(urth) The Wizard

[Lee Berman]

>Daniel Petersen: I can't imagine a more jaundiced, blinkered, selective 
>reading of the Old Testament and the doctrine of God that emerges from it 
>(if you've really read 'Genesis to Malachi' at all).  I'm not at all 
>trying to assault or insult you, Lee.
 
No offense taken, Daniel. I am more concerned that I have offended your 
beliefs, which I did not intend to do. Still, you might correctly infer
from my name that I was raised in the jewish faith and have read the Old
Testament both in English and Hebrew. I am confortable with my understanding 
of its meaning and original intent.
 
As Christians are most focused on the gospels of the NT, so jews are focused
on the Pentateuch. I think you would have to be selective and blinkered to 
read it and NOT see the war, genocide and paganistic trappings found among
the ancient Hebrews and their God.
 
Now if you are suggesting that God is more mellow and peaceful in the later
prophet books than He is in Genesis and Exodus I would agree. This supports
my thesis that this is an evolving God.
 
You know, many Christians today are critical of Muslims and Sharia law. But from 
polygamy to honor killings to homosexual and slut stonings to holy wars, all that 
is criticized of Islam can be found in the Old Testament. Things that are not 
found in the New Testament, as far as I know.  But I am willing to learn 
differently and be corrected if I am wrong.
 
Perhaps those more familiar with the NT find it to be just as brutal, with a God
as warlike and vengeful as God is in the Pentateuch. I know some feel that AIDS
is simply a modern way for God to punish gays and the Tsunami was a way to 
punish non-Christian heathens in Indonesia and Thailand etc. If it is your view
that God doles out rewards and punishments for devotion and disobedience as much 
now as He did in Genesis I respect your position and will not debate it.