Deuteronomy, and some of its problems.

I would like to talk about the ethical implications of this story as told by Moses as well as Gods true personality. It is stated many times that God is jealous and not only that, but he also wants you to fear him.

"Fear your God and do not follow other gods, the gods of people around you. For your Lord God amongst you is a jealous God, and his anger will burn inside you, and he will destroy you from the face of this land" Deuteronomy 5: 13-15.

His is angry when you disobey. "Remember this and never forget how you aroused the anger of the Lord your God in the wilderness" Deut 9: 7 "At Horeb you aroused the Lords wrath so that he was angry enough to destroy you" Deut 9:8

He is not entirely merciful. "You must destroy them totally(talking about the Hittites and the seven nations) Make no treaty with them, and show them no mercy." Deut 7:2

Not only does God have all of these attributes that are considered evil, he demonstrates this by swearing that "no one from this evil generation shall see the good land I swore to give them" Waiting 38 years after making this promise, until almost all of his followers died, as the Lord had sworn and only because of disobedience and untrusworthiness of his followers. Once he agrees to fight along side the Israelites he commands them to decimate the Ammonites, killing men, women and children without mercy and remorse, leaving no survivors. After his will is done, Moses writes down the 10 commandments given to him by God solidifying the ultimate hypocrisy of the Lord. "You shall not set your desire on your neighbors house or land, his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor" Deut :5:21

How can such a God, be one that we want to emulate, and worship? This could never be a healthy relationship or a loving one for that matter. This is a fearless God, an immoral God, a hypocritical God, a merciless God, an angry God, a jealous God. This is the master and slave relationship, and I fail to see how this can ultimately be a righteous God.

Edit-- Just wanted to have it in a format, easier to read.

/r/DebateAChristian Thread