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Is God Really Such a Bad Guy?

rrobs

Well-Known Member
God is often portrayed as a rather coarse individual in the Old Testament. Some incredibly grizzly things are said to be done by God. He is said to encourage the Israelite warriors to basically rape the women taken captive in the many wars they had with surrounding nations after killing all the males. What's up with that?

Severus Snape was a rather evil individual throughout most of the story in Harry Potter. He was, like God's portrayal in the OT, a rather evil person. It was only at the end the we learn Severus was really a good guy all along. The author portrayed him as evil for her own reasons. The exact same literary tool is used in the scriptures. In the end, it turns out God is not a bad guy at all, but instead He is the epitome of love and light.

Why as God portrayed as evil in the Old Testament when He was never evil at all? There are many reasons for that, but in this post I'm just pointing out that the portrayal of God in the OT is not at all descriptive of His true nature, which, as I said above, is love and pure light. The NT makes it plain that there is NO darkness whatsoever in God.

The true nature of God was revealed by Jesus Christ. Jesus was a perfect representation of God. He always did exactly what God told him to do. Jesus was an exact image of God. Therefore, if you can't see Jesus doing any harm to anyone, then neither does God.

The only thing that remains is to understand why God utilized the literary tool of making the good guy appear bad until the end.
 

Shadow Wolf

Certified People sTabber
The NT makes it plain that there is NO darkness whatsoever in God.
If you're one of those women Yahweh permitted to be raped and kept as a sex slave, then Yahweh is indeed a very evil and malicious god, nothing good about him at all when he said you--a living human being--are included among the booty of a sacked city. But when he permits you to have sexual access to any woman you come across after invading a town, and keep her as yours, then this Yahweh fellow might not be such a bad guy after all.
 

sun rise

The world is on fire
Premium Member
I don't believe this is true but since this is a scriptural debate thread, I'm going to argue as a devil's advocate and quote scripture which can be used to show that God is wrathful and judgemental:

Romans 1:18 - For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

John 3:36 - He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

Psalms 7:11 - God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.

2 Peter 2:9 - The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

Revelation 20:15 - And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.


 

ChristineM

"Be strong", I whispered to my coffee.
Premium Member
Why as God portrayed as evil in the Old Testament when He was never evil at all? There are many reasons for that, but in this post I'm just pointing out that the portrayal of God in the OT is not at all descriptive of His true nature, which, as I said above, is love and pure light. The NT makes it plain that there is NO darkness whatsoever in God.

Considering the bible is 85% OT and 15% NT and the OT presents the god character as being a selfish genocidal maniac who condones rape, murder, slavery and theft i really cannot see how anyone can say " but the bit of the bible i like says he's a good guy and I ignore the majority of the bible that says otherwise so he must be the good guy" without some serious confirmation bias driven cherry picking.
 

Justanatheist

Well-Known Member
God is often portrayed as a rather coarse individual in the Old Testament. Some incredibly grizzly things are said to be done by God. He is said to encourage the Israelite warriors to basically rape the women taken captive in the many wars they had with surrounding nations after killing all the males. What's up with that?

Severus Snape was a rather evil individual throughout most of the story in Harry Potter. He was, like God's portrayal in the OT, a rather evil person. It was only at the end the we learn Severus was really a good guy all along. The author portrayed him as evil for her own reasons. The exact same literary tool is used in the scriptures. In the end, it turns out God is not a bad guy at all, but instead He is the epitome of love and light.

Why as God portrayed as evil in the Old Testament when He was never evil at all? There are many reasons for that, but in this post I'm just pointing out that the portrayal of God in the OT is not at all descriptive of His true nature, which, as I said above, is love and pure light. The NT makes it plain that there is NO darkness whatsoever in God.

The true nature of God was revealed by Jesus Christ. Jesus was a perfect representation of God. He always did exactly what God told him to do. Jesus was an exact image of God. Therefore, if you can't see Jesus doing any harm to anyone, then neither does God.

The only thing that remains is to understand why God utilized the literary tool of making the good guy appear bad until the end.

So are the ten commandments not descriptive of Gods true nature?

I am Yahweh your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourselves an idol, nor any image of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: you shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them, for I, Yahweh your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate me, and showing loving kindness to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

— Exodus 20:2-6 (WEB)
 

Twilight Hue

Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
If you're one of those women Yahweh permitted to be raped and kept as a sex slave, then Yahweh is indeed a very evil and malicious god, nothing good about him at all when he said you--a living human being--are included among the booty of a sacked city. But when he permits you to have sexual access to any woman you come across after invading a town, and keep her as yours, then this Yahweh fellow might not be such a bad guy after all.

I like it when Christians say God never changes or his way is righteousness beyond human understanding in light of the horrific and barbaric behaviors in the Old Testament.
 

Twilight Hue

Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
So are the ten commandments not descriptive of Gods true nature?

I am Yahweh your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourselves an idol, nor any image of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: you shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them, for I, Yahweh your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate me, and showing loving kindness to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

— Exodus 20:2-6 (WEB)
Isn't jealousy a sin?
 

SigurdReginson

Grēne Mann
Premium Member
Honestly, god's portrayal in the old testament was one of the major catalysts that led to me leaving my Christian faith...
 

Justanatheist

Well-Known Member
Isn't jealousy a sin?
I think so and isn't punishing subsequent generations blaming the sons for the sins of the fathers?

“Yet you say, ‘Why should not the son suffer for the iniquity of the father?’ When the son has done what is just and right, and has been careful to observe all my statutes, he shall surely live. The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.
 

