[thechat] Religion - a way of life (was: what the...)

[Sean]

]> > > I haven't studied Bible although I have some chapters of it
]in my PC in
]> > > MS Reader eBook format. But I know that God never approved
]so-called
]> > > "Killing all first-born in Egypt". It was Pheron (the king
]of Egypt) who
]> > > ordered it.
]> >
]> > wrong.  Exodus 12:29 ...
]>
]> > Moses called down the plagues onto Egypt, God sanctioned and
]enacted them,
]> > ergo God slayed the first born of the Egyptians.
]
]Actually, you're both right.  To really get the full story
]though, you should read the books of Genesis and Exodus, the
]first two books of the Bible.  The Old Testament (before Jesus)
]is sometimes hard to deal with, even for those of us who study
]it.  The New Testament (from the birth of Jesus) is quite
]different.  The Old Testament basically lays out the law, or
]God's expectations.  First you have to know the rules.  The New
]Testament builds on the law, but also brings in God's grace.  The
]law is there, but because no one is perfect, no person can follow
]it to the exact letter.  (This topic is a whole discussion in
]itself.)
]


Actually, 1. I wouldn't trust Microsoft's version of the bible.  And b.
you're all right.  God (through Moses) ordered the angle of death to take
the Egyptians' first born sons.  But he got the idea from Pharaoh.

Ole Pharaoh had a premonition of his kingdom crumbling and his slaves
revolting, all being lead by a Jewish slave who happened to be a first born
son.  Or something like that.  So he orders the slaves' sons killed.  That's
when Mrs. Moses's Mom put lil baby Moses into the river and sent him off to
safety.

And, oh! what merry high-jinks did ensue.
(http://us.imdb.com/Title?0081751)

Later on God turns around and sends the same scourge back unto Pharaoh.
Whatever else you say about "Old Testament" God, he certainly had a sense of
humor.


HTH,


Sean