by bohm 68 Replies latest jw friends
Jwoods, not to be persnickety, but see, I think the Millerites and Russell thought LITERALLY, whereas my point was the opposite - these numbers are symbolic - NOT TO BE TAKEN LITERALLY, so please be kind and don't lump my thinking in with that of the Pyramid measurers!
OK. So, maybe it wasn't literally 42 evil kids after all?
c) Would it not have been more christian to pray for the children rather than cursing them?
There was no such thing as Christianity at the time of Elisha. The Jews were governed by the law of Moses, not the law of love, and disrespecting the elderly was a violation of the Law; disrespecting a prophet was also a violation of the Law. Since both of those acts occurred, Elisha must have felt totally justified in calling down evil upon the children who were disrespecting him.
Right! just like the fox in Aesop's fables...was it a real fox that jumped up for the grapes and then said "Those grapes surely must be sour?" I mean were those his exact words?
This is a S T O R Y; end of story!
Sylvia: It may also be that Elisha had teased the kids previously, and they was only replying to him by teasing him back. If we just read the story as God saw it fit to be recorded, ie. kids call Elisha names (nothing else), Elisha ask God to harm the kids, God kill the kids and thats it - does that make God/Elisha good, bad or has it no effect on how you look at them morally?
Scully: I totally dont get that explanation. Wouldnt that imply that Gods view of morallity and the value of human life change?
does that make God/Elisha good, bad or has it no effect on how you look at them morally?
It has no effect on how I view either.
If this is true - and I believe it is - I think, given the circumstances, Elisha's reaction was normal.
The Bible simply relates the incident; it doesn't state God's approval or disapproval.
Syl
Sylvia: I will give you that. I might also have said something along the lines of: "God damn kids" in his place :-).
If your put yourself in Gods place, was Gods reaction normal or disproportionate, given the circumstances?
There are some blisters in my area that could profit from a close encounter of the ursine kind.
Oh, my, dear Sylvie (peace to you!), surely you don't mean that the world would be better off if some parents, say, ate their young... rather than turn them loose on society? LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL! I am not certain I can disagree with you! LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL!
those that follow Christ have to absolutely be watchful and not fall into cursing.
Amen... and amen, dear Donuthole (peace to you, as well!). As our Lord is recorded to have said:
"With the same judgment that you are judging, you will be judged."
Thus, it might not only be loving to refrain from cursing; it might also be prudent!
Peace to you both!
A slave of Christ,
SA
Scully: I totally dont get that explanation. Wouldnt that imply that Gods view of morallity and the value of human life change?
Hi Bohm:
Elisha wouldn't have known any different. He was a Jew, raised as a Jew, and surrounded by a Jewish community. That was his moral zeitgeist.
I'm not saying that I agree with any biblical perspective. However, I've said before that Genesis has it wrong. God didn't make man in his image - it's the other way around. People through the millennia have conjured up gods and goddesses whose characteristics, values and beliefs mirror their own. It isn't that "god" has changed (because I no longer believe that god exists), but people and their values and beliefs have changed.
Scully: duly noted :-).
If I were Palaephatus, I'd say that the story reflects a successive series of bear attacks over months if not years eventually resulting in 42 casualties. But I'm not Palaephatus.
