II Samuel Part II: Just a Few Questions

Looks ARE Deceiving

When David takes over as the king the first few impressions are that things are really starting to turn around, right? Perhaps David can really turn things around as far as the relationship between God and the people of Israel are concerned. Not only is David pleasing in the sight of the LORD, but it also appears that in anything that he does he is triumphant. This is a very good indicator of an immense improvement in the disposition of the people of Israel.

How real and lasting is this positive change? How long will it be before somebody screws up and the LORD/God YANKS the rug out from under the entire congregation of His people? For the moment everything for the people of Israel not only looks great, but also sounds great! And this IS a good thing considering the Valley of Death existence the people of Israel have endured for so long, right?

Too bad the people of Israel back then didn't know what we know now when it comes to things that sound really, REALLY great: If it sounds too good to be true...it probably is.

And now...on to the continuing questions for II Samuel.

1. II Samuel 7:25

25 "And now, O LORD God, I am your servant; do as you have promised concerning me and my family. Confirm it as a promise that will last forever.

Questions

     1) The sad part here is that David does not seem to realize that there is no way that he will ever receive confirmation of God's promises...UNLESS he, too, sticks around forever like God to witness everything that ever happens in all of recorded history AFTER God has made all of these promises, right?

2. II Samuel 8:2

2 David also conquered the land of Moab. He made the people lie down on the ground in a row, and he measured them off in groups with a length of rope. He measured off two groups to be executed for every one group to be spared. The Moabites who were spared became David's subjects and paid him tribute money.

Questions

     1) Saving a few and then killing a bunch? Measuring people in groups lying down on the ground, then murdering two groups for every one group spared? This is SO FUCKING SICK. I read this verse and you know what it immediately reminded me of? Have you ever seen the WWII footage of deep, long trenches that had been dug by the Nazis, filled with the bodies of men, women, and children...babies even? You ever see the footage of the people lined up close to the body pits so that when the Nazi soldier came down the line shooting the people in their heads the bodies would simply fall into the pit?

3. II Samuel 8:6

6 Then David put garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and the Syrians became servants to David and brought tribute. And the LORD gave victory to David wherever he went.

Questions

     1) Is it not so much that the LORD gave victory to David as it is that the LORD took the lives of those the people of Israel waged war with?

4. II Samuel 8:10-11

10 Toi sent his son Joram to King David, to ask about his health and to bless him because he had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him, for Hadadezer had often been at war with Toi. And Joram brought with him articles of silver, of gold, and of bronze.

11 These also King David dedicated to the LORD, together with the silver and gold that he dedicated from all the nations he subdued,

Questions

     1) Why does David dedicate the precious metals to the LORD? What the hell is the LORD going to do with gold and silver and bronze?

     2) Does a perfect God need anything? If a perfect God does not by nature need anything wouldn't it follow that He would not want to ask or receive anything since asking for something He does not need and accepting something He does not need is gluttony?

5. II Samuel 8:13
13 So David became even more famous when he returned from destroying 18,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt.

Questions
     1) Famous for destruction? Is this how people who worship God behave...celebrating destruction?

     2) Is this why the supporters of the assholes who flew planes full of people into big buildings full of even more people were jumping with joy? Did it make them feel famous? Is this something the One they worship encourages?

     3) Remember the tsunami that hit Japan not all that long ago? This verse reminds me of members of the demented denominations of various pockets of Christianity that posted videos on YouTube that were THANKING God for the mass destruction. Don't believe me? Listen and look at this:
          http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPd-SY6OhLY

          

6. II Samuel 11:2-5
2 It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king’s house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful.

3 He sent someone to find out who she was, and he was told, "She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite."

4 Then David sent messengers to get her; and when she came to the palace, he slept with her. She had just completed the purification rites after having her menstrual period. Then she returned home.

5 And the woman conceived, and she sent and told David, “I am pregnant.”

Questions
     1) Sooo...David has taken and had sex with the wife of another man? Is the LORD going to punish the entire congregation of His people for David's error?

     2) Would Bathsheba have gotten into trouble if she told David 'no'?

     3) Stepping lightly here, uhmmm...did the folks in Bible times NOT practice various methods for NOT becoming pregnant? Remember the story of Onan getting into trouble with the LORD for spilling his seed on the ground? Does this mean the LORD had a rule that that could not be done, that the man must release his seed inside of the woman?

