Numbers Part II: Just a Few Questions

You Must Ask Questions:

Have you an inquiring mind?

What is it that you want to know when it comes to God/the LORD and any kind of faith built upon the Bible and belief in God? Do you value the fact that you have a reasoning mind? Do you think that it is in any way appropriate to place complete faith in something without any valid answers as to the 'bigger' questions of that faith? Do you think that just because something is labeled as faith and just because it has anything to do with God/the LORD that the requirement for valid answers is somehow waived?

Sometimes it is difficult to find answers to the questions asked. This does not mean we should at any time stop searching for the answers. Sometimes we do not find the answers we are looking for, or even we may find nothing in the form of an answer at all. This does not mean we should stop asking questions. Sometimes we do not know what to ask, or perhaps we are afraid to ask or told that it is dangerous or a bad thing to do to ask questions. This does not mean that we should, with complete abandon, place stock in something called 'faith' which is becoming more and more of a cop-out answer that many people give for the answers they refuse to give or even attempt to answer in some cases.

The truth of what faith is is not synonymous with not understanding something that makes zero sense in the first place, but something you choose to believe as complete and total truth nonetheless.

Answer these questions about the books in the Old Testament. Tell me why you believe in God and why you believe in the Bible if that is in fact what you choose to believe. If you wish to make any other kind of comment, well, you can do that as well. Just click on the little comment link at the end of each posting. Please note the number of the question you are answering, and if you are using Bible verses as reference please put down the passage location so that I may look it up.

Now we continue with the remainder of the questions for the book of Numbers of the Old Testament.

1. Numbers 15:15-16
15 For the assembly, there shall be one statute for you and for the stranger who sojourns with you, a statute forever throughout your generations. You and the sojourner shall be alike before the LORD.

16 There is to be one law and one ordinance for you and for the alien who sojourns with you.

Questions
     1) Do you think the people of Israel follow this line of thinking now and actually practice what was preached here? There are some interesting documentaries on how life is for people in that region of the globe, especially in relation to who considers what parts of Jerusalem to be holy. Watch the documentaries and the idea that these verses offer a statute forever and ever will go right out the window.


2. Numbers 15:17-18
17 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

18 Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, 'When you enter the land where I bring you,

Questions
     1) Dude, when will this LORD fellow learn to speak to whomever He needs to speak to on His own instead of constantly asking people to do the talking for Him?

     2) When I was a child I was taught that God/the LORD was always asking someone else to do the talking for Him for quite a few reasons. I would like to share them with you here.
     As I have said in previous posts I do not provide what I think may be answers to my questions since what I really want is to hear why people DO believe. I do not want my own personal ideas of the answers to mar what could very well be a MUCH better answer, even if that answer is from a Christian. 
     Generally, I try very hard to stick to this rule of mine, allowing very few exceptions. However, in this case I did come to the conclusion I should include what answers I was given in explanation of the problem at hand in these particular verses. Please take into consideration that these answers are not of my own creation. I was given these answers when I was yet still a small child; I believed these answers for many, many years.

     So...let's take a peek at the answers I was given:

     One, it would totally freak people out to hear the voice of God, and just like looking at God would do to people (except a chosen few) hearing God would also kill them.
     Two, God did not want His messages getting bungled by people who may try to change the message to fit their own needs, or by people who claimed to be speaking for God when they really were not.
     Three, people would become confused if there were all these people claiming to be talking to God. In such a situation who were people to believe? Seriously. Bob says God said to mow the lawn. Billy says God said to only rake the lawn. Bubba says God said to tear out all of the sod and put in fresh sod. Brian says God said to only water the lawn. Who are people to believe? 
     Lastly, it was the wisdom of God that assigned the ability to hear His voice to various prophets and elders and leaders instead of everyone. This way, when people needed to 'approach' the LORD with an issue, when they needed advice, when they needed to know if the inability to conceive was punishment for sin...well, all that the people of Israel had to do was go straight to Moses or Aaron or to the special priests. The priests were intermediaries, advocates of a sort to represent/stand in place of the people before God/the LORD.


