I've just started to read the bible a little bit. No reason other than boredom, but it's worth a look. I suppose you can't argue religion without knowing the source. So I started with your standard Christian bible, nothing extreme...except the stories. Ok, Genesis is always a heated debate and frankly it is a beautiful uncomplicated sugar-coated story about the origins of man. Done. Then I skipped to Job. It's scary. It's about this guy Job who is the happiest, most faithful man on the planet. He love God, God loves him and everything is rosey. Then one day Satan approaches God and says "Does Job fear God for nothing?" Satan then makes a wager with God that Job will not be so happy and faithfull if everything is taken away from him. God, without much of a fight I might add, hands Job's life over to Satan with the understanding that Job himself must not be harmed. Oh, but Satan kills Job's children, livestock, and destroys his house and land. God... completely ok with it. Job... not so much. He gets pissed at God and self detructs out in the desert and his friends try to cheer him up but they can't. But, In the end Job gets new children, land, livestock, and a house and he and God have a good laugh and they're on good terms again. Did I miss something? This is what the bible has in it? This is what Christianity is based on? Since when is God a gambling buddy of Satans? I think I've been sheltered from this stuff. I guess Good & Bad isn't so black and white after all. I need explanations...
originally posted 1/29/06