     4) Wouldn't David know what would happen if he did NOT pull an Onan?

     5) Did David simply not care because he was the king?

7. II Samuel 11:13-17
13 Then David invited him to dinner and got him drunk. But even then he couldn't get Uriah to go home to his wife. Again he slept at the palace entrance with the king's palace guard.

14 In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah.

15 In the letter he wrote, “Set Uriah in the forefront of the hardest fighting, and then draw back from him, that he may be struck down, and die.”

16 So Joab assigned Uriah to a spot close to the city wall where he knew the enemy's strongest men were fighting.

17 And the men of the city came out and fought with Joab, and some of the servants of David among the people fell. Uriah the Hittite also died.

Questions

     1) This is just a terribly sad story, right? A man goes out to fight a war and the king of the land who has more than ANYONE goes and takes what is likely the most valuable, cherished person that the man possesses? A man of GOD did this?

     2) But in reality, isn't David emulating the LORD/God Who regularly takes everything of value from anyone He wants whenever He sees fit to do so?

8. II Samuel 11:27
27 When the period of mourning was over, David sent for her and brought her to the palace, and she became one of his wives. Then she gave birth to a son. But the LORD was displeased with what David had done.

Questions
     1) Displeased? Displeased? David rooks a man out of his wife AND his life and the LORD is displeased? What about the guy that tried to steady the ark when he thought it would fall and the LORD burst out in anger and KILLED him? For trying to steady the ark? But...the LORD is only displeased when David commits adultery, covets another man's wife, and commits murder? Is the LORD disgustingly imbalanced or what?

9. II Samuel 12:9-12
9 Why, then, have you despised the word of the LORD and done this horrible deed? For you have murdered Uriah the Hittite with the sword of the Ammonites and stolen his wife.

10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’

11 This is what the LORD says: Because of what you have done, I will cause your own household to rebel against you. I will give your wives to another man before your very eyes, and he will go to bed with them in public view.

12 You did it secretly, but I will make this happen to you openly in the sight of all Israel."

Questions
     1) This is what David and Bathsheba did but the LORD is going to make the ENTIRE family of David pay the price of the bad deed done?

     2) THe LORD is going to allow the wives of David to be taken before his very eyes? What the fuck for? David's wives didn't do a damn thing! Sooo...because of something David did his wives are going to be taken against their will? Isn't this RAPE? Because of what David did these women who are his wives will be raped?

10. II Samuel 12:13
13 Then David confessed to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." Nathan replied, "Yes, but the LORD has forgiven you, and you won't die for this sin.

Questions
     1) Ahhh. Sooo...the LORD has forgiven David so that he will not die for His sin, BUT, those closest to David will be the ones to pay the price, right? Lovely.

11. II Samuel 12:14
14 Nevertheless, because you have shown utter contempt for the LORD by doing this, your child will die."

Questions
     1) Because you have shown contempt for the LORD...I am going to kill your child? REALLY? Why does the LORD insist on making the innocent pay for the deeds of the guilty? This is total bullshit, right?

     2) What would you think if a judge in a modern day court in America found a man guilty of murder, and as punishment commanded the man's son be put to death? What would you think? THAT would be wrong, wouldn't it? Why isn't it wrong for God? Because God is supposed to be perfect, so even when He is wrong He is still right?

12. II Samuel 12:15
15 After Nathan returned to his home, the LORD sent a deadly illness to the child of David and Uriah's wife.

Questions
     1) Awww! Does the LORD/God have a soft spot for purposely suffering the little children unto Himself? What a sweetheart.

13. II Samuel 12:22
22 David replied, "I fasted and wept while the child was alive, for I said, 'Perhaps the LORD will be gracious to me and let the child live.'

Questions
     1) Isn't this just another limit to stupidity set by yet another person in the Bible? Letting the child live would be gracious to David? No it wouldn't. Letting the child live would be gracious to the child, right? Injuring one person as punishment to another? How fucking stupid is that? And people wonder what is wrong with religion?

14. II Samuel 12:24
24 Then David comforted Bathsheba, his wife, and slept with her. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son, and David named him Solomon. The LORD loved the child

Questions
     1) Sooo...the LORD loved this child but not the other child that He killed by sending it an illness while it was yet still a brand new infant?

15. II Samuel 12:30
30 David removed the crown from the king's head, and it was placed on his own head. The crown was made of gold and set with gems, and it weighed seventy-five pounds. David took a vast amount of plunder from the city.

