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HOW DO CHRISTIANS EXPLAIN THEIR SUPREME GOD HAVING FLAWED CHARACTER TRAITS LIKE ANGER AND VIOLENCE?
Looking for help understanding! I was raised a Christian (Roman Catholic). We were taught many things about the Bible both old and new testaments. One thing that was obvious was that the Christian God had a bad temper and would become angry at man’s indiscretions. We also found out that God could become extremely violent when angry. Now I’m no expert on supreme beings but what kind of supreme being that supposedly created the universe and everything in it and who is all knowing has one of the worst character traits imaginable? Secondly, could the Christian God’s use of violence be one of the causes of the use of violence by Christian Governments during the Crusades and other times?

Dreamrider 6 July 29
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2

That would be an ecumenical matter. (Father Ted)
But let's pretend that this Yhwh is real and as described on the package so we can try to sus it out beyond the obvious "he's fake." The Jews were in a world of many gods, they just picked one to stand by. This meant that their god could be jealous of them following others. It also allowed them to smite others, so that belief in the lesser gods was diminished. Also, this god was violent because he was competing with other gods, some of which were very violent. He had to keep his people in line after all, keep that pimp arm strong and all that b.s. This was seen as the right of a father, keeping his kids in line, no foul. After all, as Yhwy was the source of love, he was the only one worthy of its purest form, not the other gods. He gave permission for man to love woman and all that fun stuff (in the proper context, which has changed over the ages).
Something else to consider, they believed that they literally belonged to their god. All that they were, their very life, belonged to Yhwh. If he wanted to take his gift back, that was his right. It's like the joke where the parent tells the kid "I brought you into this world and I can take you out, make another one that looks just like you." Their god had absolute rights over everyone and everything. If he wanted to break his toys, well, they were his toys. It wasn't a question of morals, it was a question of ownership. That is why is it bad for humans to do those things, we don't own other people, but Yhwh owns everything, so he can do with it as he pleases.

It doesn't take much intellect to see where this is utter tosh, but it is the basic expatiation I have heard I don't know how many times from religious scholars. I guess you could wrap it up with the Taoist idea that you cannot have love without having hate (think the ying-yang symbol), but that's about where all of this ends for my care. Hope it was useful.

2

God was made in our image or so I've heard.. .

I’m pretty sure we were made in God’s image not the other way around.

@Dreamrider no, I got it right the first time considering god is a myth..

@Cutiebeauty Correct, the gods or god created in a human's image.

@skeptic70 Thus all the flaws.

2

It's nothing but a "Belief System," crafted to amazed and hypnotize the ignorant and/or the gullible.

mischl Level 8 July 29, 2019
2

Raised free of religion, it’s appeared to me their ‘god’ is used as a threat, it’s power as often used for punishment or reprisal as ..building planets and populating them with flawed versions of ‘himself.’ It’s truly beyond belief..

And whenever something inexplicably bad happens, it’s their ‘devil’s work.’

But yes, their god sounds quite Antisocial: “devoid of or antagonistic to sociable instincts or practices.: "a dangerous, unprincipled, antisocial type of man.” Where they once had hundreds or thousands of ‘gods,’ narrowing it down to basically one appears to have crammed a lot of crazy traits into one mess up invisible entity 😉

Varn Level 8 July 29, 2019
2

You need something for your followers to fear if you're going to stay in control of them.

2

It has a very fragile ego with severe control issues.

1

In the beginning, the biblical god was not all knowing and was basically a humanoid, like the other gods, that had the ability to create life and was immortal. It created the first man to be its gardener and when that went awry, it was all about fear, not love. This god changed over time, becoming all-knowing and taking a non-corporeal form--until it arrived in the person of Jesus (and then all that hokum about the trinity to try to explain things). It also becomes more contradictory over time. How can an all-knowing god ever get angry if it already knew what was going to happen? How can it be full of infinite love, yet be so cruel? And, actually, how can an eternal being have human emotions at all? This god is just too problematic and it takes some real mind pretzel work and willful ignorance to just brush off all the issues with it.The fact that this god changes/evolves over time shows that "a god" of the bible cannot exist--it cancels itself out. I could no longer ignore all the problems with this god, which is why I stopped believing in it. Learning more science is what led to my ceasing to believe in any type of god(s).

Thank you! Very well stated. Feeling better about my rejection of the biblical god!

1

What you are describing is evidence which shows that the god of the bible is incompatable with the 'perfect god' concept that christians claim to believe in.

So either the bible is wrong (and is therefore not valid as a source of 'truth' ), or the christians are wrong. Or both, of course. But there's got to be 'wrongness' in there somewhere - it's just impossible for there not to be.

"wisdom is hidden from the wise" maybe?

1

You echo my thoughts on it too. Maybe this being is a psychotic prisoner trapped in this universe which is actually a massive prison cell from which there is no escape. And we are his play things?

Nardi Level 7 Aug 2, 2019
1

The best answer to this question is to watch this series of videos by a great psychologist.