1213

Well-Known Member
God is often portrayed as a rather coarse individual in the Old Testament. Some incredibly grizzly things are said to be done by God. He is said to encourage the Israelite warriors to basically rape the women...

I think it is wrong to claim that He encouraged to rape. No Biblical reason to think so.
 

rrobs

Well-Known Member
If you're one of those women Yahweh permitted to be raped and kept as a sex slave, then Yahweh is indeed a very evil and malicious god, nothing good about him at all when he said you--a living human being--are included among the booty of a sacked city. But when he permits you to have sexual access to any woman you come across after invading a town, and keep her as yours, then this Yahweh fellow might not be such a bad guy after all.
When I wrote the post I figured some folks would get stuck on the first paragraph.
 

rrobs

Well-Known Member
Considering the bible is 85% OT and 15% NT and the OT presents the god character as being a selfish genocidal maniac who condones rape, murder, slavery and theft i really cannot see how anyone can say " but the bit of the bible i like says he's a good guy and I ignore the majority of the bible that says otherwise so he must be the good guy" without some serious confirmation bias driven cherry picking.
Would the same logic apply to Severus Snape? Because he was "evil" throughout more than 8%% of the book, you're saying J. K. Rowling was wrong about him really being a "good" guy all along?

I suspect you agree with Rowling about Snape really being a good guy all along. You may even think, "Wow what a cool revelation at the end of the book!" At least that's what most think when they read a story where the bad guy was really the good guy all the time. You just don't find out until the end. It's a trope. But, we can't have that with the Bible. Why? Darned if I know?
 

ChristineM

"Be strong", I whispered to my coffee.
Premium Member
Would the same logic apply to Severus Snape? Because he was "evil" throughout more than 8%% of the book, you're saying J. K. Rowling was wrong about him really being a "good" guy all along?

I suspect you agree with Rowling about Snape really being a good guy all along. You may even think, "Wow what a cool revelation at the end of the book!" At least that's what most think when they read a story where the bad guy was really the good guy all the time. You just don't find out until the end. It's a trope. But, we can't have that with the Bible. Why? Darned if I know?

Would you compare the bible to a fictional story? I do, but do you?
 

Justanatheist

Well-Known Member
Would the same logic apply to Severus Snape? Because he was "evil" throughout more than 8%% of the book, you're saying J. K. Rowling was wrong about him really being a "good" guy all along?

I suspect you agree with Rowling about Snape really being a good guy all along. You may even think, "Wow what a cool revelation at the end of the book!" At least that's what most think when they read a story where the bad guy was really the good guy all the time. You just don't find out until the end. It's a trope. But, we can't have that with the Bible. Why? Darned if I know?
Because with Snape the explanation is given why he was a good guy all along, can you point to the part of the bible which explains why god says he is jealous?
 

rrobs

Well-Known Member
So are the ten commandments not descriptive of Gods true nature?

I am Yahweh your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourselves an idol, nor any image of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: you shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them, for I, Yahweh your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate me, and showing loving kindness to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

— Exodus 20:2-6 (WEB)
Jesus said the "real" commandments are to love God and love your neighbor (Matt 22:37-40). Furthermore, the "real" deal is that God does not punish us for our mistakes. He just forgives and forgets (1 John 1:9). Any "punishment" happens on it's own. Put your hand in the fire and you suffer the natural outcome of that mistake.

You'd have to read all of that in the New Testament. That's where we learn who God really is.
 

epronovost

Well-Known Member
Because with Snape the explanation is given why he was a good guy all along, can you point to the part of the bible which explains why god says he is jealous?

Or why he ordered the slaughter of children and unarmed men and women, the rape of girls, slavery, misogyny, the sick game of test of faith against both Abraham and Job. Does he also offer an explanation to why he said he was all that is, the dark and evil, but also the good and loving?
 

Justanatheist

Well-Known Member
Jesus said the "real" commandments are to love God and love your neighbor (Matt 22:37-40). Furthermore, the "real" deal is that God does not punish us for our mistakes. He just forgives and forgets (1 John 1:9). Any "punishment" happens on it's own. Put your hand in the fire and you suffer the natural outcome of that mistake.

You'd have to read all of that in the New Testament. That's where we learn who God really is.
So what is gods justification for what he did in the OT, where does the author explain as Rowling does?
 

ChristineM

"Be strong", I whispered to my coffee.
Premium Member
Doesn't matter. At least you should know what the fictional story actually says if you want to get the message it offers.

I have read the bible, several of them so your attempt as sarcasm fails. The message you believe it offers seems to omit the bad bits... Anyone can make even Hitler down good if they omit the bad bits.
 

lewisnotmiller

Grand Hat
Staff member
Premium Member
Would the same logic apply to Severus Snape? Because he was "evil" throughout more than 8%% of the book, you're saying J. K. Rowling was wrong about him really being a "good" guy all along?

I suspect you agree with Rowling about Snape really being a good guy all along. You may even think, "Wow what a cool revelation at the end of the book!" At least that's what most think when they read a story where the bad guy was really the good guy all the time. You just don't find out until the end. It's a trope. But, we can't have that with the Bible. Why? Darned if I know?

I'm not sure Id say Snape was 'a good guy' in such simple terms. I'm no fan of J.K. Rowling's work, but even so, it's not quite that simple.

He was fascinated with the dark arts and joined the Death Eaters. His 'redemption' was motivated by his love/obsession with Harry's mother.

He's human, and eminently flawed. What version of God do you believe in that he needs to disguise himself as vengeful? Or do you see the OT as pure myth, and the NT as more literally accurate?
 
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