Why did God order the killing of so many people?

God is love. Jesus is God. Jesus is love.

What's going on?

Joshua's Victory over the Amorites
Poussin 1625-26

Are we reading about ethnic cleansing or genocide--or what?

"Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.” (John 5:8)

“...in the cities of the nations the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, do not leave alive anything that breathes. Completely destroy them—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—as the Lord your God has commanded you.” (Deuteronomy 20: 16-18) You can read about the conquest in Joshua.

 Obvious Yet Difficult Questions

1. How does such destruction of humanity fit with the messages of preachers saying, “God is love” or “Jesus loves you?” And what should we think about those signs at American sports events announcing “John 3:16?”

2. And how do such verses about killing people of any age support arguments about God being prolife?

3. How do Christians claim a moral authority to condemn genocidal acts or mass murders when the Bible contains stories about God destroying lives in a flood or ordering his people to destroy neighbouring tribes?

Assumptions

Conservatives make several assumptions that make the conflicts about God as the destroyer of life more difficult to resolve when considering verses proclaiming God's love.

The Bible is inspired. Unfortunately, scholars disagree on what it means for the Bible to be inspired by God. There is a reference to Scripture as inspired (2 Timothy 3: 16-17). The word inspired is not defined. The contents of what is "scripture" is not defined. At the time it was written, the New Testament documents were not likely part of the collection that became the Bible. 

The Bible is inerrant. This assumption is a matter of faith not evidence. This assumption denies the role of imperfect human writers expressing their inspiration when they wrote the biblical books.  No one has found the original documents. Biblical translations rely on copies and those copies contain different words and phrases. Also, some Christians include or exclude different documents.

The Bible is Literally True. Conservatives vary in the degree to which they are willing to consider some biblical books as works of literature containing stories created for a purpose or using literary devices like similes, metaphors, and hyperboles. Some works like Job appear to some as an ancient play or story. A literal interpretation of God as the destroyer of ancient tribes or peoples can make God out to be a scary and unloving being and not at all like a loving father portrayed by Jesus.

Progressive Christians recognize that the Bible was written by humans who  were inspired. Their works (that is the books in the Bible) do not necessarily present an accurate view of God. And they are more likely to explain difficult texts by reference to literary devices like similes, metaphors, and hyperboles.

Answers

Over the centuries, many people have addressed this violent-God dilemma while some ignore the troublesome texts as if they did not exist. I include some links for you to find various responses from different sources. 

I suggest that if you are a Christian, the way you answer the question may reflect your worldview and could influence how you vote and which causes you support or protest. Your view may even influence what you post on social media.

And, if you are not a Christian, your view of the texts may influence your attitude toward Christians or Christianity itself.

Finally, I suggest those of you who are religious scholars in a position to influence others by your writings and talks may contribute to what people believe and how they might act on their beliefs about God and violence. This may be especially true for those of you teaching in a seminary or Bible college.

My thoughts are in the next post: Psychological Perspectives on Reports of God Ordained Violence.

Thought Questions

1. What do you believe about the text ordering the killing of all those lives?

2. And to be clear, do you believe that Jesus was part of the same triune God who killed people in the Old Testament, or do you see Jesus as only existing after his earthly appearance, or do you have a different belief about Jesus and the teaching about his divinity?

3. How might these old texts influence the views of some Christian leaders to emphasize a tough uber-masculine idea of God or Jesus as a male warrior ready to lead his people in actual combat as well as culture wars? (e.g., see Du Mez book, Jesus and John Wayne)

Who has addressed this violence issue?

Atheist Richard Dawkins offers challenges in The God Delusion. It’s no surprise that atheists would point out the seeming contradiction between godly love and godly destruction. The God of Jews and Christians does not look like a kind, friendly, and loving deity.

