Christian: which is easier (see below)?

Question

Which do you think is the more appropriate approach: trying to ban or shout down an opposing viewpoint, or actually trying to ANSWER a difficult and thought-provoking question?

Three times I've posed a simple question: how is it we humans know things like murdering infants, slavery, and genocide are wrong, but a supposedly infinitely compassionate god does not? And three times, the report-monkeys have jumped on it, shrieking and beating their chests, and managed to get them banned. Is it really THAT hard for you to confront such a glaring contradiction to your dogma? Is your faith REALLY such a house of cards that you must try to ban or destroy anything that disagrees with you, rather than risk THINKING about the ramifications of what you believe?

EDIT: To lilblondegal -- we know God condones such atrocities (and indeed, even engages in them himself) through scripture -- the worldwide Deluge, the slaughter of the firstborn of Egypt, most of the book of Joshua, and so on, just to name a few.

Answer 1

That is one of the worst parts of this forum. You have the chance to respond and read the various views to a good question only to have it deleted for no good reason...your squared circle question was excellent.

I'm sorry this happens here.

Answer 2

Several questions here...I will respect you and assume that you really want to know the answer (not just ask to start trouble or cause a holy/unholy war).

1. Which is the more appropriate approach.......- answer a difficult and thought-provoking question.

2. humans knowing things, but a "supposedly infinitely compassionate god does not...- He does know what we are doing on earth. Allowing free will to us, gives us the opportunity to let satan into our mind and ruin the good and the innocent of the world. YES, we should be smarter than we are about right and wrong! NO, not everyone does the right thing every day of their life.

3. Confronting such a glaring contradiction to dogma? - Some people are very defensive about their beliefs and religion. They defend thier choice just as they would defend their children, thier home, casting a selfish ballot during a presidential election, etc. So, when they are provoked with such an extreme adversity to thier side, they get defensive and hope that the question or content will qualify as "inappropriate" to the report team. If it does deem inappropriate, then we only have ourselves to blame for getting too sarcastic or offensive to the audience. Sorry, we should respect one another, not always spit out what is on our minds.

4.Faith...house of cards....they must try to ban or destroy anything (anyone?) that disagrees with them rather than risk thinking about ramifications.... - This is a bit assertive and bold. This may be the very tone that pushes those people you are talking about, "too far". Why do you need to force your point to these strangers with such sarcastic and "negative" connotations? If you really want to know the answer, you can just ask without the negative tone or backing them into a corner. That should bring a more cooperative audience than before, since you are asking to learn and not to make anyone feel guilty or foolish.

It is natural for us to protect what we love and find important to our life. It is understandable to find at least one person that doesn't agree with our lifestyle choices or thinking patterns. Once we find tolerance in others, we can find peace and certainly a lot more fun in our lives. Then, we won't be so irritated with others who dress differently, eat differently, vote differently and think so differently.

We won't have time to be irritated, because we are too busy having fun in our own lives and letting the "old irritations" just roll off our back.

I hope that I am some help to you or someone else today.

Answer 3

No one can speak for a diety. I personally am not Christian and cannot speak directly in regards to their faith, though I have some experiance with Christianity in my upbringing.

Christian faith has a number of gods, not seperate dieties, though seperate aspects. The Old Testament god, and the New Testament god for example. The OT god was typically very vengeful, and the NT testament god was benevolent. Various denominations of christians believe that god is anywhere on this spectrum.

Personally, my outside objective view of god falls inbetween. That should god exist, the being is omnipotent and omntipotent, in which he would know the greater good. I do not believe slavery is 'right', though if it had not happened, economies would not of thrived, we would not be the people we are today, and events would not unfold the same way, who are we to say that this path is the proper / inproper one. Perhaps what we believe is wrong is not necessarily wrong?

Answer 4

Hee! Report-o-monkeys.

Seriously, our infinately compassionate god gave us idiot humans the freedom of choice. Repeatedly, throughout both the old and new testaments, there are instances where god said "Ok people, you know the rules. I'm giving you the opportunity to do the right thing." But nooooo. We just had to go and f*ck up every time. Because apparently, there are lots of idiot humans who don't seem to know that things like murdering infants, slavery, and genocide are wrong.

