II Chronicles Part I: Just a Few Questions

The Wheels on the Bus Still Go Round and Round

So where are we in the plod through the Bible asking questions about each of the books presented? We are at the book of the Old Testament called II Chronicles. Much like its elder brother I Chronicles, II Chronicles is basically a much unneeded recap of the hoopla of the people and kings of Israel as they stumble through their dusty existence of being used and abused by God Almighty as He goes about sprinkling fairy dust and destroying His people time and again.

And...away we go...

1. II Chronicles 1:1

1 And Solomon the son of David was strengthened in his kingdom, and the LORD his God was with him, and magnified him exceedingly.

Questions

     1) How can it be said that the LORD/God magnified anyone other than Himself when everything He does and anything He does for anyone is to glorify Himself?

2. II Chronicles 1:12

12 I will certainly give you the wisdom and knowledge you requested. But I will also give you wealth, riches, and fame such as no other king has had before you or will ever have in the future!"

Questions

     1) Is this of ALL the kings of the earth EVER or only at this time in history? I ask because there have been some amazingly wealthy kings in history, right?

3. II Chronicles 2:5

5 The house that I am to build will be great, for our God is greater than all gods.

Questions

     1) Sooo...there ARE other gods?

4. II Chronicles 2:6

6 But who is able to build him a house, since heaven, even highest heaven, cannot contain him? Who am I to build a house for him, except as a place to make offerings before him?

Questions

     1) Well, this verse says it all, doesn't it? How can a frigging house be built for a God Who is everywhere?

5. II Chronicles 6:26

26 “When heaven is shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against you, if they pray toward this place and acknowledge your name and turn from their sin, when you afflict them,

Questions

     1) Is this normal discipline? Should it be considered normal discipline and why?

6. II Chronicles 7:1-3

1 As soon as Solomon finished his prayer, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple.

2 And the priests could not enter the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD filled the LORD’s house.

3 When all the people of Israel saw the fire come down and the glory of the LORD on the temple, they bowed down with their faces to the ground on the pavement and worshiped and gave thanks to the LORD, saying, “For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.”

Questions

     1) And this sounds normal? This sounds believable over all the other beliefs? This sounds more credible?

7. II Chronicles 7:4

4 Then the king and all the people offered sacrifice before the LORD.

Questions

     1) What is good about sacrifice? What is good about killing something or someone in order to please another?

8. II Chronicles 7:14

14 if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Questions

     1) Hear from heaven? Isn't God/the LORD supposed to be everywhere?

9. II Chronicles 7:19-20

19 “But if you turn aside and forsake my statutes and my commandments that I have set before you, and go and serve other gods and worship them,

20 then I will pluck you up from my land that I have given you, and this house that I have consecrated for my name, I will cast out of my sight, and I will make it a proverb and a byword among all peoples.

Questions

     1) Why say that it will be your house forever when you know that will not be the case? Why even say the people will be your's forever when all you constantly do is try to destroy them?

10. II Chronicles 20:15

15 And he said, “Listen, all Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: Thus says the LORD to you, ‘Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God’s.

Questions

     1) That's right. The battle is God's/the LORD's because He is the mother fucker that keeps people fighting, keeps them starving, keeps them full of fear, right?

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I Kings Part VIII: Just a Few Questions

Doesn't it just get more and more interesting?

You know, once you start reading the Bible and actually paying attention to the words it really is a work of fiction that is extremely difficult to put down, isn't it?

1. I Kings 19:2-3

2 So Jezebel sent this message to Elijah: "May the gods strike me and even kill me if by this time tomorrow I have not killed you just as you killed them."

3 Elijah was afraid and fled for his life. He went to Beersheba, a town in Judah, and he left his servant there.

Questions

     1) Why was Elijah afraid of Jezebel after the LORD showed His mighty power when Elijah killed the 400 prophets?

2. I Kings 19:4-8

4 But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying, “It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.”

5 And he lay down and slept under a broom tree. And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, “Arise and eat.”

6 And he looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank and lay down again.

7 And the angel of the LORD came again a second time and touched him and said, “Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you.”

8 And he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mount of God.

Questions

     1) Sooo...God/the LORD will bring food cakes and water to His prophet, but will continue to play Hunger Games:Divine Edition with everyone else?

     2) Oh, look! The magical Bible number of forty...AGAIN. What, pray tell, does it mean here?

