When in discussion with Christians I often go to moral atrocities commanded and commited by God. Of course the first excuse they give is that all these things happened in the old testament and therefore do not apply. I am sick and tired of this objection so here is my take on it.
First things first: The oh so cherished ten commandments of Christians are found in the old testament. Many Christians also keep the Sabbath holy. If you say Jesus abolished the law but you keep the commandments and hold to them than there must be a method you have for evaluating, which parts of the old law we ought to keep and which ones we can savely throw out. Homosexuality as far as I’m aware is also not directly condemned in the New Testament, yet Christians are generally opposed to homosexuality. So what would be the method to determine what laws we keep and which ones we don’t keep. Surely picking them at random or at our convenience isn’t the solution.
My second point is the following: I get the fact that for different times, different rules are in order. It was a different historical context and I get all that. But please can someone tell me in what context Exodus 21: 20-21 could be justified? Or Numbers 5: 11-31? These passages are borderline disgraceful and if you say that there is a context in which these passages are justified, then you need to tell me what that context is and how this context justifies it. My position should be very clear: I don’t think anyone can do it and with me no one has even tried to do it.
My last point is the following: Why do Christians even attempt to dodge the OT? Because they know, that the laws of the OT are ridiculous and unjustifiable. They know they can’t justify it and they know it’s atrocious but can’t knowingly admit it. I always like to pose the following question:” In your opinion, was that law X justified by God? Is this law moral?” They do one of 2 things: They say: “Who am I to judge God?” or they play semantics. Very telling indeed in my opinion.
Goodbye from yours truly,
Rene von Boenninghausen @Renevelation
Tarsier Renevelations 