Is God cruel?

[nPeace]

He is jealous because he was one of the El's assembly and wanted to be head honcho. He does not deserve to be worshiped exclusively. He was one of many and wanted to be worshiped alone. As a storm and war god, how could he teach about love?

I suppose you can point to a source that told you that, but what is the use of going outside the Bible, to explain what's not in the Canon?
Doesn't seem reasonable.

 

[Sand Dancer]

History of the religious views of the time. Even the Bible reflects on it. The Bible went from monotheism to monolatry to monotheism. It's interesting. Yahweh was one of the sons of El, the most high god of the Canaanites. In making Yahweh the high god of the Hebrews, his attributes were taken from El, Baal and Marduk. Deut 32:8–9 explains how the nations were divided among the children of El, with Yahweh getting Jacob as the patriarch. In Psalms, we find. "God presides in the great assembly; he renders judgment among the “gods." ‘You are “gods”; you are all sons of the Most High." "Among the gods there is none like you, Lord." "I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart; before the “gods” I will sing your praise."

According to Canaanite literature, El had 70 sons by the goddess Asherah. Yahweh, the Hebrew god presided over the council of El. The author, Mark Smith, has some great books out there about the Canaanites and the origins of biblical monotheism. Also, the Ugaritic texts cover it well.

 

[nPeace]

History of the religious views of the time. Even the Bible reflects on it. The Bible went from monotheism to monolatry to monotheism. It's interesting. Yahweh was one of the sons of El, the most high god of the Canaanites. In making Yahweh the high god of the Hebrews, his attributes were taken from El, Baal and Marduk. Deut 32:8–9 explains how the nations were divided among the children of El, with Yahweh getting Jacob as the patriarch. In Psalms, we find. "God presides in the great assembly; he renders judgment among the “gods." ‘You are “gods”; you are all sons of the Most High." "Among the gods there is none like you, Lord." "I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart; before the “gods” I will sing your praise."

According to Canaanite literature, El had 70 sons by the goddess Asherah. Yahweh, the Hebrew god presided over the council of El. The author, Mark Smith, has some great books out there about the Canaanites and the origins of biblical monotheism. Also, the Ugaritic texts cover it well.

Sounds to me like people trying to claim their views and opinions are somehow facts.

 

[Sand Dancer]

Sounds to me like people trying to claim their views and opinions are somehow facts.

No, that would be the Religious Right.

 

[nPeace]

No, that would be the Religious Right.

Really? Prove me wrong then, and support that assertion.

 

[InChrist]

I sometimes and have often clenched my teeth and screamed at God with clenched fists, but I've also humbly begged him to help and surrendered and begged him to remove my anger, fear, and confusion. I don't think I'm refusing God's help to teach me how to do my homework. I'm waiting for him and begging him to show me cuz I've got tons of homework and don't know what to do!

Maybe you are begging, but obviously you are not willing to love and trust God or have any desire to please Him.

 

[Sand Dancer]

Really? Prove me wrong then, and support that assertion.

The info is from history of the Canaanite religion. That's disputable?

 

[axxxa_3]

Do you think God is cruel?

Please join me in prayer that he would stop requiring people to suffer so much and be so confused like God isn't even there to shepherd his flock.

Since God wants us to suffer so much, we might as well pray for the grace to love suffering. Please let's all pray that God would have a change of heart and be more gentle, compassionate, caring, kind, and stop allowing so much evil to haunt and torment his creatures. I would outdo God in showing mercy if I had God's powers.

All mighty God is definitely NOT cruel. I assure you that I understand how you feel. You're wondering to yourself how God can let all of this happen when he can stop it in the blink of an eye. Why let all these people suffer if God truly loves them?

I'm assuming because of the picture of the cross that you are Christian? Let me tell you, in Islam, we always say "In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful"

Let me clarify that when I say God I'm not talking about Jesus peace be upon him (I am Muslim and we believe that he is a messenger sent by God). In Islam "He is the only God, creator of the universe, and the judge of humankind."

We believe that God is the Most Generous, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, the Most Kind and the list goes on and on.

But then you're asking yourself why is he letting all of these people suffer if he is all of these things?

You see, God is not ignorant. He knows very well all that is happening on this earth. After all, He created it, and He created us. In fact, God is so Merciful and Gracious that he doesn't even ignore a single ant. So He knows and He sees, and He is the judge so He will grant paradise to those who suffer like Palestinians and hell He will grant to those who kill the innocent.

Allah (God in Islam) listens to everyone's prayers and He knows the burden you carry and He knows how people are terribly suffering. But He is letting it happen because He has reserved something far more pleasant than this earth for them: paradise. Yes, they will directly go to paradise without question.

So never question God's actions, for he created mankind so he knows better than anyone what He is doing.

If you have further questions about this topic of about something else or about Islam, it would be my please to answer them all

 

[Bird123]

Do you think God is cruel?

Please join me in prayer that he would stop requiring people to suffer so much and be so confused like God isn't even there to shepherd his flock.

Since God wants us to suffer so much, we might as well pray for the grace to love suffering. Please let's all pray that God would have a change of heart and be more gentle, compassionate, caring, kind, and stop allowing so much evil to haunt and torment his creatures. I would outdo God in showing mercy if I had God's powers.

Is it really God who is cruel? God simply returns the choices people choose in order they discover what their actions really mean. Would it be more cruel not to teach the kids and allow them to think horrible choices are the right ones to make?

Yes, people can choose hard lessons. On the other hand people do learn and grow beyond these things given enough time and lessons.

This is a multilevel classroom. When people do learn and move on, there are always fresh students to arrive in need of learning.

It's easy to point, blame and complain about the problems in this world and our lives, however we are all meant to Solve the problems instead of expecting others to do all the solving. There is great wisdom acquired on the journey to resolution. On the other hand one must actually take that journey and work at it.

There are many learning lessons we have already learned. Once having learned the lesson, that bad or cruel choice is no longer a viable choice for us. For those of us who must watch others learning hard lessons, it is a reminder of what the best choice really is.

God has fixed it all ahead of time for whatever happens, we are all Eternal.

Well, that's what I am seeing. It's very clear to me.

Point cruel people in the right direction toward Unconditional Love and Kindness. Who knows. You might just be the teacher who will bring light into the world.

 

[nPeace]

The info is from history of the Canaanite religion. That's disputable?

Do you have a link?.

 

[74x12]

Precisely! I give him props for confessing that. Jealousy is one of the 7 deadly sins. So is anger. At least he is honest!

Envy is a sin. Jealousy of God was as a husband for His wife's affection. That's all. It wasn't envy.

 

[Sand Dancer]

Do you have a link?.

Besides the Bible, God and the "Sons of God" - Yahweh Elohim
Canaanite Phoenician Origin of the God of the Israelites
As well as the "Ugaritic Texts" and "The History of God" by Karen Armstrong.