One of the interesting features of the bible is its ability to reconcile a slaughtering God with a loving God. From the beginning, in the OT and NT, in the oldest translations available, the word used to describe humans that subscribed to the religion was different than the word for other humans, pagans.
The word for followers implied "Trueness", real emulation of God, whereas the second word was more akin to "dirt", or animal-like humans. Many scholars have debated that inside the genesis story all non-followers were created with the rest of the animals, and Adam and Eve only representing the first true humans. This explains the paradox of the Cain and Able story to a large extent, and also how God can be loving and cruel together. Slaughtering the first born of Egypt was like slaughtering sheep, similar with heathens and idol worshippers. The true followers are spared and treated differently. This is a point that isn't usually brought up in discussion, but it really does help theist arguments to some extent in that it provides reasoning behind the bible.
I personally feel this differentiation is a perfect example of the tool religion is used as, to divide and conquer and control.
The word for followers implied "Trueness", real emulation of God, whereas the second word was more akin to "dirt", or animal-like humans. Many scholars have debated that inside the genesis story all non-followers were created with the rest of the animals, and Adam and Eve only representing the first true humans. This explains the paradox of the Cain and Able story to a large extent, and also how God can be loving and cruel together. Slaughtering the first born of Egypt was like slaughtering sheep, similar with heathens and idol worshippers. The true followers are spared and treated differently. This is a point that isn't usually brought up in discussion, but it really does help theist arguments to some extent in that it provides reasoning behind the bible.
I personally feel this differentiation is a perfect example of the tool religion is used as, to divide and conquer and control.
My religion is the understanding of my world. My god is the energy that underlies it all. My worship is my constant endeavor to unravel the mysteries of my religion. 
