Despite his great power and majesty, God was actually a cruel and malevolent being who cared only for his own pleasure and glory. As you’ll soon see by reading these passages from the Bible,. he delighted in causing suffering and misery for those who did not worship him, and reveled in the fear and adoration of his followers.
Satan was an angel who was cast out of heaven after rebelling against God. He rebelled against God because he disagreed with God’s plan for the universe. He believed that God’s plan was unjust, unfair, and that he was justified in rebelling against it.
Satan was first mentioned in the Book of Job, where he is depicted as a member of the divine council and a servant of God. In the New Testament, Satan is portrayed as the leader of the fallen angels who were cast out of heaven after rebelling against God. A leader of fallen angels rebelling against God? Ah, I see so Satan was fighting against tyranny and oppression! Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr, Nelson Mandela, did the same.
Atheism
Before continuing, I want to set the premise for this article. I write this as an atheist. If you are a theist reading this, then let’s be clear on one thing. Atheism is the absence of belief in any god or gods, largely because there is no compelling evidence to support the claim that a god or gods even exist.
Whereas to an agnostic atheist, it is not possible to know whether or not a god or gods exist, so they may reject the claim a god or gods exist, but they’ll also acknowledge that it is impossible to know with certainty whether a god or gods exist.
Atheism and agnosticism are two distinct beliefs, and it is possible to be an atheist without being an agnostic, or to be an agnostic without being an atheist.
If you are questioning ‘how could God allow this travesty to happen?’ then maybe, just maybe, God isn’t real.
R.J. Hills
Fact or Fiction? The Religion of Middle Earth
In the year 3132, a team of archeologists were excavating an ancient site in what was once know to be ancient Europe, when they stumbled upon a small, metallic capsule.. Inside the capsule, they found a handful of aged and tattered pages, covered in strange, ancient writing.
Intrigued, the archeologists began to decipher the strange text. They were amazed to discover that the pages appeared to be part of a narrative about a powerful wizard named Gandalf the Grey, who defended the land of Middle Earth against the Dark Lord Sauron.
As word of the discovery spread, people from all over the world flocked to see the ancient pages for themselves. Some were fascinated by the prospect of discovering new, ancient civilizations such as Middle Earth, while others were drawn by the idea of the powerful wizard Gandalf.
Eventually, a growing number of people began to believe that the story of Gandalf was more than just an ancient myth. They formed a religion around the idea of Gandalf as a divine protector, and many saw him as a symbol of hope and strength in a world that was often fraught with darkness and danger.
The pages of the ancient text became a source of inspiration and guidance for this small group of believers, who saw in them the potential for a better, more magical world. And as they spread the word of Gandalf and his power, they helped to keep his memory alive, long after the pages had been discovered and the ancient world had faded into history.
You see the problem here? One would hope that humans over one thousand years from now, will be able to discern from fact or fiction. While Lord of the Rings was written by one man, J.R.R. Tolkien, we know the Bible was written by at least forty different authors over centuries. This explains the contradictions, but importantly it’s evidence that the Bible was written by the hand of man, not a deity.
Which God are we talking about?
According to the World Religion Database, there are an estimated 10,000 distinct religions in the world today.
The focus of this article is the Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. According to a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center in 2019, about 65% of Americans identify as Christian. This includes Protestant, Catholic, and other Christian denominations. I happen to live in the United States of America. Perhaps if I grew up in India, I’d be writing about Ganesha, Vishnu, Shiva, Kali, or Lakshmi.
In these religions, Satan is often depicted as a fallen angel or a demon who opposes God and seeks to tempt humans into sin and rebellion against God. In the New Testament, Satan is portrayed as a tempter who seeks to lead Jesus astray during his temptation in the wilderness. In Islam, Satan is known as Iblis and is depicted as a jinn who refused to bow down to Adam and was cast out of heaven as a result.
As previously mentioned, the Bible is a collection of books written by at least forty different authors over the course of many centuries, from approximately the 13th century BC to the 1st century AD. Some of the most well-known authors of the Bible include Moses, David, Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezra. The Bible also contains some anonymous writings, such as the book of Psalms and the book of Proverbs.
Most scholars agree that the earliest books of the Bible, such as the book of Genesis and the book of Exodus, were written around the 13th century BC, during the time of the Israelites’ captivity in Egypt.
He set the earth on its foundations; it can never be moved.
