The Horror of God

Laws and Government
Israel's government was a dictatorship, and just as any dictatorship laws weren't always fair and didn't always have a punishment that fitted the crime.

The Bible allowed the Death Penalty for the following
  • A bride who cannot prove her virginity on her wedding night (Deuteronomy 22:20-21
  • An adulterous wife and her lover(Deuteronomy 22:22)
  • Two lovers if the woman is a virgin and promised to be another man's wife(Deuteronomy 22:23-24)
  • A fighting man who accidentally kills a pregnant woman (Exodus 21:22-24)
  • A rebellious or disrespectful son, as well as anyone who curses their parents(Deuteronomy 21:18-21, Leviticus 20:9)
  • Sabbath breakers (Numbers 15:32-36)
  • Blasphemers of God (Leviticus 24:16)
  • Witches and Spiritualists (Leviticus 20:27)
  • Anyone who worships another god (Deuteronomy 13:6-11)
  • Gay men (Leviticus 20:13)

    Some other laws are:
  • Any woman who defended her husband in a fight by grabbing the assailant's private parts was to have her hand cut off with no pity. (Deuteronomy 25:11-12)
  • People were allowed to be punished with up to 40 lashings with a whip (Deuteronomy 25:1-3)
  • Thieves who could not repay their theft were sold into slavery (Exodus22:3)
    Genocide, war, and rape
    In Deuteronomy 7:1,2 God orders the destruction of seven nations in the Promised Land to make room for Israel. God ordered utter destruction and no mercy on these people. It was to be a complete genocide, killing everything that breathes... man, woman, child, animal (if counting photosynthesis, plants also). (Deuteronomy 20:14)

    In Numbers 31:7, 17-18, After Israel conquered the Promised Land, God ordered Israel to start wars. During these wars, God ordered that all males and non-virgin females to be murdered. Any virgin women were to be "kept alive for yourselves"(Numbers 31:18)

    In 1 Samuel 15:3 God ordered the mass murder of every man, woman, infant, suckling baby, ox, camel, ass and sheep in Amalek.

    In Joshua 6:24, 8:2, 8:8, 11:11, Numbers 31:25-40, God commands several plunderings, pilliagings, and burnings of cities.

    In Deuteronomy 21:10-14 God permits the forced weddings (which lead to forced sex aka rape) upon attractive women.
    Slavery
    In Exodus 20:10, the fourth commandment mentions manservants and maidservants.

    In Exodus 21:20-21 states that the servant is property of the master.

    In Exodus 21:2 God sets a strict guideline on the length one can own a hebrew slave

    In Luke 12:42-48 Jesus compares God to a master rightfully beating his slaves.
    Quick note from Frank. If Jesus were here today would he compare God to a father rightfully beating his misbehaving kid? Or maybe a Cop rightfully beating a speeder?
    Child Abuse
    In Proverbs 13:24 and 22:15 the Bible state loving parents should punish their children with a beating aided by a rod.

    In Proverbs 23:13 the Bible encourages heavy use of the rod.

    In Proverbs 20:30 the Bible claims that a heavy, injurious beating with a rod brought a spiritual benefit to the victim.

    In Exodus 21:17, Deuteronomy 21:18-21, Leviticus 20:9 Parents could legally kill their children for being rebellious children, or even if the child merely disrespected them.
    The Treatment of Women
    In Leviticus 27:3-7 God set the monetary value of women at 50-66% of that of men.

    In Deuteronomy 22:22 there was a law that sentenced an adulterous wife and her lover to death. Yet there were no such laws for men, apparently men could sleep with any number of women they wanted, just as long as they were single.

    In Leviticus 19:20-22 if a master slept with a female slave, and she was engaged, he was to pay a fine and she was to be whipped.

    In Exodus 21:7-11 male masters were allowed to rape their female servants.

    In Genesis 16:1-2 and 30:9-10 Jacob and Abraham both sleep with their maidservants without any sign of permission. Jacob and Abraham are great men in the eyes of the Bible.