The god of the bible is a sociopath. I am curious if Christians can explain why their god is good without resorting to "Because the bible says"

Because he won't throw gas on you and set you on fire if you kiss his ass.

(February 21, 2015 at 9:53 pm)KUSA Wrote: Because he won't throw gas on you and set you on fire if you kiss his ass.

He sounds like an abusive spouse. "But dear, I wouldn't beat you if you didn't make me angry."

Maybe I should have asked Christians to prove that bible god is different from an abusive lover

It's understandable from an anthropological point of view why the god of the OT (and even the NT) comes off as such a cruel entity. That god was made in the image of men who themselves saw cruelty and abusiveness at times as beneficial to their society ... and therefore considered a sign of "tough love".

Unlike us nowadays where we tend to see such cruelty and abuse as almost always (if not always) a sign of poor love and lack of empathy ... and therefore not a good thing. Today's Christians should know better, but unfortunately, when you're desperate to cling to some divine truth, you'll dismiss even your own ideals in favor of such "truth".

What's interesting is many of these Christians will agree it's wrong to be verbally abusive to your spouse or kids (and even be indignant about it) but will not bat an eye when it is God doing the abusing.

God is good because he says he is.
Really, how hard can it be?

(February 21, 2015 at 11:48 pm)Zen Badger Wrote: God is good because he says he is.
Really, how hard can it be?

Somebody beat me to it.

He died for your sins! To save you from hell, which he created for people who don't worship him.

You just have to have faith.

(February 21, 2015 at 10:58 pm)Nope Wrote:

(February 21, 2015 at 9:53 pm)KUSA Wrote: Because he won't throw gas on you and set you on fire if you kiss his ass.

He sounds like an abusive spouse. "But dear, I wouldn't beat you if you didn't make me angry."

Maybe I should have asked Christians to prove that bible god is different from an abusive lover

God beats the ones he loves. If he doesn't beat you then he doesn't love you. And the more severe the beating the more he loves you.

Hebrews 12:5-7 (TLB) = "5 And have you quite forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you, his child? He said, “My son, don’t be angry when the Lord punishes you. Don’t be discouraged when he has to show you where you are wrong. 6 For when he punishes you, it proves that he loves you. When he whips you, it proves you are really his child.”
7 Let God train you, for he is doing what any loving father does for his children. Whoever heard of a son who was never corrected?"

Nice strawman they got there. if you're against beatings, you must be against correcting children at all.

(February 22, 2015 at 12:13 am)Wyrd of Gawd Wrote:

(February 21, 2015 at 10:58 pm)Nope Wrote: He sounds like an abusive spouse. "But dear, I wouldn't beat you if you didn't make me angry."

Maybe I should have asked Christians to prove that bible god is different from an abusive lover

God beats the ones he loves. If he doesn't beat you then he doesn't love you. And the more severe the beating the more he loves you.

Hebrews 12:5-7 (TLB) = "5 And have you quite forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you, his child? He said, “My son, don’t be angry when the Lord punishes you. Don’t be discouraged when he has to show you where you are wrong. 6 For when he punishes you, it proves that he loves you. When he whips you, it proves you are really his child.”
7 Let God train you, for he is doing what any loving father does for his children. Whoever heard of a son who was never corrected?"

An anbusive spouse and father.

(February 22, 2015 at 2:19 am)Nope Wrote: An anbusive spouse and father.

Or just a very human construct designed to control people with fear.