3. Numbers 15:22-24
22 But when you unwittingly fail and do not observe all these commandments, which the LORD has spoken to Moses,

23 even all that the LORD has commanded you through Moses, from the day when the LORD gave commandment and onward throughout your generations,

24 then if it was done unintentionally without the knowledge of the congregation, all the congregation shall offer one bull from the herd for a burnt offering, a pleasing aroma to the LORD, with its grain offering and its drink offering, according to the rule, and one male goat for a sin offering

Questions
     1) Sooo...basically we are talking unintentional torts here such as negligence, correct?

     2) HOW is the live sacrifice of an animal and the burning of that sacrifice pleasing in smell to the LORD?


4. Numbers 15:32, 35-36
32 Now while the sons of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering wood on the sabbath day.

35 Then the LORD said to Moses, "The man shall surely be put to death; all the congregation shall stone him with stones outside the camp.

36 So all the congregation brought him outside the camp and stoned him to death with stones, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

Questions
     1) Where do you begin with Bible passages that are screwy like this?

     2) Sooo...the LORD shows no mercy to the man collecting wood on the Sabbath and orders the people to kill him, while He does absolutely nothing about Lot's daughters who for all intents and purposes got their father drunk and then raped him, TWICE? 

     3) Why does the LORD order that the congregation throw the stones intended to cause death? If God/the LORD wants the man murdered why doesn't He do it Himself instead of getting His people to play patsy?


5. Numbers 16:28-30
28 Moses said, "By this you shall know that the LORD has sent me to do all these deeds; for this is not my doing.

29 If these men die the death of all men or if they suffer the fate of all men, then the LORD has not sent me.

30 But if the LORD does something entirely new and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them and all their belongings, and they go down alive into the grave, then you will know that these men have shown contempt for the LORD.

Questions
     1) What is the problem with God being upfront with pertinent information? Why doesn't He just say guilty or not guilty in plain language free from bizarre stories and absurd challenges? Is it because the people would not understand plain language? Are the people of Israel during this time incompetent?

     2) When Moses says "something entirely new" does he really mean another novel way God has dreamed up to frighten, hurt, and kill people?


6. Numbers 16:32-33
32 And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the people who belonged to Korah and all their goods.

33 So they and all that belonged to them went down alive into Sheol, and the earth closed over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly.

Questions
     1) The earth has a mouth?

     2) How were the people cast alive into Sheol? Sheol has been interpreted in many ways but what it basically is is a place where the dead gather together when they die. Some translations interpret it as hell. The problem here is the idea that a good number of living beings were cast, alive, into this hell...where they have absolutely no business being since they are all still alive. So, are these people still alive there?

     3) Okay, so basically Sheol is at least similar to hell in that it is a place people go when they die, right? Sooo...if the earth swallowed up the doomed people and they fell into this 'Sheol' place then the implication is that Sheol or the similar hell are inside of the earth, right?


7. Numbers 20:4-5
4 Why have you brought the assembly of the LORD into this wilderness, that we should die here, both we and our cattle?

5 And why have you made us come up out of Egypt to bring us to this evil place? It is no place for grain or figs or vines or pomegranates, and there is no water to drink.

Questions
     1) Don't the people of Israel have a good point here? When God/the LORD made all of the grand promises to the people didn't He make it sound like everything would be provided for without issue?

     2) Do you think the people of Israel would have wanted to leave Egypt if the LORD had told them they would be wandering about the desert, often worried and concerned as to where their next meal or drop of water would come from?


8. Numbers 21:5-6
5 And the people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food.

6 Then the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died.

Questions
     1) Does God/the LORD have something against the truth of a matter? Didn't the people of Israel have a VERY good point?

     2) So does God send the snakes to kill people because they are pointing out the flaws in God's planning or because, even worse than bad planning God simply doesn't know what the frickety-frack He is doing and the less people know that, the better?


9. Numbers 21:34-35
34 But the LORD said to Moses, “Do not fear him, for I have given him into your hand, and all his people, and his land. And you shall do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon.

35 So they defeated him and his sons and all his people, until he had no survivor left. And they possessed his land.

Questions
     1) These verses very clearly relate that the people of Israel completely obliterated entire peoples, correct? Do you see something wrong with this picture?

