Based on my own personal experience as a former Pentecostal evangelist, I have found that this statement is absolutely true. What it does leave out, is that in order for it to work you also have to read the bible objectively. You have to see the actions of God and judge them as you would the actions of anyone else. It's ironic that the bible states: "So God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them." Genesis 1: 27 (New International Version).
When I read the former verse objectively for the first time, I was reminded of anthropomorphism. I later reversed the order of the verse in my mind to state that man created God in his own image. Anthropomorphism is defined as: "the representation of objects (especially a god) as having human form or traits." The Sage's English Dictionary and Thesaurus.
Keeping that definition in mind, it is not hard to see how if you were to read the bible in its entirety you would find the concept of anthropomorphism rampant within its pages. Every trait of man both positive and negative are used frequently and attributed to God. In the bible, God is said to be merciful, loving, and just. At the same time he is also said to be jealous, angry, and is often said to see, hear, and have feelings like us. It's ironic that theists claim that their god is ineffable:
“incapable of being expressed or
described in words; inexpressible: ineffable joy.” But that is exactly what the
authors of the scriptures attempt to do! If this is not evidence of
anthropomorphism then I don’t know what is.
I've mentioned elsewhere that Christianities Achilles heel lies in the answer to one simple fundamental question. Why? Christians love to state confidently when defending their beliefs; that "science explains the how, but the bible explains the why." This is one of Christianity's biggest lies and it doesn't hold up to scrutiny. Faith is not a legitimate method of researching or obtaining knowledge. Faith is the opposite of true knowledge, because taking so called "divine revelation" which is empirically and objectively unverifiable; makes your entire case or study based on blind trust.
It is my belief that when researching any documents of ancient antiquity such as the bible you should at least stick to a simple rule: ask the five W's. Who wrote this and who was the author addressing? What was he writing about? When did he/she write it? Where did he write it? Lastly the biggest W of all, why did he write it? You have to consider not just the context of the text but what was going on at the time it was being written.
When I was reading the bible in its entirety, I asked after every atrocity perpetrated or commanded by God why he did what he did. I didn't see justice in God imposing the death penalty on every one including innocents for the most minor offenses. I saw the opposite of a loving, merciful, and forgiving god. I saw a tyrant! I saw a mass murderer and a criminal on such a grand scale that if those stories were true would make him the worst mass murderer this world has ever known! Why make man and set him up to fail by not warning him of the talking serpent lurking in the garden?
The bible constantly reminds us that we are nothing compared to God and therefore have no right to judge him: "Woe to those who quarrel with their Maker, those who are nothing but
potsherds among the potsherds on the ground. Does the clay say to the
potter, 'What are you making?' Does your work say, 'The potter has no hands'? Isaiah 45:9 (New International Version). The biblical God true to his nature commands and you are to obey! Like a human tyrant the penalty is death with the only difference being that with God eternal torment will follow. You are reminded in the bible: "But I will show
you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been
killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him." Luke 12:5 ( New International Version). there are several verses of scripture whose only function is to instill fear in order to establish the God myth.
Finally, in closing I challenge all Christians to read the bible objectively. Put your fear or love for your imaginary friend aside and simply ask yourself why. Why is it that things that you would normally find objectionable are okay when God does them? Why does God being the creator of man as you believe, has the right to kill at the slightest provocation and is not viewed as a criminal? I've heard theists say that all the people he killed in the scriptures were sinner and deserved what they got! That's dangerous thinking, and at the same time leads me to believe that you would go through any lengths to justify the actions of your imaginary monster.
I attempted to become a better believer by reading the Bible. I had to resort to the cop-out of God changing his ways after he became a parent (referencing Lewis Black), and decided to focus on the New Testament. But then all-loving wonderful Jesus smote a fig tree for not bearing fruit out of season and sent demons into innocent pigs, who then drowned. Chip off the ole block!
ReplyDeleteGods are always created in man's image. They're a manifestation of man, but with capacity for beneficence, cruelty and terror far beyond those of it's creators.
ReplyDeleteFrom my observations theists have serious difficulty reading the bible "objectively." To do so, to question the "why's" and to challenge the morality of the most hideous divine acts does not serve their need to reinforce belief. They will invariably resort to "context" or apologetics justifications, or "translation" issues, or simple denial to make it all ok.
Don't you agree that only when the glowing ember of doubt exists will reading the bible objectively fan the flames of reason?