My brother died of cancer when he was a baby, my mum, dad,stepbrother and stepfather all died with cancer too. Conceptions of gods differ between religions and most religions that exist today believe in a single God that created the entire universe. Making God a Moral Monster – An Unnecessary Stumbling Stone. [4] All Bible passages are quote in New King James Version That’s exactly why God is wrathful against some of them. Now we could speak of the condition of mankind when God flooded the earth, stating that a fresh start was the only hope. Is God a Moral Monster? Why does God use evil as a tool? Would a Good God Allow Suffering? Dwelling on stories like these, along with aspects of the legal code dealing with slavery, capital punishment and warfare, vocal critics argue that the God of the Bible is a monster. The Bible is brutally honest about their shortcomings. 5 Child Abuse and Bullying? Perhaps this is the real reason many people rail against the God of the Bible? If God were such a monster, he would cast himself there too. I’m sorry, but rather than go through these extreme mental gymnastics to argue that what we read in the Old Testament isn’t what we actually read, how about doing something more difficult and simply recognize that these bloodsoaked parables were written by patriarchal figures thousands of years ago to justify their slaughter of other peoples, and dissavow them? We always welcome an honest discussion about the Bible. I hate him but the bastard has my husband and others that I love. They are given rights and not seen as mere possessions. Moved. Paul Copan takes on Neo-Atheists' claims of a petty, malicious Old Testament God. According to this accusation, God is a “moral monster” since He “created” evil—or because He neglects to do anything about evil. Check out Immortals Fenyx Rising! 3 Great Appetite for Praise and Sacrifices? But God is not the monster. To understand this plan in the context of some of the horrible things written in the Bible people complain about is doable but certainly not easy. I'm sure that God >> likewise considers *you* to be a "monster". – Christian Questions, Your email address will not be published. Hell does not demonstrate cruelty on God’s part, but it does demonstrate his holiness and our accountability. and millions of other books are available for instant access. Today we are thankful fo, As we look back on the past year our progress may, Next week’s podcast will be on perseverance so o, Click the link in our profile and listen now to th, As we approach another week and the end of the yea, It’s Scripture Sunday- what scriptures are you m, Click the link in our profile then listen live to, Merry Christmas! It is not the racial group that is in view but their "detestable practices". According to some estimates, 200,000 people were killed and over 3,000,000 were displaced. [2] C.S. Does Evolution Disprove Creation? In the same way, If you had medication to stop people from dying in agony and didn’t give it, you would have to be some heartless monster. They are the principal objects of faith and often conceived as being supreme entities of creation. This is important when we read the stories of the patriarchs and kings. Making Sense of the Old Testament God aims to redress Dawkins and related rhetoric that mocks or maligns God's character in Hebrew Scripture. Christopher Hitchens in his provocatively titled God is not Great claims that the Old Testament warrants slavery and ethnic cleansing. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. How many across the entire union? Email. god may not be a monster, but god is monstrous. Christian Questions - 2020 All Rights Reserved. Have any of those who would call God a monster ever questioned why this lengthy history was covered and why such a diverse set of experiences, both extremely positive and negative, were written down? Even those who put forward the Flying Spaghetti Monster theory do not believe its existence. But it was regulated. Thank you. (I sincerely believe this.) What can we say in response? >> >> Why do you call God a "monster" for exercising His right >> to destroy something that He created? Imagine the Jews being horrendously treated and killed being ordered to love Hitler. My last resistance to the idea of God’s wrath was a casualty of the war in the former Yugoslavia, the region from which I come. You see, the answer to that question of “why” actually holds the answer to the accusations that God is a monster. Think about it – the Bible covers thousands of years of history from the dawn of mankind all the way through the few generations that followed the time of Jesus. The laws of the Old Testament regulate this behaviour. A lot of Bible skeptics accuse Scripture of portraying a God who, if He existed and did what was recorded of Him, would be deeply immoral. Is There a Creator? I think four points need to be clarified. What will be the end result? Far from being a matter of embarrassment, this helps to confirm the reliability of a text that does not gloss over the failure of its heroes. Does Science Disprove God? Buy Is God a Moral Monster? Delve deeper into some of the religious and spiritual aspects behind the Star Wars series. But what of genocide or holy war in the book of Joshua? Even better, it explains the “where…“ Where is God leading us through all of this evil? Gods (or sometimes Goddesses if feminine)are usually considered to be immortal, all-powerful beings. Perhaps this is the real reason many people rail against the God of the Bible? We appreciate your taking the time to comment. So, there is evidence of the biblical God's existence; there is no evidence of the Flying Spaghetti Monster's existence. He created a hell. Paul Copan's Is God a Moral Monster? In the beginning, creation is good. If there’s an intelligent life-creation force, he reasoned, isn’t it just as likely that it’s a flying spaghetti monster as a beatific, omnipotent God? examines the significance of the ‘God-question' and the impact of…, In the tradition of C.S. From god to monster : Athens - Roaming Alchemist But there's something else you should know. Dwelling on stories like these, along with aspects of the legal code dealing with slavery, capital punishment and warfare, vocal critics argue that the God of the Bible is a monster. The Bible has become a happy hunting ground for many who want to undermine faith in the God of the Bible. (Part I). You cannot simply explain 4,000 years of history in five minutes and without asking the key questions – what does God want from all of this evil and why would He oversee things like one nation conquering another or strict laws that forbid religious freedom? Further, I get personally frustrated by those who make these monstrous claims because I truly believe their claims are based on cherry picking Scriptures from very specific contexts and parading those verses around as fact and proof of God’s character – or lack thereof. It was a world with a slave-based economy, with city states often at war with each other, with polygamous marriages to ensure the continuation of family lines. "Is God a monster" I asked the vicar on Thursday "One who subjects innocent And defenceless animals (Who are not "fallen") To earthquakes, volcanoes Gods & Monsters Gods & Monsters. So the moral teaching of the Bible cannot be summarised by a brief and brutal quote taken out of context from the Old Testament. It is published here by the kind permission of the editors and the author. It is not our place in apologetics to sanitise the Bible. Required fields are marked *. God is love, and God loves every person and every creature. Does God Exist? Comment. God's Ways and the Binding of Isaac 42. © 2011 Evangelicals Now This item was originally published in the June 2011 edition of Evangelicals Now. god may not be a monster, but god is monstrous. Richard Dawkins in The God Delusion describes the God he doesn’t believe in as a "control freak", an "ethnic cleanser" and a "malevolent bully". Site Policy & Cookies Contact us, https://www.bethinking.org/god/unapologetic-christianity-is-god-a-monster. Leslie Scrase in The Unbeliever’s Guide to the Bible describes the God of the Old Testament as "dishonest, capricious, cruel, jealous and violent". God carries out His monstrosity in the hereafter as well as on this earth.. Introduction. A philosophical appeal to the best explanation and thorough historical examination of what occurred reveal that the New Testament account of God being the cause is reasonable to believe. Is the Bible Reliable? Note: All comments must be approved before being posted. 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