MadHatter

MODS: If there is a more appropriate place for this, please move it, as I was unsure if this was the right place....

I would like to put forth a theory to all who care to consider it.

First I will state my beliefs. I am atheist. I believe the bible to be grand fabrication, thus I believe if there was an historical figure named Jesus, he was not what the bible says he was. I believe god is an invention of the human mind, and religion was a necessity to control the masses through fear. I also feel this is the case in cultures of multitheism. In support, I present the likely origin of the word religion, from Merriam Webster:

I now set the premises for this theory. For the purposes of this writing, I will make the assumption that the biblical god and all gods described by other cultures exist. I will also accept the bible as fact, with the following conditions: there are certain people within who are lying, and there are omissions. This is not unrealistic; it is highly likely there are historical figures in other accepted historical works who have lied and been quoted, likewise it is quite probable there are omissions.

Beginning very early in the bible, there are documented instances of god killing individuals and groups of people, even if through others.

There is non-biblical documented evidence of other cultures doing the same thing in the name of their gods. The ancient Aztecs are one such example. They sacrificed humans and animals alike to gods of every flavor, war gods, sun gods, rain gods, etc. They believed these sacrifices would bring upon them the favor of the gods. They were afraid if these sacrifices were not made, and the gods were angered, great misfortune would befall them. Hence the underlying motivation for sacrificial ceremonies was fear.

Now, my theory is this: The biblical god is not at all unlike the people he created in his image. The biblical god, in fact worships a different god or gods. This explains why he kills so wantonly throughout the bible, and apparently continues to do so today. The biblical Jesus was sacrificed out of god's fear that something bad would happen if he was not sacrificed. The flood which killed everyone and everthing not on the ark, was nothing more than a grand sacrifice, with the selfish purpose of saving god from his gods. Could this god the biblical god fears be none other than the biblical satan?

I put this together rather quickly, and just typed as things came to me. I know things will be addressed which I have not considered, and would like to hear some feedback.

Chris Weimer

Nah, doesn't work. The earliest Jewish literature, opposed to modern Christianity's take on him, reflect HaSatan not as a powerful God, but as the Temptor Angel of YHWH. He also doesn't appear to be omnibenevolent, as we is wont to massacres and such, but repeatedly says he is the supreme ruler of all the gods.