Why was the "god" of the Old Testament so repulsively violent?

Question

Why was the "god" of the Old Testament so repulsively violent?

Answer 1

God is a God of love and justice. Get over it.

Answer 2

I suggest you do a little bit of cultural studies of Ancient Mesopotamia and you will understand better.  

Answer 3

The Old Testament is a Jewish document, not Christian.

This was the Jewish perception.

Answer 4

To create fear.  Fear = control.  Threatening Bronze Age primitives with death if they did not follow "god's" word was very effective.  The OT was a storybook telling about what happened to people if they "disbelieved."   Fear = control.   It's the same today.

Answer 5

Because he's a misogynistic, genocidal, homophobic, insane psychopath.

"And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own body, the flesh of thy sons and of thy daughters, which the LORD they God hath given thee, in the siege, and in the straightness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee:" (Deuteronomy 28:53)

"And toward her young one that cometh out from between her feet, and toward her children which she shall bear: for she shall eat them for want of all things secretly in the siege and straitness, wherewith thine enemy shall distress thee in thy gates." (Deuteronomy 28:57)

"How blessed will be the one who seizes and dashes your little ones Against the rock." (Psalms 137:9)

"And Israel joined himself unto Baalpeor: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel. And the LORD said unto Moses, 'Take all the heads of the people and hang them up before the LORD against the sun, that the fierce anger of the LORD may be turned away from Israel.'" (Numbers 25:3-4)

Answer 6

God had to punish sin because it is repulsive to Him. It is punishment, not violence.

Answer 7

because the worship of baal was so violent, the temple whores would have babies and then they would sacrifice them and burn th e babies alive and beat a drum so they would not have ot listen to the baby scream as it was burned alive.  

Answer 8

If he weren't, why, what would scare us into being good?

Answer 9

Why do you leave out satan, the father of all sin?? He is the one who started all the problems that God had to attend to. You have satan to thank, not God.God made the flood in noah's days happen because of the fallen angels (nephilim) who were coming to earth and having offspring by human women, even marrying them, causing giant babies. God HAD to do away with those, they were NOT His creation in the flesh. Most other bad things done in the O.T. were done by soldiers and pharoahs, not by God. Whatever God did to, He has good reason and if you can't understand that, then it's your problem. I see our Father as a loving, caring God who would do anything to save our souls. You are thinking of a mere flesh body, when in the overall picture, it means nothing compared to the eternal life of the soul.

Answer 10

coz man was so disgustingly mean, evil, selfish and wrongful.....read up some more on the reasons behind the 'repulsively violent' acts and you will understand that God is just and fair and loving and punishes the wrong so that humanity can learn from the mistakes of their forefathers and become better ppl.

Answer 11

the world was violent back then so God has to be equally violent. Now that Jesus has saved the world, their is no need for violence.

Answer 12

The God of the Old Testament only appear repulsively violent when you use your present-day sensibilities.  The OT was written thousands of years ago when violence was very much a part of human existence(it still is) and the minds of the people of that period were shaped by the things they saw around them.  For people of today- who only eat food without seeing the butchery that goes into its preparation, when even fish heads are not to appear in their fish dishes; and processed meat, packed vegetables and ready- to -cook recipes can be had easily over the counter - it's very easy to say 'what an awful book, what a repulsively gross way of doing thing."  These 'violent passages' are actually an ancient people's way of seeing what a God should do in the face of actual violence done to their lives.  The lines you quote were wish-thoughts of an ancient people who cannot comprehend the utter violence inflicted on them- they believe the aggrieved God gave them the license to inflict the same harm on the young ones of their enemies.  Yet side by side with these violent passages are the real message of Yahweh. While the religious leaders at that time believed in the lex talionis provision of the times are such "oddities" as "Vengeance is not mine; it's the Lord" " Remember, you were once strangers into this land," "God is not in the wind..." " Your ways are not my ways, says the Lord," "Thou shall not kill, neither shall you steal."  Side by side with the stories of violence are passages upon passages that speaks of a surpringly compassionate, gentle, loving, forgiving of repeated transgressions with moral principles suprisingly avant-garde at that time.  In these way, God slowly educated his people. He did not force these Bronze Age patriarchs the moral sensibilities of today's generation.  Side by side with the violent images are surprisingly gentle side bits of the true God. These are the true message of the OT, little, planted in the hearts and minds of the ancient peoples and allowed to grow downthe centuries until the time finally came when the became ready for it.            

Answer 13

Well wait til Armageddon That's the big Lotto!!!

Your gonna be a winner that day for sure

Peace.

Answer 14

You speak of him being repulsively violent, but what about what we inflict on each other?  You can question his cruelty but what about our own cruelty to each other?

Answer 15

To justify the actions and to serve the purposes of those who concocted such things. God ain't like that, God has always been Cool. Just like He don't believe in damnation, but reincarnation, again 'cuz God Is Cool. He don't need to scare you into submission, He has on His Side. The church on the other hand......?????

Answer 16

Cultures that evolve in harsh environments tend to create harsh gods.  

Answer 17

A violent society invents a violent God.

Answer 18

Prozac wasn't invented yet...

Answer 19

When people don't listen you have to use drastic measures.  That is why He send Jesus, to relate to use in a way were used to.  Still people choose not to follow Him, just like the days long ago.  His anger will be visible on the day of judgment.  The proof is there people, just open the eyes of your heart, If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you. (2 Chronicles 15:2)

Just My Thoughts!

Answer 20

A reflection of times where such behavior was considered to be moral.  

Answer 21

The God of the Hebrew scriptures is the same God everywhere else. And in the Hebrew scriptures He taught us to love, honor, and respect, all life. He taught us not to steal, lie, kill, bear a grudge or take revenge. You're taking things out of context.

The reason for the harsh punishment is because some people only relate to punishment to get them to act right. He doesn't want to punish or be harsh.

Why were the Allied forces so repulsively violent in World War II? They had no choice because the enemy would only succumb to a superior force of violence, not because the US and Great Britain stand for or enjoy the harshness of war.