Which passages in the bible are the clearest examples of what Mark Twain was talking about in this quote?

Question

"Our Bible reveals to us the character of our God, with my remorseless exactness. The portrait is substantially that of a man, if one can imagine a man charged, and overcharged, with evil impulses far beyond the human limit. His acts expose his vindictive, unjust, ungenerous, pittiless, and vengefull nature, constantly. He is always punishing, punishing innocent children for the misdeeds of their parents, punishing unoffending populations for the misdeeds of their rulers. It is perhaps the most damnatory biography that exists in print, anywhere. It makes Nero an angel of light, by contrast." - Mark Twain

Also please tell me which version of the bible you are reading from, King James Version, Revised Standard Version, or whatever.

Answer 1

Well, there are lots of quotes that support this idea. Here are just a couple:

Hosea 13:16 (NIV):
"The people of Samaria must bear their guilt,
because they have rebelled against their God.
They will fall by the sword;
their little ones will be dashed to the ground,
their pregnant women ripped open."

Deuteronomy 13:6-10 (NIV):
"If your very own brother, or your son or daughter, or the wife you love, or your closest friend secretly entices you, saying, "Let us go and worship other gods" (gods that neither you nor your fathers have known, 7 gods of the peoples around you, whether near or far, from one end of the land to the other), 8 do not yield to him or listen to him. Show him no pity. Do not spare him or shield him. 9 You must certainly put him to death. Your hand must be the first in putting him to death, and then the hands of all the people. 10 Stone him to death, because he tried to turn you away from the LORD your God..."

Answer 2

Two examples that come to mind are the plagues of Egypt and Noah's flood.

In the plagues of Egypt, the citizens of Egypt were punished for the decisions of the Pharaoh. The citizens had no input into the decision, yet bore the brunt of the injury. Even worse, since God chose to harden the Pharaoh's heart, there is argument that God intentionally made the Pharaoh not free the Isrealites in order to justify his punishment of Egypt.

In Noah's flood, God intentionally drowned many young children for the wickedness of their parents. God has the ability to punish without harming others, yet He chose a way that would cause mass casualties. He could kill specific perpetrators yet includes the most innocent of people in his death list.

I don't have exact verses to quote, but I believe the stories I reference are much the same in all the various translations.

Answer 3

He meant that the main crucial form of practise is that of the practise gained with the aid of trial and blunder and for the time of your own real existence reports. i think; even nevertheless my memory is slightly sketchy and that i'd desire to be fallacious approximately this, that Twain did no longer end training and dropped out as early as common college simply by fact i understand that he immediately grew to become a printers apprentice on the age of 11. Twain replaced into additionally widely known no longer basically as a primary write, yet a stand-up comedian to boot who replaced into known for his humorousness and sharp wit basically as much as he replaced into for his tenacious and mischievous character Huckleberry Finn

Answer 4

I use several translations, but mostly NASB ('95 update), ESV, HCSB, and NET.

People who say God is vindictive, unjust, ungenerous, pittiless, etc. just don't understand the incredible mercy shown to them on a daily basis.

Answer 5

Wow! Is this the same man who said (I paraphrase) "Heaven is not earned, If it were earned, our dogs would go in and we would stay out."