Continuing our series on Dan Baker’s Worse Bible Passages. From feticide to invasion. When I saw this on the list, I was a bit surprised. The Old Testament is filled with warfare, which is expected as the Middle East was in a strategic position, and thus quite desirable. Besides largerRead More →
1 Timothy 2:12 Women be Silent This is a verse attributed to Paul that states: “I permit no woman to teach or have authority over a man; she is to keep silent.” The overall context doesn’t help the matter at all. In the preceding verses, the author tells women toRead More →
Let me first say that yes, the Old Testament, the Jewish Tanakh, contains some barbaric events. Throughout history, a number of justifications have been offered to excuse such actions, but I think this approach is misguided. Instead, I think we should look at what the book of Samuel is. Now,Read More →
Exodus 22:18 is part of a larger framework of civil and criminal laws set down with the intention of creating a just society. The formulation of these laws are quite common among ancient Near Eastern societies, and we even see some laws that are similar to laws we see outsideRead More →
I’m currently working on a larger work on the book of Psalms, as it is a fascinating piece of literature. It’s really an anthology, and as such, it contains so many ideas. It’s one of the few Hebrew works that is still regularly used within Christian services, which really speaksRead More →
In Hosea 13:4, 9, and 16, we get a series of verses that tell of how the people of Samaria must bear their guilt for having rebelled against God. Because of that, they will die by the sword, their little ones dashed on the ground, and their pregnant women rippedRead More →
While looking for Bible verses to discuss, I found an article by Dan Barker on the Freedom from Religion Foundation website. Barker wrote a book, GOD: The Most Unpleasant Character in All Fiction, which, if I get my hands on a copy, I will review. But after writing that book,Read More →
When faced with the reality of suffering, the classical view of God becomes exceptionally difficult to defend. The idea that God is all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-loving is challenged by the existence of evil. It brings up the age-old question of theodicy: how do we reconcile our notion of a lovingRead More →
I would say that is a hard yes. What comes to mind is the scene in the Temple, the symbolic destruction of the Temple. This would have been a direct slight to the Jewish leaders. As a bit of background, during Passover, or really any time an offering was goingRead More →
TLDR: To sum this all up, the reason Jews settled in Argentina was because of the Jewish Colonization Association that set up a Jewish colony in the country. It was a way for Jews, initially, to flee from Russia. As WWII was ramping up, the JCA continued to help JewsRead More →
