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Debunking Christian Circular Arguments and Assumptions





Biblical Atrocities committed by God and his followers:

The no-win indefensible issue for Christians

 

Warning: This section may be disturbing

 

One of the biggest hypocrisies in the Bible is that while God says “Thou shalt not kill” in the Ten Commandments, he nevertheless kills a lot of innocent people in the Bible. The subject of Biblical atrocities by God and his followers is relatively unknown by the average fundamentalist, yet they are spread out all over the Bible. So I decided to dedicate a whole section to this topic, because it alone debunks Christian fundamentalism. Despite all the other arguments, this section itself pretty much disproves that the Bible is God’s word. No one in their right mind would believe that God would do or order such things. Anyone could use the arguments in this section alone to make Christians look bad. These are the kind of things that churches don’t discuss because they are just inexcusable. Even the best, most eloquent and articulate Evangelists and Apologists could justify or explain these Biblical atrocities away. It is a no-win situation for the fundamentalist when you bring these atrocities up, and I’ll tell you why.

 

All you have to do is take an indefensible atrocity, such as the murder of innocent children by God or his followers, and ask the Christian: “Do you agree with God and the Bible that this should have been done?” or “Would you carry out such orders from God?” If they reply yes, then it will make them look like horrible monsters no better than the Nazis. But if they reply no, they will be denying the authority of their Bible and God. Therefore, it puts them in a lose-lose situation. This is their “Achilles Heel”.

 

If you press the issue, they know they will have lost the argument, being put in an indefensible position. They will either retreat while rationalizing the issue away, or try to attack your motivations by asking if you have any deep psychological issues against God. As you know, resorting to character assassination rather than the issues is a sign that the person has lost the debate. The ancient Chinese conqueror Sun Tzu, who was undefeated in battle, wrote in his treatise The Art of War that one of the key principles to utilize was to “Place your strength against your enemy’s weakness.” Well that’s a perfect illustration of what I’m talking about here. You place the strength of these arguments on Biblical atrocities, against their weakness of being in a morally indefensible position, and push on until they give up and retreat, knowing deep down inside that you’re right, but being unable to do anything about it out of duty to their faith. That’s the winning tactic. I will show you an example of this in a later section below.

 

Christians know deep down inside that these atrocities committed by God and his followers are wrong, inhumane, and immoral, yet they have to rationalize them away and make sense out of them to fit their beliefs, as explained in earlier. And that’s what’s sad about this, to be so locked up by your fanatical beliefs that you ignore your natural basic decency and morals. Some though, are so deeply bothered by it that they eventually fall away from the faith.

 

Let’s begin revealing these things that come as a big shock to most Christians.

 

Would God kill or order the killing of innocent children?

 

This may be a shocking question to pose.  How could we possibly even ask whether a good, loving, just, fair, righteous holy God would do such things?  Nevertheless, that’s what’s in the Bible, which is supposedly the “word of God”.  Take a look at these verses below from the Bible where God either kills innocent children or orders/condones the killing of them, in order to punish disobedient parents. (The relevant phrases have been bolded)

 

"And it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn

in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his

throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and

all the firstborn of cattle." (Exodus 12:29)

 

"Now therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill

every woman who has known man by lying with him. But all the young girls

who have not known man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves."

(Moses - Numbers 31:17)

 

"And the LORD our God delivered him before us; and we smote him, and his

sons, and all his people. And we took all his cities at that time, and utterly

destoyed the men, and the women, and the little ones, of every city

we left none to remain:" (Deuteronomy 2:33-34)

 

"And the LORD said unto me, 'Fear him not: for I will deliver him, and all

his people, and his land, into thy hand; and thou shalt do unto him as

thou didst unto Sihon king of the Amorites, which dwelt at Heshbon'.......

And we utterly destroyed them, as we did unto Sihon king of Heshbon,

utterly destroying the men, women, and children, of every city."

(Deuteronomy 3:2-6)

 

"This is what the LORD says: Now go and smite Amalek, and

utterly destroy all that they have; do not spare them, but kill both

man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass ....'

And Saul ... utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword."

(1 Samuel 15:3,7-8)

 

"And Nathan departed unto his house. And the LORD struck the child that

Uriah's wife bare unto David, and it was very sick... And it came to

pass on the seventh day, that the child died..." (2 Samuel 12:15-18)

 

"And he went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up by the

way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him,

and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head.

And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of

the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare

forty and two children of them." (2 Kings 2:23-24)

 

"Every one that is found shall be thrust through; and every one that is

joined unto them shall fall by the sword. Their children also shall be

dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses shall be spoiled, and

their wives ravished...... Their bows also shall dash the young men to

pieces; and they shall have no pity on the fruit of the womb; their eye

shall not spare children." (Isaiah 13:15-18)

 

"Prepare slaughter for his children for the iniquity of their fathers; that

they do not rise, nor possess the land, nor fill the face of the world with

cities... For I will rise up against them, saith the LORD of hosts..."

