Exodus 20:5 states:
"You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me"
So, since God admits to being jealous, and envy is one of the seven deadly sins, isn't this proof that God sins, and therefore isn't perfect?
2007-09-25 15:10:47 · 18 answers · asked by Dazcha 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
The seven deadly sins are not from the Bible. The were used by the Catholic Church, probably started by Pope Gregory in the 6th century, later used by Dante in the Divine Comedy. Dante defined envy as "the love of one's own good perverted to a desire to deprive other men of theirs". Is jealousy another word for envy? There is discussion between psychologists and philosophers on this subject and the consensous supports a distinction. The main idea is that jealousy results from the fear of losing something, while envy is the desire to have what someone else has.
2007-09-25 15:27:43 · answer #1 · answered by my brain hurts 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, it would NOT be fair to say that God is imperfect.
It WOULD, however be accurate to say that YOU are imperfect.
I am guessing that you are not a parent. If you were, you would understand the jealousy that comes of concern for your little children. Any parent can tell you how they are jealous over the wellbeing of their children, because they don't want anything bad happening to them.
You point out the curses to the 3rd or 4th generation, but you don't bother mentioning that the blessings, if you would bother to even READ the text - is to the 1,000th generation.
Ultimately, you're just a scoffer. You don't believe in God because you don't WANT to believe in God. You just don't want to have to be morally accountable to a higher authority, so you poke at things you don't understand.
WHAT? You say you're moral? Look at the following 4 questions and with brutal honesty, answer them in your heart of hearts.
Have you ever told a lie?
Have you ever taken something that wasn't rightfully yours to take?
Have you ever looked at another person with sexual desires? (Jesus said you're already guilty of adultery.)
Have you ever been so angry at someone you wished they were dead? (Jesus said that because God looks at the heart, and sees the murderous intent that's there, that you're guilty of murder).
If you were at all honest in your heart, you would have to answer yes to these 4 questions, and if so, that would make you a lying, thieving, adulterous murderer.
But on top of all that, while you've told lies, you don't like being lied to, which is a double standard, which is hypocracy.
Likewise, if you've ever taken anything that wasn't yours (ie stole something), do you want others to steal from you? Again, that would make you a hypocrite with a double-standard.
So how do you claim to be moral? We are ALL guilty of these things. I'm not condemning you, but welcoming you to the human race of which I am also part of.
The only difference between you and me is that I've come out of the closet and admitted to God that I'm guilty of breaking His Laws, and I've asked His forgiveness. I'm not better than you, but I'm better off, for sure.
Like I said, you don't believe in God because you don't WANT to believe in God. Jesus said that people refuse to come to Him is because their deeds are evil and they don't want to be exposed by the Light. I think He hit the nail on the head.
2007-09-25 22:24:21 · answer #2 · answered by no1home2day 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
God can not be impefect...and the bible doesn't translate properly into English. If you could tell me what it says in Hebrew and then could do some other comparisons....well, you'd actually capture my interest enough to look at your point as though it contained enough information to be valid.
2007-09-25 22:15:15 · answer #3 · answered by kerriwyn13 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If I'm to choose the musings of man over the words of Jesus. I'll stick to Jesus.
Mt 5:48
“Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect."
2007-09-25 22:14:23 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
I have been thinking about this alot lately and have asked some questions regarding it. I am coming to believe that God is imperfection as well as perfection. God is everything.
2007-09-25 22:15:44 · answer #5 · answered by NONAME 5 · 1⤊ 2⤋
He is referring to idolatry(worshiping or putting other things before HIM). God is perfect.
2007-09-25 23:35:41 · answer #6 · answered by Nessa 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
well of corse God is not a sinner, we know this. We know he is all holy. but he knows we are not. If he explains to us, sinners, he is a jealous God, then we can relate and understand, his point is that we should worship him because he alone is God.
2007-09-25 22:14:57 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Absolutely. Why is he so vengeful in the old testament and forgiving in the new testament? The bible dictates to forgive and forget but what of the sinners that go to Hell? God obviously doesn't forgive and forget them.
2007-09-25 22:15:26 · answer #8 · answered by tercentenary98 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
No, God IS perfect !
That word was a transliteration from another language (Greek, Hebrew etc) it does not mean jealousy the way you understand it.
2007-09-25 22:13:50 · answer #9 · answered by pinkstealth 6 · 2⤊ 2⤋
It would be accurate to say god is imaginary.
(Hey Schneb - sounds like he directly quoted scripture there. How is that musing?)
2007-09-25 22:15:39 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