     2) Sooo...so long as the land was promised by God, and so long as God said to exterminate the people on that land you haven't done anything wrong?

   3) Genocide is okay so long as God/the LORD ordered it?


10. Numbers 22:28-29
28 Then the LORD opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?

29 And Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have made a fool of me. I wish I had a sword in my hand, for then I would kill you."

Questions
     1) So an ass riding an ass decides to unjustifiably beat the ass of the ass who then turns and asks the ass riding the ass why the ass is beating his ass?

     2) Was Balaam used to crazy shit like asses talking happening all the time? Why wasn't he surprised when the ass began to talk and tell him he was being an ass?


11. Numbers 25:4-5
4 And the LORD said to Moses, “Take all the chiefs of the people and hang them in the sun before the LORD, that the fierce anger of the LORD may turn away from Israel.”

5 And Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Each of you kill those of his men who have yoked themselves to Baal of Peor.”

Questions
     1) You know who God/the LORD reminds me of? He reminds me of those asshole husbands in the movies where once he marries the girl of his dreams he wants to control who she talks to, where she goes, what she wears, and all of that horse puckey, right?
     So much for free will and free choice. Sure, man. Go right on ahead and pick ANY of the gods you wish to worship, only keep in mind that if you do not worship the LORD and ONLY the Lord your ass is grass, and guess what? Your own people will kill you.


12. Numbers 25:7-8
7 When Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he arose from the midst of the congregation and took a spear in his hand,

8 and went after the man of Israel into the chamber and pierced both of them, the man of Israel and the woman through her belly. Thus the plague on the people of Israel was stopped.

Questions
     1) Doesn't this sound like the honor killings you hear about on the news from time to time?


13. Numbers 25:9
9 And those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand.

Questions
     1) So, is the purpose for keeping track of how many people died in a plague supposed to be a deterrent? Are people supposed to look at that and go, "Wow!! Sakes alive! If God can kill twenty-four thousand people from plague at the drop of a hat I had best listen to Him," or something of the like?


14. Numbers 25:11-13
11 Phinehas son of Eleazar and grandson of Aaron the priest has turned my anger away from the Israelites by being as zealous among them as I was. So I stopped destroying all Israel as I had intended to do in my zealous anger.

12 Therefore say, ‘Behold, I give to him my covenant of peace,

13 and it shall be to him and to his descendants after him the covenant of a perpetual priesthood, because he was jealous for his God and made atonement for the people of Israel.’”

Questions
     1) Say, what do we have here but a set of verses that deluded followers around the world take to mean that they can do anything for God and never be wrong? Take a good look at these verses and really think about what they mean.

     2) Why does God/the LORD insist on labeling His tantrums as zealous/righteous/holy anger when it is clear He has zero control over His anger, zero respect for others when it comes to who is affected by His wrath, and seemingly prefers to punish EVERYONE even though the deed that pissed God off was done by a few or one person?


15. Numbers 30:5
5 But if her father opposes her on the day that he hears of it, no vow of hers, no pledge by which she has bound herself shall stand. And the LORD will forgive her, because her father opposed her.

Questions
     10 And this is how God/the LORD sees women...not worthy of having a word or a mind of their own?



16. Numbers 31:2-4
2 Avenge the people of Israel on the Midianites. Afterward you shall be gathered to your people.

3 So Moses spoke to the people, saying, “Arm men from among you for the war, that they may go against Midian to execute the LORD’s vengeance on Midian.

4 You shall send a thousand from each of the tribes of Israel to the war.”

Questions
     1) I know it is elsewhere in the Bible, but doesn't the LORD say at one point vengeance is His alone?

     2) If vengeance is God's alone then why is He telling the people of Israel to go and execute the vengeance? 

     3) If God wants people dead why doesn't He do it for Himself? Why get the people of Israel to do it? Does God not want to get His hands dirty? Is it because murder is a bit too sinful, even for the Mighty Almighty?



17. Numbers 31:17-18
17 Now therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known man by lying with him.

18 But all the young girls who have not known man by lying with him keep alive for yourselves.

Questions
     1) What is this bullshit? God says to kill everything including all of the people unless the people are female virgins?

