Why do Christians defend the horrendously brutal and genocidal God of the Old Testament?

[Twilight Hue]

The god of the Old Testament is evil depraved and vicious demanding complete subjugation.

Why do Christians even attempt to defend this, and then further say God is always good and righteous when in fact much of the Old Testament is choc full of God's actions and deeds that point to the extreme opposite of what good and righteousness is supposed to be?

I'll start off with this rather bizarre response from one of our favorite apologists on the subject of an evil God, Answers in Genesis.


https://answersingenesis.org/who-is...ld-testament-harsh-brutal-and-downright-evil/

 

[Brickjectivity]

The god of the Old Testament is evil depraved and vicious demanding complete subjugation.

Why do Christians even attempt to defend this, and then further say God is always good and righteous when in fact much of the Old Testament is choc full of God's actions and deeds that point to the extreme opposite of what good and righteousness is supposed to be?

I'll start off with this rather bizarre response from one of our favorite apologists on the subject of an evil God, Answers in Genesis.


https://answersingenesis.org/who-is...ld-testament-harsh-brutal-and-downright-evil/

Belief in an afterlife is how, the same belief I see appearing in Buddhism. It justifies unspeakable things, and reinforcing a literal view of the Bible will only confuse people further and not cleanse the taint of afterlife. Scholarship and clarification are the only justifiable approaches.

 

[Sunstone]

Isn't that just one characterization of the Old Testament God? I mean, I've heard several. People tend to read into Him their own views, don't they?

 

[socharlie]

The god of the Old Testament is evil depraved and vicious demanding complete subjugation.

Why do Christians even attempt to defend this, and then further say God is always good and righteous when in fact much of the Old Testament is choc full of God's actions and deeds that point to the extreme opposite of what good and righteousness is supposed to be?

I'll start off with this rather bizarre response from one of our favorite apologists on the subject of an evil God, Answers in Genesis.


https://answersingenesis.org/who-is...ld-testament-harsh-brutal-and-downright-evil/

God of OT is not brutal at all, OT needs to be properly sorted out. IT s a theological treatise above all and we here just do not understand it. The fact that Christians glued to it as the word of God as dogma of spiritless side of Christianity still surprising to me.

 

[David T]

The god of the Old Testament is evil depraved and vicious demanding complete subjugation.

Why do Christians even attempt to defend this, and then further say God is always good and righteous when in fact much of the Old Testament is choc full of God's actions and deeds that point to the extreme opposite of what good and righteousness is supposed to be?

I'll start off with this rather bizarre response from one of our favorite apologists on the subject of an evil God, Answers in Genesis.


https://answersingenesis.org/who-is...ld-testament-harsh-brutal-and-downright-evil/

Because they are cluelessly normal.

 

[Kenny]

The god of the Old Testament is evil depraved and vicious demanding complete subjugation.

Why do Christians even attempt to defend this,

To correct your error in thinking?

 

[Skwim]

The god of the Old Testament is evil depraved and vicious demanding complete subjugation.

Why do Christians even attempt to defend this, and then further say God is always good and righteous when in fact much of the Old Testament is choc full of God's actions and deeds that point to the extreme opposite of what good and righteousness is supposed to be?

I'll start off with this rather bizarre response from one of our favorite apologists on the subject of an evil God, Answers in Genesis.

My favorite Christian apologetic is the one socharlie here used: "God of OT is not brutal at all,. . .we here just do not understand it." Sure god does godawful things, like killing thousands of innocent men, women, and children; and continuing to create evil in the world, plus saddling all of humanity with suffering because A&E were fooled by one of god's own creatures, but these things only seem bad because we don't understand their goodness. It is good

To kill thousands of innocent men, women, and children
That God continues to create evil
That humanity suffers​

"What is bad when we do it is good when when god does it. How much simpler can it get? Case closed. Now, let's move on to something other than god's "goodness." Shall we?

.

 

[It Aint Necessarily So]

To correct your error in thinking?

What error?

I consider the god of the Christian Bible to be (arguably) the most anti-human character in all of history and fiction.

He is said to have nearly exterminated the human race (and the terrestrial beasts) with a flood once, has sat idly and indifferently by throughout the history of human suffering, and is said to be one day planning a fiery apocalypse for earth's residents.

Add to that that He has built a torture pit and stocked it with demons, ad will gratuitously keep the souls of the dead conscious after death just to make them suffer, suffering that benefits nobody but sadists.

Who's worse that that? Darth Vader? Hitler? Fu Manchu? Jeffrey Dahmer? Lex Luther? Donald Trump? Khan? Son of Sam?

Pikers all compared to that.

Can you suggest another candidate for the honor?

(Edits italicized)

 

[Kenny]

What error?
I consider the god of the Christian Bible to be the most anti-human character in all of history and fiction.

.

Yours.

 

[Twilight Hue]

Isn't that just one characterization of the Old Testament God? I mean, I've heard several. People tend to read into Him their own views, don't they?

They do. It's what makes this topic interesting.

What I find perplexing is the clear paradox that has been associated with such actions, such as various examples of genocide, murder, rape, among others as being justified or justifiable under the direction of a righteous and good God either by God's own action, or the people of God themselves by which such acts are still sanctioned, even as it's being graphically described throughout various Old Testament accounts.

A lot of the responses givin here already seem to support and confirm the adage for which predominantly good people can sanction horrible and terrible things through a virtue of benefit such as the promises of God to his chosen people in exchange for their subjugation and willingness to carry out God's directives. Regardless of whatever they are and what they entail.

