Question: "Why did God condone such terrible violence in the Old Testament?"

Answer: The fact that God commanded the killing of entire nations in the Old Testament has been the subject of harsh criticism from opponents of Christianity for some time. That there was violence in the Old Testament is indisputable. The question is whether Old Testament violence is justifiable and condoned by God. In his bestselling book The God Delusion, atheist Richard Dawkins refers to the God of the Old Testament as "a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser." Journalist Christopher Hitchens complains that the Old Testament contains a warrant for “indiscriminate massacre.” Other critics of Christianity have levelled similar charges, accusing Yahweh of "crimes against humanity."

But are these criticisms valid? Is the God of the Old Testament a "moral monster" who arbitrarily commands genocide against innocent men, women, and children? Was His reaction to the sins of the Canaanites and the Amalekites a vicious form of "ethnic cleansing" no different from atrocities committed by the Nazis? Or is it possible that God could have had morally sufficient reasons for ordering the destruction of these nations?

A basic knowledge of Canaanite culture reveals its inherent moral wickedness. The Canaanites were a brutal, aggressive people who engaged in bestiality, incest, and even child sacrifice. Deviant sexual acts were the norm. The Canaanites' sin was so repellent that God said, "The land vomited out its inhabitants" (Leviticus 18:25). Even so, the destruction was directed more at the Canaanite religion (Deuteronomy 7:3–5,12:2-3) than at the Canaanite people per se. The judgment was not ethnically motivated. Individual Canaanites, like Rahab in Jericho, could still find that mercy follows repentance (Joshua 2). God's desire is that the wicked turn from their sin rather than die (Ezekiel 18:31-32, 33:11).

Besides dealing with national sins, God used the conquest of Canaan to create a religious/historical context in which He could eventually introduce the Messiah to the world. This Messiah would bring salvation not only to Israel, but also to Israel’s enemies, including Canaan (Psalm 87:4-6; Mark 7:25–30).

It must be remembered that God gave the Canaanite people more than sufficient time to repent of their evil ways—over 400 years (Genesis 15:13–16)! The book of Hebrews tells us that the Canaanites were "disobedient," which implies moral culpability on their part (Hebrews 11:31). The Canaanites were aware of God's power (Joshua 2:10–11; 9:9) and could have sought repentance. Except in rare instances, they continued their rebellion against God until the bitter end.

But didn't God also command the Israelites to kill non-combatants? The biblical record is clear that He did. Here again, we must remember that, while it is true the Canaanite women did not fight, this in no way means they were innocent, as their seductive behaviour in Numbers 25 indicates (Numbers 25:1–3). However, the question still remains: what about the children? This is not an easy question to answer, but we must keep several things in mind. First, no human person (including infants) is truly innocent. The Scripture teaches that we are all born in sin (Psalm 51:5; 58:3). This implies that all people are morally culpable for Adam’s sin in some way. Infants are just as condemned from sin as adults are.

Second, God is sovereign over all of life and can take it whenever He sees fit. God and God alone can give life, and God alone has the right to take it whenever He so chooses. In fact, He ultimately takes every person's life at death. It is not our life to begin with but God's. While it is wrong for us to take a life, except in instances of capital punishment, war, and self-defense, this does not mean that it is wrong for God to do so. We intuitively recognize this when we accuse some person or authority who takes human life as "playing God." God is under no obligation to extend anyone's life for even another day. How and when we die is completely up to Him.

Third, an argument could be made that it would have been cruel for God to take the lives of all the Canaanites except the infants and children. Without the protection and support of their parents, the infants and small children were likely to face death anyway due to starvation. The chances of survival for an orphan in the ancient Near East were not good.

Finally, and most importantly, God may have provided for the salvation for those infants who would not have otherwise attained salvation if they had lived into adulthood. We must remember that the Canaanites were a barbarous and evil culture. If those infants and children had lived into adulthood, it is very likely they would have turned into something similar to their parents and been condemned to hell after they died. If all infants and young children who die before an age of moral accountability go straight to heaven (as we believe), then those children are in a far better place than if God had allowed them to live and grow to maturity in a depraved culture.

Surely, the issue of God commanding violence in the Old Testament is difficult. However, we must remember that God sees things from an eternal perspective, and His ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8–9). The apostle Paul tells us that God is both kind and severe (Romans 11:22). While it is true that God's holy character demands that sin be punished, His grace and mercy remain extended to those who are willing to repent and be saved. The Canaanite destruction provides us with a sober reminder that, while our God is gracious and merciful, He is also a God of holiness and wrath.

http://www.gotquestions.org/Old-Testament-violence.html

I hope this helps those accusing God of the immorality of killing the 'innocents'.

