Not even a lick of logic in the phrase when it's twisted in such a way that it is suppose to be seen as a good thing.

It harks back to a time when god wasn't loving but a capricious god that would destroy your crops, kill your cattle or bring on pestilence if not appeased, when god was worshipped out of fear not love.

Basically god was the equivalent of not walking under ladders for the vast swathe of believers, a superstition.

http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/flagellants.htm

(September 5, 2014 at 1:06 pm)Elskidor Wrote: Not even a lick of logic in the phrase when it's twisted in such a way that it is suppose to be seen as a good thing.

To fear god is to become a gullible puppet in the hand of some of the most despicably unscrupulous and dishonest human beings ever lived.

It made the church money when people were scared of their god - people payed the church for pardons for their sins.

And people behaved themselves. If God (or Satan at that point) was going to spend billions of years sticking burning hot deer antlers up your butt hole you might think twice before boinking a woman other than your wife.

(September 5, 2014 at 1:10 pm)downbeatplumb Wrote: It harks back to a time when god wasn't loving but a capricious god that would destroy your crops, kill your cattle or bring on pestilence if not appeased, when god was worshipped out of fear not love.

Basically god was the equivalent of not walking under ladders for the vast swathe of believers, a superstition.

http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/flagellants.htm

Exactly. Omnibenevolence as a characteristic of God is a rather new thing.

(September 5, 2014 at 1:24 pm)CapnAwesome Wrote:

(September 5, 2014 at 1:10 pm)downbeatplumb Wrote: It harks back to a time when god wasn't loving but a capricious god that would destroy your crops, kill your cattle or bring on pestilence if not appeased, when god was worshipped out of fear not love.

Basically god was the equivalent of not walking under ladders for the vast swathe of believers, a superstition.

http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/flagellants.htm

Exactly. Omnibenevolence as a characteristic of God is a rather new thing.

Beat me to it. Read the OT. Does yahweh really sound like a god of love to you? He did seem to have a close enough relationship to certain people that they could change his mind about something, or wrestle with him, or he'd make promises to them. still, he was a violent god that ordered death on everyone for everything. He'd kill you for picking up sticks on the wrong day of the week, or for not yelling loudly enough when you're being raped. Or just because he felt like doing it. It didn't matter. You didn't follow him out of love and respect. You followed him out of pants weting fear.

(September 5, 2014 at 1:10 pm)downbeatplumb Wrote: It harks back to a time when god wasn't loving but a capricious god that would destroy your crops, kill your cattle or bring on pestilence if not appeased, when god was worshipped out of fear not love.

Indeed. You learn to fear Jehovah, God of Armies. Not so for version 2.0, who got thrashed and hung on a cross. Jehovah of Armies would scrape you off the bottom of his sandals (unless you happened to have a chariot of iron, you fucking cheater). Jesus keeps warning you that some day... SOME DAY... you're gonna be sorry for laughing at him. It's just not the same.

(September 5, 2014 at 2:02 pm)Tonus Wrote: (unless you happened to have a chariot of iron, you fucking cheater).

Baahahahaha

(September 5, 2014 at 1:06 pm)Elskidor Wrote: Not even a lick of logic in the phrase when it's twisted in such a way that it is suppose to be seen as a good thing.

To fear in context is to respect.

We are told to fear God first meaning we are to respect honor and observe. In this is the beginning of wisdom.

So why does God demand respect? For the same reason we respect/fear forces like gravity, fire, electricity. All of these forces like God cut both ways. If and when you approach these elements with respect you can benefit greatly. If how ever you choose to not respect these elements you will be 'burned' by them.