(April 14, 2013 at 9:56 am)archangle Wrote: god aint jealous. I don't get that out of the bible at all. I get god as having some of the same "feelings" as we do. We are in his image.
people need to "praise" god. God don't need it. God probably feels that 'if it makes you feel better ... pray, if it don't make you feel better ...don't pray".
Quote:You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me, but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation[a] of those who love me and keep my commandments.
--Exodus 20:4-6, NRSV, emphasis added
He'd have to be pretty jealous to punish people's great-great-great grandchildren because their ancestors worshiped the wrong gods, wouldn't he? And if he gets the worship and obedience he wants, he'll be soooooo happy that he'll love your great-times-a-thousand grandchildren...though he doesn't say what he'll do if they worship other gods.
Quote:(for you shall worship no other god, because the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God).
--Exodus 34:14, emphasis added
Here Yahweh is presented as identifying so closely with jealousy that it becomes his name. Think about this in the context of the great importance of his name in ancient Judaism, e.g. "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord in vain," etc., which eventually developed into a refusal by the Hebrews (and for that matter, Jews today) to even pronounce the Tetragrammaton ("YHWH"), and substituting "Adonai" for it in Torah readings.
Quote:Do not follow other gods, any of the gods of the peoples who are all around you, because the Lord your God, who is present with you, is a jealous God. The anger of the Lord your God would be kindled against you and he would destroy you from the face of the earth.
--Deuteronomy 6:14-15, emphasis added
Mad enough to commit genocide? Kinda hard to reconcile that with the tolerant, laid-back god you 'get' out of the Bible.
I could easily produce more examples.