1

How do Christians reconcile the many contradictions in their religion?
It seems that they don't even bother to try since religion is mostly for the intellectually lazy anyway.

Gareth Level 7 July 30, 2019

They can't because coming from a "fundamentalist" point of view, they naturally misconstrue the intended messages due to literalizing them. "Creator God/Goddess", whatever designation you choose, is a perfect expression of the essence of love. The bible is a collection teachings in the form of storytelling that is a very ancient practice of imparting mystical teachings. The "anger" of the bible's God is about explaining the impact of "Divine Law" upon those who violate its tenets (just like gravity). The descriptors of "heaven & hell" are more reflective of states of being, and the afterlife is just a continuance of our journey...

1

It seems like some, like the Born-again gang, concentrate on worshipping geesus singly. So of course geesus is all good and stuff, and they can leave out his nasty, vengeful father - who of course is the same guy ... right ??? ... huh ?????

1

God was created by humans in order to help them deal with fear & frustration,
moral codes were good only for the "in group" , strangers beware !

mzee Level 7 July 30, 2019

"Creator God/Goddess", whatever designation you choose, is a perfect expression of the essence of love. The bible is a collection teachings in the form of storytelling that is a very ancient practice of imparting mystical teachings re the "mysteries of life", far beyond the issues of "fear & frustration." The "anger" of the bible's God is about explaining the impact of "Divine Law" upon those who violate its tenets, like gravity, but more like the concept of the Law of Attraction. The descriptors of "heaven & hell" are more reflective of states of being, and the afterlife is just a continuance of our journey...

1

Because they created him in their own image. All of the Gods humans created have all of the same flaws as humanity. You would think they would create something better.

1

A God with human flawed character traits: just one proof that humans created God and not the other way around.

1

I was a part of the Lutheran Missouri synod (cult). One part of its teachings, young earth, is that "god" didn't use evolution but actually created the fossils to test faith; what I now call deception. Also with my time and observation as a member of that cult is that it has no problem with the unethical, immoral, nasty, reprehensible, appalling and more of the behavior of its members.

1

He is god, he is the definition of good, he judges you not the contrary. Just because you have your notions of good and bad it don't apply to him, that is how Christianity/Judaism/Islam sees their god.
Whatever it does is good, even if is killing children and ordering genocides.
The definition of good and evil is not in you, it is in the god, making his wish is good, no mater what it is, going against it is bad, no matter what it is.

A belief system built on rubbish. How sad for them.

1

Who the fuck cares!

1

These "gods" man created was created at the time to rule over and scare the more simple minded people that allowed them to control them. Still to this day religion is used to do the same basic thing. The jews came up with this monotheistic "god" btw. Because before them the greeks, romans and such had a god for everything. Religion is the very reason so much violence, wars and such still continues to this day! Until this bronze age nonsense is destroyed, banned, or these religious sick fucks are simply shot in the head, i feel this retardation will continue for another thousand years. i have put much thought into this and the only solution i can come up with is to get rid of them, idk what else will work. As long as the people in power have this mind controlling power it will not end. Also by retardation i would bet anything the human race has been set back a thousand years at the least because of it. So many politicians has screwed up real science because of their imaginary friend. It really yanks my crank when these dems and repubs get on stage and try to out jesus each other! sickening. But most of this country, which is the only civilized western culture who still gives a shit about this. Its mental. I am not agnostic btw, i am a true to the core atheist. All this crap is called supernatural for a reason, meaning it doesn't exist in nature.I am sorry for my ranting and raving but this stupid fairy tale just happens to touch a nerve with me. I've dealt with these idiots and cannot crack through that thick barrier thats been pounded into them since birth. To me this is a major form of child abuse. I'm done for now but if you have any questions please ask me, i have studied the ways of these evil, and this is what true evil is. Good day.

1

IMO, godmakers want power. To get it they frighten people so they give the task to their god(s). They could get power by helping people but they lack empathy.
I agree with ‘The Middle Way’. Anger and violence are not flaws. Anger supplies energy and I reserve a right to use violence to protect myself and those close to me.

1

Most xstians I've interacted with don't have an explanation for those things, other than "god is omnipotent," and "we don't question god's actions." The "omnipotent" comment basically means the same thing, just stated a different way. Or they'll make some argument about "having faith," which is just another way of saying "don't question what you don't understand." Most xstians don't seem to like to think too deeply about that stuff and just want to take it as it is, all of which just boils down to "shut up and don't question." Since I'm not a person who likes to shut up and prefers to ask questions, that's why xstianity doesn't work for me.

1

Probably

bobwjr Level 10 July 29, 2019
1

they do not see those as flaws. they might or might not see them as flaws in real live humans, but in a made-up god, nope.

g

1

Imaginary characters tend to reflect the personality parameters of their creators! Also completely delusional! All religions are cults of child molesters.

1

You’re asking the wrong folks.

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