying to act as Jesus taught at the beginning of the fourteenth century, I call it murder because the Cathars were pacifist who lived as Jesus taught. When the RCC became too large to police all it's territory Protestors in Germany became known as the Protestants. As the RCC became more liberal the more conservative people migrated to the Protestants at one point the Protestants even took over England, lead by Oliver Cromwell the Roundheads took control. Later Protestants that went to the north American continent weren’t so much prosecuted by direct prejudice as they were overly aggressive and tried to control the British Crown which wasn't going to allow the Roundhead incident to happen again. America should pay attention to this now.

Bloodshed is the playground of carnal man.
Cruelty and fear is the instrument of their faith.
Most Christians aren't crazy but for domestic peace most of us don't engage the fundamentalist menace that threatens to grab control of Government here just like the Islamic fundamentalists want to grab control of Arab governments.

No the Bible shouldn't be taken literally.
Even the Jews don't take the Torah literally.

Answer 2

Do you see the bible as symbolic and not literal?

In some cases, yes it is. It depends on the passage. Sometimes it is a concept that is being communicated more so that exact words. You have to look deeper.

How do you reconcile worshiping a deity that is capable of so much murder and killing?

I do not worship a deity, so I can't tell you. Maybe ask someone who does? If you truly wanted an answer to this question you would not have asked it so rudely. Do address the question that I THINK you are asking, God does not murder and kill, man does. God gives man free will and sometimes the free will is used for evil.

Answer 3

Well you must understand that God is not responsible for any kind of evil. The bible specifically says that Satan has taken over the world and before Judgment day there will be many who will turn away from God. God also says.."I am the Lord, and there is none else. I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create evil. I am the Lord, that does all these things." (Is. 45:6-7).
People mistranslated this Scripture to meaning that God was the creator of evil but The bottom line is, since God created all things, evil was the result of His giving man free will/choice. This particular passage shows that God is talking about Koresh (Cyrus), while at the same time, showing us that God is in charge because He is the ONLY God. You have to read the Verses before this to understand what God really meant "I will use Cyrus, I will subdue nations, and I will strip kings of their armor", so that when you get to verses 5-7, you realize God is making the ultimate declaration that there is no other God – that He created even the opposites (light – darkness; peace – evil). In other words, all things are in His control. And the bible can be taken symbolically and literally. It is really symbolic when you get to Revelations and Judgment Day so it is hard to interpret the true meaning of it.

Answer 4

Simple. I do not believe God is capable of murder or killing; that is man's purview. The Bible is the work of many authors, has undergone many translations and interpretations, is an ancient text and consequently must be taken with a grain of salt and not literally.
Of course, I do not subscribe to the angry vengeful God so many believe in...I was brought up Episcopalian but attended Catholic school and it was there that I was subjected to the angry deity intended to scare people into good behavior. I was always so relieved to go to my own church on Sundays!

Answer 5

God loves you so much that He gave up His only Son to come to earth to die on the cross for "your sins and my sins" so that through Him, we can be saved from eternal damnation.
The Bible is both symbolic (parables) and literal. In one part of the New Testament Jesus explains to someone that the reason He speaks in parables (stories) is because we just don't get it! Read The Bible, you will be amazed at what you find. Read a plain English version though like the NIV. Good luck and I'm sorry if you lost someone close to you to murder. I hope you find what you have come here to find and if not, keep looking!

Answer 6

God has given us a simple instruction: Do not sin. OOPS - since we can not live by this command, we now have to suffer the consequence of our actions. In the Old Covenant, judgment was swift and sure.

Today, we are living under the New Covenant, or under the age of God's Grace. You don't see God killing 1000's of people because of their disobedience.

But, we still have to keep the commandment not to sin, and yet we still fail.

So, what does a merciful God do? He gives you a way out. All you have to do is believe that Jesus, His son, died for your sins and you will be spared the fate of Hell (which was created for Satan and the fallen angels, not men).

Yet, this simple Gospel is distorted by millions of people for their own gain. Some say you have to work to be perfect before you gain eternal life, while others say you are reincarnated until you get it right.

Still others require "works" to enter into Heaven. Jesus said that HE was the only way. Yet, will you believe such an easy statement? Or will you continue to think there must be more?

Answer 7

Anwser to your question. To be completly honest i take the bible veru literally, the reason beign is because the act of obidience has totally blessed my life and my children. I believe that Gods grace and Mercy in sufficent the biggest smallest word in the Bible IF you obey and follow al his ways. I'm not saying to be perfect because no one is but to follow Christ is worth everything in the end.

Answer 8

God can create and destroy. The bible is to be taken both literally and symbolic, but much more symbolic. God finds true sheep by those who truly seek knowledge. He uses parables to keep the wicked in the dark.

Answer 9

If you couldn't forgive, what if others wouldn't forgive you for what you did?
I see the bible as literal but it could be symbolic when it would be..
In addition, it is written anyone who seeks God will find him..
Furthermore, Love your God and your neighbor..as yourself, with whole heart, and everything..that would be the most important literal law of all, the compound of the whole idea of the bible.
It is God's love.

Answer 10

despite all my doubts and questions, angers and fears, I honestly would be lost without God. We don't know what it was like to live in old testament times , I am sure it was much different and maybe even justified back then but I may never know and I am honestly ok with that because of what He has done for me.