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easyreader1970God mauls little children with bears. (2 Kings 2:23,24)


23
And he proceeded to go up from there to Beth´el. As he was going up on the way, there were small boys that came out from the city and began to jeer him and that kept saying to him: "Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!" 24 Finally he turned behind him and saw them and called down evil upon them in the name of Jehovah. Then two she-bears came out from the woods and went tearing to pieces forty-two children of their number.

I will start off by saying that I do not believe that this story is true. Two bears killed forty-two children? The scripture doesn't say how old these children are but think about it. If these were small children, say under the age of 12, then you have to ask yourself: What kind of evil man would Elisha have to have been to use his "connections" with the Yahweh deity to call out bears from the wood and have the children mauled and killed by them. Children tease. That's what they do. I have never met children that didn't.

What if they were older, teenage children? How could two bears kill forty-two of them? You'd think that they would have been bright enough to run away. There's no way two bears could catch and kill forty two children running in all different directions. It doesn't even make sense.

Still, if you are crazy enough to believe the story, the Watchtower teaches that these kids used harsh words that displeased Jehovah. So he killed them. Wow. Further, the Watchtower adds:

Jehovah dealt decisively because of their blatant lack of respect for the channel of communication that he was using on earth at that time.

" ... channel of communication that he was using on earth at that time."

Of course this is supposed to directly mirror the "faithful and discreet slave". Why does every authority figure in the Bible picture the faithful and discreet slave? I am so sick of this sort of mental intimidation that I don't know what to do with myself.

But wait, it gets worse. A 1973 article says:

Similarly, the law of God does not excuse children for lawless acts merely on the basis of their being minors. For instance, when small boys showed gross disrespect for the prophet Elisha, Jehovah God did not spare them from punishment, even though it may have been the attitude of their parents toward Elisha that moved them to do it.

So not only is the Yahweh deity, Jehovah, a bit uncaring when it comes to the lives of children but he kills them even if their minds were seeded by their parents? You congregation members better watch out! If you badmouth an elder, Jehovah might just have your kids mauled!

I'm pissed now.

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Sorry about the poor formatting. I can't seem to fix it!

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RivingtonRe: God mauls little children with bears. (2 Kings 2:23,24)
might find this interesting: http://www.reachouttrust.org/articles/jw/jwarmag.htm Rivington
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JimmyPageRe: God mauls little children with bears. (2 Kings 2:23,24)
If your child stole an apple from you after you warned him not to what would you do? Like any normal parent you would banish him from your house forever to a harsh existence. Then you would kill another one of your children so that the first kids could come home again. Why should it be any different for kids who make fun of bald people? To the bears I say! Sweet justice.
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justhumanRe: God mauls little children with bears. (2 Kings 2:23,24)

You can't tell if this really happened. The Bible contains errors and it was written by imperfect people. But the only good this verse does it to be used form Authoritarian cults like the WT in order to show that we must obey to them totaly.

Otherwise we will have the same end like those "rebelion" kids

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DaCheechRe: God mauls little children with bears. (2 Kings 2:23,24)

here's another big GOD the almighty puzzler.

I would lighly spank or punish a child.............. but I would never ever think you doing worse.

I even had a 15 year old once hitting other children, while at the same time cursing me, and running screaming.... and after being frustrated beyond almost blowing my top: the only thing I hid was lightly bitch slap him.

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DanTheManRe: God mauls little children with bears. (2 Kings 2:23,24)
Jehovah dealt decisively because of their blatant lack of respect for the channel of communication that he was using on earth at that time.

" ... channel of communication that he was using on earth at that time."

Of course this is supposed to directly mirror the "faithful and discreet slave". Why does every authority figure in the Bible picture the faithful and discreet slave? I am so sick of this sort of mental intimidation that I don't know what to do with myself.

Man, I know what you mean. One of the last straws for me was the 2001 DC drama, which used a similar scare tactic, only the authority figure was Moses and the disrespecters were Korah, Nadab and Abiram. The drama was such a thinly disguised demand for unquestioning submission and obedience with threats of grave harm if not heeded that it was comical, in a sad way. It was a surreal moment for me, to be standing there after it was over feeling like I had spent the last half hour having a threatening, brass-knuckled fist waved in front of my face, while everyone around me was applauding like always. 'Oh wasn't that a great drama'.

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nvrgnbkRe: God mauls little children with bears. (2 Kings 2:23,24)

I wish Jehovah would send some bears my way and put me out of my misery already.

Oops.

I forgot.

Jesus is already on the job. (2 Thess. 1:7-9)

 

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snowbirdRe: God mauls little children with bears. (2 Kings 2:23,24)
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snowbirdRe: God mauls little children with bears. (2 Kings 2:23,24)

 

 

Jesus is already on the job. (2 Thess. 1:7-9)

Yep.  Listen to these words of His from The Message Bible:

Revelation 3:19"The people I love, I call to account—prod and correct and guide so that they'll live at their best. Up on your feet, then! About face! Run after God!

   20 -21"Look at me. I stand at the door. I knock. If you hear me call and open the door, I'll come right in and sit down to supper with you. Conquerors will sit alongside me at the head table, just as I, having conquered, took the place of honor at the side of my Father. That's my gift to the conquerors!

How often did you hear those words extolled from the KH platform?