Also see why atheists take the stand that they take against God. ==> https://www.nairaland.com/3024312/what-does-it-mean-when

Sir, you love making yourself happy. You remind me of Musiwa of the politics section.

OLAADEGBU:


I hope this helps those accusing God of the immorality of killing the 'innocents'.

is muhammed also right for killing the jews and infidels in the name of allah.

What miserable justificacao and apologetics. Even the Klu Klux Klan have a more humane manifesto than the "one true jealous God". Appalling.

Sarassin:
What miserable justificacao and apologetics. Even the Klu Klan Klan have a more humane manifesto than the "one true jealous God". Appalling.

It is truly cringe-worthy.

cloudgoddess:

It is truly cringe-worthy.

Yup, Klu klux Klan...even.

kolawaxxy:


Sir, you love making yourself happy. You remind me of Musiwa of the politics section.

Is anything wrong with that?

Good,

The children are born with the same spirit that is in their parents. They would grow up to replace the old nation that we need to get rid off. The offspring of a snake is a snake,

This is one of the vilest things I have read from foolish religious people on Nairaland and I have read some shit on this website.

I have one response to this: Bleep THAT GOD!

May all the snakes and their generations be vanquished from the earth

Sarassin:
What miserable justificacao and apologetics. Even the Klu Klux Klan have a more humane manifesto than the "one true jealous God". Appalling.

The main thing is that there is ZERO involvement of God in the bible or any other book. These books are just misleading and deceiving people.

Because he is a blood sucking demon, EOD.

Rossikki:
The main thing is that there is ZERO involvement of God in the bible or any other book. These books are just misleading and deceiving people.

Rationalisation is man's only true genius, the ability to rationalise any act regardless of how reprehensible sets religion apart. Of course the gratuitous violence of the OT is a witness to the blood lust of the early Israelites all in the name of Yahweh, it could be argued that they knew no better.

Justifying those actions today in the 21st century simply shows that some religionists are without conscience and morally bankrupt.

One thing about religiosity all over the world is that the followers in the midst of doubts and obvious facts will begin to search for answers t defend their religions.
You have done well Op but the truth still remains untouched, many were massacred in the old testament.
God chose sides

Boko haram and ISIS are probably bringing down judgement on the wicked people of the world..... Chai especially Nigeria the land of corruption.... No wonder!!!

Muhammad was probably also killing jews to purge away those with spirits that wont accept christ..... Hmm.... Eternal justice. Nice post

karo93:
Boko haram and ISIS are probably bringing down judgement on the wicked people of the world..... Chai especially Nigeria the land of corruption.... No wonder!!!

Muhammad was probably also killing jews to purge away those with spirits that wont accept christ..... Hmm.... Eternal justice. Nice post

would you please STFU! and stop comparing Muhammad(SAW) to the beast xtian worship.

SUPERPACK:
is muhammed also right for killing the jews and infidels in the name of allah.

would you please STFU! and stop comparing Muhammad(SAW) to the beast xtians worship.

look at what a human with a brain typed. Truly, religion can make fools out of the wisest of us all

OLAADEGBU:


I hope this helps those accusing God of the immorality of killing the 'innocents'.

You are EVIL! *spits*

If this thread was created in reference to the qur'an, I can imagine how this post would have reached page 500 by now with so much hatred and insults towards muslim/islam. It is ok to justify ordering of killings by God in one holy book but not in other. anyway do whatever makes you happy, and please stop the hypocrisy.

OLAADEGBU:


I hope this helps those accusing God of the immorality of killing the 'innocents'.

Check out this excerpt:

Finally, and most importantly, God may have provided for the salvation for those infants who would not have otherwise attained salvation if they had lived into adulthood. We must remember that the Canaanites were a barbarous and evil culture. If those infants and children had lived into adulthood, it is very likely they would have turned into something similar to their parents and been condemned to hell after they died. If all infants and young children who die before an age of moral accountability go straight to heaven (as we believe), then those children are in a far better place than if God had allowed them to live and grow to maturity in a depraved culture.

To make a Statement that we are all made to serve His Pleasures.

OLAADEGBU:


Check out this excerpt:

the more you make excuses the more stupi.d it sounds. pls jst stop speaking, it's enuf.


so sud children be killed so they can make heaven? perhaps let's start from your family then kill every1 in the world to save them?

sweetcocoa:
Because he is a blood sucking demon, EOD.

Lol

OLAADEGBU:


I hope this helps those accusing God of the immorality of killing the 'innocents'.

Also see why atheists take the stand that they take against God. ==> https://www.nairaland.com/3024312/what-does-it-mean-when

Your answers leave a lot to the imagination especially when it comes to the massacre of infants.

