As amusing and even informative as it is to read the Bible simply as text, as a story, that doesn't provide an accurate understanding of it. It can't be understood outside of its cultural parameters. Which is true of any literary work, even, I argue, a divinely inspired one.
The story of Abraham and Issac made more sense to me when I realized that child sacrifice was common in the pagan religions the Hebrews were used to, and for a god to say, "No, you don't actually have to do that," was incredible. A god who didn't deman your children's lives - that had to be a big draw. So after realizing that, I saw that story as showing God to be merciful and loving, rather than capricious and abusive. And I did understand what someone else pointed out before, that it wasn't enough to tell Abraham that he didn't have to do that anymore. You ahve to demonstrate things to people, in very solid form, before they really believe them. That's true of humans everywhere and everywhen. If I were a god and my people thought they had to kill their babies for me, I'd demonstrate otherwise in much the same manner.
That said, I still fume about Jephthah's poor daughter. I don't remember if that was before or after Abraham, but it doesn't really matter.
Then there was an Old Testament prophet (I forget who) - a bunch of kids made fun of him, so God sent some she-bears to kill the kids....
Rick, I'm curious. What is it *textually* in the OT that makes you see God, as described, as a psychopathic warlord?
Then there was an Old Testament prophet (I forget who) - a bunch of kids made fun of him, so God sent some she-bears to kill the kids.
Elisha, I believe. The kids mocked him for being bald. And, really, life would have brought an ironic punishment to most of the male kids eventually, at least. Bears seem like overkill.
A bunch of kids made fun of Elisha because he was bald, and he cursed them, and God sent two she-bears who "tare 42 of them".
From memory. IIRC.
I don't belive that really happened; even if two bears really did kill a bunch of kids once, it wasn't because of a curse. But if it's read as truth, as something a god did? Seriously? That's a little psychopathic.
I was also confused about the bears specifically being she-bears. Are she-bears more fierce? Or is it more of an insult to be killed by she-bears than he-bears?
As amusing and even informative as it is to read the Bible simply as text, as a story, that doesn't provide an accurate understanding of it. It can't be understood outside of its cultural parameters.
I'm not sure what you're referring to with this, but David Plotz ("Blogging the Bible") is trying to understand it within its original cultural parameters, as well as trying to figure out how it applies to himself as a modern Jew.
Elisha, I believe. The kids mocked him for being bald. And, really, life would have brought an ironic punishment to most of the male kids eventually, at least. Bears seem like overkill.
I would LOVE to hear Stephen Colbert's take on that particular story from the Bible.
I'm speaking in general, and was responding to the comment above mine, by Rick. I'm not specifically referring to Blogging the Bible; I haven't read it. But since he was referring to that, I can see where it would've looked like I was too. Sorry.
edited because I'm typing this at work, and I can barely see what I'm typing. My spelling doesn't usually suck.