     2) Keep the young girls for yourself? Explain this one away, please. I really want answers on this one.



18. Numbers 31:32-35
32 Now the plunder remaining of the spoil that the army took was 675,000 sheep,

33 and 72,000 cattle,

34 61,000 donkeys,

35 and of human beings, of the women who had not known man intimately, all the persons were 32,000.

Questions
     1) Plunder? Plunder? Jesus Christ, these people make it sound like they were on a treasure quest with Captain Ahab on the friggin' Jolly Roger!! They fu**ing murdered loads of people and then stole what belonged to the people they murdered and God/the LORD is not only okay with this, but TOLD them to do it?



19. Numbers 31:50-52
50 So we are presenting the items of gold we captured as an offering to the LORD from our share of the plunder--armbands, bracelets, rings, earrings, and necklaces. This will purify our lives before the LORD and make us right with him.

51 And Moses and Eleazar the priest received from them the gold, all crafted articles.

52 And all the gold of the contribution that they presented to the LORD, from the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds, was 16,750 shekels.

Questions
     1) WHY DOES GOD NEED GOLD?

     2) Does this God and His great need for gold have anything to do with being an alien/extra-terrestrial being that needs the precious metal gold to make their machines and spaceships function?

     3) Isn't the measurement of gold here about 450 pounds, or something like that? Why does God need 450 pounds of gold?



20. Numbers 32:14-15
14 And behold, you have risen in your fathers’ place, a brood of sinful men, to increase still more the fierce anger of the LORD against Israel!

15 For if you turn away from following him, he will again abandon them in the wilderness, and you will destroy all this people.”

Questions
     1) The LORD sounds like those creepy boyfriends in the movies where in the end the boyfriend kills the girl since he figures if he can't have her, no one can have her, right?

     2) Sooo...if the people of Israel want to live they absolutely MUST listen to the LORD at all costs, and if they do not they will ALL die?



21. Numbers 33:3-4
3 They set out from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month. On the day after the Passover, the people of Israel went out triumphantly in the sight of all the Egyptians,

4 while the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn, whom the LORD had struck down among them. On their gods also the LORD executed judgments.

Questions
     1) Did you notice that God/the LORD has quite the bad habit of striking down the most helpless people? Why does He do that?

     2) If the other gods do not exist WHY did God/the LORD execute judgments on them? Wouldn't executing judgment on something that does not exist be about as pointless as you can get?



22. Numbers 36:10-12
10 Just as the LORD had commanded Moses, so the daughters of Zelophehad did:

11 for Mahlah, Tirzah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Noah, the daughters of Zelophehad, were married to sons of their father’s brothers.

12 They married those from the families of the sons of Manasseh the son of Joseph, and their inheritance remained with the tribe of the family of their father.

Questions
     1) Why is the LORD still encouraging this incest 'thing' He has with His people? Why? Why didn't God/the LORD make changes to the laws so that the inheritances would stay where they should instead of instructing the women to fucking marry their own kin? Doesn't anyone see this as screwy and sick?


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Exodus III: Just a Few Questions

Is that Your Final Answer?

Tell me, tell me

I really want to know

Where is the point of my origin

Where does this river flow

If I choose to take

Will He promise to give

Why must I choose His love

If I want to live

I won't say 'yes'

And you won't say no

The answers I seek

Shouldn't be impossible to show

Do you believe that the Bible is God's final and everlasting word? Do you believe that every single word in the Bible is the truth, the actual, literal truth? For those who would press you for answers about what it is exactly that you believe, do you ignore them because you feel frustrated for repeating yourself? Are you wanting for a good set of answers? Do you ignore such questions because they give your faith a good shake, rattle, and roll? Are you ashamed of the absurdity and ridiculousness of what you believe? 

All of these questions are part of why I do not believe that God exists. I do not believe that the Holy Bible is some kind of road map given by God to man for purposes of communicating with God. I grew up immersed in Christianity and once I began to think for myself and once I actually stopped and listened to some of the crap I was saying to people I realized something was seriously wrong. 

