"From there Elisha left Jericho and went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, some boys came out of the town and jeered at him. "Go up, you baldy! Go up, you baldhead!" He [Elisha] looked behind him and saw them [the youths], and cursed them in the name of Yahweh. Two female bears came out of the woods and tore forty-two of the boys to pieces." (2 Kings 2:23-24).Before you start, read this Christian defense from a well known Christian apologetics website defending what God did to these boys. https://ift.tt/30iLsBA, God is Triune in nature, this means that the Son was with the Father and Holy Spirit from eternity past, being begotten not made, Jesus declares "Before Abraham was born, I Am!" (John 8:58). Jesus was there even before Abraham, with the Father and Spirit from eternity past. This is the Orthodox view of the nature of Christ, all other views historically have been condemned as heresy and unbiblical, of which I am also of the opinion.This means that Jesus was not absent nor was he against the decision made for women to be raped, or children to be cannibalized by their parents in the Old Testament. Rather he was there in unison with the Father and Holy Spirit making the act happen, willing it into existence, this goes for every other act of human molestation committed by God contained within the Bible.Whether it was sanctioning abortion (killing of the unborn) if an unfaithful wife was pregnant (Num 5:19-21), or when God ordered that a husband should be the first to throw a stone at his wife if she leads him away from belief (Deut 13:6-10), or when God stopped Abraham from sacrificing his son, but didn't stop Jephthah from sacrificing his daughter (Genesis 22:1-19, Judges), all of it, if you are going to be consistent as a Christian, was done by Jesus Christ himself, who is God, the second person of the Trinity.Now moving on to the arguments.It's interesting, some people seek to justify these sort of absurdities by making, what is to them, seemingly profound distinctions, saying, "Oh at least they weren't entirely children, it's not like they were 6 year olds, they were older than that! Perhaps teenagers or young men, similar to David who battled Goliath". So let's say these kids were somewhere between 12 and 22. Let's also label them as thugs. Let's make it the least offensive and most justifiable as possible. Anything to numb my mind to the sins of Jesus.I also find this a bit inconsistent as well. Christians are the first to point out that babies in the womb are just as human as those outside the womb, and are willing to fight tooth and nail for their rights and to prevent their slaughter. Yet why is it that whenever Elisha and the 42 youths are brought up, the Christian is always so quick to respond with "Those kids weren't as young as you thought they were".They're human beings. The molestation of human life -- even by a God -- is wrong. But they don't seem to get upset when God does these things, only when devils and men do them.From Ellicott's Christian Commentary:"Little children.—Young boys (or, lads). Na’ar is not used rhetorically here, as in 1Chronicles 29:1; 2Chronicles 13:7. The boys who mocked Elisha might be of various ages, between six or seven years and twenty. "All of a sudden, the seasoned veteran of religion who has worshiped His God for many, many years is numbed once again to the atrocities of his God and says, "Ah, it was silly of me to question the goodness of my God."What Christians don't seem to realize is this, whether those people slaughtered were 70 years old, 20 years old, or 7 years old, it doesn't matter. The act of slaughter like this is objectively evil, and doesn't become any less evil if they happened to be older boys. The only equivalent I can think of off the top my head that is comparable to this is the motive behind the Charlie Hebdo murders, where a few weak and mentally unstable religious persons who were far too big for their britches became killers because of their hurt egos.The theologian Jonathan Edwards comments on the slaughter of the 42 boys. He was one that was interested only in biblical doctrine so he is not one who blushes and beats around the bush. For he did not have an agenda to make religion more palatable to the masses like many today do."The feeling of those 42 children who had mocked Elisha, when they fell into the paws of the bears that tore them in pieces: I say if we could have a perfect idea of that terror and astonishment which a little child has in such a case, then we should have but a faint idea of what is felt in the departing soul of a sinner, when it falls into the hands of those cruel devils, those roaring lions, which then seize of it!"Did the young boys die? The Strong’s Bible Concordance number for the word "tare", that which the bears did to the boys, is recorded in #1234 (the Hebrew word is baqa‘). This word refers to a variety of things, such as splitting wood, breaking bottles, making a way through a line of soldiers, breaking open mountains and city walls, and is also used as a prophetic metaphor for the destruction of a nation in Hosea chapter 13 verse 8-- that metaphor is a nation being torn apart by wild beasts."Like a bear robbed of her cubs, I will attack them and rip them open like a lion I will devour them—a wild animal will tear them apart" (Hos 13:8)Two she-bears; possibly robbed of their whelps, and therefore more fierce, Proverbs 17:12 Hosea 13:8 , but certainly acted by an extraordinary fury, which God raised in them for this purpose.It wasn't a regular bear attack, this is an extraordinarily vicious slaughter of children.It should be noted that this particular verse in Hosea was a metaphor of a she-bear attack, yet in this verse we read in 2nd Kings with Elisha, the attack actually took place. How frightening would that be? How evil? To be a lad attacked mercilessly by a mother bear who has been robbed of her young?Let's examine the text further.2 Kings 2:24: "He [Elisha] looked behind him and saw them [the youths], and cursed them in the name of Yahweh. Two female bears came out of the woods and mauled 42 of the boys."Some people allege that these youths had a mind to get violent, but that is not the case. The text says that Elisha "looked behind him", which shows the boys did not directly confront him, but called out these words from a secluded place. The extreme punishment, as explained in the text, was likely out of spite for these were the sons of the prophets at Bethel who had refused Elijah's leadership, Elijah -- not to be confused with Elisha -- who was this prophet Elisha's predecessor. And the only reason the prophets at Bethel refused the former Elijah's leadership was because he despised them as unfaithful and rejected them when he should have accepted them. The fact is, if Elisha hadn't been as insecure and cruel minded as his God, he could have been the bigger man (which he literally was) and gone on his way up the road as the kids were telling him to do. But no, out of spite for their parents, he and his God murders them.Another examination of the text, "Go up, you baldy! Go up, you baldhead!"Some Christian apologists however, presume that the youths were challenging Elisha to "go up" into the sky as Elijah had. Elijah prior was caught up in a wind that took him straight to heaven, and some of these boys perhaps witnessed his upwards ascendance. And so in a creative way -- being youths after all, likewise told Elisha to "go up" as the former Elijah had. But some in bad faith desire to take this and say that Elisha's life was at risk, and the children implored him to commit suicide. Do you see how ridiculous this arguments is? Twisting the words of children, all in order to justify an immoral murdering of them by God.From Ellicott's Commentary (He disagrees with the above interpretation)"Go up.—Not “as Elijah was reported to have done;” for the Bethelites knew no more of that than the prophets of Jericho. The word obviously refers to what Elisha was himself doing at the time (2Kings 2:23). He was probably going up the steep road slowly, and his prophet’s mantle attracted attention."Hence, "From there Elisha left Jericho and went up to Bethel"When I was a Christian, I would read about God raping people in the Bible, then I'd go and find an article written by a Christian apologist, and in the article it gave reasons why the rape was justified for God to do since (x) or (y). Or I'd go and find an article justifying the slaughter of human beings for making jokes, and in my unthinking mind it was therefore justified and justice for God to do. But of course sin for a man to do.So what if those youths made a joke about the prophet, and thereby insulting the authority of his God? What about all the pain God has inflicted to men in scripture? How about those he has raped and tortured? How about the pregnant daughters captured in war -- having their bellies and the fruit of their womb ripped through and through? Will God apologize to them? So are you saying he can dish it out but can't take it when some kids make a bald joke about his prophet?But I'll tell you this, if God was a God of justice, he wouldn't of murdered the boys like that. He, being an all knowing, omnipotent, loving and just God, would know us more than we know ourselves. Even though you don't want to admit it, those kids weren't just some evil devils which many people desire to paint them as in order to justify God's murder of them.Those kids did not even throw a single pebble.What if those kids were only able to find their solace with other kids who were like them? I in my youth, and you in yours, were way worse than this. The reason I say this is for this fact, God, being the omnipotent God He is, being able to read our motivations, hearts, and decisions. Having a grasp of human psychology like no doctor ever could, could he not have helped the kids, in a nurturing, fatherly way, mentally, spiritually, instead of lashing out and murdering like we human beings do?The Bible constantly reminds us of the importance of self control, and to not give way to anger. It's interesting, God says, quote, "He is not a man" that he should act like we human beings do, that is, in a hypocritical manner in Numbers 23:19. Well he could have fooled me, he sure does give a convincing performance. You would think that the only being capable of total self control would show more self control. It is as God himself said, quote,"For they do not practice what they themselves preach" (Matthew chapter 23 verse 3). While at the same time demanding others to obey.It is as God himself said,"You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye." (Matthew 7:5)Before you accuse humans of being sinners, take care of your own sins, deal with your own faults before you desire to point out that which you find in others."You who teach others, why don't you teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you yourself steal?" (Romans 9:21)While you preach for patience and self control, do you, an omnipotent being who actually has the capacity for full self control murder people unjustifiably and irrationally in bursts of anger? Does God not himself say that anger gives opportunity to the devil? (Eph 4:26-7). Yet God says of himself that he is "Angry with the wicked everyday" (Psalm 7:11). Although at first glance that may sound alright, they are wicked after all. Yet who are the wicked? These children that made jokes about a man's bald spot. I would even disagree that God hates and is angry with rapists, for in the Bible there are many, many instances where he has the mindset of a rapist and decrees for the rape of women. This is like a man abusing his wife and children, then seeing other people do it and getting indignant.While you give laws against rape, do you rape or have the mindset of a rapist?For his own glory God decreed the following:"Anyone who is captured will be run through with a sword. Their little children will be dashed to death right before their eyes. Their homes will be sacked and their wives raped by the attacking hordes. For I [God] will stir up the Medes against Babylon, and no amount of silver or gold will buy them off. The attacking armies will shoot down the young people with arrows. They will have no mercy on helpless babies and will show no compassion for the children." (Isaiah 13:15-18)I can keep going for pages and pages about God's being a rapist. But to keep the topic of God's rapes short, I will stop