Re: OT: the following is censorship

Once Upon a Midnight Dreary, While Howard Duck Pondered, Weak and
Weary, Over Many a Quaint and Curious Forgotten Post, s/he wrote:
--------------------------------------------------------------
On Wed, 05 Nov 2008 22:10:12 -0500, "Francis A. Miniter"
<faminiter@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Third, you still have not answered the question posed by
John - nor the question I posed about the fact that Elisha
was rewarded - not punished - for his actions.

How many times must I say it? Elisha called down the bears; not God.
Elisha will be judged at the final judgment just like you will be. Not
all judgments, with accompanying rewards and punishments, are
accomplished in this life... or didn't you know that?

Did I answer it (again)?


No.

Here's the quote from the Bible. AGAIN.

24 He turned around, looked at them and called down a curse
on them in the name of the LORD. Then two bears came out of
the woods and mauled forty-two of the youths.

Now where did a mere human get the power to tell bears what to do? Can
you do it? Is that a gift God gave you? Or anyone else in the history
of the world? He "called down a curse"? From where? From the LORD.

(and I won't even get into the question of whther there is such a
thing as "curses" that can be used to hurt people. That's a fun thing
to make-believe in at Halloween, but c'mon, Howard, get real.)

And even, as you say, it's a gift he got that he misused, it's a gift
from GOD. So god gave Elisha a gift to call bears to maul children for
no good reason (well, because he was teased for being bald - same
thing). At the very least, God sent those bears ("In the name of the
LORD") to maul those children. It was he who was called upon to send
the bears, and send them he did.

To interpose Elisha in the process and heap all responsibility on him
is disingenuous, Howard, and mere rationalization, which is why I
don't read Christian apologetics to understand your supposed theology.
It's pure rationalization with no substance behind it.

You want to believe that Elisha is the sadist for using "the LORD" to
maul children, and "the LORD" is thereby absolved of his clear sadism,
then go ahead and believe it. You have not convinced me, however.

And you still haven't answered the question about stoning someone for
picking up sticks on the Sabbath, or killing an entire population, man
woman and child for simply being in the way, except the virgin girls.
Your LORD commanded both of those.

John P
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: OT: the following is censorship
    ... Now where did a mere human get the power to tell bears what to do? ... Is that a gift God gave you? ... He "called down a curse"? ... From the LORD. ...
    (rec.arts.mystery)
  • Re: OT: the following is censorship
    ... "23 From there Elisha went up to Bethel. ... To me, it appears that God sent two bears to maul 42 children, because ... the LORD said to Moses, ... The Israelites had been given a law regarding the Sabbath. ...
    (rec.arts.mystery)
  • Re: OT: the following is censorship
    ... "23 From there Elisha went up to Bethel. ... To me, it appears that God sent two bears to maul 42 children, because ... "32 While the Israelites were in the desert, ... the LORD said to Moses, ...
    (rec.arts.mystery)
  • Re: OT: the following is censorship
    ... "23 From there Elisha went up to Bethel. ... To me, it appears that God sent two bears to maul 42 children, because ... the LORD said to Moses, ... The Israelites had been given a law regarding the Sabbath. ...
    (rec.arts.mystery)
  • Re: OT: the following is censorship
    ... Now where did a mere human get the power to tell bears what to do? ... Is that a gift God gave you? ... He "called down a curse"? ... From the LORD. ...
    (rec.arts.mystery)