oldbadger
Skanky Old Mongrel!
Hello Spiderman.It seems Christianity ( in it's main branches at least) can't deny that the violent humiliation, crowning with thorns, martyrdom/execution of their founder and "Messiah" (God-Incarnate according to most traditions) was simply fantastic/excellent/great (something to celebrate and delightful to contemplate and make artwork and movies of even).
John the Baptist said Christ was "the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world".
As the Angel of death was going around killing Egyptian babies and children (because God "hardened Pharaoh's heart") at God's command, the lamb had to be violently slain, eaten, and blood smeared on the doorposts.
Jesus clearly wanted to be eaten as the Paschal Lamb, but also wanted to be killed (because his Father wanted him killed). When it was time for Christ to die, he didn't say, "now has the time for my humiliation and violent death come", he said "now has the time come for the Son of man to be glorified...for this reason I came into the world".
So, can't we thank the people that stripped him down, put all that energy into making a cross, flogging his flesh so that by his stripes we are healed, making that lovely crown of thorns (crown for a King of Kings), pounding those nails into his hands and feet, and lancing his side? We can't thank them enough.
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That sounds like hard disturbing work to me that helped with our redemption. Somebody's gotta do it right?
Abraham's call to fame and glory was he agreed to a voice instructing him to slit the throat of (and burn) his only son. Now adays Doctors and mental health professionals wouldn't find that to be noble or healthy behavior and prescribe meds and straight jackets for people hearing voices tell them to do such deeds, (especially to children).
(Could you imagine Isaac's concern about his (very old) Father's mental health then, or how a therapist would deal with something like that? Foster care for Isaac , and a nursing home for Abe perhaps ? )
Maybe Jesus chose Judas to betray him and commit suicide, and Peter to deny him thrice, not in spite of their folly, but because of it?
Can Christians rejoice over it all? Isn't that what redeemed and saved the world even more than the sunshine itself?
What is ugly? Painful is good, for Bible is full of violence, ugliness, and pain to accomplish God's agenda. How about the scorched Earth policies, slavery, and total genocides God ordered so that Israel would glorify him and have a promised land?
God is entertained by or delighted by it. It doesn't seem one can argue otherwise, but please do, because it's an easy debate for me to win if we go by the Bible or Quran.
Anyway, I get to feeling really bad about my mental and emotional health , so having something like the Bible makes me feel a little better.
Compared to Yahweh I'm.... (Not healthy, but... ) less violent and more compassionate (and don't contradict myself as much).
I love my earthly Father but make fun of him all the time. I give Abba a bad time. Doesn't mean I don't love him. Israel means "contender with God" (for newbies) .
Also, I'm not promoting the acts and none of them were illegal regarding the Old Testament stuff. (Not by God's law despite God violating his own 10 commandments too many times to count. Who will put God on trial?. I would wonder what @Kelly of the Phoenix would have to say about some of this. Or you gentle reader.
I not sure that Jesus got executed, because he could have been the convict that the people loved so much that Pilate pardoned him ...
And that crucifixion painting is total rubbish. Any folks who had come anywhere near to the three crosses would have been kicked back (or worse) by the Roman soldiers.