How do you square the circle (see below)?

Question

In both the Old and New Testaments, we see Joe Hovah condone (and even command, or commit personally) some pretty horrendous things:

*Infanticide (Exodus 12:29-30)
*Slavery (Exodus 21)
*Executing women for being VICTIMS of rape (Deut. 22:23-24)
*Genocide (most of the book of Joshua)
And on, and on.

These are all things that we, as moral and intelligent human beings, can pretty much unanimously agree are evil, wrong, and unconscionable, no matter what the circumstances. So, I ask you:

1.) If we mere humans know these things are wrong, why wouldn't an infinitely more wise and compassionate deity not also think so?

2.) How do we even RECOGNIZE these actions are wrong, to the point where we try to make excuses for God, if the bible is supposed to be the first, last, and only word on morality? Shouldn't the morality of these atrocities be somehow self-evident?

Ri-i-i-ght, Rich....so if I move into your neighborhood, does that mean I'm within my rights to murder all the little kids on the block who refuse to love me more than their own parents? And if I say that I murdered them all "because I love them!" that makes it all alright?

EDIT: So, jmaster_c....you're saying that, in some cases and in the proper context, slavery and genocide and murdering infants really is okay?

Your understanding of what constitutes moral behavior must be very different from mine....

Answer 1

Sometimes the answers you read here are more disturbing than any question.

These are probably some of the larger questions I have about my own faith, and every time I ask them I get unsatisfactory answers. I've asked this type of question in the past (not to bait but to truly understand how you can reconcile a God of love with the narrative accounts--still unsure how you do that).

I got answers like, "Well it's tough love" or "Did you see the practices of the Canaanites--they sacrificed their children" (but the answerer did not see the problem with God's answer...which amounted to: "Sacrifice your children will you! Well then I will order the slaughter of you and your children, and your animals."

These are actions we would see as reprehensible. The mental gymnastics it takes to white wash them is really tiring and hard to do.

I am not an atheist, but I do have a difficult time with this argumentation (I'm still working it through honestly).

Answer 2

The crux of this question is recognizing that you can figure out the area of the two semi-circles. The easiest way to visualize this is to Cut the square in half vertically, so you have two rectangles with a semicircle inside them. Then, switch their places, and glue them back together. What do you have? A square with a circle inside of it. Now the shaded region is the stuff INSIDE the square, but OUTSIDE the circle. Thus, you need the area of the square - area of the circle. Area of the square: This is straightforward. The side is 6, so the area is 6² = 36. Area of the circle: Once you've rearranged the picture, you see that the diameter of the circle is 6, so the radius must be 3. Area = π*3² = 9π. Area of the shaded region = 36 - 9π = 7.73

Answer 3

Your assumption, that there is a God, is the reason for your false interpretation of the bible.
Now if you accept that God is a human "creation" a fictitious entity, than everything in the bible comes into a historical perspective, as all the contents of the bible represent the opinions of people from eras where all these horrendous acts where the accepted norm.
It will also demonstrate the social, cultural and ethical evolution our species is undergoing.

Answer 4

It requires more than these examples for them.

One explanation is that god does this things for a grand design which humans are unable to understand. And that those things are necessary for the so called grand plan to take place.

Some would even argue that god created us, therefore he could do whatever he wants to do with us because he is our creator.

For most it requires a great dose of effort, knowledge and wisdom to breakthrough from religion because these mystical beliefs are acquired since childhood and became deep rooted in their psyche.

edit: LMAO someone is reporting you for SPIRITUAL TERRORISM!!!

Answer 5

God is more of a "do as I say, not as I do" type of deity.


If that's true, and we just had the back luck of being watched over by a deity with bad parenting skills, that covers both 1) and 2).

Answer 6

VERY well said!
This so-called "religion" that christians follow is nothing but a set of rules, inspired by mythology and designed to allow them free reign on whoever doesn't adhere to their ludicrous set of rules.
Islam is no better of course...

Answer 7

God is completely sovereign over all His creation. He can do whatever He wishes with His creation. If He chooses to wipe out the first born of Egypt for His purposes, He will do so. They, like all people, belong to Him, we are the creation, He is the creator. He does not owe us an explanation, nor need to bow to our flawed sense of morality. He is God and does what He pleases, get used to it.
Slavery in that time is not what slavery was in the western world. Either they were individuals taken through warfare, criminals, or bond servants. There were no prisons for either criminals or war prisoners, either you kill them, let them go so they can come back and fight again, or put them into slavery. It was a common practice with all cultures at the time.
Deut. 22:23 - 24 deals with mutual consent. Verses 25 - 27 does deal with rape, and the woman is not punished.
I suppose you consider all war "genocide". Are you familiar with the Canaanite people and their customs? Read up on them, they were not nice people. Again, God can do with His creation as He chooses.
God does with whom He chooses, what He chooses, when He chooses. He does not answer to us or our sense of "morals". That is the sovereign God of the universe, and He will deal with us as He sees fit. Don't like it? Tough. He is the only God who is, and the One who will decide your eternal fate.

Answer 8

Nothing that you note is done out of anger. GOD created us and wants us to have a relationship with Him. HE gave us some rules and there is judgement and punishment when the rules are broken. The punishment comes out of love not from hate. Imagine that you are a father and you have a child that is playing in the street. You pull the child out of the street (for its' own good). What is more likely to keep the child from going back into the street, a spanking or a lollipop? Remember, GOD loves you even when you don't love Him!

Answer 9

You're taking the most of the verses out of context - if thats how you want to reason against the Bible then so be it.

Answer 10

and

3) if god actually exists and is all powerful, why can s/he/it not convince everyone of such, and that these things were both good and necessary?

*****
someone please report mainworry. haha, a guy that wants us to cut more trees is lecturing about growing up and not insulting people, lol. hilarious!