it here.Some attempt to justify the act of God with these bears as something God had no other choice but to do, as if forced, since the prophet is annointed, if he then calls down a curse upon kids, then it must happen, like magic. Except God is the one sending magic brain waves into these bears to make them thirsty for childrens blood. It is heaven that must perform the act, do you think if the prophet called down this curse upon a baby Jesus, heaven would oblige, doing his bidding like so? No. It is God that must acknowledge the righteousness of an act, deem it a just cause which he will then attach his name to by the prophet cursing the children in the name of the Lord.But in light of God making the decision to cook the vast majority of humanity in a lake of fire for all eternity by purposely creating a universe where only few people would be "saved", "Narrow is the way that leads to eternal life and few there be that find it" (Mat. 7:14), "A furnace of fire where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Mat. 13:50), and in light of God murdering upwards of 4 billion people in a global flood 4500 years ago. Murdering 42 kids, sending them to hell with 2 bears doesn't seem all that bad, and makes complete sense, being in perfect consistency with the moral character of the Biblical God. Christians often quote Genesis 18:25, "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” in response to people who question God's morality based on the Bible. And to them, this verse relieves them from thinking about these questions that can fundamentally change their perspective of who God truly is. At least it did for me when I was a Christian. Whenever I saw God do something immoral like rape or forcing parents into cannibalizing children, my mind and heart would always hearken back to "Will not the righteous judge of all the earth do that which is just?" I think this is a clever fail safe in the scripture, God does something absolutely evil and totally unjustifiable and he makes us think "God will always do that which is just", thereby sedating the mind from thinking evil of God. And in like manner I justified myself in my belief in him -- although he rapes, there must have been a good reason for it.Is rape ever justifiable? Yes, if you're a God like Zeus, in his stories he rapes women simply because there is nobody who can stop his immorality or call him out on it since he was powerful. But this God of the Bible's claim is that he made humanity and therefore plays outside his own rules. And if somebody actually does call God out on it he simply silences them or denies to be inquired of altogether.You try to listen in order to understand why God would decree for the rape of women, the ripping open of those daughters who were with child, children, and infants, and why God would kill kids with bears. And this -- for making fun of a man's bald spot, and apologists of Jesus try to win over your devotion by attempting to surprise you with small nuances, saying those kids weren't as young as you thought they were, or they were a pack of thugs. Interestingly I brought this verse up to an elderly Christian friend of mine and he said that "Those boys were just having fun. That's common behavior in youths. That's not even sin. The way God acted there was worse than even the most wicked of Adam's race." But then he realized what he had said was blasphemous, so he decided not to further the conversation from then on, due to the obvious conclusion he would arrive at.But again the Christian might respond, it is because of the one whom those kids hurled jokes at, a prophet of God! Well, let's go back to God's own words in Matthew 5:44, quote,"He said unto them, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you."It was Jesus Himself who decided to manifest in the physical world that murderous desire which was buried in the prophet's vile heart, it is Jesus himself who stuck bears upon these children, all Elisha had done was call upon the wrath of Heaven to make manifest his desire. With what instrumentality heaven would use to kill these children was God's perogative, all Elisha knew was that they would be vanquished like the vermin they were.ADDITIONAL EDITS:After Elisha cursed those boys for making fun of his bald spot, and God brings 2 bears to rip them open, the text laconically reports that Elisha goes on his way to Mt Carmel and Samaria. Without even shedding a single tear, just like that he moves on with his life. Slaughtering kids and giving them a one way ticket to the grave.Just like that, since he was imbued with the spirit he does not cry when innocent boys are slaughtered by God. He has the righteous mind of God on High. He is brainwashed just as any other person is brainwashed in the Religion of Truth, taking good for evil and evil for good.But men will swear by heaven and earth that God does that which is just.Again, why does God treat human beings like this? This is why:"When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn't he have a right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into?" (Romans 9:21)God looks at many human beings as trash. That's why he can mercilessly drown us, burn us, toy with us, rape us. God looks at humanity in this way, he created them so that's why he tortures them like a child torturing a pet. That's why in the Bible God specifically ordered the kidnap and rape of women. God is worse than the most wicked of men. But Christians share this same mentality, they look at human beings as trash -- wicked, sinners, they even look at themselves in that manner. We can talk all day about the follies and so called sins of human beings, but all this from a God that is worse than any devil or man.We can throw away our own reasoning and say man can't decide morality for themselves. But I'll tell you this, it isn't to be decided by this God. We look at God as the one that decides what morality is and isn't, yet his actions are contrary to what is stated of him in the Bible, "Will not the judge of all the earth do that which is just?" A 6 year old knows that these acts are evil. The human spirit knows what evil is. via /r/u_MelodicEarth2 https://ift.tt/2S9x1LR
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