As I wrote early this morning in "Question: Is God Really Perfect?" my head has been spinning ever since I read over Exodus 32:14! It throws the entire Christian belief system into question. It clearly contradicts some of their most shared values and, even worse, it's right there in black-and-white in their own holy book!!!
To refresh your memory, Exodus 32:14 states,
Of course, this isn't the only instance in which God admits to a grievous error in judgment. Remember Noah and the flood? God later rethinks his action and promises not to do it again.
Besides the fact that the supposedly perfect God turns out to have feet of clay, I'm having a great deal of difficulty in trying to figure out HOW God repents and to whom? Humans are said to throw themselves at the feet of God to admit that we are each unworthy of his love. So, does God throw himself at his own feet? Is he unworthy of his own love?
But the more important question is: How can God be the final arbiter if he is guilty of sin just like we are? The belief that humans are sinful, by nature, is what is supposed to separate us from God. However, if he too is sinful, then there is no separation at all.
Another salient point is that, if a sinful God can repent to himself of his sin, then why can't you and I repent to ourselves of our own sins? We are all on equal footing since we all have fallen short of perfection.
This verse boggles my mind, though I'm really confident it won't be the last such verse.
To refresh your memory, Exodus 32:14 states,
And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.What we have here is God acknowledging that he broke one of his own rules. He sinned by having an evil thought. Moses convinced him this thought was evil and God repented of the sin.
Of course, this isn't the only instance in which God admits to a grievous error in judgment. Remember Noah and the flood? God later rethinks his action and promises not to do it again.
Besides the fact that the supposedly perfect God turns out to have feet of clay, I'm having a great deal of difficulty in trying to figure out HOW God repents and to whom? Humans are said to throw themselves at the feet of God to admit that we are each unworthy of his love. So, does God throw himself at his own feet? Is he unworthy of his own love?
But the more important question is: How can God be the final arbiter if he is guilty of sin just like we are? The belief that humans are sinful, by nature, is what is supposed to separate us from God. However, if he too is sinful, then there is no separation at all.
Another salient point is that, if a sinful God can repent to himself of his sin, then why can't you and I repent to ourselves of our own sins? We are all on equal footing since we all have fallen short of perfection.
This verse boggles my mind, though I'm really confident it won't be the last such verse.
I've always maintained that God and Jesus were fallible. Which I'll admit, is against doctrine.
ReplyDeleteFor example when Jesus runs away for several days and is found in the temple, he responds with a snide remark about why didn't you know where to find me - I was with my real father...
What a little brat...
Seriously. I'm surprised that M&J didn't deck him one.
It's a "sin" for any child to know how much their parents would suffer in their absence - and then do it anyway.
and if it wasn't a sin... if he truly didn't realize... then he's fallible.
There is also the obvious inference that the 12 year old Jesus broke one of the 10 commandments -- the one about honoring mummy and daddy.
ReplyDeleteResponsible parents simply don't set off on a trip blithely unaware of where their kids are. I'm certain that one or both of his parents said to Jesus, "Hey, it's time to go. Come on!" and Jesus ignored them.
If it helps, the literal translation that I have of that verse is "And changed his purpose Jehovah concerning the evil which he had spoken to do to his people." (or, in a more readable sentence structure: And God changed his purpose concerning the evil which he had spoken to do to his people.)
ReplyDeleteFrom my perspective, that doesn't help. How can an all knowing being change its mind or purpose?
ReplyDeleteWhy does all-knowing equate un-changeability when it comes to actions?
ReplyDeleteLet's say that you had a child, and this child was always eating cookies that you tell him not to. And you make a batch of cookies and you know he's going to eat some and that if you catch him eating some, he'll probably apologize and feel pretty bad.
Knowing this, you still step back and when he grabs a chubby handful of freshly-baked cookies, you enter the room and say "well, since you ate those cookies, you must not want any supper, which is too bad because it was going to be your favorite supper. Oh well, I guess I'll dump it down the drain."
Well the kid, as you predicted, gives you Bambi eyes and says (mouth still dripping cookie crumbs) "I'm sorry" and drops the remainder of his fistful of cookies back on the plate to show you he's sincere.
Now, you decide not to take away his supper after all. Does that make you any less "all-knowing" or "imperfect"?
There's no "probably" involved here. According to Christian thinking, God KNOWS everything. He KNOWS what's in everybody's heart before they ever feel it. He KNOWS everybody's actions before they do them. So, "Bambi eyes" would have no effect since God knew about them from the get-go. (He would also KNOW if the "Bambi eyes" were sincere or not.)
ReplyDeleteBesides, the Christian doctrine is that THOUGHTS of evil are just as bad as evil actions. Consequently, the moment God thought of the evil act -- irregardless of whether or not he changes his mind -- constitutes the sin.