Questions
     1) A crown that weighs SEVENTY-FIVE POUNDS? David actually put this crown on his head?

     2) What is the heaviest crown in the world today? What is the heaviest crown in recorded history and can it be verified?

     3) How much weight can the human head and neck support for a man of average, medium, or above average height and weight and build?

16. II Samuel 13:11-13
11 But when she brought them near him to eat, he took hold of her and said to her, “Come, lie with me, my sister.”

12 She answered him, “No, my brother, do not violate me, for such a thing is not done in Israel; do not do this outrageous thing.

13 As for me, where could I carry my shame? And as for you, you would be as one of the outrageous fools in Israel. Now therefore, please speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.”

14 But he would not listen to her, and being stronger than she, he violated her and lay with her.

Questions
     1) You know what? The Bible seems really really preoccupied with incest in the Old Testament, right? Why is that?

     2) Sooo...first the sister says something along the lines of no, such a thing is not done in Israel, right? Whew! So the LORD DOESN'T approve of brothers and sisters sleeping together, correct?

     3) Then the sister says something along the lines of tell the king for he will not withhold me from you...and you kinda go WHAT? Sooo...the LORD DOES approve of incest? Isn't that lovely?

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II Samuel Part I: Just a Few Questions

King Saul and King David

For all of the grand promises made by God the only ones that have come to full fruition thus far are those promises of great sorrow and suffering. Maybe that bad luck will turn around with the arrival of kings to rule the people of Israel. We see that the first two kings of Israel are Saul and David.

Which of these two kings that are amongst the most well known of those men who ruled the people of Israel in the Bible will have the greatest impact? Which will end up being more successful in war, in peace, in life, in love? Which one will receive greater blessings from the One they worship?

It seems to be that thus far in the Bible the people of Israel STILL have not received the full blessing of the promise given to them by God/the LORD. Perhaps that is because the LORD seems to be quite inventive in finding reasons and ways to punish His people for various infractions. But, each new day brings fresh hope, right? Let's see if the struggling people of Israel can fare any better with David as a king.

And...as I have stated ad nauseum in previous posts...if you wish to give an answer to ANY of these questions please do so at the end of the particular post which contains the question(s) you are answering. When using Bible verses as references please be sure to include the passage location. Do not worry about whether or not your answer is what I want to hear or whether or not it will meet my expectations. Screw that. I just want to know why you believe these things, what your explanations are for the questions, why you hold these things to be true.

Tell me WHY you DO believe and be clear and concise in your answers. Thank you.

1. II Samuel 1:5-10

5 Then David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?”

6 And the young man who told him said, “By chance I happened to be on Mount Gilboa, and there was Saul leaning on his spear, and behold, the chariots and the horsemen were close upon him.

7 And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called to me. And I answered, ‘Here I am.’

8 And he said to me, ‘Who are you?’ I answered him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’

9 And he said to me ‘Stand beside me and kill me, for anguish has seized me, and yet my life still lingers.’

10 So I stood beside him and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen. And I took the crown that was on his head and the armlet that was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.”

Questions

     1) Well, isn't this a big SNAFU? This man is claiming he killed Saul? Doesn't I Samuel 31:4-5 say that Saul fell upon his own sword, and when his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead he killed himself?

     2) Saul was leaning on his spear, eh? Like I mentioned before, doesn't I Samuel 31:4-5 say Saul fell upon his own SWORD? Wouldn't it be quite difficult to mistake a spear for a sword? 

     3) Did kings really go into battle with their crowns on? That just doesn't sound like a good idea, right? Wouldn't they screw the crown and wear a helmet instead?

2. II Samuel 1:13-15

13 And David said to the young man who told him, “Where do you come from?” And he answered, “I am the son of a sojourner, an Amalekite.”

14 David said to him, “How is it you were not afraid to put out your hand to destroy the LORD’s anointed?”

15 Then David said to one of his men, "Kill him!" So the man thrust his sword into the Amalekite and killed him.

Questions

     1) Why would David ask the man this question when the guy just said that Saul told him to do it? Sooo...I guess following orders didn't go a whole long way as an excuse in Bible times?

3. II Samuel 1:16

16 And David said to him, “Your blood be on your head, for your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have killed the LORD’s anointed.’”

