Exodus: The zeal of the Levites

Exodus 32:25-29

The fifth section of Exodus begins at chapter 32. The Israelites apostasy of Idol worship in the form of a golden bull doesn't please Yahweh and to rectify this lets see what happens.

25 When Moses saw the people so out of hand-for Aaron had allowed them to lapse into idolatry with enemies all round them-he stood at the gate of the camp and shouted,' Who is for Yahweh? To me!' And all the sons of Levi rallied to him. And he said to them, 'This is the message to Yahweh, the God of Israel, "Gird on your sword, every man of you, and quarter the camp from gate to gate, killing one his brother, another his friend, another his neighbor"'. The sons of Levi carried out the command of Moses, and of the people about three thousand men perished that day. 'Today' Moses said 'you have won yourselves investiture as priests of Yahweh at the cost, one of his son, another of his brother; and so he grants you a blessing today.'

Wtf?

Israel sins, and as atonement slaughters 3000 people, and Yahweh blesses them for it.

What a "God" you are Yahweh!

a reply to: Barzini

You forgot the bit about where Yahweh impaled them. Not talked about a lot especially in Church but I do recommend the Christian O'Brien books which will give you the correct translations for the appropriate passages on Yahweh's efforts to force the Israelites to follow him because they really didn't want to.

One thing you can guarantee with religion is that there are always those who just can't get to the front of the line to enforce religious ideas on everyone else, they are the pious poppies of misery and the Levites were certainly well into that role. (Bonus's all round I suspect).

originally posted by: Shiloh7
a reply to: Barzini

You forgot the bit about where Yahweh impaled them. Not talked about a lot especially in Church but I do recommend the Christian O'Brien books which will give you the correct translations for the appropriate passages on Yahweh's efforts to force the Israelites to follow him because they really didn't want to.

One thing you can guarantee with religion is that there are always those who just can't get to the front of the line to enforce religious ideas on everyone else, they are the pious poppies of misery and the Levites were certainly well into that role. (Bonus's all round I suspect).

Thanks, I find a story like this a day. The Bull is El, or a symbol of the age of Taurus, take your pick. The following section even says his name is "Jealous one".

I think Yahweh has a god complex.

a reply to: Barzini

It was not God that commanded such an atrocity. It was Mans doing, then clamming it to be the will of God. Happens all the time throughout recorded history and beyond. You see we feel the need to justify our evil actions and who better to blame than the invisible Man in the sky.

originally posted by: andy06shake
a reply to: Barzini

It was not God that commanded such an atrocity. It was Mans doing, then clamming it to be the will of God. Happens all the time through out recorded history and beyond. You see we feel the need to justify our evil actions and who better to blame than the invisible Man in the sky.

Yahweh commanded it though, read it again.

I agree God didn't order it, Yahweh is not God.

a reply to: Barzini

Moses says Yahweh commanded it to happen. That's hardly the same as Yahweh making an appearance and inciting the people to commit such actions himself.

Second hand knowledge at best, and at worst its simply Moses playing out his agenda.

If there is a benevolent all loving God then he loves us all equally he would never initiate such actions against his own creations.

originally posted by: andy06shake
a reply to: Barzini

Moses says Yahweh commanded it to happen. That's hardly the same as Yahweh making an appearance and inciting the people to commit such actions himself.

Second hand knowledge at best, and at worst its simply Moses playing out his agenda.

If there is a benevolent all loving God then he loves us all equally and would never initiate such actions against his own creations.

I agree.

The underlying point is simple, sin and you will be judged

It is Gods justice

Doesn't get any more simple than that

a reply to: Barzini

The God of the old testament is simply not synonymous with the God of the new testament. Truth be told the fellow in the old book resembles an entity with rather a large inferiority complex that enjoys hurting small animals.

originally posted by: Raggedyman
The underlying point is simple, sin and you will be judged

It is Gods justice

Doesn't get any more simple than that

Thanks for the "wisdom". It's always good to hear from someone who knows God personally.

originally posted by: andy06shake
a reply to: Barzini

The God of the old testament is simply not synonymous with the God of the new testament. Truth be told the fellow in the old book resembles an entity with rather a large inferiority complex that enjoys hurting small animals.

Yes that's true. God is El Elyon or Most High God, or El.

Yahweh is the god of Israel, and only Israel.

El is Jesus true Father. El is merciful.

Yahweh is a prick.

Moses was forced to wander the wilderness for forty years because he killed most of the people he saved. Even back then there were laws that did not allow for the slaughter of innocent people. Moses never got to go to the promised land, he couldn't or he would have been thrown in prison.

Moses killing the Israelite people was not a part of what god wanted. It wasn't the people who made the cow who were punished, they were mostly dead already. It was those who went along with Moses's mistake that were punished.

a reply to: Barzini
That's my pleasure

a reply to: Raggedyman

Too bad you're just a religious fanatic and don't actually know God, or wisdom.

If you think that massacre is acceptable atonement for idolatry then you need to have your head examined.

That's not justice, that's unnecessary bloodshed and anyone who finds this behavior god-like is an idiot. Sorry, but it is true.

a reply to: Barzini

You are welcome to your opinion

a reply to: Raggedyman

Yes I am, but FACT: killing people is evil.

a reply to: Raggedyman

So you are telling me that you agree with Yahweh ordering the slaughter of 3000 people? You don't consider this evil?

You are OK with an evil god?

Or is it not evil?

Let me guess, God can set rules that don't apply to him because he is God. How is that just?

Let me give you a clue, it's NOT just, at all.

a reply to: Barzini

Im not suggesting the actions perpetrated were just or in anyway acceptable. However as to God being above the rules, any omnipotent being is surely above such concepts as good or evil which are very Human constructs.

a reply to: andy06shake

I only really meant that specifically to the person who thought it was kosher for God to be portrayed as a violenct psychopathic murder fiend who accepted this act as atonement for making a gold bull for him, it was actually FOR Yahweh that they made it.

The whole thing screams of idiocy, the problem being they believe it really happened or is inspired by God and what he wants us to think of him.

Another problem is the abandonment of logic when religion is the issue. It leads to, basically the ufck storm we have on our hands today, correct me if I'm wrong but after 2000 years of this constant warring I think it's time to throw in the hat on religion and admit we don't know God and deal with it.

a reply to: Barzini

Sounds about right.