Well, it's this time of
year again, when Christians and Jews celebrate at about the same
time, but for quite different reasons.
Easter for the Christians
means the resurrection from death of their Messiah, Jesus Christ,
while the Jews celebrate the escape from Egyptian bondage.
There are issues in both
these feasts which I do not quite understand. So, please allow me to
talk about those for a moment.
:
The Christians celebrate
the fact, that Jesus, the Redeemer, rose from his grave, after having
been “dead” for three days.
First, he died, because
the Scriptures predicted it, because his alleged father, is reported
to have said words which are reported in his book:
“God so loved the world,
that he gave his only begotten Son.
(John 3:16) and in Romans
3:23 it is stated that: Jesus shed his blood, sacrificing his life
for us ...for all have sinned, but God sent Jesus to take the
punishment for our sins and satisfy God's anger against us.”
I've said this before, but
it bears repeating. As I read this and many other similar biblical
references, God actually said this: “If you kill my son, I will
forgive your sins.”
Is this not just about the
most incredible nonsense?
Would it not have been a
lot better, if God had said: “I will send my son. If you follow his
ways and his teachings, I will forgive your sins”
Now that would have made
sense. But: Kill my son and your sins shall be forgiven? That's
preposterous.
And now for the
Resurrection:
God and Jesus ( who,
according to Christian teachings are one and the same) knew full
well, that this alleged “death” would last a little less than
three days.
But still, the Bible makes
a big deal of the “Sacrifice.”
On the third day, the
physical body of Christ appeared to several of the disciples, and he
even allowed Thomas to touch his wound. And then, some short time
later, he, Jesus, was back up “in heaven” sitting to the right
hand of his father. So since those two knew what would happen, it
surely wasn't such a big Sacrifice.
I am afraid, that on
closer examination the “Easter Story” is not such a big deal.
In the defense of Jesus
and God it must be said, that neither speaks directly about any of
this.
All is reported by several
of 12 simple fishermen, who likely were not aware of the absurdities
and contradictions they wrote down.
Now, let me ponder about
“Pesach” or “Passover”
The Jewish Congregation,
who accepts the Old Testament, along with several other writings,
celebrates the escape, or the release from its people from Egyptian
bondage.
God, it is reported, asked
the Egyptian Pharaoh to “Let my people go, so they can worship me”
(Is God that insecure that he needs common folk to “worship”
him?)
The Pharaoh simply said
words to this effect: “No way, Jose, we like them Israelites here
to be our slaves and do all our dirty work.
So God mentioned in
passing, that if his wish were not granted, he would send a number of
plagues ( 10 in fact) to teach the Pharaoh a lesson. The Pharaoh
still refused, so God sent those promised plagues:
After the Fourth Plague,
the Pharaoh said: “Okay, I give up”
But God, so states the
Bible: “hardened his heart” and made this Egyptian Leader change
his mind and to back off the previously given promise.
So, after nine
dilettantish, unsuccessful plagues, God got frustrated and pretty mad
at the Pharaoh and he (God) said this. (or so reports the Old
Testament): About Midnight, I will go throughout Egypt and every
first-born in Egypt will die. From the Firstborn of the Pharaoh, who
sits on the throne, to the first-born of the slave girl who is at her
hand mill and all the firstborn of the cattle as well.
Now, how is that for an
“All Just God”?
Whether you are a tiny
innocent baby, who had just seen the first light of the world, or an
adult male, who had led an exemplary, life, or even if you were a
young cattle, likely a bull, it mattered not:
Death is your reward,
because He ( God ) had “hardened” the Ph's heart an made him keep
the Jews in bondage.
Now, how is that for an
“All Loving, All Just” God?
And then, before he went
on this murder spree he advised the Israelites to mark their door
with the blood of a lamb, so he may recognize it and “pass over”
this house without killing a first born therein. Did the “all
Knowing” Lord need such a tip off? Did he not know that there is an
Israelite living within its walls?
Before I can believe any
of the above, I shall believe in the Easterbunny.
Bertstravels
tells is as he sees it.
No comments:
Post a Comment