Posted by Jason on December 30, 1996 at 18:16:25:
(This post is a reply to Lynn's comments)
In your previous post you said that I may get proof of a
spiritual realm but it would be from the Anti-Christ who would
perform signs and wonders. When this begins, you claimed that
people with anti-Christian sentiments would start the
persecution of Christians. You also wanted to discuss biblical
scripture.
To start, I would like to say that I am not your enemy. I'm not
anti-Christian but more accurately, I'm non-Christian. Just because
you're not a Bahai doesn't mean you're anti-Bahai does it? Like I
said before, I can respect the religious beliefs of others but I
cannot embrace them. Also, even if some guy showed me that he had
supernatural powers, I'd rather die than persecute people for their
religious beliefs (and I'm sure that most people who post here
would agree with me).
Getting into biblical scripture, I do have a few questions. I'm
sure that you're familiar with the Mosaic Law in the OT. Here's an
example:
"If anyone secretly entices you-- even if it is your
brother, your father's son or your mother's son, or
your own son or daughter, or the wife you embrace, or
your most intimate friend-- saying, "Let us go worship
other gods," .... you must not yield to or heed any
such persons. Show them no pity or compassion and do
not shield them. But you shall surely kill them; your
own hand shall be first against them to execute them,
and afterwards the hand of all the people."
(Deut. 13:6,8-9)
Now if you were an Israelite living in OT times, would you really
obey such an order? If I was the Israelite I would have said,
"God, you may have the might but you don't have the right!" Like
I said, I'd rather die than persecute people because of their
religious beliefs. There's more. Mosaic Law commanded the death
penalty for things like: not keeping the sabbath, being a
stubborn son, homosexuality, and adultery. In addition, things
like genocide and murdering infants and children are routinely
commanded to the Israelites by a supposedly omnibenevolent deity.
If you subscribe to "Skeptic" perhaps you may have read John
Hartung's essay on religious xenophobia and genocide in the OT
(vol.3, no.4).
You would probably argue that Jesus fulfilled the OT law and
is therefore negated. However, this still doesn't change
the fact that these kind of laws are barbaric and reprehensible.
Even if these laws were negated later on, they are totally
inconsistent with the idea of an omnibenevolent deity. Now
compare the Mosaic Law with something like the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights. Supposedly, one of these systems
was inspired by an omnibenevolent deity, and another by sinful
imperfect humans. Which system appears more benevolent to you?
I should point out that there is a group called the Christian
Reconstruction movement who think that the OT law should still
be applied today. They believe that Jesus only fulfilled OT
laws like circumcision, animal sacrifice, and dietary rules.
From your writing you appear to be a very decent and tolerant
person, so I can tell that you don't adhere to CR beliefs.
- Jason