Human Sacrifice

[WarEagle]

When you read Bible verses like Judges 11 verses 30 - 40 , [the gist is that Jephthah needs to win a battle, asks God for help, and God answers because Jephthah promises to MURDER whatsoever comes out from his doors, and God made that whatsoever be his only child] do you not think that maybe, just maybe, that the god of the bible isn't a benevolent being at all?
I mean, this guy is really dipped in blood here. God gives Jep the ability to slaughter tons of foes, in exchange for the man's daughter. Does this not seem.... evil?

Yes, this is a very common mistake by those who haven't studied the text.

Notice that at no point has God asked Jepthah to sacrific his daughter, nor does He accept Jepthah's sacrifice of his daughter.

Remember, God had already promised to deliver the Ammonites into Jepthah's hand, long before Jepthah made his vow.

This is something that Jepthah took upon himself to do and, as much as we know you're just itching for an excuse to try to paint God as a villain, God cannot be blamed for something Jepthah did without bothering to check with Him first.

 

[JGL53]

Yes, this is a very common mistake by those who haven't studied the text.

Notice that at no point has God asked Jepthah to sacrific his daughter, nor does He accept Jepthah's sacrifice of his daughter.

Remember, God had already promised to deliver the Ammonites into Jepthah's hand, long before Jepthah made his vow.

This is something that Jepthah took upon himself to do and, as much as we know you're just itching for an excuse to try to paint God as a villain, God cannot be blamed for something Jepthah did without bothering to check with Him first.

In any event, it doesn't make a very nice bedtime story for children - or adults for that matter. It paints a picture of the creator of all as being some sort of war lord. But it is consistent with the rest of the O.T., I'll give you that.

 

[JGL53]

what kind of answer would you guys like?? God is all powerful but he's also beyond my understanding [or yours]. Yet he's worked things out in my life that only makes sense to me later on. So i know he's got things under control. Thats the best answer I got, take it or leave it.

I suppose it would be nice to have an all-powerful and invisible friend looking over one's shoulder all the time, but somehow I seem to get along fairly well without such hubraic thoughts ever entering my mind.

Whatever. What's the saying - "Whatever yanks yer crank?"