User talk:SouthWriter/sandbox/An atheist's objections/@comment-1777104-20100706183455

Oerwinde writes:

And watching Battles BC had some interesting takes on some of the historical stuff in the Bible, using better translations of the Hebrew bible and an understanding of tactics to explain some of the things like Moses and Pharaoh and the walls of Jericho. The Israelites were bloodthirsty bastards.


 * The believing Israelites were neither "bloodthirsty" nor "bastards" (okay, maybe a few of the judges were actually bastards). In the case of Jericho, for example, they took the city after seven days of warning them.  Everyone in Jericho knew the power of God from tales they heard from Egypt.  But only one woman believed the stories enough to turn to Him and away from the orgies they called worship of statues they called gods.  These people were "ripe for judgment" and God used the Israelites to administer that judgment.  Mercy was shown to the faithful that stayed with Rahab.  The act of total war has nothing to do with "bloodthirstiness."  There is no indication that they enjoyed the task that they had to do.  In fact, there is no indication that God enjoys the death of sinners.