Death And Destruction!!!

[sherrmann15]

So...I've been reading a few selections of contemporary christian thinkers, and the faith of Abraham has been brought up several times. He followed God when he was asked to kill his one and only son.....lets think about this for a second

Was there any reason behind killing Isaac? No, there was no inherent reason (outside teaching Abraham a lesson). Was killing against the "law"? Yeah, killing had already been punished previously in the book of Genesis. Then include the fact that Isaac was a promise fulfilled by God, and that Abrahams future and family was to follow through this boy. There was NO REASONABLE ANSWER to why God would ask Abraham to kill Isaac. In fact, God went against his own commands in asking so.

Does this freak anybody else out???? Do you think it is possible in today's society for God to ask someone to do something outrageous and against his moral law? Why or why not? Under what circumstances?

 

[AngelusSax]

Was killing against the "law"? Yeah, killing had already been punished previously in the book of Genesis.

Actually, Cain killed Abel despite the fact God never said to do this. The point is... God's commands are not against the law.

Also, God stopped Abraham. He was testing Abraham, and when Abraham passed, God smiled upon him and stopped him from actually killing Isaac.

 

[sherrmann15]

I understand what you are saying....

But I am trying to make a different point. I am saying that Abraham still obeyed God and would have killed Isaac had he had the opportunity to continue. That is insanity! The fact that God even asked Abraham to do so is insane? Would you follow God if he asked you to do something completely against everything that he has ever told you before, and goes against his moral teaching?

 

[dkara]

I agree it is a ludacous demand for God to make and a terrible story. I'm studying Kabbalah [anchient Jewish wisdon] and it says God would never do this.

I can't imagine a God that would ask you to kill your young...especially after making it a big deal not to murder. God's our example. And I don't think our God would act in a way that could not be an example for us.

 

[Bond Slave]

This story as well as all the other stories in the Old Testament were pointing toward Jesus. Do you think it is also sick that God sent His Son to die on a cross for us? God is wonderful and wonderous. The day you all stop trying to put Him in a human box is the day His dealings will make more sense to you.

 

[Alencon]

This story as well as all the other stories in the Old Testament were pointing toward Jesus.

I know a Jew or two who would disagree with you on that, but what do they know? I mean, after all, it's only their scripture.

Do you think it is also sick that God sent His Son to die on a cross for us?

God, or God's Son, can choose to do whatever they believe is necessary. The question on the table is whether God would ask a man to violate the laws God himself has decreed.

God is wonderful and wonderous.

Can't argue with that.

The day you all stop trying to put Him in a human box is the day His dealings will make more sense to you.

Why? God created man in his image, so why shouldn't we expect his dealings with men to make sense in men's terms?

 

[sherrmann15]

The day you all stop trying to put Him in a human box is the day His dealings will make more sense to you.

I am almost offended that you would say something like that. Basically because you think you have God all figured out, and if we look at God a little more like you do, things will begin to make sense.

What an egotistical thing to say! You know what? I'm glad I don't understand God! I don't want to believe in a God that I understand, or a God that makes sense! If I understand God, then we are all in trouble!!!

I am just amazed and on the edge of afraid that I believe in a God that may ask me to do the immoral, the unbelievable, or something that goes against everything that I think i know about Him. CRAZY!

 

[Jarrodinabubble]

I think god made a boo-boo.

 

[rejectreality]

I believe that God is God. This means that He can and will do what He wants to. I would feel humbled if God asked me to do something that extreme. For Abraham to be willing to kill his son shows intense faith. God can break His own laws if He wants and if told to, so can we. No disrespect/discredit to any other opinion, this is just what I think.

 

[Jarrodinabubble]

What about people who kill mass amounts of people at one time and justify there actions by saying they killed for god/cause god said so? Are they insane or should they be let go?

 

[AngelusSax]

What about people who kill mass amounts of people at one time and justify there actions by saying they killed for god/cause god said so? Are they insane or should they be let go?

Since we are living under the New Covenant (And Abraham obviously was not), I'd say it'd be much more a skeptical thing if someone said they killed anyone, let alone mass amounts of people, because God told them to.

 

[HouseApe]

So...I've been reading a few selections of contemporary christian thinkers, and the faith of Abraham has been brought up several times. He followed God when he was asked to kill his one and only son.....lets think about this for a second

Was there any reason behind killing Isaac? No, there was no inherent reason (outside teaching Abraham a lesson). Was killing against the "law"? Yeah, killing had already been punished previously in the book of Genesis. Then include the fact that Isaac was a promise fulfilled by God, and that Abrahams future and family was to follow through this boy. There was NO REASONABLE ANSWER to why God would ask Abraham to kill Isaac. In fact, God went against his own commands in asking so.

Does this freak anybody else out???? Do you think it is possible in today's society for God to ask someone to do something outrageous and against his moral law? Why or why not? Under what circumstances?

And consider that fact that if God is all knowing, He already knew that Abraham would kill Isaac. So He wasn't really testing Abraham was He? It sounds more like a cat playing with a mouse.

I think you should consider the idea that the Bible was written by humans a long, long time ago, really before people had developed modern sensibilities and standards of logic. The story of Abraham and Isaac is almost certainly fiction, written by some ancient Jewish priest in order to express his view of the proper relationship between man and God.

 

[AngelusSax]

I think you should consider the idea that the Bible was written by humans a long, long time ago, really before people had developed modern sensibilities and standards of logic. The story of Abraham and Isaac is almost certainly fiction, written by some ancient Jewish priest in order to express his view of the proper relationship between man and God.

That may be possible. After all, it's a possible interpretation of Jonah and the Big Fish too, so.... perhaps.

Of course, God is not limited in how he can demonstrate to others the proper relationship. Maybe God wasn't really testing Abraham. Maybe he was going through all this, and it all really did happen, to show us the way.

 

[California Tim]

But I am trying to make a different point. I am saying that Abraham still obeyed God and would have killed Isaac had he had the opportunity to continue. That is insanity! The fact that God even asked Abraham to do so is insane? Would you follow God if he asked you to do something completely against everything that he has ever told you before, and goes against his moral teaching?

You present a difficult post to answer due to a compounding of eror upon error. First you assume that God forbade "killing" when the commandment actually labels "murder" a sin. Based on that assumption, you equate "killing" with "murder" yet Isaac willingly allowed himself to be tied an accepted his role as a sacrifice in a demonstration that ultimately not only portrayed the depth of Abraham's faith in God, but also Isaac's through whom the nation of Israel was born. So murder is off the table. Finally, you equate this entire action as something contrary to that which was taught before. I suppose you mean to imply that the final act of faith was inherrently "immoral" yet you must first define what is "moral" and "immoral" from a Biblical perspective. If Abraham was following a direct instruction from God, He could not have been practicing "immorality". So in the end, unfortunately, all you've managed to demonstrate is that you wish to find moral justification for denying the God of the Bible.