(Isaiah 14:21-22)

 

"And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and

the sons together, saith the LORD: I will not pity, nor spare, nor have

mercy, but destroy them." (Jeremiah 13:14)

 

"The hands of the pitiful women have sodden their own children: they 

were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people.  The 

Lord hath accomplished his fury; he hath poured out his fierce anger, and 

hath kindled a fire in Zion, and it hath devoured the foundations thereof." 

(Lamentations 4:10-11)

 

"And the Lord said unto him,... And to the others he said in mine hearing,

Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither

have ye pity: Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children,

and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin

at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the

house." (Ezekiel 9:4-6)

 

"Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with

her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. And I

will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that

I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every

one of you according to your works." (Jesus - Revelation 2:22-23)

 

Would God order people to dash infants against rocks and floors?

 

These verses below would make anyone speechless!

 

"O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be,

that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us.  Happy shall he be, that

taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones." (Psalms 137:8-9)

 

"The people of Samaria must bear their guilt, because they have rebelled

against their God. They will fall by the sword; their little ones will be

dashed to the ground, their pregnant women ripped open." (Hosea 13:16)

 

"Every one that is found shall be thrust through; and every one that is

joined unto them shall fall by the sword.

Their children also shall be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their

houses shall be spoiled, and their wives ravished." (Isaiah 13:15,16)

 

"Their bows also shall dash the young men to pieces; and they

shall have no pity on the fruit of the womb; their eye shall not spare

children." (Isaiah 13:18)

 

Would God make parents eat the flesh of their children?

 

This is morbid and unheard of!  Yet it’s in the Bible!

 

"I am the LORD your God, .... And ye shall eat the flesh of your sons, 

and the flesh of your daughters shall ye eat." (Leviticus 26:13,29)

 

"And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own body, the flesh of thy

sons and of thy daughters, which the LORD thy God hath given thee,

in the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress

thee:... And toward her young one that cometh out from between

her feet, and toward her children which she shall bear: for she shall

eat them for want of all things secretly in the siege and straitness, wherewith

thine enemy shall distress thee in thy gates." (Deuteronomy 28:53-57)

 

"Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD,... And I will cause them 

to eat the flesh of their sons and the flesh of their daughters, and they shall 

eat every one of the flesh of his friend in the siege and straitness, wherewith their 

enemies, and they that seek their lives, shall straiten them." (Jeremiah 19:6-9)

 

"Therefore fathers shall eat their sons in the midst of you and sons

shall eat their fathers... I will send famine and wild beasts against you

and they shall rob you of your children; pestilence and blood shall pass

through you; and I will bring a sword upon you. I, the Lord, have spoken." 

(Ezekiel 5:10, 17)

 

"The hands of the pitiful women have sodden their own children: they were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people.  The Lord hath accomplished his fury; he hath poured out his fierce anger, and hath kindled a fire in Zion, and it hath devoured the foundations thereof." (Lamentations 4:10-11)

 

Would God order pregnant women to be ripped open?

 

This one is just totally unspeakable, yet it seems that God and his prophets approved of it.  What’s ironic is that if God was against abortion as the Christian Pro-lifers claim, then why would he order bloody savage abortions below that kill both mother and child?  Obviously, these Pro-lifers don’t know their Bible that well.

 

"The people of Samaria must bear their guilt, because they have

rebelled against their God. They will fall by the sword; their little ones will

be dashed to the ground, their pregnant women ripped open." (Hosea 13:16)

 

"At that time Menahem, starting out from Tirzah, attacked Tiphsah and

everyone in the city and its vicinity, because they refused to open

their gates. He sacked Tiphsah and ripped open all the pregnant women." 

(2 Kings 15:16)

 

Would God kill 70,000 people to punish one man?

 

Here, the Bible says that God once killed 70,000 people instantly just to punish their leader, King David.  How would Christians today feel, I wonder, if God killed them to punish their political leader?  Would they feel ok with it?  Would they feel that it was fair?

 

1 Chronicles 21:14

"So the LORD sent pestilence upon Israel: and there fell of Israel

seventy thousand men."

 

Would God order his followers to kill each other?

 

Here is a strange incident where God seems to get entertainment out of watching people kill each other, resulting in 3000 casualties.  It reminds me of people placing bets in a ring of Mexican cock fighting.  Now, kids of today may enjoy making people in a video game kill each other.  But this is supposed to be literal historical fact!  Take a look.

 

Exodus 32:27-29

27

Then he said to them, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says:

`Each man strap a sword to his side. Go back and forth through the camp

from one end to the other, each killing his brother and friend and neighbor.'"

28

The Levites did as Moses commanded, and that day about three thousand of

the people died.

29

Then Moses said, "You have been set apart to the LORD today, for you

were against your own sons and brothers, and he has blessed you this

day."

 

Christians, if God asked you to carry a sword and go around killing as many "brothers" as you can among you, would you do it?  Would you?  Be honest!