Questions

     1) What a fucking douchebag David is, right? Did he forget that the man also said that Saul was dying and commanded him to finish it/end it for Saul?

     2) Sooo...if the man had NOT listened to Saul and had NOT finished it for Saul would David have then still killed the man for defying the king's orders/the orders of the LORD's anointed one? There is no way out for this man, right? He would have died either way.

4. II Samuel 5:13

13 Meanwhile David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, after he came from Hebron; and more sons and daughters were born to David.

Questions

     1) Sooo...I take it that the LORD allowed the men to marry many women and concubines, right? Think of it this way: if the LORD did NOT allow this and the people did it anyway, wouldn't that be the same as going against the Word of the LORD?

     2) Sooo...if the LORD's allowance or dis-allowance of something is the same thing as being the Word of the LORD, and if the Word of the LORD stands forever...then WHY don't believers follow this same practice today and become married to lots of women at the same time? I mean, if the Word of the LORD stands FOREVER then this should not be a problem, right?

5. II Samuel 6:6-7

6 But when they arrived at the threshing floor of Nacon, the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah reached out his hand and steadied the Ark of God.

7 Then the LORD's anger was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him dead because of this. So Uzzah died right there beside the Ark of God.

Questions

     1) Here we go again with the savant deity of the people of Israel striking out at those who have rendered no harm WHATSOEVER. What the fuckey-doo is His freaking problem? And don't even try selling me on some crap about holy wrath. That is a bullshit answer and you know it. This guy did nothing wrong and God STILL struck him down. NICE.

     2) Sooo...what if this fellow did not reach out and try to steady the ark and it fell to the ground? Would God have killed him for that?

     3) If the ark can be damaged it is imperfect, right? Why does the LORD have an imperfect item representing Him when He is supposed to be perfect?

6. II Samuel 6:9

9 David was now afraid of the LORD, and he asked, "How can I ever bring the Ark of the LORD back into my care?"

Questions

     1) Are you telling me...that this is the FIRST TIME that David is afraid of the LORD?

7. II Samuel 6:12

12 Then King David was told, "The LORD has blessed Obed-edom's household and everything he has because of the Ark of God." So David went there and brought the Ark of God from the house of Obed-edom to the City of David with a great celebration.

Questions

     1) Sooo...is what really happened here that David was not so sure what would happen if he brought the ark to close to his own home and family, and so in order to find out what would happen left the ark at another guy's house to see how everything would turn out? Then when it turned out well, David decided to put it where originally he wanted to put it?

8. II Samuel 6:18

18 When he had finished his sacrifices, David blessed the people in the name of the LORD of Heaven's Armies.

Questions

     1) Again I ask...why WHY does the All-Powerful, All-Knowing God need an army?

     2) ANY omnipotent/omnipresent divine being that possesses, claims to possess, or demands an army should IMMEDIATELY raise every damn red flag in your freaking mind! WHY does the omnipotent/omnipresent LORD of the Bible have an army?

9. II Samuel 7:6

6 I have never lived in a house, from the day I brought the Israelites out of Egypt until this very day. I have always moved from one place to another with a tent and a Tabernacle as my dwelling.

Questions

     1) Why would the LORD need a place to live when He is supposed to be everywhere all of the time?

     2) Wouldn't it be impossible for the LORD/God to pick a place to live since He is already everywhere? To pick a place to live would mean He was not everywhere else He is already supposed to be, right? Wouldn't that negate being all-present?

10. II Samuel 7:13

13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

Questions

     1) What is it with God and grandiose promises? The people of Israel are STILL waiting to be numbered as the stars of the heavens (never mind that an earth five times the size of the real earth STILL could not hold as many people that number as the stars in the heavens; I mean, the Milky Way alone has about one hundred thousand million stars! Times THAT by millions and MILLIONS of galaxies! Hah! The people of Israel are going to be waiting one hell of a long time.), and on top of that they are still waiting to receive this promised land that is supposed to be flowing with milk and honey, right? 

So far, all God has given for His mega promises is war, bloodshed, murder, theft of property, more war, even more blood spilled, loads of lies, blood, blood, blood, murder, mayhem, war, and a hell of a lot of heartache, correct?

11. II Samuel 7:14

14 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men,

Questions

     1) Where in the world does God/the LORD get His definition of what it is to be a father to a son?

     2) When he commits iniquity? You mean GOD's version of iniquity or the reality version of iniquity?