3. I Kings 19:10

10 He said, “I have been very jealous for the LORD, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.”

Questions

     1) Now...just hold on a minute there, Elijah. Didn't you do some slaughtering yourself?

     2) And what the fuck did you expect, Elijah? Of course they are going to go after you, right?

4. I Kings 19:19-21

19 So he departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen in front of him, and he was with the twelfth. Elijah passed by him and cast his cloak upon him.

20 And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, “Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.” And he said to him, “Go back again, for what have I done to you?”

21 And he returned from following him and took the yoke of oxen and sacrificed them and boiled their flesh with the yokes of the oxen and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and went after Elijah and assisted him.

Questions

     1) Maybe some of the starvation is caused by the people killing off the plow animals?

5. I Kings 20:2-3

2 And he sent messengers into the city to Ahab king of Israel and said to him, “Thus says Ben-hadad:

3 ‘Your silver and your gold are mine; your best wives and children also are mine.’”

Questions

     1) Sooo...what happens to the worst wives?

6. I Kings 20:27

27 When the Israelites were also mustered and given provisions, they marched out to meet them. The Israelites camped opposite them like two small flocks of goats, while the Arameans covered the countryside.

Questions

     1) Sooo...now the people get to eat? Is it a reward for fighting?

7. I Kings 20:35-36

35 And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said to his fellow at the command of the LORD, “Strike me, please.” But the man refused to strike him.

36 Then he said to him, “Because you have not obeyed the voice of the LORD, behold, as soon as you have gone from me, a lion shall strike you down.” And as soon as he had departed from him, a lion met him and struck him down.

Questions

     1) Sooo...God tells the man of God to tell the other guy to strike the man of God...and when the other guy refuses he gets a goddamn death sentence? WTF for?

     2) Why didn't God give His friggin message to the guy He wanted to hit the freaking man of God, hummm?

     3) Strike me, please? Oooohhh...because the PLEASE was supposed to let the guy who had no fucking clue what the hell was going on that he really WAS supposed to strike this man of GOD?

8. I Kings 20:37-38

37 Then he found another man and said, “Strike me, please.” And the man struck him—struck him and wounded him.

38 So the prophet departed and waited for the king by the way, disguising himself with a bandage over his eyes.

Questions

     1) Sooo...was allowing the man who struck the man of God to live a reward for going along with the little conspiracy?

     2) God has a prophet DISGUISE himself? How fucking nonsense is this shit?

     3) Why does God even find it necessary to TRICK anyone to begin with, right? I mean, if someone is in disguise they DO intend to TRICK someone, don't they?

9. I Kings 20:40-42

40 And as your servant was busy here and there, he was gone.” The king of Israel said to him, “So shall your judgment be; you yourself have decided it.”

41 Then he hurried to take the bandage away from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized him as one of the prophets.

42 And he said to him, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Because you have let go out of your hand the man whom I had devoted to destruction, therefore your life shall be for his life, and your people for his people.’”

Questions

     1) Oh, look! More of God's trickery, right?

     2) By the way...why in the HELL did God tell this prophet of His to tell another man to strike him if all he needed to do was wrap the goddamn bandage around his fucking head so the king wouldn't see who it freaking was under there? Did he need a bloody bandage? Shit, man...all you gotta do is roll that bandage on the dead bodies, right?

10. I Kings 21:8-10

8 So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name and sealed them with his seal, and she sent the letters to the elders and the leaders who lived with Naboth in his city.

9 And she wrote in the letters, “Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth at the head of the people.

10 And set two worthless men opposite him, and let them bring a charge against him, saying, ‘You have cursed God and the king.’ Then take him out and stone him to death.

Questions

     1) God essentially did the same thing to Pharaoh when He robbed Pharaoh's free will and made him do shit he wouldn't have done BUT for what God did, so how is this any less acceptable?

     2) Is it not acceptable because God didn't do it?

11. I Kings 21:27-29

27 And when Ahab heard those words, he tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his flesh and fasted and lay in sackcloth and went about dejectedly.

28 And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,

29 “Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the disaster in his days; but in his son’s days I will bring the disaster upon his house.”

Questions

     1) Ahhh...so is what we have here another case of one person paying for another's sin, hummm? Sooo...the son will get to pay?

     2) And what the hell does Ahab expect to help by tearing his clothing, dumping dirt on his head, starving himself, and going about with a long face? Has it REALLY worked for anyone before? Does he really think God gives a flying fuck whether or not he is happy or sad?

