THE ‘killer’ GOD OF THE OLD VERSUS THE ‘killed’ GOD OF THE NEW TESTAMENT
Sincerely speaking, religion has both positive and negative purposes. Presently, the world is experiencing some tumult, bloodletting and unbelievable level of violence in the name of serving God. Fanatics have continued to commit heinous crime in their self perceive way of defending God, his prophet(s) and his holy book.
Some writers also condemn the Christian God for commanding his followers in the Bible to kill all their enemies or anyone who doesn’t worship him. Likewise, some historians argue that the Christian Crusaders in the Dark Ages committed more crime against humanity than what the present fanatics are doing.
There are scores of passages in the Bible where God supposedly commanded his people to kill or exterminate their opponents.
As much as my intentions are sensible and religiously justified, I want to make it clear that I cannot defend God and neither can I fight for God. If God be God indeed, let Him kill all who blasphemy His name, let Him send thunder to fire them if He’s truly God. Judges 6:25--32
However, from Archaeological evidences, I want you to know and take note of the following factors that persisted in the Old Testament or rather before the advent of Jesus and the general mindset that persisted shortly before slave trade was abolished through the efforts of Wilberforce.
1. The Old Testament period is a violent era, where brute force was the only law that existed.
2. During this period, it is either you kill or you get killed by someone stronger than you.
3. The survival of the fittest was the guiding principle of survival.
4. The entire world was in a serious chaos, turbulence pervaded everywhere, the rule of law was inconceivable and a total impossibility then.
5. Each locality, town, city, country or empire as you know survived the tide of brutality by marching brutality with brutality, cruelty with cruelty. Hence, military conquest is the only means of survival.
6.Based on this general mindset, and the Jews or Israelites being a breed which Jehovah-God has interest in as the progenitor of the coming Christ, it is commonsense that they can only survive by adhering strictly to the laws of cruelty (cum the survival of the fittest), that governed the ancient world being a very small, inconsequential populace, without any military power or advantage.
7. Nations of the world relied on their gods, idols, charms, expertise in warfare to survive the tide of invasion from rampaging bandits from neighbouring tribes and nations.
8. Obviously, the Israelites or any of the nations that survived till date could never have survived the level of wickedness and injustice that reigned in the world before now without going to war. Even till date, Israel is still in constant war with its neighbours, the law of killed or get killed is still partially operating in that region of the world.
9.Wars,killings,bloodshed,genocide etc were children of necessity that were employed temporarily to preserve the world till recent centuries when world history was rewritten to accommodate justice, mercy, rule of law, abolition of child marriage, rape, slavery, oppression of weaker nations and peoples, beheading for blasphemy or corporeal punishment.
10. Jesus as the prince of peace came to usher in this new dispensation in world history by offering himself as the last sacrifice for peace. Reasons why he was clearly against violence, oppression, inhumane characters of the Old Testament.Matthew 26:52, Genesis 9:6,Revelation 13:10.
11.An evidence to this is the fact that the new set of disciples from Judaism now popularly called Christians never indulge in any form of blood shedding, violence and killings. Despite being mercilessly exterminated at the whims and caprices of the emperors who reigned over them. Believers were killed with reckless abandon, unqualified hatred and wickedness.
12. Their every day common executions gave rise to the building of large amphitheatres (stadium like edifices) were believers were daily fed to lions, bears and other dangerous animals. Others were brutally murdered, if they refused to recant or renounce their new found faith in Jesus. This was a very popular recreation or relaxation sport of the Romans, as they always revel in trooping to the stadium to watch as believers will breathe their last. Some others were tied and burnt at the stake as the people watched on with merriment.
13. Dying as a martyr became the order of the day for Christians, who never fought back or resisted the sword or defended themselves in the face of death. Even sometimes, the executioners often get tired and the mouths of their axes grow blunt due to the number of people they kill on a daily basis.
14. However, there is a mystery that the people could not unravel. The blood of the martyrs became the fertilizer that brought more Christians into the church. The people were awed by the peaceful and serene manner at which believers faced and endured death with all joy. This puzzle brought more pagans to the church in the understanding that there must be something beyond the natural that is making the Christians fearless in the face of violent death. Hence, many trooped to the churches to have a taste of whatever could be responsible for this state of affair.
15.Christians world over don’t follow the commands of the Old Testament that reels in violence, bloodletting and injustice because those were just children of necessity, which the old people capitalized on to survive the unfathomable evils of their days. Those laws have been repealed, rendered null and void through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ on the cross.
16. Hence, making reference to the Old Testament scores of verses that encourage self defense cum self preservation through the means of murder, violence and blood shedding is completely unjustifiable looking at the physical evidences before us in our present world/dispensation. As a matter of fact, Christianity since its inception has never commanded its followers to shed human blood.
17. The present reality of religious violence being perpetuated in the many parts of the world and especially in some parts of Nigeria entails that we sit down and reappraise our present existence and activities. My purpose is not to castigate any religion or point accusing fingers at any religion in Nigeria but to see how we can resolve the present crises amicably. Obviously, the rate at which Christians are being decimated and brutally murdered in Nigeria today in the name of fighting for God needs urgent solution. My only consolation to the people suffering persecution is that they should endure and hold on to the Lord because own salvation is close by. God will comfort you and help you. Watch out for PART TWO---MY ADVICE TO RELIGIOUS LEADERS IN NIGERIA

Need more clarification, text or mail to Email:janeokunlaja@yahoo.com