I do not care if people wish to tell me I am going to hell. Whatever, right? I just want people to type in their answers as to why they believe what they believe in regards to the Bible. Answer these questions. Tell me why. Is that too much to ask of you? 

And now we continue with Part III of Exodus as we consider some of the questions that come to mind when considering whether or not the Holy Bible is the absolute truth of God's own words.

1. Exodus 13:1-2

1. Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

2 "Sanctify to Me every firstborn, the first offspring of every womb among the sons of Israel, both of man and beast; it belongs to Me."

Questions
     1) Did you ever read the story of Rumpelstiltskin? I always thought that was a really creepy story, but this verse totally reminds me of that story. Give to me your firstborn? That is straight-up something right out of Children of the Corn.

     2) The firstborn of every womb among the sons of Israel? So, I take it the women have zero say in this matter? As a mother I can tell you I would rather fight up to and through my last breath before I gave anyone dibs on my children. What kind of God demands the firstborn?

     3) Doesn't the idea of the firstborn belonging to 'God' sound like something straight out of pagan/ancient traditions?

2. Exodus 13:3

3 Then Moses said to the people, “Remember this day in which you came out from Egypt, out of the house of slavery, for by a strong hand the LORD brought you out from this place. No leavened bread shall be eaten.

Questions
     1) Where is this strong hand that supposedly brought out the people of Israel from Egypt? Isn't this hand more like something from the hand that rocks the cradle considering that God used straight-up sabotage techniques in order to get His way with Pharaoh?

3. Exodus 13:5

5 "It shall be when the LORD brings you to the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Hivite and the Jebusite, which He swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, that you shall observe this rite in this month.

Questions
     1) Why is God STILL talking in the future tense when it comes to this promised land that has been promised time and again, but that never really seems to materialize for the people of Israel?

     2) Consider the modern day issues with the country of Israel and ask yourself if God has fulfilled His promise to give the people of Israel this land that supposedly flows with milk and honey? Tell me, does Israel flow with milk and honey or with aggression and spite considering the lovely history with Palestine and Islam?

     3)Is this God's idea of a really fucked up joke, to 'give' this promised land that is riddled with problems and scuffles and religious dissension to His people? Does God do this with the specific intent to cause so many problems that the people have no choice but to keep coming back for more help?

4. Exodus 13:9-10

9 And it shall be to you as a sign on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes, that the law of the LORD may be in your mouth. For with a strong hand the LORD has brought you out of Egypt.

10 You shall therefore keep this statute at its appointed time from year to year.

Questions
     1) I think God's version of what a strong hand is qualifies as dirty fighting techniques, don't you?

     2) So, exactly WHAT about what God did are we remembering? The underhanded techniques? The lies? The deception?

5. Exodus 13:11-13

11 “When the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites, as he swore to you and your fathers, and shall give it to you,

12 you shall set apart to the LORD all that first opens the womb. All the firstborn of your animals that are males shall be the LORD’s.

13 Every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, or if you will not redeem it you shall break its neck. Every firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem.

Questions
     1) Do you know what these little rules about the firstborn sound like? Just like all of the other gods within religion that demand the firstborn as payment in exchange for giving the worshiping masses a place to stay and food to eat. I think it is sick and very twisted. You know what this is? This is sick. If this God is the one and only God why does He demand all of the same stupid crap that all the other gods demand? He isn't any different then, is He?

6. Exodus 13:15-16

15 For when Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the LORD killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of animals. Therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all the males that first open the womb, but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.’

16 It shall be as a mark on your hand or frontlets between your eyes, for by a strong hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt.”

Questions
     1) Uhmmm, how do you figure that the Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let the people go? God did that, didn't He?

     2) What is this about marking the hand and on the forehead? Does that sound suspiciously like some kind of 'end times' mark of the beast to you? Isn't that fairly creepy?

     3) If God is just how does He count subversive techniques as qualifiers for a strong hand? Is it because He is God and so figures He can say and do what He wants how He wants when He wants?

7. Exodus 13:17-18

17 When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near. For God said, “Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt.”

18 But God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. And the people of Israel went up out of the land of Egypt equipped for battle.

