Posts
Two nice young Christian fellas were debating whether or not the God of the Christian bible (or Hebrew scriptures) is a God of Wrath (which is apparently pronounced wroth in the UK). Never mind that bible contains the following passages on the topic:
Psalms 7:11 - God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry [with the wicked] every day.
Ezekiel 25:17 - And I will execute great vengeance upon them with furious rebukes; and they shall know that I [am] the LORD, when I shall lay my vengeance upon them.
Nahum 1:2-6 - God [is] jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and [is] furious; the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth [WRATH] for his enemies
Romans 1:18 - For the WRATH of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Matthew 10:28 - And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Luke 12:5 - But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.
John 15:6 - If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast [them] into the fire, and they are burned.
John 3:36 - He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the WRATH of God abideth on him.
Revelation 20:15 - And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Hebrews 9:22 - And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
So, according to the Christian's own bible (the KJV, no less) God has wrath, exhibits wrath and anger, and appears also to be big on casting into fire, wreaking vengeance, taking revenge, rebuking furiously, being jealous, shedding blood, and destroying bodies and souls in hell.
Seems the bible can mean whatever you want it to mean and even not mean what it clearly says...Hmmm.
So I wrote the following post for under the show notes:
Whence Orthodoxy?
No wonder Christianity has some 30,000 denominations, sects, cults, and spin-offs! Every last one of you sit at your very own private mixing board fitted with dozens, if not hundreds, of sliders with which to match what you choose to believe. From Zero to Ten (and sometimes Eleven) you dial in your feelings, surmises, and conjectures about the following topics (and others) to arrive at your sure and certain faith:
EpistomologyRevelationOrthodoxyOrthopraxyNumber of godsThe attributes of GodThe nature of CreationPredestination to open theismGod as the author of EvilThe nature (and failure) of OmniscienceThe power of SatanAngelologyDefinition of SinThe effects of The FallTotal depravity to blank slateDetails of the IncarnationAttributes of the ChristVirgin birthImmaculate conceptionHumanity of JesusDeity of JesusThe death of GodThe significance of The CrossAdoptionism to DocetismTheories of the AtonementMeaning of the ResurrectionThe power of the Holy SpiritEfficacy of prayerImportance of the SacramentsBaptismNature of the EucharistTransubstantiationConsumption of alcoholNature of The TrinityThe existence of HellThe duration of Divine punishmentThe nature of HeavenThe means of SalvationHow many paths to God?Veneration of MaryPraying to the SaintsEschatologyDetails of the RaptureMillennialismInerrancyInspirationInfallibilityIdolatryElectionJustificationPerseverance of faithApostasyBible: Curated collection to God Breathed Master PlanCreationism vs ScienceSlaveryThe role of womenIntimate partner violenceCorporal punishment to the death penaltyFrom color blind to anti-miscegenationThe impact of LGBTQ issues on The ChurchCertitude
If your version of the bible says it you can quote it, harmonize it, or insist on a metaphorical interpretation. If your bible doesn't say it you can infer it, assemble a cumulative case, or please ignorance as needed. You pick, choose, listen, follow, agree, disagree, harmonize, conflate, and confabulate from five millennia of folk wisdom, traditions, the text of your holy book, and the writings of your favorite apologists to arrive at your very own custom version of Christianity, certain in your bones of your correctness and some of you quite comfortable calling those in the congregation across the street heretics. Rather than steering you toward the One True Faith The Church, the Good Book, and The Holy Spirit are offering a self-serve à la carte smorgasbord...
