Double Standards?

[naomi24]

Whenever murder or some other appalling atrocity hits the headlines, the almost universal reaction is outrage and condemnation of the perpetrator, and from the religious - and in particular Christians - additional prayers and expressions of sorrow for the victims and their relatives. However, the God of Abraham murdered millions and - if his adherents are to be believed - he still (depending on the particular flavour of religion) promises death, damnation, or appalling and eternal torture to all dissidents – with not one word of condemnation from the faithful. How do they reconcile their acceptance of his behaviour and of this example of their blatant double standards?

[Duncer]

Naomi, I think I love you. Will you go to church with me on Sunday?

[naomi24]

I'd love to, Duncer - but I'm not sure the vicar would welcome me. :o)

[sandyRoe]

Duncer might be the vicar

[Duncer]

I suspect you would be guilty of necrophilia if you went to church with me as my death appears to be the best possibility of getting me back there.

[naomi24]

Ha ha! Well that's no good! I do like my men to have a bit of life in them! :o)

[Duncer]

A dead Duncer equals a stiff Duncer, and if you say something I disagree with then I'll be in no position to argue.

[birdie1971]

Naomi -

Ah, now – do you see what you've done there? You've attempted to introduce basic logic and reasoning in to the magical realm of religious belief where such things have no place. Shame on you.

Seriously, it's a great question and as such it is one that I suspect will be resolutely ignored by most of the theists on this site as it exposes a fundamental flaw in their morality (if you can call it that). I hope that I am wrong in this assumption.

[naomi24]

Birdie, oops! Silly me. :o)

[sandyRoe]

"...the God of Abraham murdered millions..."

Apart from the inundation, which allowed mankind, in the form of Noah and his brood, to start again with a clean slate, I can't think of another example of the God of Abraham directly interfering in our wicked affairs.

[FredPuli43]

Being all-knowing and wise, God picks and chooses who, and how many, he lets die in a disaster. That's one of the tests of faith, that we should continue to believe in him in the face of such apparent illogicality, and the prayers of the faithful are answered when one brother 'miraculously' is found alive and survives when the other , not miraculously, is killed.

[naomi24]

You can't? We won't mention the Egyptians then - to name but a few....

[naomi24]

That^^ was to SandyRoe.

[Duncer]

"Being all-knowing and wise, God picks and chooses who, and how many, he lets die in a disaster. That's one of the tests of faith, that we should continue to believe in him in the face of such apparent illogicality, and the prayers of the faithful are answered when one brother 'miraculously' is found alive and survives when the other , not miraculously, is killed."

Are you really saying that my only hope of survival in a disaster is all down to the number of people who will pray for me while I lie buried under piles of rubble?

[FredPuli43]

Seems so, Duncer! Their prayers were answered (or, at least, that's what they often say).

[sandyRoe]

But the Egyptians had, and have, the misfortune to be the neighbours of 'The Chosen People'. God may well make an exception in their case.

[naomi24]

... extraordinary. :o/

[Duncer]

Fred, consider this. a man who has been altruistic all his life, helping others with no wish for personal gain and attending church regularly, gets buried under the rubble alongside a cheating, philandering no-gooder who may well have murdered someone and got away with it. Unfortunately the decent chap has few living friends to pray for him while the no-good murderer has a plethora of friends on the blower to God.

Would any God of love save the murderer over the decent guy? That seems to be what you are saying.

[sandyRoe]

God rolled the dice but he doesn't care how they settle. Prayer shouldn't be about asking to be spared any part of human experience.

[naomi24]

Fred, I’m not talking about tests of faith or whom God picks or chooses – I’m talking about the double standards exhibited continually by the faithful. They hear about a dreadful crime or an appalling atrocity and immediately condemn the cruel/barbaric/sick perpetrator, assuring the victim and family that they will be prayed for. However, God is, among other things, a mass murderer – his record is there for anyone who cares to read it. If we are to believe the bible, he has done some truly terrible things all of which if committed by a human being would be rightly condemned at the very least as cruel, barbaric and sick – and still he threatens far worse to come for the non-believer – but his flock don’t turn a hair. What could be worse than subjecting a human being to eternal torment? How cruel, barbaric and sick is that?! Eternity!! Just think about it. Well, his previous crimes aside, that’s what he promises - but there is no condemnation and there is no disgust expressed by the people from whom the words ‘God Bless’ trip so lightly – and so regularly. Why? Where are their principles?