     3) You know, please PLEASE if you are a Christian reading this please tell me why God/the LORD is not consistent and compassionate in His deliverance of justice throughout the Bible? Why do wrongdoers not always face the same punishment? Why would God/the LORD have mercy on one and not the other when He is a God of mercy?

     4) And where the hell does the compassion of God go when He does shit like flood the ENTIRE world or burn down entire cities to the ground after murdering everyone in the town? Doesn't God know that judgment and discipline without true compassion is not justice, but rather is revenge built upon anger?

     5) And if God is perfect why wouldn't He discipline the wrongdoer Himself instead of allowing men to do it when according to God's own words man consistently fails? I mean, let's take WWII, right? What was God using man to punish the Jews for there, hummm? When He saw the damn punishment going way fucking overboard WHY DIDN'T HE STOP IT?!!

12. II Samuel 7:15

15 but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you.

Questions

     1) Steadfast love? You gotta be fucking kidding me. If God's freaking love was so damn steadfast then where did the love of God that Saul had go?

     2) Another thing that bothers me about the love of God/the LORD is this: If God is love, and if God possesses all of the attributes of love, and if God is absolutely everywhere all of the time wouldn't that also apply to love? Shouldn't love also be omnipresent? And, if there cannot be found any place in the universe where God/the LORD is registered as a vacancy then shouldn't THIS ALSO apply to love? 

     3) BUT the best question is this: If God is everywhere, if you cannot hide from God, if you cannot excommunicate God from your presence, if God can always be found ANYWHERE you go, if part of the very definition of God is that He is everywhere for eternity no matter what (remember, that is part of God's steadfast nature and persistent truth and divine power),  HOW did God/the LORD pull off the trick in this verse of taking His love from Saul? 

     Sure, there is plenty of biblical evidence up to this point in the Bible that, yes indeed, God is definitely a 'taker' by far, but this cannot be so in the sense of God/the LORD removing any portion of Himself from anyone or anything, right? And WHY is that? Because to remove Himself would not only be to deny Himself, but it would, it would be a very clear indicator that God/the LORD is NOT omnipotent after all...for a main ingredient to true omnipotence is omnipresence, correct?

13. II Samuel 7:22

22 Therefore you are great, O LORD God. For there is none like you, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

Questions

     1) There is none like the LORD God? Have you ever considered why? Maybe there is none like the LORD God in the sense that there is no one else desiring or even remotely willing to do the horribly mean crap that God does, you think?

     2) There is no God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears? Did you ever stop to think that maybe, just maybe the reason why there is NO OTHER like God, and the reason the people have never heard of any other like God is because none of the other gods are as cruel, maniacal, pathological, demented, tyrannical, murderous, malicious, malignant, wicked, and evil as God/the LORD is?

14. II Samuel 7:23

23 What other nation on earth is like your people Israel? What other nation, O God, have you redeemed from slavery to be your own people? You made a great name for yourself when you redeemed your people from Egypt. You performed awesome miracles and drove out the nations and gods that stood in their way.

Questions

     1) What other nation on earth is like your people Israel? Hah! I guess that would depend on how many other nations follow the whims of a divine pathological savant Who, in addition to His problem with seething anger, also happens to possess immense power to inflict pain and suffering, right?

     2) What other nation has been redeemed from slavery? Hah! I guess that would depend on how many other cultures/specific groups of people God has purposely placed into the difficult and detestable service of others, right?

     3) You made a great name for yourself? WOW! Finally we stumble across a verse that accurately relays God's true purpose for man. See, God could give a rat's ass about Adam or Eve or Noah or Saul or David or the people of Israel or ANYONE AT ALL. What He DOES care about is making a name for Himself, correct?

15. II Samuel 7:24

24 And you established for yourself your people Israel to be your people forever. And you, O LORD, became their God.

Questions

     1) Really? REALLY? If King David could only see Israel today. If only...David could see Israel today. What do you think would cross David's mind when viewing the borders of all that is Israel today, a land no more than a sliver of what God PROMISED it would be? How about the constant fighting between Israel and the nations surrounding her when God PROMISED to protect them and allow them to flourish? What would go through the mind of King David if he watched the WWII footage of the concentration camps where MILLIONS upon MILLIONS of people were murdered, most of them Jews/God's own people? Do you think David would build an altar to his God and send for the animals that are supposed to be used in the fellowship sacrifice?

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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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