Way back when, god used to smite people for doing stupid sh*t. Now I think he/she/whatever just sits back and rolls his/her eyes.

Personally, I am totally not a bible-thumping religious fanatic, nor will you ever hear me preach about anything (except for saving the whales). I'm more spiritual than religious. But I am secure in my faith and I am a firm believer in common sense. Jesus taught about peace and love and treating each other with respect and decency. Thats about it. Treat people the way you want them to treat you and don't be an ********. Any other "dogma" is a crock of sh*t.

Here endeth the rant.......

Answer 5

This seems to be a question resting deep within you my friend. Let me see if I can help you out...
As I see it you want to know why I think killing , slavery and genocide are wrong, but my God does not. Do I have that right? I don't blame God for the bad things that happen! He gave me free will. Teaching us right from wrong and then giving us the free will to do the right thing.
~If the guy next door kills my child would you blame God for that? I wouldn't. God knows right from wrong and God is good. Bad things happen to good and bad people. We all know this. You seem to be blaming God for all these things. You're not going to find God up there on his thrown saying " I think I'll kill Joe Cool down there today." God is there to help us. Yes, he's there for you too. Waiting for you to let him heal whatever it is that causes such turmoil within you. He's there, just waiting. The only reason he hasn't helped you yet is because of your free will. Free will to deny.
~ I don't understand where you think there's a contradiction here. I know the love of the Lord and there is NO contradiction. These things you speak of are wrong and God would agree. Where's the contradiction?
~ It's sounds to me that maybe you just need an escape goat and God is just the "man" to fill the bill.

Answer 6

OK...I'm not sure I understand what it is that you are asking but let me offer what I think may help.
There are a couple of things I think must be clarified.
First, anyone knows that shouting or arguing ISNT going to bring resolution, but will only cause more chaos and confusion. One will never be able to convince or help some understand-any subject-by verbally arguing.
There is nothing wrong with thought provoking questions as in turn there are also thought provoking answers. Both parties should be ready to accept a reality or a revelation, have you, to the subject in which you are engaged. The anger occurs when neither person is being clearly understood and/or cannot verbally express what it is they are trying to convey.
Now, we as humans are created in HIS likeness. He understands more then we can even comprehend. His wisdom is all knowing and his judgement is right.
Where we as humans both believers and non-believers go wrong is first we do not need to defend God. He can and will do that himself. Second, he DOES KNOW that those things are wrong, however, he has given us as humans the freedom of choice. People that commit crimes or who do wrong KNOW that they are wrong yet they still choose to do them.
You had the choice as a child to obey your parents or not. If you did not there was a consequence.
I as a christian do not need to raise my voice or "fight" for my belief. My God, faith, love and actions will do that for me. The only thing I can do is to simply answer any question that is posed to me the best that I can. If it doesnt answer the question then I don't know what else to do. There isnt always going to be an answer for every question that is asked.
God is love my friend. He wants us to love one another. If we do not then it is because we choose not to. He has given us that choice. If you have a bible please read 1John 4:7-8.
I hope that I helped in some way.

Answer 7

Hi, Rev.

These questions being reported is ridiculous. You were not rude or bigoted that I can remember.

Let me answer...

First of all, you know that I am not a believer that the Bible is infallible. However, I will attempt to answer this slavery question as best I can.

First of all, the slavery in the Bible provided for a person to secure their release; indeed, most of these were working off money they owed their masters. This culture was different, in that it provided a way for one to work themselves out of debt. The warnings about how to treat these "slaves", from God, are His attempt to provide for good treatment of these "slaves". Also, some of these slaves were robbers, and they were working for their master as restitution for what they had stolen from him.

I'll be back...I'm going to do some research. I want to see what the original Hebrew says.

Ok, this is what I found. The answer may not satisfy you. However, I will continue to love the Lord Jesus, who never spoke of slavery, as far as I know. In the link below, there is an explanation of Paul's instruction in Philemon; this is a typical Paul sort of thing, basically he is trying to guilt the master of this "slave" into releasing him.

