Religious Cognitive Dissonance

[nailit]

Thelands post below (re: ritual animal slaughter)
Sums it all up.
The biblical wholesale slaughter of animals and sacrifices is overlooked but the butchery by anyone else of animals is somehow abbhorent??

Same as when Biblical God orders the genocide of entire nations (including women children and animals) Its somehow righteous. When someone else does it, its evil in the extreme.
Cant wrap my head around how one is right and the other is wrong...

[Theland]

Beautiful indeed Vetuste.

[douglas9401]

I know one thing, there's a world of difference between a 'tad' and a 'tadge'.

[jno]

does the Bible actually command anyone to sacrifice an animal?

I know Abraham did it, but that was after God changed his mind at the last minute and decreed that killing an animal was better than killing his son. That's pretty much a metaphor for Jews distancing themselves from pagans who still practised human sacrifice. But I don't know that anyone insists you should be looking for rams in thickets to sacrifice these days.

[naomi24]

//does the Bible actually command anyone to sacrifice an animal? //


///An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee. Exodus 20:24///

[Theland]

The Jews require an unblemished red heifer to sacrifice when they have the third temple.

[fiveleaves]

The question to ask is why the animal sacrifices had to take place?
The genocide question in the Bible is deeply problematic. I accept that.
The way I look at it is the Jewish nation had to survive and God made sure it did.
Out of the Jewish nation would come Jesus who is saviour of every nation and people group

[jourdain2]

Can I please just interject to say that Christians follow the teachings of Christ (or try to) and not the teachings of the Old Testament, which are those of Judaism and the basis of Islam. All the quotes you have given are from the Old Testament - to which Christians give due regard as they form the basis from which Jesus emerged - but to which they don't necessarily adhere ( I think the 10 Commandments are pretty generally accepted). I'm open to correction (and someone will correct me, I'm sure) but I don't remember ever having been adjured to sacrifice an animal of any sort to follow my religion.

[pixie374]

Nobody follows a religion completely. It seems to be more useful as an excuse for those who want it to be.

[nailit]

//Can I please just interject to say that Christians follow the teachings of Christ (or try to) and not the teachings of the Old Testament//

Don't you like the Old Testament? Why is that?
It comprises 3 thirds of the bible...why don't you accept it ??
Why don't you like the teachings of the OT?

[nailit]

//The genocide question in the Bible is deeply problematic. I accept that//
Not problematic at all. Its rubbish.
God is miffed at certain tribes (tribes that include kiddies) So God causes all these tribes to simply fall asleep (with the same magic that he hardened Pharos heart with) and then his 'chosen ones' came in and BOOSH!...THE LANDS THEIRS....

EXCEPT...


Things turned out a little different for this omnipotent God didn't they?
He insisted on slaughter after slaughter, sacrifice after sacrifice.

A God who enjoyed the smell of burning flesh??
You couldn't make this carp up.

[Theland]

Some theologian coined the phrase, "The Old Testament is the New Testament concealed, The New Testament is the Old Testament revealed."

[nailit]

some atheist (cant remember who) coined the phrase
cobblers in the old and cobblers in the new.

[Theland]

Is there anything in the OT we can agree on?

[jourdain2]

Theland I thought I'd made it clear to nailit that Christians follow the New Testament and take account of the Old Testament. I think that we can agree on the 10 Commandments, surely.

[mibn2cweus]

I don't sanction the actions of anyone who requires a god to excuse their behavior.

[fiveleaves]

In reply to Nailit there is no forgiveness of sins without the shedding of blood. That's why in OT times Jews were required to sacrifice rams, goats etc.
When the perfect sacrifice was made which was Jesus the Lamb of God the animal sacrifices became obsolete.
I dont know about where you live, but the local Christians here dont go in for animal sacrifices

[Theland]

Cain killed Abel because he was jealous that God accepted his animal sacrifice but not Cains sacrifice of grown crops. Blood required to cover sin.
God Himself performed the first animal sacrifice, he covered Adam and Eve in animal skins.

[nailit]

//In reply to Nailit there is no forgiveness of sins without the shedding of blood//
Tends to make a mockery of an all powerfull god then don't you think?
I don't need to take the life of a ram/goat/chicken every time my son offends me!!
I simply forgive him. No need for any blood.
If God is all powerful, then he would have no need of blood.
A sick doctrine!

[nailit]

Abrahamic faith=blood.
sick....

[Theland]

Why does it bother yo so?
You are an unbeliever.