The killing of Job's family...

by Hecklerboy 23 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  Hecklerboy

  I'm having a conversation with a couple of people in my office as I type this. I'm asking the question "Why did God allow Satan to kill Job's family?" I told them that to say he did it to prove Job's faithfullness and that he got even more in return for his faithfulness is not a good enough answer. In my opinion, the ends don't justify the means. Allowing the slaughter of an entire family just to prove your right is pretty sad in my eye. God is supposed to be all powerfull and all knowing. So why would he do such a horrible thing. If I was to kill an entire family to prove a point I would be considered a monster, but it's OK for God to do? What do you think?

  Now don't get me wrong. I'm not trying to slam God or anything like that. We were just discussing different subjects and I brought this up. I like doing that to people. Try to get them to think outside the box or bible in this case.
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  TheListener

  Are your office mates arguing that killing Job's family was justified? Saying, in effect, that the means justify the ends.
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  googlemagoogle

  because they were celebrating birthday... and he got a new family after all, so who cares about the lost ones. not a bible character.
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  TheListener

  So let me see.

  God allows Satan to kill Job's family, kill Job's livestock, destroy his health, make him a laughingstock of the community, have everyone assume he is some big sinner that is being punished ?!?

  Then, when Job gets pissed God chews his @SS out and Job needs to apologize?!?

  What an encouraging bible story!
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  blondie

  So Job lost all his children but had new ones. Did his grief go away? Did his friends say, buck up, Job, look at the new children you have. Does the WTS say to say that?

  When Someone Dies p. 24 How Can Others Help? ***

  Do

  not say, ?You can have another baby?: "I resented people telling me I could have another child," recalls a mother who lost a child in death. They may mean well, but to the grieving parent, words to the effect that the lost child can be replaced can ?stab like a sword.? (Proverbs 12:18) One child can never replace another. Why? Because each is unique.
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  Balsam

  The Job story is one of the many depressing mytholigical stories of the bible. The story was meant to encourage people to worship God no matter what happens to them. But reasoning is so flawed in this story. Who ever wrote it certainly had a terrible viewpoint about God, and his cruelity in allowing Job's children die. Know it is not literal helps in my perspective of that story.

  Balsam
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  Hecklerboy

  There in lies the problem. They actually believe it really happened. I say it didn't and that someone wrote it to make a point. They can't seem to explain away God condoning the slaughter of Job's children if it really happened. They are reading up on it now and we'll probably discuss it more after lunch.

  I love making people think. So many people are stuck in their little box of beliefs and when someone raises a valid point you can see them start to actually think.

  I also ask them why the human race was created. They say it's to worship God. If it's just to worship God then that would make God an egomanic. I'm mean why would you create something just to worship you. It doesn't make sense.
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  Hecklerboy

  Are your office mates arguing that killing Job's family was justified? Saying, in effect, that the means justify the ends.

  At first yes, but then when I gave the example of me killing someone family and then replacing them with a better family is that OK. Why is it OK for God to do something but wrong for me to do it. We're suppose to imitate God right? They didn't know what to say to that. It actually made them think.

  I'm not sure where this conversation is heading and I'm not even trying to make a point or change anyone's belief. I just brought the question up and I'll let them think about it.
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  greendawn

  The reasoning in that story is so damn primitive: men will love god only if he gives them good things, as if this is something wrong.
  
  Why should men love God in case he doesn't give them good things in life if he neglects them or even harms them without reason? In such a case they have the right not to love him, something this myth refuses to accept.
  
  But in practice God doesn't demand unconditional love from mankind and Job is the myth of another primitive and ignorant semitic tribe.
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  jt stumbler

  I cant remember but did God resurrect Jobs children that died or were the poor smucks just victims of a game between God and satan?