Bear with me Poly. Hopefully this will make sense in the end.
The Amalekites were constantly attacking the Israelites. It’s in many parts of the Old Testament. 1) Israel escapes from Egypt–Amalek immediately attacks the weak and helpless of Israel.
2) After that, Amalek also makes a frontal attack on Israel, in spite of the distance, and without being provoked. 3) They partnered with Eglon and attacked Israel during the time of the Judges. Not to mention them attacking Israel everytime they tried to plant, and they treated their slaves very poorly.
The Amalekites, being the cousins of the Israelites, almost certainly knew of Gods promise of giving them the land of Canaan. The Amalekites probably felt some sort of threat and decided to fight. They probably weren’t thinking (which is our problem even today) that the promise was to be a means of blessing Amalek along with all the other nations (Gen 12:3) if only they, like Abraham, would have believed.
It’s pretty obvious, after lots of reading, that the Amalekites continue the behavior of their forefathers. This is the sins of the fathers being continued by their children. These were horrible people.
The Israelites couldn’t ignore them because the Amalekites wouldn’t ignore Israel. Israel needed to protect themselves.
After pleading with God for help in many different instances, God finally told Saul to destroy them. Everything and everyone. Keep in mind that this is NOT some innocent nation, protecting its homeland from an invading and greedy people. It is really so much more in depth than I think I can get into with you. I hope this is making some sense to you Poly. I am not the best at trying to explain things. Please tell me what you think.
As for Psalms 137, it is a Psalm of mourning and wanting revenge for the horrific things that had happen to that person and his people.
Savaka, in case you missed it, I already answered the question. Maybe you should re-read.
As for your other questions, if you are really interested in my thoughts on it, do a search. If that doesn’t satisfy you, then we can discuss in more detail.
Also you said “And the main problem I have with fundamentalist Christianity is that it doesn’t appear to derive from an honest reading of the Christian Bible.”
Since you seem to follow my posts so carefully, you can surely show me how I don’t follow the bible.
As for your “convenient rules” you say I have, I think you have me mixed up with someone else you know. I don’t have convenient rules dear. I have the bible.
Joe_Cool:
I have a good question:
Do you and Jersey really think that your posting here is bringing people to know Jesus as Lord?
Or is it more like, Well, we told em what the bible says, if they don’t accept it, theyre damned and its off our hands.
Do you really not realize you are turning people on the sdmb away from Jesus because of your posting?
Do you think your posting here is bringing people to know the truth vanilla?
I’ve got news for you vanilla, if people don’t know the truth, they will never get to know Jesus. The only time they will meet him is on judgement day.
Keep teaching them happy happy thoughts that get them no where and their blood will be on your hands. You will be held responsible by God for what you are teaching. Make sure you are not leading them the wrong way.
Jersey, I meet Jesus all the time! I see him everywhere.
Remember, Jesus said whatever we do to the least of his people, we do to him. And in the Bible, he said people would ask, “Huh? Well, I never gave you money, or brought you some soup when you were sick, or told you jokes when you were depressed? What do you mean?”
So I take that to mean, as long as we love our fellow man, we are loving Christ. It’s the spirit of his teachings.
Remember, SPIRIT of the Law, not the LETTER.
I am more inspired to stay a Christian by reading about the good works and lives of people like Oscar Romero or St. Francis of Assisi, than I am when some preacher starts quoting scripture.
Why can’t people let JerseyDiamond alone? Granted, she holds views that I completely disagree with, but so what? She has not, to my knowledge, swooped into a thread and said, “You’re all a pack of blasphemers!” as another person did. If you ask her a direct question about her religion, she’s going to give you a harsh, Bible-based answer. You all already know that, so why go after her?
JerseyDiamond doesn’t make a nuisance of herself giving unasked-for “testimony.” She doesn’t start fights or make bigoted comments (I’m ignoring the “gay people, turn or burn” comments; they’re just part of the fundie repertoire). She thinks I’m going to burn in Hell, but I think she’s going to turn off like a light switch when she dies, so we’re going to have to agree to disagree.
My only beef with the ultrareligious is when they translate their beliefs into action: when they attempt to insert creationism in public school curricula; when they support antigay legislation; when they harrass the unchurched. To my knowledge, JerseyDiamond isn’t doing this. She has not said, “All Palestinians are bad people”; she hasn’t called Muhammad a terrorist.
If you don’t want to hear what she or the rest of the twiceborn have to say,then, to quote Samuel L. Jackson as Jules in Pulp Fiction, “If you don’t like my answers, you should cease asking scary questions.”