As far as the killing of the firstborn in Egypt, I find within your question a contradiction. You condemn this killing, but you also comdemn slavery. Since the killing of the firstborn in Egypt was because of Pharoah's refusal to release the Hebrew slaves, it doesn't make much sense to me. In addition, Pharoah changed his mind and chased the Israelites after freeing them, so it seems to me that the death of the firstborn had little effect on him.

Also, the slavery of the Jews was not a slavery that had an end. It was continuous for 400 years.

I took quite awhile researching this, so I hope it helps.

I also want you to know that the idea of slavery is abhorrent to me.

Thanks for the thought-provoking question. :)

Link:
http://www.christiancourier.com/articles/read/what_about_the_bible_and_slavery

Answer 8

Dear Reverend, I can only speak for myself but Ive answered your questions when I can to the best of my knowledge.
I dont believe my faith is a house of cards by any means.
I dont have all the answers but I have enough and Iam constantly learning answers to my questions.
I have no problem with someone disagreeing with me, I voice my opinion as well.
The things wrong and horrific in this world are the choices of
of evil human beings.
Earth is not the heaven promised after death. Look at what we have done. We are responsible for the tragedies here.
For every sickening event, there is also a miracle, but those dont get noticed as much.
The Devil is here. God is here.
Our perfect world is earned after death.

Answer 9

I feel like rational adults should try to answer without getting angry but....as long as the world turns on its axis that ain't-a-gonna happen.Some of us enjoy the opportunity to think others enjoy the opportunity to stir things up and on yahoo answers its hard to determine if one is actually sincere searching for answers or trying to be fecicious. Now to answer the question you posted I would like to say In my opinion I don't feel like God approves of the for mentioned things any better than we do .This world and all the people in it are responsible for all this God lets things happen to get us off our bohunkuses so that maybe we as a nation will straighten up and put a stop to some of this mess we are in.My faith in God is not a house of cards,my faith is strong but my human nature is weak at times.The fact is some people are on the defensive at all times and don't have time to think and that is why we are where we are today.God Bless You and Keep on thinking(smile)

Answer 10

I believe that it is more appropriate to try to answer a difficult and thought provoking question. However, I must now ask you a question. When did God deliberately and systematical destroying entire people who belong to one racial, political, cultural or religious group, when did God "murder", and when did God "in slave"?

I am sure, if you will notice, it is people who do these things.

Job tells us; NKJV ©

biblegateway Job 1:21
And he said: "Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD."

God gives eternal life and eternal joy.

Answer 11

You are trying to fit God into a mayonnaise jar without understanding the bigger picture.

God is not the author of sin (missing the mark), man is. God never intended for sin to enter the world, but by giving man a free will... with which to CHOOSE fellowship with God, rather than have it forced upon us.. man chose disobedience.

The whole reason blood sacrifice was ever necessary, once sin entered the world was to (1) make man aware of his sin and need for redemption from it, and (2) to prepare man for the ultimate blood sacrifice that would provide that permanant redemption.

Jesus was that ultimate sacrifice; dying according to prophecy, the sins of all of mankind were laid on Him. A perfect man and God at the same time, tempted by sin in every way man is, yet resisting in every way, He was qualified to be a blemish-less sacrifice. He died, taking guilt of man's sin to it's death, also, and, unlike sacrifices in the past, He rose again, without the sin.

Man can only leave sin with the help of Jesus.

Now, here is a point that confuses many people who know Christianity ONLY by what they've ever assumed about it: Jesus did NOT come to bring peace between man and man. (He even said so). He came to bring peace between man and God (a choice each individual must make). Only when there is peace between man and God can there be peace between man and man.

Now you may say, "Oh yeah? What about the crusades?" Trust me. The crusaders were acting out of their own wills. Not God's. One has only to simply read the Bible... all the way from Genesis to Revelations... to see that the crusaders were not acting within the will of God at all. The crusades were no more God's will than the acts of Davie Berkowitz were his dog, Sam's will.

There will be a final (and eternal) judgment for those who rejected God's provision of forgiveness and redemption from their sin.

All of this is detailed in the Bible. I would recommend reading it from a student's perspective. (I used to be a reading teacher). Write out a list of your questions about God. Then read the Bible all the way through, being mindful of those questions... read the Bible in such a way as to be looking for the answers you are seeking.