12. I Kings 22:10

10 King Ahab of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah, dressed in their royal robes, were sitting on thrones at the threshing floor near the gate of Samaria. All of Ahab's prophets were prophesying there in front of them.

Questions

     1) I wonder what the hell kind of noise was made with all of the prophets there going on at once, right? I mean, were they ALL sounding like they were speaking in tongues like that Kenneth Hagin moron, or what?

13. I Kings 22:38

38 And they washed the chariot by the pool of Samaria, and the dogs licked up his blood, and the prostitutes washed themselves in it, according to the word of the LORD that he had spoken.

Questions

     1) Why so degrading? Does it make God feel that much better about Himself?

14. I Kings 22:40

40 So Ahab slept with his fathers, and Ahaziah his son reigned in his place.

Questions

     1) Ahab slept with his fathers? You mean like Jimmy Hoffa and Davey Jones sleep with the fishes?

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Just a Few Questions: Part IV Genesis

With ALL of these questions posed in regards to the Bible wouldn't it be nice to be able to access the questions in one place instead of flipping between blog postings? Now you can! The questions for the first five books of the Bible, the Pentateuch are now in one compilation, and there is no need whatsoever to flip-flop between various posts! Go here for your copy:
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Has it ever crossed your mind?

Please put any answers you may have in the comments section at the end of the post. If you choose to use Bible verses as a reference please include the passage location. Thank you.

Sound the trumpets! Here we are with Part IV of our journey into the questions I have in regards to the Holy Bible. I do not expect all of my questions to be answered. I do not expect that everyone would have the same questions themselves. I am simply presenting the questions I have about many of the things in the Bible that are supposed to be true, the literal and actual words of the only God. These questions of mine are part of why I DO NOT believe that the Bible is the absolute truth, the words of God. If you wish to think the Bible is absolutely true and everything that goes along with that, fine. 

Answer some of these questions if you would be so kind. I want to know how you answer these questions and how you factor in such questions into your faith. I want to know why you believe the Bible as literal truth despite these questions. Tell me why you believe and why I should believe the same as you. Give me a reason to believe.

As mentioned in previous posts answers of "because God said so" or anything similar will not be acceptable answers. If you find you do not have an answer to a particular question no worries. Simply go on to the next one.

We are still in the book of Genesis.

1. Genesis 3:22

22 And the LORD God said, "Now that the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil, he must not be allowed to stretch out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever."

Questions

     1) An easy question here: Does the Bible state man was created by God in the image of God?

     2) So, God is all-knowing of good and evil, all-powerful, and eternal, but...the man He supposedly creates in His own image knows absolutely nothing of what good and evil are, is treated as though he (man) has NO power or say, deserves NO power or say in any of the demented adventures God whips up, and in addition to all that he (man) is MORTAL?

     3) Considering the above question referencing mortality, why do some people interpret God's creation of man as God having created man in a PERFECT state?

     4) In further considerations of mortality, doesn't the fact that God also placed in the Garden of Eden the tree of life justifiably allow for the presumption that God created man as a mortal being/in a mortal state?

     5) How could man have been created in a 'perfect' state by God if God created him mortal?

     6) Can mortality exist within perfection?

     7) Can it be argued that mortality CAN exist within perfection so long as the expression of the existence itself is perfect (i.e. the beauty of a rose, animals that can withstand extreme environments)?

     8) Even if it is assumed that mortality CAN exist within perfection, and even if a perfect God created man in a mortal state, doesn't the mortality within perfection argument fail when it comes to man since his immense ignorance of good and evil, lack of true control over anything to include his mind, obliviousness to danger, and failure to recognize and understand the omnipotence of God make man's expression of existence nowhere near perfect?

     9) If God created man in a mortal state, and remember that the existence of the tree of life in the garden totally lends merit to the idea man was created mortal, how in the HELL does it make any sense that when God warned Adam and Eve about the bad tree He said that the consequence of eating the bad fruit would be that Adam and Eve would surely die?

     10) How can the threat of sure death as a consequence of eating the bad fruit be justifiably used by God in an appropriate, truthful manner when man is already mortal?

     11) Why didn't God inform Adam and Eve of their pre-existing mortality?

     12) Could it be argued that God used Adam's and Eve's ignorance of mortality against them when due to their own innocent ignorance it would be impossible for them to recognize mortality on their own, much less understand it?

