What context explains the behavior of a deity who is said to have done these things?
Let's start with a simple one. The Flood. Everyone was apparently so irredeemable that Yahweh decides he's going to drown everybody. Not just all the people, but all the animals too. What context makes this okay? Keep in mind that there were babies and children that were drowned as well in this story. And Yahweh did not see fit to save any of them because the world had become 'so corrupt'. Surely Noah could have taken the children and the babies along with him, and raised them up to be good? Surely the babies weren't evil. What had they done that was evil? And what about the animals? Did they too deserve to die in the flood? What context makes this okay in any moral system?
How about David's Census? What makes it okay that Yahweh punishes the people of Israel for David taking a census? It's unclear in the first place WHO told him to take the census. By one biblical account it was Yahweh himself. By the other it was the Devil. But for the sake of argument let's say it was the devil. What makes it okay that 70,000 men were killed for David taking this census? Surely any crimes that the people took against Yahweh were to minimal, because if there were any, then they weren't listed in the bible. The same thing can be said about the flood as well, of course.
Yahweh hardened Pharaoh's heart. Exodus 7:3-4
But 'I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, Pharaoh will not listen to you. Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and bring my hosts, my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great acts of judgment.
Yahweh basically made sure that Pharaoh wouldn't listen to Moses. It seems obvious to me that Yahweh wanted to make sure that Pharaoh didn't do what Yahweh wanted him to do. Now Yahweh knows everything, so Yahweh either:
A. Knew Pharaoh wouldn't let Moses's people go anyway, but hardened his heart for good measure so that he could unleash his plagues.
Or
B. Knew Pharaoh WOULD let Moses's people go, and hardened his heart so that he wouldn't do what he wanted him to do.
So why would Yahweh harden his heart? If Pharaoh wouldn't let Moses's people go anyway, then there's no need to harden it. If Pharaoh would let Moses's people go, then why not just let him let them go? Did Yahweh want several plagues that badly? And why punish all the first borns of Egypt. Some of which were presumably very young, and had nothing to do with Pharaoh's treatment of the Israelites.
How about Lot's wife? She was told not to look back, but did. We're never really told why she looked back. But why does Yahweh threaten death for looking back? Does this not seem Psychotic? (Forget morality here. We're talking Psychopathy)
Then 42 youths were apparently taunting Elisha, and Yahweh sent two bears to maul them all. Even if they were ridiculing him, what could possibly make this worthy of death by bear? What context is missing that would make this perfectly acceptable to anyone?
Let's look at part of a definition for psychopath: People are seen as pawns to be used to forward the psychopath’s goals. Psychopaths rarely feel guilt regarding any of their behaviors, no matter how much they hurt others. psychopaths can often be seen by others as being charming and trustworthy
I think that describes Yahweh pretty well.
Let's start with a simple one. The Flood. Everyone was apparently so irredeemable that Yahweh decides he's going to drown everybody. Not just all the people, but all the animals too. What context makes this okay? Keep in mind that there were babies and children that were drowned as well in this story. And Yahweh did not see fit to save any of them because the world had become 'so corrupt'. Surely Noah could have taken the children and the babies along with him, and raised them up to be good? Surely the babies weren't evil. What had they done that was evil? And what about the animals? Did they too deserve to die in the flood? What context makes this okay in any moral system?
How about David's Census? What makes it okay that Yahweh punishes the people of Israel for David taking a census? It's unclear in the first place WHO told him to take the census. By one biblical account it was Yahweh himself. By the other it was the Devil. But for the sake of argument let's say it was the devil. What makes it okay that 70,000 men were killed for David taking this census? Surely any crimes that the people took against Yahweh were to minimal, because if there were any, then they weren't listed in the bible. The same thing can be said about the flood as well, of course.
Yahweh hardened Pharaoh's heart. Exodus 7:3-4
But 'I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, Pharaoh will not listen to you. Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and bring my hosts, my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great acts of judgment.
Yahweh basically made sure that Pharaoh wouldn't listen to Moses. It seems obvious to me that Yahweh wanted to make sure that Pharaoh didn't do what Yahweh wanted him to do. Now Yahweh knows everything, so Yahweh either:
A. Knew Pharaoh wouldn't let Moses's people go anyway, but hardened his heart for good measure so that he could unleash his plagues.
Or
B. Knew Pharaoh WOULD let Moses's people go, and hardened his heart so that he wouldn't do what he wanted him to do.
So why would Yahweh harden his heart? If Pharaoh wouldn't let Moses's people go anyway, then there's no need to harden it. If Pharaoh would let Moses's people go, then why not just let him let them go? Did Yahweh want several plagues that badly? And why punish all the first borns of Egypt. Some of which were presumably very young, and had nothing to do with Pharaoh's treatment of the Israelites.
How about Lot's wife? She was told not to look back, but did. We're never really told why she looked back. But why does Yahweh threaten death for looking back? Does this not seem Psychotic? (Forget morality here. We're talking Psychopathy)
Then 42 youths were apparently taunting Elisha, and Yahweh sent two bears to maul them all. Even if they were ridiculing him, what could possibly make this worthy of death by bear? What context is missing that would make this perfectly acceptable to anyone?
Let's look at part of a definition for psychopath: People are seen as pawns to be used to forward the psychopath’s goals. Psychopaths rarely feel guilt regarding any of their behaviors, no matter how much they hurt others. psychopaths can often be seen by others as being charming and trustworthy
I think that describes Yahweh pretty well.