My take: There are certain questions about God that we cannot answer despite our trying to twist or wrest scripture or history to fit our hypotheses.

We end up compounding the problem or making a complete ass of ourselves when we try to rationalize certain 'divine' precepts.

4C2215131:


Your answers leave a lot to the imagination especially when it comes to the massacre of infants.

My take: There are certain questions about God that we cannot answer despite our trying to twist or wrest scripture or history to fit our hypotheses.

We end up compounding the problem or making a complete ass of ourselves when we try to rationalize certain 'divine' precepts.

nothing without a cause and effect, you have a duty to use ur God given brain to THINK!!!!!!!!! while others were busy thinking, unravelling puzzles about our world and universe, gone to the moon and done space explorations, we still look up to the sky to pray. THINK!!!!! USE UR HEAD TO THINK

OLAADEGBU:


I hope this helps those accusing God of the immorality of killing the 'innocents'.

Also see why atheists take the stand that they take against God. ==> https://www.nairaland.com/3024312/what-does-it-mean-when

How a human can justify genocide in the name of religion defies logic.

A basic knowledge of Canaanite culture reveals its inherent moral wickedness. The Canaanites were a brutal, aggressive people who engaged in bestiality, Inbreeding, and even child sacrifice. Deviant sexual acts were the norm. The Canaanites' sin was so repellent that God said, "The land vomited out its inhabitants" (Leviticus 18:25). Even so, the destruction (of human beings) was directed more at the Canaanite religion (Deuteronomy 7:3–5,12:2-3) than at the Canaanite people per se. The judgment was not ethnically motivated. Individual Canaanites, like Rahab in Jericho, could still find that mercy follows repentance (Joshua 2). God's desire is that the wicked turn from their sin rather than die (Ezekiel 18:31-32, 33:11).

The bolded part of the quote is the same excuse ISIS uses in the genocide against Yazidi tribe of northern syria that practices a different religion from ISIS. From ISIS perspective, the destruction of Yazidis is directed more at their religion.

Second, God is sovereign over all of life and can take it whenever He sees fit. God and God alone can give life, and God alone has the right to take it whenever He so chooses. In fact, He ultimately takes every person's life at death. It is not our life to begin with but God's. While it is wrong for us to take a life, except in instances of capital punishment, war, and self-defense, this does not mean that it is wrong for God to do so.

I am sorry to say, but the above quote shows you are mentally unstable. You are saying it is right for God (through his elect of course) to murder whole tribes and people because it is God that gives life. So how does this your God pass his message to you on which people you should murder?

But didn't God also command the Israelites to kill non-combatants? The biblical record is clear that He did. Here again, we must remember that, while it is true the Canaanite women did not fight, this in no way means they were innocent, as their seductive behaviour in Numbers 25 indicates (Numbers 25:1–3). However, the question still remains: what about the children? This is not an easy question to answer, but we must keep several things in mind. First, no human person (including infants) is truly innocent. The Scripture teaches that we are all born in sin (Psalm 51:5; 58:3). This implies that all people are morally culpable for Adam’s sin in some way. Infants are just as condemned from sin as adults are.

You are truly sick, i swear. If these are really christian values, then christianity should be banned from any decent human society.

SUPERPACK:


is muhammed also right for killing the jews and infidels in the name of allah.

Did Muhammad give life for him to be taking it?

OLAADEGBU:


Did Muhammad give life for him to be taking it?

Did Moses give life for him to be taking it?:-

SUPERPACK:


Did Moses give life for him to be taking it?:-

Where and when did Moses take life?

For one he killed the Egyptian that fought the israelite..... At other times he gave orders to kill.... Is there any difference?!!


The people of nigeria have bin corrupt for so long, boko haram and the fulani herds men are killing off the evil ones in the name of God. Isis in another axis is cleansing the sinners of the middle east.... Do we despise them because killing is evil or just because we ddnt get d same divine mandate as them?

How wonderful does that sound

karo93:


For one he killed the Egyptian that fought the israelite..... At other times he gave orders to kill.... Is there any difference?!!

Did God order him to kill the Egyptian? Who killed the firstborn of the Egyptians? Moses or God?

karo93:


The people of nigeria have bin corrupt for so long, boko haram and the fulani herds men are killing off the evil ones in the name of God. Isis in another axis is cleansing the sinners of the middle east.... Do we despise them because killing is evil or just because we ddnt get d same divine mandate as them?

Did they create life? Who are they killing for? The thief comes but to steal, kill and destroy but Jesus has come to give us abundant life.

karo93:


How wonderful does that sound

We should fear the One who after killing the body can also cast into the hell fire. The devil can only kill the body as you see his agents do.