     13) Knowing full well that man was already mortal why did God only inform man of the bad tree, whose beautiful but lethal fruit would serve only to further complicate and deepen man's mortality?

     14) Can it be argued that considering the above questions the idea of man being created in God's image is a mirage?

2. Genesis 3:24

24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

Questions

     1) How does God's punishment on man fit the crime?

     2) Do you really believe that curses that last forever (or at least until Jesus returns to earth) and that serve to debilitate man along with purposeful placement of enmity by God for the purpose of creating harsh living environments qualifies as JUST punishment?

     3) How can God's punishments placed upon man be considered justified when instead of sounding like just/deserved punishment God's edicts sound more like cruel, wickedly swift, intentional, totally crushing acts of annihilation?

3. Genesis 4:3-7

3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.

4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:

5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.

6 And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?

7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

Questions

     1) Why didn't God inform Cain and Abel of any requirements, rules or regulations in regards to sacrifice and what God wanted in regard to the same?

     2) Is God's neglect to inform Cain and Abel of the sacrifice requirements another example of God interfering with man and doing so with malice by willfully designing to fail?

     3) If Cain did not know he was supposed to sacrifice something with blood in it how could God justifiably respond to Cain in the manner in which He did?

     4) Why did God allow Abel to be killed over a misunderstanding solely attributable to God, or was it that Abel was simply the victim of divine demerits issued by God for Cain not playing twenty-questions to figure out exactly what God wanted when it came to sacrifice?

     5) If God knew that Cain misunderstood/did not know sacrifice requirements, and if God knew that Cain would respond to God's rejection of the veggie sacrifice by killing Abel why didn't God either properly inform Cain OR stop him from killing his brother?

     6) Is the silent message here that Cain still owed God a blood sacrifice, an innocent blood sacrifice, and that God was going to get that blood sacrifice owed Him one way or another and so did not stop Cain and did not warn Abel of what Cain was going to do?

     7) Can it be argued that Abel, innocent and blameless and valued and cherished (if not valued and cherished by Cain, then by Adam and Eve), ended up being the blood sacrifice Cain owed God?

     8) Can it be justifiably argued that God's willful failure to provide the sacrifice rules to Cain, purposeful rejection of Cain's veggie sacrifice and subsequent failure to stop Cain from killing Abel or to even warn Abel at all may be interpreted as extreme indifference to the value of human life, thus making God guilty of murder under the depraved heart theory?

     9) Where is the justice, where is the truth in allowing Abel to die for the misunderstanding of what God wanted?

4. Genesis 4:12-14

12 When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.

13 And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear.

14 Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me.

Questions

     1) If Cain is cursed as a fugitive and a wanderer how did he stay anywhere long enough to build a city as he did in Genesis 4:17?

5. Genesis 4:17

17 And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch.

Questions

     1) So, we DO know that Cain got married, but why doesn't the Bible state which of his sisters he married?

     2) Remember, man is still in his infancy and is not much more in numbers than a handful of people who were indeed direct descendants of Adam and Eve. Now consider that up to this point the only other woman mentioned was Cain's mother Eve, who we know for sure stayed behind with Adam and popped out more children. So, again I ask you which of his sisters did Cain marry?

6. Genesis 6:2

2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.

Questions

     1) So...when this type of story/belief happens in ancient mythology, such as with Zeus, such a thing is considered a fable, but when such a thing happens in the Bible it is truth?

7. Genesis 6:6

6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.

Questions

     1) How is it that God regrets?

     2) What is regret?

     3) Does perfection know regret?

     4) What is the difference between regret existing in perfection as opposed to mortality existing in perfection?

     5) Is the difference in the expression of existence, in which case regret infers error of choice?

8. Genesis 6:8

8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.

Questions

     1) Isn't God 'finding favor' with Noah contrary to God's assumed perfect nature?

     2) What is the basis for God's measurement of favor?

     3) Can it be argued that God's measurement of failure is more about doing whatever God wants and not necessarily what is good for man?

9. Genesis 6:13

13 Then God said to Noah, "I have decided to put an end to every creature, for the earth is filled with wickedness because of them; therefore I am going to destroy them along with the earth." 

Questions

     1) Is the earth filled with violence due to God or man?

     2) WHO did the designing to fail?

     3) Does man fail because God has severely stunted man's power, and why would God do such a thing?

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