Sylvia

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chrisjoelRe: God mauls little children with bears. (2 Kings 2:23,24)
Humm...intresting how the "hard and fast" Christians never make an appearance on threads such as these. I d like to know why.  If your reading this ...explain to me how this scripture makes sense to believe in . Explain to me how its WORTH believing in this scripture. Wrap yourhead around a mercyful loving God setting an example for dumb children by KILLING THEM WITH BEARS.  Lets see.....if this was myth or folk, then IT would make sense..
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snowbirdRe: God mauls little children with bears. (2 Kings 2:23,24)

This is a difficult passage, but in the spirit of Proverbs 18:13 - which states that you're a fool if you reply to a matter before hearing it - I will keep my own counsel.

Sylvia

 

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journey-onRe: God mauls little children with bears. (2 Kings 2:23,24)

Just the pure senselessness of this account tells me this is a STORY like one of those Paul Bunyun tall tales

told to teach something. What that something is, I'm not sure....respect your elders, respect authority, don't

make fun of people for things they can't help (baldness), bad behavior begets bad consequences?

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DaCheechRe: God mauls little children with bears. (2 Kings 2:23,24)
which states that you're a fool if you reply to a matter before hearing it - I will keep my own counsel.

bible says "all scripture is inspired..... bla bla bla:"

you can't have it both ways.

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snowbirdRe: God mauls little children with bears. (2 Kings 2:23,24)

I found this study humorous as well as interesting:  http://www.zianet.com/maxey/reflx129.htm

bible says "all scripture is inspired..... bla bla bla:"

you can't have it both ways.

What I meant, kind sir, is that I wasn't there so I don't know all the circumstances.

I - we - can have it any way we want.  It's called free will.

Sylvia

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chrisjoelRe: Re: God mauls little children with bears. (2 Kings 2:23,24)
What I meant, kind sir, is there so I don't know all ththat I wasn't e circumstances
Thats certainly a fine way to respond to this conundrum. Its the same way I would have responded when i was still a JW to a question I couldnt understand. I dont fault you for your reasoning at all. But you have to admit it does READ like fable, myth or story.  If we say that we dont know all the circumstances after reading these verses and walk away with an unclear impression AS believers,then it follows that"OUR GOD" has not ensured his Word was made more clearly understood, A great many passages in the Bible are in the category of "I wasnt there I dont know all the circumstances"....lets take for example  THE RESSURECTION. I wasnt there and I dont know all the circumstances. Was he really killed, did they really hang him and then take him down , did an angel appear , did he really appear here and there after he died ect ect....I wasnt there I dont know all the circumstances. Based on Christian history and its ever changing styles Im going to go with this is strictly story. UNless of course its proven otherwise.
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FlyingHighNowRe: God mauls little children with bears. (2 Kings 2:23,24)
If your child stole an apple from you after you warned him not to what would you do? Like any normal parent you would banish him from your house forever to a harsh existence. Then you would kill another one of your children so that the first kids could come home again. Why should it be any different for kids who make fun of bald people? To the bears I say! Sweet justice.
Now we know that people embellish these stories so they can scare other people into submission.
 
And I say, if God is like this, why would anyone want to have anything to do with him? He would just be a great big, bully of a parent, a child murderer.
 
The great thing is about being human, you can filter out the ridiculous things other humans attribute to God. Separate the the obsurd from the sensible.
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snowbirdRe: God mauls little children with bears. (2 Kings 2:23,24)

By all means, suit yourself, Chrisjoel.

Greater minds than mine have grappled with that "conundrum," as you call it.

Yet, I have faith that the Bible - warts and all - is God's message to mankind.

Sylvia

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chrisjoelRe: Re: God mauls little children with bears. (2 Kings 2:23,24)
suit yourself
Are u kidding. I want to believe. I want to know who God is. I want to be his friend. I want to walk with him. I want . i want i want.....But i cant i cant i cant.  Im forced by the Bible itself and a silent God into agnosticism. If you know God introduce me in all sincerity.
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boobyRe: God mauls little children with bears. (2 Kings 2:23,24)

to sylvia

that link is great. But if you think about the complexity to wrap your brain around that one scriptural reference, does that suggest any way that the bible is of use to convey God's info to mankind. You would require everlasting existence of some sort just to get "te message" meant to direct us to salvation by God.

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snowbirdRe: God mauls little children with bears. (2 Kings 2:23,24)

 

Are u kidding. I want to believe. I want to know who God is. I want to be his friend. I want to walk with him. I want . i want i want.....But i cant i cant i cant.

You can!  You can!  You can!  Read and hearken.  From The Message Bible:

Acts 17:22 -23So Paul took his stand in the open space at the Areopagus and laid it out for them. "It is plain to see that you Athenians take your religion seriously. When I arrived here the other day, I was fascinated with all the shrines I came across. And then I found one inscribed, to the god nobody knows. I'm here to introduce you to this God so you can worship intelligently, know who you're dealing with.

   24 -29"The God who made the world and everything in it, this Master of sky and land, doesn't live in custom-made shrines or need the human race to run errands for him, as if he couldn't take care of himself. He makes the creatures; the creatures don't make him. Starting from scratch, he made the entire human race and made the earth hospitable, with plenty of time and space for living so we could seek after God, and not just grope around in the dark but actually find him. He doesn't play hide-and-seek with us. He's not remote; he's near. We live and move in him, can't get away from him! One of your poets said it well: 'We're the God-created.' Well, if we are the God-created, it doesn't make a lot of sense to think we could hire a sculptor to chisel a god out of stone for us, does it?

   30 -31"God overlooks it as long as you don't know any better—but that time is past. The unknown is now known, and he's calling for a radical life-change. He has set a day when the entire human race will be judged and everything set right. And he has already appointed the judge, confirming him before everyone by raising him from the dead."

 

Sylvia

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