Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Tigers! · 09-12-2006, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jakejonesiv

Second Leviticus

Oh, cute.

fromdownunder · 09-12-2006, 04:43 PM

Definitely Mark. As close as we will ever get to the origins of a "human" Jesus.

Norm

caleb_a_c · 09-12-2006, 05:50 PM

Job would have to be one of my all time favorites. The reply he gets helps me keep life in perspective.

[Caleb]

rob117 · 09-12-2006, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Apikorus

Jehu was not a judge, but a king of Israel. But you're right in that the Jehu pericope is a very good one.

I like the Jehu story also, in terms of entertainment value. In fact I like coup stories in general.

Gamera · 09-13-2006, 03:13 PM

Jonah. One of the most perfect short stories ever written.

By the way the Pearl Poet (the anonymous middle english author of the Pearl and Sir Gawain) wrote a great poetic version of it (called Patience), which is just superb.

When God asks Jonah why he's so put out about such a little thing as a caterpillar eating his vine, Jonah says "Hyt is not lytel!" (It is NOT little!) A great moment in prophetic myopia.

I also love Genesis 17 where Abraham argues with God about destroying Sodom, saying to his face that he's acting immorally by planning to kill the just with the unjust. And God agrees! A great moment in ethical history.

Dean Anderson · 09-13-2006, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gamera

I also love Genesis 17 where Abraham argues with God about destroying Sodom, saying to his face that he's acting immorally by planning to kill the just with the unjust. And God agrees! A great moment in ethical history.

Except that God welches on the deal. He says he will save the cities if he can find ten people worth saving. He finds that many in Lot and his family (or almost that many, depending on how you count them) in the first house he visits, but then looks no further and destroys the cities anyway...

Gamera · 09-13-2006, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pervy

Except that God welches on the deal. He says he will save the cities if he can find ten people worth saving. He finds that many in Lot and his family (or almost that many, depending on how you count them) in the first house he visits, but then looks no further and destroys the cities anyway...

Did he welsch? He didn't find ten by my calculation.

In any case, didn't he send an angel to get them out, resolving Abraham's quite appropriate objections to God's planned destruction?

Anat · 09-13-2006, 08:35 PM

I think by God's counting there was only one righteous in Sodom, since only men were real people. Had he been able to find 10, merely removing them would be reneging on his word, since God said he would forgive the whole city for the sake of the 10. (Which became related to the Jewish requirement of 10 adult males for a public prayer.)

J-D · 09-13-2006, 11:28 PM

I may have an eccentric interpretation, but I understand the story as meaning that God already knew that there weren't ten righteous men/people in Sodom/the cities of the plain. He knew about Lot's family, but they didn't make ten. His messengers went into the city to rescue Lot and his family, because God knew they were righteous, not to take a census.

Personally, I think that destroying all those people like that, even if they weren't 'righteous', would have been more 'unrighteous' than whatever it was they were supposed to have done.

Dean Anderson · 09-14-2006, 12:16 AM

Erm... I think you guys have taken my post more seriously than it was intended. Sorry for derailing the thread...

Still, for amusement purposes only - here is where we discussed it before.

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09-12-2006, 04:43 PM	#22
fromdownunder Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Lara, Victoria, Australia Posts: 2,780	Definitely Mark. As close as we will ever get to the origins of a "human" Jesus. Norm

09-12-2006, 05:50 PM	#23
caleb_a_c Regular Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Seattle Posts: 108	Job would have to be one of my all time favorites. The reply he gets helps me keep life in perspective. [Caleb]

09-13-2006, 03:13 PM	#25
Gamera Banned Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Palm Springs, California Posts: 10,955	Jonah. One of the most perfect short stories ever written. By the way the Pearl Poet (the anonymous middle english author of the Pearl and Sir Gawain) wrote a great poetic version of it (called Patience), which is just superb. When God asks Jonah why he's so put out about such a little thing as a caterpillar eating his vine, Jonah says "Hyt is not lytel!" (It is NOT little!) A great moment in prophetic myopia. I also love Genesis 17 where Abraham argues with God about destroying Sodom, saying to his face that he's acting immorally by planning to kill the just with the unjust. And God agrees! A great moment in ethical history.

09-13-2006, 08:35 PM	#28
Anat Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: home Posts: 3,715	I think by God's counting there was only one righteous in Sodom, since only men were real people. Had he been able to find 10, merely removing them would be reneging on his word, since God said he would forgive the whole city for the sake of the 10. (Which became related to the Jewish requirement of 10 adult males for a public prayer.)

09-13-2006, 11:28 PM	#29
J-D Moderator - General Religious Discussions Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: New South Wales Posts: 27,330	I may have an eccentric interpretation, but I understand the story as meaning that God already knew that there weren't ten righteous men/people in Sodom/the cities of the plain. He knew about Lot's family, but they didn't make ten. His messengers went into the city to rescue Lot and his family, because God knew they were righteous, not to take a census. Personally, I think that destroying all those people like that, even if they weren't 'righteous', would have been more 'unrighteous' than whatever it was they were supposed to have done.

09-14-2006, 12:16 AM	#30
Dean Anderson Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Brighton, England Posts: 6,947	Erm... I think you guys have taken my post more seriously than it was intended. Sorry for derailing the thread... Still, for amusement purposes only - here is where we discussed it before.

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