Questions
     1) What is the REAL reason God led the people of Israel out of Egypt in the manner that He did? Was it so they would have as little other people and places as possible to rely on? Why wouldn't God want them relying on other people or places?

8. Exodus 13:22

22 The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people.

Questions
     1) So, isn't man supposed to be made in the image of God? If that is the case why does God seemingly love to appear as anything BUT the image in which man was supposedly made?

9. Exodus 14:4

4 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD.” And they did so.

Questions
     1) So, is 'getting glory' over Pharaoh just another way of saying, "I will murder," but said in such a manner as to make the individual saying such (God) not appear as murderous as they really are?

     2) I want to know how God can do what He did to Pharaoh and yet turn around and give a commandment such as thou shalt not bear false witness? Does God think He is being clever?

10. Exodus 14:18

18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten glory over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.”

Questions
     1) Shouldn't this really say that the Egyptians will know it is the LORD since the LORD is the one who caused all of the problems, hardened Pharaoh's heart repeatedly, murdered Egyptians in droves, and did hateful things to them?

11. Exodus 14:21-22

21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the LORD drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.

22 And the people of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.

Questions
     1) Okay, how can you people who believe this type of story here pop off at the mouth that what other religions or faiths or spiritual practices believe is unreasonable? Have you ever once stopped to listen to the craziness of what you believe? Do you seriously believe that the waters were separated and the people walked through? Do you believe this is the literal truth?

12. Exodus 14:24
24 And in the morning watch the LORD in the pillar of fire and of cloud looked down on the Egyptian forces and threw the Egyptian forces into confusion,

Questions
     1) Well now, this is not the only time that the LORD threw a bunch of people into confusion, is it? Didn't the LORD do something similar with the folks at the Tower of Babel?

     2) If the LORD really wants people to see His truth why is He more consistent about throwing people into confusion than revealing truth to them? Is this kinda backwards of what He is supposed to be doing?

13. Exodus 14:28

28 The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen; of all the host of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea, not one of them remained.

Questions
     1) Is there any verifiable evidence, historically speaking, that an entire Egyptian army was lost at sea or in any kind of accident or act of war or anything of the like?

14. Exodus 14:30-31

30 Thus the LORD saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore.

31 Israel saw the great power that the LORD used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the LORD, and they believed in the LORD and in his servant Moses.

Questions
     1) How else were the people of Israel supposed to react when they supposedly saw God totally and completely destroy the entire Egyptian army? Did God want 'His' people to see what He could do to people when He was very angry? Was that the whole point here?

     2) If the entire Egyptian army was destroyed how did Egypt survive so long in history after this event? Wouldn't other kingdoms have swooped in and taken all the riches of Egypt?

15. Exodus 15:3

3 The LORD is a man of war; the LORD is his name.

Questions
     1) Shouldn't the words here be more along the lines that the LORD is a filthy man of war for the LORD is a dirty fighter?

16. Exodus 15:10

10 You blew with your wind; the sea covered them; they sank like lead in the mighty waters.

Questions
     1) If the Egyptians sank like lead when the waters crashed in around them how did the people of Israel see the bodies on the shore as it says in verse Exodus 14:30?

17. Exodus 15:22-23

22 Then Moses made Israel set out from the Red Sea, and they went into the wilderness of Shur. They went three days in the wilderness and found no water.

23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter; therefore it was named Marah.

Questions
     1) Does the LORD purposely lead the people of Israel into these kinds of predicaments for the purpose of making it seem like they are not self-sufficient and so very desperately need the LORD?

     2) Who in their right mind would lead the people of Israel with all of their children and flocks and herds into the boondocks of the desert where there is no water and no sustainable source of food? WHY does God do this, seriously, WHAT is the real reason for this?

18. Exodus 16:3

3 and the people of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”

Questions
     1) How is it that the people of Israel do not see that the LORD purposely sets them up for failure so that whenever He 'helps' them or 'rescues' them it looks like the LORD really cares for them and is providing for them?

19. Exodus 16:4

4 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not.