 

Would God approve of a vow to kill one’s own daughter?

 

Here is an odd and tragic story, and what is odd about it is that God seems to approve of it too.  Here a man named Jephthah makes an odd vow to kill his own daughter in exchange for victory in battle, and God actually accepts his proposal!  But before you read it, keep something in mind.  Christians will say that this was Jephthah's fault and that God didn't command him to make his vow.  However God clearly indicated his APPROVAL and ACCEPTANCE of the vow when he gave Jephthah victory over the Ammonites, which is what he asked God to do in exchange for his "sacrifice"!  In other words, God agreed, accepted and approved this!   

 

Judges 11:29-39 (English-NIV)

 

29

Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah. He crossed Gilead and

Manasseh, passed through Mizpah of Gilead, and from there he advanced

against the Ammonites.

30

And Jephthah made a vow to the LORD: "If you give the Ammonites into my

hands,

31

whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in

triumph from the Ammonites will be the LORD's, and I will sacrifice it

as a burnt offering."

32

Then Jephthah went over to fight the Ammonites, and the LORD gave them

into his hands.

33

He devastated twenty towns from Aroer to the vicinity of Minnith, as far

as Abel Keramim. Thus Israel subdued Ammon.

34

When Jephthah returned to his home in Mizpah, who should come out to

meet him but his daughter, dancing to the sound of tambourines! She was

an only child. Except for her he had neither son nor daughter.

35

When he saw her, he tore his clothes and cried, "Oh! My daughter! You

have made me miserable and wretched, because I have made a vow to the

LORD that I cannot break."

36

"My father," she replied, "you have given your word to the LORD. Do to

me just as you promised, now that the LORD has avenged you of your

enemies, the Ammonites.

37

But grant me this one request," she said. "Give me two months to roam

the hills and weep with my friends, because I will never marry."

38

"You may go," he said. And he let her go for two months. She and the

girls went into the hills and wept because she would never marry.

39

After the two months, she returned to her father and he did to her as he

had vowed. And she was a virgin. From this comes the Israelite custom

 

Would God make people eat feces?!

 

This one is utterly disgusting, but it’s what the Bible says that God made some people do!

 

"And thou shalt eat it as barley cakes, and thou shalt bake it with dung

that cometh out of man, in their sight. And the LORD said, Even thus

shall the children of Israel eat their defiled bread among the Gentiles,

whither I will drive them." (Ezekiel 4:12-13)

 

“Behold, I will corrupt your seed, and spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your solemn feasts; and one shall take you away with it.” (Malachi 2:3)

 

Why would God need the sight of severed heads to calm his anger?

 

Look here, these events are so gross and horrific!  They are barbaric Nazi-style executions in the Bible, ordered directly from God directly!  I'm not sure if the “heads” in the verse refer to human heads or to the leaders of their people, but either way, it's horrific!  Don’t you think an all-wise, eternal God would have the ability to calm his own temper without requiring the sight of severed heads to cool himself down???  I mean, why can’t he just meditate like Buddha to calm his own anger???

 

Numbers 25:4

"And the LORD said unto Moses, 'Take all the heads of the people, and hang

them up before the LORD against the sun, that the fierce anger of the

LORD may be turned away from Israel.'"

 

Would God order the mass execution of unarmed captives?

 

Now look at this too.  It's a mass execution of the helpless and unarmed!  There is NO excuse for this, people!

 

2 Chronicles 25:12

"The men of Judah captured another ten thousand (men) alive and took

them to the top of the rock and threw them down from the top of the

rock; and they were all dashed to pieces."

 

Would a loving Jesus declare that he would kill innocent children?

 

This next one is incredibly shocking and goes against all impressions of Jesus, both religious and secular.  Here, Jesus appears in a vision to St. John and declares that he will kill some innocent children just because they are the offspring of adultery!  We’ve all been given an image of Jesus as a loving, perfect, sinless being without fault, so why would he want to kill innocent children like that?!  Most Christians don’t even know that such a verse exists!

 

"Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with

her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. And I

will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that

I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every

one of you according to your works." (Revelation 2:22-23)

 

Why would an all loving God discriminate against the handicapped?

 

Here is another odd one.  You would think that a merciful loving God who loves people unconditionally and shows no partiality would not have anything against people who are handicapped.  But take a look at this verse here about who can and can’t come to offer food to God. (And oddly enough, if God disliked the handicapped, why would he make people that way?)

 

Leviticus 21:16-21

16

The LORD said to Moses,

17

"Say to Aaron: `For the generations to come none of your descendants who

has a defect may come near to offer the food of his God.

18

No man who has any defect may come near: no man who is blind or lame,

disfigured or deformed;

19

no man with a crippled foot or hand,

20

or who is hunchbacked or dwarfed, or who has any eye defect, or who has

festering or running sores or damaged testicles.

21

No descendant of Aaron the priest who has any defect is to come near to

present the offerings made to the LORD by fire. He has a defect; he must

not come near to offer the food of his God.





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