Popular Christian writer, Rachel Held Evans had some thoughts in her 14 June 2018 Blog Her spiritual struggle is worth repeating: "It was as though I lived suspended in the tension of two apparently competing convictions: that every human being is of infinite worth and value, and that the Bible is the infallible Word of God." She got popular answers reminding us that we cannot know the mind of God.

Christian Scholar, Peter Enns tackles the matter in The Bible Tells Me So. Enns has a distinctly progressive answer to this problem, which has a lot to do with how people read and interpret the Bible. The Canaanite Conquest did not happen.

Popular progressive Christian writer, Rob Bell writes about God's love in Love Wins.

Longman expressed an opinion in the God of War Christianity Today

Evangelical scholar, Craig Keener places the Genesis flood story in the context of God no longer withholding "the destructive forces of nature." He devotes three blog posts to "Slaughtering the Canaanites." He acknowledges the problem of genocide and "holy war." As I have written, the way Christians interpret the text can make "a life-and-death difference." Some key thoughts: The reports were about boasting, God as judge ordained capital punishment using Israel, the conquered tribes could have surrendered (do read his posts for details).

Paul Copan has addressed the troubling issue in How Could God Command Killing the Canaanites. He has written a tantalizingly titled book: Is God a Moral Monster? Copan refers to God's righteous judgment and preparation of a place for the Messiah. Like others, Copan sees Joshua's language as exaggerated and not literally true.

Professor Charlie Trimm provided a conservative response in Influence Podcast 278, God, Genocide, and Biblical Interpretation. Trimm presents a few ways Christians have viewed the ancient stories of destruction. For example, he describes one view that God is not violent but removed his protection allowing humans or supernatural beings to be violent.

You will find many more responses on a Google Search such as…

The Billy Graham Evangelistic Center

John Piper - Rachel Held Evans quotes and comments on Piper's response.

Talbot School of Theology / Biola University

For a psychology of religion perspective, see comments below.

 

What about Jesus qua God?

That is, is the Jesus of the gospels really God--the one who did all sorts of things in the Old Testament, which seem very unlike his message in the gospels? 

See William Lane Craig and a Biola Q&A

See Catholic Answers at catholic.com

Consider Walter Kaiser's view  at Gordon Conwell Seminary

The view on Jesus’ Deity at Moody Bible

Jack Wellman, an American Evangelical Pastor has an opinion blog

Science

If you appreciate scientific evidence, you may find some discoveries relevant to the discussion.

Neither the Canaanite cities nor the people were destroyed based on archaeological evidence of the cities and DNA evidence of the skeletons matching people alive today. (See Wade in sciencemag 2017)

Who were the Canaanites? See Archaeology and Religion in Late Bronze Age Canaan in Religions (2019).

 

Notes

1. In traditional Christian Theology, God is presented as a trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus existed before creation. As one writer said, “Jesus is God.” See for example the Nicene Creed and some links below.

2. Christians are a House Divided about many issues including how to read and interpret the Bible; thus, Christian responses to the dilemma reflect perspectives on the Bible as well as notions of justice. I write about the variations of sexual morality in A House Divided: Sexuality, Morality, and Christian Cultures.

3. Other biblical examples of killing and destruction include the Flood story, the killing of Egyptian babies, and the persistent questions about people going to Hell.

 About me

I am not a religious scholar. Although I read widely, I do not have even a minor in religious studies. I do not know Hebrew and only took 6 courses of Greek. I am a psychologist who writes about the psychology of religion. For these reasons, I refer you to the voices of others who have an opinion on the matter. My views are in the next post- see link below.

See 7 Perspectives on Human Nature, God, and Violence for a psychological perspective on the matter.

Please check out my website   www.suttong.com

   and see my books on   AMAZON       or  GOOGLE STORE

Also, consider connecting with me on    FACEBOOK   Geoff W. Sutton    

   X @Geoff.W.Sutton    

You can read many published articles at no charge:

  Academia   Geoff W Sutton     ResearchGate   Geoffrey W Sutton