Questions
     1) Do you notice that the LORD is in the habit of giving the people only what they need to survive and nothing more? Why is that? He only wants them to have just enough to survive and eek by life by the skin of their teeth?

20. Exodus 16:8

8 And Moses said, “When the LORD gives you in the evening meat to eat and in the morning bread to the full, because the LORD has heard your grumbling that you grumble against him—what are we? Your grumbling is not against us but against the LORD.”

Questions
     1) What did Moses expect to experience as a spokesman for a God that seemingly lives to glorify only Himself by means of making things as difficult as possible for His people?

     2) Does life really need to be so difficult and seemingly impossible for the people of Israel?

     3) When the LORD made all of the promises to be the God of the people of Israel and to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, I am wondering how the inflection in His voice sounded, how His voice sounded? It is one thing reading it in the Bible and another thing entirely when you think about how it was supposed to have sounded to the people of Israel, right? Was the tone of God's/the LORD's voice such that it sounded like it was a really good deal and would be no trouble at all?

21. Exodus 16:18-19

18 But when they measured it with an omer, whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack. Each of them gathered as much as he could eat.

19 And Moses said to them, “Let no one leave any of it over till the morning.”

Questions
     1) What is it with the LORD not wanting the people of Israel to save up/store the food? I could not help but to feel somewhat confused with this story when I was a child. Here the LORD was supposed to be providing for His people, bit it seemed like He never really wanted them to be very comfortable, like He wanted them to worry about where their next meal would come from or where they would be able to find water for their flocks. Why does God choose this really whack way to show His people that He will provide for them?

22. Exodus 16:28

28 And the LORD said to Moses, “How long will you refuse to keep my commandments and my laws?

Questions
     1) Why is the LORD asking questions to things He already knows the answer to?

     2) If the LORD wants the people of Israel to respond better to Him why doesn't He stop putting them in crazy ass situations? Aren't there better ways to show His people how He will provide for them instead of bringing them to the brink in some way, every time, every day, and then at the last moment providing birds for meat, providing 'bread' from heaven in the form of manna, or making water come out of a rock?

23. Exodus 17:1-2

1 All the congregation of the people of Israel moved on from the wilderness of Sin by stages, according to the commandment of the LORD, and camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink.

2 Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” And Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the LORD?”

Questions
     1) Wait a minute here, WHO is doing the testing here, hummm? Look at Exodus and try to grasp how often these people, this great mass of people wandering in the friggin' desert with loads of children and herds and flocks, suffer for want of water or food...why is this? Is the purpose of allowing all of this to gain control of the emotions of the people of Israel?

     2) Is the purpose of directing and controlling the emotions of the people of Israel to keep them so unsteady that they do not realize how screwy the God that they worship really is and how cruel and bloodthirsty He is just like many other gods of other nations?

24. Exodus 18:11

11 Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods, because in this affair they dealt arrogantly with the people.

Questions
     1) Arrogance? Arrogance? You want to talk arrogance? Okay, let us look at some of the synonyms of arrogance: conceit, pride, self-importance, egotism, an offensive display of superiority...wow, this list goes on and on and you know what? These are ALL the characteristics of the LORD/God, aren't they?

     2) So this LORD is so full of Himself that He feels it is necessary to remind the people of Israel over and over how He can provide for them in a pinch? He persists to put them in dire circumstances just show He can show how creative He is in His efforts to give His people what they need? 

     3) Why does God continue to pick unhappy and desperate situations to subject His people to? Does God really understand the mind of man? Is the reason because God knows that everyone has a breaking point and He is trying to break the people of Israel so He can truly control them as only He wishes to control them?

25. Exodus 19:4-6

4 You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.

5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine;

6 and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.”

Questions
     1) This is so mother f***ing smug it is hard to know where to begin to comment on it, right? God has something else on His mind if He is thinking He had to reference something He did in the past, especially when you consider exactly what it was that He referenced, correct?

     2) How must this have sounded to the people of Israel, hummm? Remember what I did to the Egyptians? Of COURSE they remember what you did to the Egyptians because you played dirty, mister God, and now you are trying to use that as some kind of threat, right? Remember when I did this or that to these people? I can do the same to you if you do not listen. 

