the book of job, and an unjust god

Even the suckling infants? That must have been adorable. Like some sort of twisted Anne Geddes photo....okay, like a more twisted Anne Geddes photo.

Except that he didn't miracle away their lives. He specifically ordred men to kill them. Attacking armies of man don't traditionally offer painless deaths. (Nor do flood waters, while we're on the subject.) That's cool of him, hanging out with them after ordering their deaths. I'd hate to be God in that scenario, though... I mean, talk about awkward.

So, ah... what did he mean, then?

Reco'nize.

Here's a clue: impale yourself on a sword.It's not a subtle feeling; you should be able to get the gist of it. How do you figure?

Once again, get that sword out. Jab it right on through the ol' jugular. Really, it's a pretty straightforward experience. My hypothesis: getting killed by soldiers hurts.Yours: no it doesn't.I guess this is one of those timeless mysteries for the ages.

Which sure seems like the long way around the barn, doesn't it? Why specifically order the soldiers to kill them, and then cast a miracle to save them? (A miracle which is mysteriously not mentioned in the Bible... God needs a better PR man.)Why not just, oh, not order the soldiers to kill them? Say something like, "Kill all those guys, but leave the babies alone. They didn't do anything." Once again, how do you figure? The Bible pretty clearly tells us that God ordered the death of babies. I'm just pointing that out. You're adding on to the Bible, pulling unmentioned miracles out of your ass and attributing them to God.Doesn't the Bible have a thing or two to say about speaking on God's behalf?

No, he certainly didn't. And once again... my hypothesis, as you call it, is that physical death hurts.You left out the rest of my post. What is God's stance on making shit up, and attributing it to him? Is he for it or against it?

I'll clue you in: he's against it. Remember his stance on false prophets? Y'know... people who make shit up and attribute it to God? And how, exactly, are you going about determining God's character? Apparently it's not by his actions. Because here we have one of God's actions, a pretty severe one at that, and it certainly seems like you are making up miracles that are not mentioned in the Bible to fit what you think his character should be.

That's utterly fascinating.It doesn't even approach answering my question, but it's a neat little tidbit.What I asked you was how you are determining God's character. Not what you think his character should be. So the best I can figure now is that you determine God's character by picking and choosing which Bible passages should be taken at face value, and making shit up to account for the ones that conflict with your vision of what God's character should be. Once again, utterly fascinating. But I don't get what it has to do with the Amalekite babies. Jesus is saying, "No, it's cool, let kids worship me." I don't see any mention of God performing a miracle to save babies he put a hit out on earlier in the Bible.

And you have determined God's character how, exactly?Not by looking at his actions, apparently. So let me get this straight... you want to ignore an entire passage of the Bible, and this somehow means that I'm quote mining? But we do know that being killed hurts, don't we? And you have determined God's character how, exactly?You might want to watch this false prophet business though, dpardo. God really takes a dim view of people who make shit up and say he did it. 1) I'm amazed that you would try to tell me what I have and haven't read. I have read the Bible. Apparently closer than you have, as I'm not attempting to pretend that certain portions say other than what's there.2) I have purported that there is suffering involved in being killed by an invading army. You seem to have a problem with this incredibly simple idea.

Well, we know he specifically ordered their deaths. We know they died in a manner which is incredibly painful.Nothing else is mentioned.If we add 1+1, we don't say "BUT WAIT! WHAT IF THERE'S AN EXTRA 1? IT MIGHT EQUAL 3!" And yet you have reached this knowledge via means that apparently cannot be explained in words. What with your utter failure to actually do so. I'd consider killing them in the first place unnecessary.

Arachnophilia has to make your points for you now?Why don't you simply explain how you have determined God's character.

Impale yourself on a sword. Tell us if it hurts. The Bible says they got killed, in a way which is traditionally very painful. The Bible makes no qualifiers on that statement.Are you questioning the Bible? That's fucked up. The babies? Not killed them. Killing them would just be psycho.

Usually, I'm not really in favor of killing people because of something they might do in the future.