Nathan Key

You know, I think that there's element of self-fufilling prophecy in all this. I think that many of us, as we look for passages that support God's perfect just-ness, we scour the old testament. As we look for passages that support God's loving-ness, we scour the NT.
On the whole, the first time I read the OT from beginning to end, I was quite moved by God's patience, gentleness, and kindness. On the whole, the first time I read the NT from cover to cover, I was surprised by God's fierceness.
As I go back, and continue to read scripture in context, it's a little more nuanced. My tiny little brain struggles with picking up consistencies. In the old testament, people who accidentally drop the ark are killed on the spot; other times, judges or prophets require and have proof after proof of God's existence. In the new testament, a murderer is given a second oppurtunity and becomes a great evangelist, but a couple who merely tried to with hold some of their possessions are struck down.

Yeah, you are exactly right about community and the lost art of reading scripture together. One of the things that's been on my mind about this topic lately is how critical it is that our communities be healthy and diverse. If we don't trust each other enough to confront each other, if we don't think differently enough to air differing views, we may as well just go back to reading by ourselves.

I'm not sure what to do with the conquest narratives. It wouldn't seem that a loving God would ever ask us to go to war or commit genocide, right? Yet, that's exactly what He asks of His people... Any ideas?

You are right Nathan. I think about that so many times when I remember my dad disciplining me. And yet, when I see a handicapped beggar, not even able to use his own hands to eat, pulling himself to move on the streets, there's a question inside my heart and it is a very loud one. I know that God's majesty wouldn't be shown on him because God won't suddenly make him walk one fine day and people will know that God is there and that he lives. He'll probably die of hunger, in bad circumstances. He lived a hard life, would die a hard death. I wonder if it is ok for us to ask him to believe in God. To many, that brings some kind of peace amidst the torment they suffer, yet I wonder if it'll come out from a full heart or out of helplessness and hence a forlorn hope that he might one day become all right and come out of his sufferings. I sometimes wonder if God is like that sadistic neighbour who throws stones at sleeping dogs and finds pleasure in seeing them howling and running away in pain. Pal, I don't have answers. When I ask the pastor at the church, he tells me 'God's ways are mysterious.' I nod in front of him. But all is not at peace inside my heart. And when someone else tells me that he understands the God of our Bible, I secretively think that he's trying to delude himself and the world around him. I think that if he really takes the time to be in silence for a few days, he'll feel the rawness of his original feelings hurting him, his own identity. Sorry if I rambled on too long. But the only point I tried to make was that not all was explainable. And since I haven't seen God in my own life, I sometimes wonder if He is as they make him out to be, if He is the one pastors tell me about, if He is the one in the Bible.

Oh btw Nathan, your completely right about yourself seeing what you WANT in scripture, though i find it hard to believe anyone can see rape, murder, and pillaging as a good thing. God you might try becoming a pirate if thats really what your aspirations are.