     3) Why does it seem like that the more you read in the Bible (when starting in the Old Testament) the more it seems like the LORD/God is not a God of love or a God that wants to BE loved, but that this God...above all of the things HE wants...this God wants to be feared, needs to be feared, and perhaps to a frightening degree must be feared lest the negativity and horror that gives Him substance degrade to a point where He no longer exists?

26. Exodus 19:12-13

12 And you shall set limits for the people all around, saying, ‘Take care not to go up into the mountain or touch the edge of it. Whoever touches the mountain shall be put to death.

13 No hand shall touch him, but he shall be stoned or shot; whether beast or man, he shall not live.’ When the trumpet sounds a long blast, they shall come up to the mountain.”

Questions
     1) Okay, I really want you to think about this, alright? So, God makes man in His own image and for the satisfaction of God (and the screwiness of that is a subject all its own), this God loves these people and even titles them as His people, wants to protect these same people, wants these people to love Him as deeply as He loves them...but then consistently exhibits behaviors and actions that put His people, His chosen people in direct danger?

     2) Considering that many of the trademarks of fear center around patterns of behavior based on that fear how can God/the LORD ever expect ANY people to truly love Him? 

     3) Since when has love EVER required fear, or anything negative for that matter?

27. Exodus 20:19-20

19 and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.”

20 Moses said to the people, “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin.”

Questions
     1) Sooo...the purpose of God/the LORD making people fear Him is to stop them from sinning? How is that working out thus far?

     2) Is it possible to prevent sin through ways that are not aggressive or filled with fear?

     3) If God is all-powerful why does He insist on using fear to get people to obey? Since He is omnipotent doesn't this mean He would know that fear is not such a hot tool after all?

28. Exodus 21:7, 11

7 “When a man sells his daughter as a slave, she shall not go out as the male slaves do.

11 And if he does not do these three things for her, she shall go out for nothing, without payment of money.

Questions
     1) So, uh...some of the men who God considered to be part of that group known as God's people would sell their daughters as slaves? And not only that but apparently God had special rules set aside for such? These verses are wrong for so many reasons.

     2) What is this thing that God has against women?

     3) Why does the Bible mention God the Father many many times, but never once mentions anything about God's mother? Does this have anything to do with the overall bullshit treatment of women in the Bible?

29. Exodus 21:23-25

23 But if there is harm, then you shall pay life for life,

24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,

25 burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.

Questions
     1) Is this about one of the most stupid things from the Bible? You don't return evil for evil, and do you know WHY? 

     2) It should not be do unto others as they do unto you, right? I mean, why would you want to treat anyone in the same deplorable manner in which someone has treated you?

     3) Is God really saying that it is okay to behave in a terrible manner so long as you were not the one initiating said bad behavior? Is that it?

     4) Sooo...then the ends DO justify the means?

     5) What happens when someone has a mental disease and they harm or kill someone? Does God allow any kind of relief for those individuals who have zero control over their psychosis?

     6) I take it God offers a mulligan in times of war?

30. Exodus 21:28, 32

28 “When an ox gores a man or a woman to death, the ox shall be stoned, and its flesh shall not be eaten, but the owner of the ox shall not be liable.

32 If the ox gores a slave, male or female, the owner shall give to their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned.

Questions
     1) Explain to me the purpose and benefit of killing the ox that has killed a person? What does such an idiotic thing accomplish?

31. Exodus 22:18
18 “You shall not permit a sorceress to live.

Questions
     1) I this because God/the LORD does not want the competition?

     2) Is this because God does not want people to have or understand this kind of power?

     3) Not everyone does bad things with great power, and surely God knows this, yes? Why kill a good sorceress?

     4) God wants to be the only one with great power, doesn't He?

32. Exodus 22:22-24
22 You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child.

23 If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry,

24 and my wrath will burn, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless.

Questions
     1) God has no clue when it comes to rendering balanced punishment, does He?

     2) How in the fuck does making another woman a widow and making her child fatherless compensate for the original wrong done?

     3) Wouldn't making a woman a widow and a child fatherless qualify as mistreatment toward that woman and child?

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