It makes one question this type of allegiance that is accepting of various acts of brutality and evil, while in the same breath, condemned as being unacceptable and horrendously evil as the reader continues on into the New Testament allegories which obviously portrays a stark contrast to its Old Testament counterpart.

Basically the gist of the thread is asking why is the Old Testament God is given a pass with full knowledge of knowing it's brutality and maliciousness when the New Testament virtually condemns those same acts?

It's makes you really wonder why the Old Testament and it's God still remains an intrical and relevant part of Christian Canon if a person is going to consider God righteous and good, given the claims of discernment and distinction in Christianity's version of what morality and righteousness is.

 

[1213]

The god of the Old Testament is evil depraved and vicious demanding complete subjugation.

Why do Christians even attempt to defend this, and then further say God is always good and righteous when in fact much of the Old Testament is choc full of God's actions and deeds that point to the extreme opposite of what good and righteousness is supposed to be?

According to the Bible, eternal life is for righteous. Do you have some good reason why God should give eternal life also for unrighteous, who would then make eternal life suffering for all?

These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.
Mat. 25:46

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:23

 

[Father Heathen]

Because they were indoctrinated as children to believe that the bible is the inerrant word of an infallible god, and to always have blind, unquestioning faith in it (or they'll burn for eternity).

 

[Twilight Hue]

To correct your error in thinking?

What is the error?

Christians can tell between what is good and evil right? At least that's what we're being told.

How can such discernment then be applied to such acts that are found and described throughout the Old Testament either by God or by sanction of God?

 

[socharlie]

My favorite Christian apologetic is the one socharlie here used: "God of OT is not brutal at all,. . .we here just do not understand it." Sure god does godawful things, like killing thousands of innocent men, women, and children; and continuing to create evil in the world, plus saddling all of humanity with suffering because A&E were fooled by one of god's own creatures, but these things only seem bad because we don't understand their goodness. It is good

To kill thousands of innocent men, women, and children
That God continues to create evil
That humanity suffers​

"What is bad when we do it is good when when god does it. How much simpler can it get? Case closed. Now, let's move on to something other than god's "goodness." Shall we?

.

First of all OT is intended for people who lived 3500 or so years ago, it is intended for Sons of Israel ONLY, it is not intended for people of modern type of consciousness, it was intended first of all for people with Cain type of consciousness who would kill their own brothers, parents, e.t.c. People of Cain type of consciousness need a different approach to explain things, they do not understand "do not murder' unless an authority of terrible punishment ( from God) unless the sword of punishment is constantly over their head .

 

[Twilight Hue]

According to the Bible, eternal life is for righteous. Do you have some good reason why God should give eternal life also for unrighteous, who would then make eternal life suffering for all?

These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.
Mat. 25:46

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:23

Actually I do have a good reason.

The Angels aren't suffering the same fate when the Bible states that we were just a little bit lower than the angels.

I've heard versions where everybody has eternal life regardless. One life is pain and torture, while the other is bliss and Indulgence.

 

[socharlie]

First of all OT is intended for people who lived 3500 or so years ago, it is intended for Sons of Israel ONLY, it is not intended for people of modern type of consciousness, it was intended first of all for people with Cain type of consciousness who would kill their own brothers, parents, e.t.c. People of Cain type of consciousness need a different approach to explain things, they do not understand "do not murder' unless an authority of terrible punishment ( from God) unless the sword of punishment is constantly over their head .

remember we have a criminal code to deter and meter punishment for wrong doings, police does it now, 3500 they had OT code to keep bad consciousness in check. Examples of severe punishment (even that they never occurred in real life) had to be included in OT criminal code because it mostly intended for future yet unborn generations.

 

[InChrist]

The god of the Old Testament is evil depraved and vicious demanding complete subjugation.

Why do Christians even attempt to defend this, and then further say God is always good and righteous when in fact much of the Old Testament is choc full of God's actions and deeds that point to the extreme opposite of what good and righteousness is supposed to be?

I'll start off with this rather bizarre response from one of our favorite apologists on the subject of an evil God, Answers in Genesis.


https://answersingenesis.org/who-is...ld-testament-harsh-brutal-and-downright-evil/

I thought the article you included from Answers in Genesis was excellent. Thanks for posting it.

I don't think Christians defend the brutality of the OT which is upsetting you so much. I'm sure it is just as upsetting to any Christians. What Christians are defending is God's character because God as the Creator sees and understands the big picture, as well as the details of each situation, that you or I have no way of knowing or understanding. God alone is in the position to determine what is good and righteous and what is evil and depraved and when to bring judgement upon people or groups. If God who sees all and knows all had specific and valid reasons for His actions in the OT , then how do you from a limited, finite, and disconnected position presume to judge His motives?

 

[InChrist]

Actually I do have a good reason.

The Angels aren't suffering the same fate when the Bible states that we were just a little bit lower than the angels.

Jesus said that the... everlasting fire was prepared for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41)

 

[socharlie]

The god of the Old Testament is evil depraved and vicious demanding complete subjugation.

Why do Christians even attempt to defend this, and then further say God is always good and righteous when in fact much of the Old Testament is choc full of God's actions and deeds that point to the extreme opposite of what good and righteousness is supposed to be?

I'll start off with this rather bizarre response from one of our favorite apologists on the subject of an evil God, Answers in Genesis.


https://answersingenesis.org/who-is...ld-testament-harsh-brutal-and-downright-evil/

to understand OT you need to understand this:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicameralism_(psychology)

 

[Kenny]

What is the error?

Your interpretation