This Bible passage has always bothered me.......

by palmtree67 66 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  snowbird

  The Jews are very honest about their past. They are a race of people that have been here for over 5000 years. They started out as nomads in the desert and went on from there... Life was tough and the people not so nice. If you ever have a deep, meaningful conversation with a Jew about their history, you might hear stories that will curl your hair because sometimes the truth isn't inspired, it isn't sweet, and it sure aint purty.

  That's exactly my take on it, Rob.

  Just why do we expect so much from the Hebrews? Is it because God chose them to produce His Messiah?

  Didn't Moses have to chide them often due to their hardheaded, stiff-necked, rebellious ways?

  Although such accounts are repellent, the all-too-humaness found in them are reassuring.

  Sylvia
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  PSacramento

  The issue with the Hebrews and the OT was how, and they probably did this in an "innocent" way, they justified all they did, good and bad, by the excuse of plaseing YHWH and doing his will, something that 1st century Christians took to doing to in regards tot he Cruzades and other crap.

  Of course saying that God commanded you to slaughter women and children doesn't make it so, but one wonders if perhaps they truly thought that was the case, we will never know.
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  palmtree67

  Ummmm....Last of The Mohicans aside, (whatever that was) I just wonder how the type of behaviour in this passage was "normal" to people??

  I have often wondered why God chose the Jews (I understand it was because of his promise to Abraham) but they just seemed so "off the wall" and still seem like that today. Such an emotional, fly off the handle, revenge at all costs type of people. I'm generalizing, based on years of listening to news reports from that area of the world.

  Thanks for all your takes on this, people!
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  Farkel

  Moral of this story?

  Homosexuality is evil.

  Abetting the raping of a woman to death and then hacking her corpse up in pieces is acceptible behavior as long as it is done in moderation.

  This is, of course, all Bible-Based(tm).

  Farkel
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  Heaven

  I just wonder how the type of behaviour in this passage was "normal" to people??

  It's normal to people who are being mind-controlled.
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  parakeet

  Satanus: It's a story to give a lesson, like compared to a levite, a woman is but a pet animal.

  And that attitude persists in most of the Middle East today, except that women are generally regarded as LESS important than livestock.

  That scripture illustrates the zeitgeist of that time -- women were possessions, war was good, total massacres were better, and giving God credit for it was the best thing of all.

  Filth.
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  rocketman

  It is a troubling account (whether one considers it as actual history or not). It should be noted that the actions of the offending men were not taken lightly. Verse 3 of CH 20 calls it an "awful thing". In verse 7 it's called a "lewd and disgraceful act". Verse 30 of CH 19 says that 'such a thing has not been seen or done since Israel came out of Egypt'.

  It certainly is not a sugar-coated story. A lot of people end up looking really bad, and one does wonder how God could look down upon it all.
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  snowbird

  I wonder how He could have looked upon the history of man, period.

  As far back as one can go, there is the unmistakable stamp of evil on all man's doings.

  Sylvia
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  Farkel

  scully,

  :That story is by far the most revolting one in the Bible.

  Not even close. Read Numbers 31. Moses specifically ordered his army to slaughter ALL men, women and children EXCEPT for little girls that had "not known a man", i.e. little virgin girls. First, how would his soldiers "know" whether a female had ever "known" a man, or not? What "test" did they use? Don't let your imagination wander too far on that question, or you will be revolted beyond revulsion.

  What possible reason would Moses (through the wishes of Jehovah) want to do this? So the Israelite men could have tiny little sex slaves in their possession, that's why. Otherwise, Moses wouldn't have been so crystal clear just what kind of little girls to save and what kind to slaughter.

  Can you imagine all those little innocent girls seeing their parents, brothers, sisters and other relatives be brutally murdered before them and then be hauled away to be sexually abused and raped for the rest of their lives by "Jehovah's Chosen People", the Israelites?

  Farkel
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  Psychotic Parrot

  Most old writings are rubbish, not just the bible, & i'd happily attend a book burning of all pre-enlightenment literature to be honest.

  Yes, that includes Shakespeare