Ok you should know by now what I think of the bible. This story I'm about to share with you is pure gold, and I hope you get as many "lolz" out of it as I did when I first read it. Straight out of Genesis in chapter 32, after a boring 20 verses we read a few things. We find out that Jacob is carrying on the biblical tradition of polygamy, and then seemingly out of nowhere a wrestling match breaks out between Jacob and a man. "And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day." The next verse is where it gets even funnier. "And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him." Following that, the 'man' asks Jacob what his name is, and then we find out that that 'man' was in fact god.
WHAT?!?!
Yes, god wrestles with Jacob, LOSES, and then divinely dislocates Jacob's leg.
So not only is the god of the bible so feeble as to get into wrestling matches with men, he is so weak that he loses, and so dirty that he has to dislocate the humans leg to come out as the victor. To add more insult to the already hilarious and equally blasphemous story, god doesn't even know Jacob's name and has to ask!
This is the kind of mischievous behaviour we would have expected of Zeus, or Poseidon or any of the other ancient gods. We are told by christians that their god is transcendant, omnipotent, omniscient, holy, good and other qualities. From this story what traits do we see of god? The traits of god shown in this story can be simplified to just one word.
Human.
So I come to the conclusion, that god is made in mans image, not the other way round as christians would have us believe.
you crack me up kj
ReplyDeleteTom
ha, you're logic is about as good as an agnostic as it was as an apologetic. The fact that someone would write an "agnostic" blog is in itself ridiculous and self defeating.
ReplyDelete1) I'm not an 'agnostic'
ReplyDelete2) You're lecturing me on logic when you can't even use correct grammar.
3) You're lecturing me on logic when you made a conclusion with no premises.
1. Well you're certainly not an atheist, your whole blog is about God.
ReplyDelete2. Logic and grammar are two very different things.
3. Premise? http://kj-moodie.blogspot.com/2009/08/wrestling-match-god-vs-jacob.html
4. (for good measure.) 'Premises', not plural of premise.
1) You're stupid, my whole blog is about how god doesn't exist and that religion is stupid, just like you.
ReplyDelete2) Good job on pointing out the obvious. People who can't use the correct version of your/you're annoy me, I don't take them seriously until they realise their mistake.
3) My point about you making an argument without a premise was about your second sentence "The fact that someone would write an "agnostic" blog is in itself ridiculous and self defeating."
4) Damn, you got me.
Jacobs pretty Manowar to wrestle with 'god' AND win. :D
ReplyDeleteMaybe Jacob's blog would have looked a lot like this if the internet had been invented then. I'm finding this all really interesting KJ - I always suspected (and maybe hoped a little bit) that you were/are bright & inquiring enough to start "wrestling" with God yourself.
ReplyDeleteDavid, you're totally right, manowar would wrestle with god(s) and win if god(s) existed.
ReplyDeleteMiss B, thanks =P
LOLZ is right... for an Atheist, you ARE spending a significant portion of time reading the Bible! I guess stereotypes have instilled in me that you might have thrown the book in the fire by now :D But this is beside the point. Feel free to keep reading it my friend :)
ReplyDeletePlease excuse the semi relevant pun but DING DING, I step into the ring again. Not to attack the great chap that is KJ mind you, rather to again defend the Holy Bible :D
Firstly, I would like to suggest that God is in "wrestling matches" with mankind or just Christians at least...wait for it...EVERYDAY.
I believe this as a result of my thoughts regarding the words of Genesis 32...
The Israelites of c.1500 B.C. would have been familiar with the sport of 'Wrestling'. They would have also understood it to be the activity that required the most physical and mental strength, and that while wrestling, one had to make a painfully relentless effort in order to come out on top.
Therefore, I propose that this story of a 'wrestle' between Jacob and God.... is a symbolic illustration of what God desires in the prayers we offer to him.
Fervor. Zeal. :)
Jacob held in there even though the wrestle continued "until daybreak". He would not cease until he received his blessing. He even persisted after having been injured by his opponent! How many Christians can claim this intensity of faith, I wonder?
Secondly, God asked Jacob's name not out of ignorance of it! His intention was to give the man a new title! A better one!
"A good name is to be more desired than great wealth" Proverbs 22:1a
Don't we all know this to be true! Primary school at least sucks pretty bad if you have an average name! (Not digging on the name Jacob, by the way, I think it's a lovely name...)
ANYWAY. The name 'Jacob' symbolised his cunning. God, in renaming him 'Israel', preferred that he be remembered for his valiance rather than his craftiness. God knew Jacob inside out and back to front, the same way he knows all of us.
I can assure you that I havn't spent more than 10 minutes in the past 3 weeks reading the bible.
ReplyDeleteRe-interpret as you please but I can almost guarantee you that at the time it was written, it was not intended to be purely symbolical or metaphorical. The Israelites would have believed this event to have actually happened, and many christians who adhere to a literalistic reading of the bible (like many who have been commenting on my blog) would believe likewise.
A metaphorical or 'liberal' interpretation of the bible has only really appeared in recent decades where people cannot ignore science and reason, so they need to find a way in which they can still believe in their bronze age mythologies. "Ohh so it didn't actually happen, it was symbolical"
I'm not saying it didn't happen.... :) I'm only saying that it is not as much a screwed up/weird/unbelievable story which at first glance it may well seem to be for a modern day reader ;)After all, being a Christian entails believing that ALL things are possible through Christ. Some theologians are of the opinion that it was in fact Jacob vs. Jesus that night anyway :D
ReplyDeleteAlso I might add that I don't think it is the 'strange' event that occurs that should be considered so important. Rather the fruit of that event, or the deeper meaning behind it. The Old Testament especially is full to the brim of these crazy stories :)
So you basically just said the reason you're a christian is because the bible is true, because the bible says it's true, despite the retarded, immoral wacky stories which can be explained away by the cloak of interpretation.
ReplyDeleteThis is one of the many reasons I don't believe anymore, because it IS circular reasoning.
:) Time for Ryan's rant... I might make this the last thing I say on the matter as well.
ReplyDeleteI believe the Bible is truth not only because it claims to be the Word of God, but because I have put it to the test in my life and found this to be so.
This in no way means I have literally carried out the events described in the Old Testament, most of which you consider terrible, I hear. I ask the question though: Judging from the way we all live out our lives, who can say we deserve anything better than our own instant demise at the hands of the Almighty God? Not one person, for all of us are guilty of sin and it is by His grace and mercy that we may have eternal life should we accept it. But I digress a little...
Anyway, what this means (in a nutshell) is that I have chosen to believe that Jesus Christ is indeed the God behind the universe based on the claims he made and the life he lived to support those claims. I have also chosen to take on board the teachings of Jesus, namely, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind" and "Love your neighbor as yourself". Why, you might ask? Because I consider the Bible's definition of love to be good, pure, righteous, holy and true.
"Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous, it does not brag, and it is not proud. Love is not rude, is not selfish, and does not get upset with others. Love does not count up wrongs that have been done. Love takes no pleasure in evil but rejoices over the truth. Love patiently accepts all things. It always trusts, always hopes, and always endures."
I have seen glimpses of this love in action in my short life. I say there is no better way to live.
I desire nothing more than for my insignificant 80 odd years in this finite body of atoms named 'Ryan' on this finite ball of atoms called 'Earth' to be spent serving the one and only infinite God, Creator of ALL atoms. AMEN :D
"I have chosen to believe"
ReplyDeleteCool we'll leave it there then :-)