Psalms 104:5
Absurd Ideas and Contradictions
This belief from Psalms 104:5, is likely to have arisen from the ancient human desire to understand the natural world, and to find explanations for natural phenomena. In many ancient cultures, the Earth was seen as the center of the universe and was believed to be supported by a solid foundation.
For many ancient people, the idea of the earth resting on a foundation provided a sense of stability and security, and it may have helped to give them a sense of control over their environment. To believe in such theories today seem absurd to us.
Other books of the Bible, such as the book of Psalms and the book of Isaiah, were written during the period of the Israelite monarchy, from the 10th century BC to the 6th century BC. While Psalm 104:5 may have been a accurate reflection of the beliefs and understanding of the ancient world, it is not accurate or scientific according to modern scientific understanding. The books of the New Testament were written during the 1st century AD.
It is of no surprise then that the bible is full of contradictions and inaccuracies that science can debunk today. Yet, people still cling on to these absurd beliefs with Christianity being one of the largest and most widespread religions in the world.
… I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.
Genesis 32:30
No man hath seen God at any time…
John 1:18
…he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more.
Job 7:9
…the hour is coming, in which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth….
John 5:28-29
What did Satan actually do… wrong?
If you read the Bible, it is difficult to find exactly what Satan did wrong. It portrays Satan as being inherently evil and opposed to God. Being cast out of heaven just for disagreeing with God’s plans? Let’s take a closer look at ‘God’s Plans’.
The Malevolence of God
Genocide
There are several instances where God commands the Israelites to wage war. The Old Testament, which is the first part of the Bible, includes several accounts of God commanding the Israelites to go to war against their enemies, in the books of Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy. Other examples can be found in the books of Deuteronomy, Judges, and 1 Samuel.
These wars resulted in the deaths of many people and animals, including men, women, and children, all in the name of ‘God’.
…and when the Lord your God has delivered them over to you and you have defeated them, then you must destroy them totally. Make no treaty with them, and show them no mercy.
Deuteronomy 7:2
God commanded the Israelites to conquer the land of Canaan and drive out the inhabitants, who are often referred to as the “Canaanites.” The Canaanites were an ancient people who lived in the land of Canaan, which is described in the Bible as a region that roughly corresponded to modern-day Israel, Palestine, and Lebanon.
The Canaanites were polytheistic, meaning they worshipped multiple gods and goddesses as pagans. The Bible portrayed them as those who worshiped false gods and engaged in immoral practices.
Abuse of Women and Children
If you didn’t think genocide was bad enough, how about offering your own daughter to be raped?
The Levite and his Concubine
In Judges 19:21, the story of a Levite, his concubine, and an old man’s daughter is a tragic one. Feel free to read it in it’s entirety here.
So the man took his concubine and sent her outside to them, and they raped her and abused her throughout the night…
Judges 19:25
The story is about a Levite, and his concubine. A Levite is a member of the Levite tribe and descendant of Levi. A concubine is a woman servant who lives with a man and has a sexual relationship with him, but does not have the same rights and status as his wife (a sex slave).
One day the Levite, was traveling to Jerusalem (referred to as Jebus in the Old Testament), with his two saddled donkeys and his concubine. Then one evening as they neared Gibeah in Benjamin, they stopped to spend the night at an old mans home, who offered them shelter for the night. He took him into his house and fed his donkeys. After they had washed their feet, they had something to eat and drink.
While they were enjoying themselves, some of the wicked men of the city surrounded the house. Pounding on the door, they shouted to the old man who owned the house, “Bring out the man who came to your house so we can have sex with him!”
The owner of the house went outside and said to them, “No, my friends, don’t be so vile. Since this man is my guest, don’t do this outrageous thing. Look, here is my virgin daughter, and his concubine. I will bring them out to you now, and you can use them and do to them whatever you wish. But as for this man, don’t do such an outrageous thing!”
The man took his concubine and sent her outside to them, and they raped her and abused her throughout the night, and at dawn they let her go. She fell down at the door and lay there until the daylight. Then the man put her on his donkey and set out for home. When he reached home, he took a knife and cut her up, limb by limb, into twelve parts and sent them into all the areas of Israel.
The slaughter of the first-born of every single Egyptian man in the Bible
About midnight I will go throughout Egypt. Every firstborn son in Egypt will die, from the firstborn son of Pharaoh, who sits on the throne, to the firstborn son of the female slave, who is at her hand mill, and all the firstborn of the cattle as well.
Exodus 11–12
This is the story of the tenth and final plague that God brought upon the Egyptians, according to Exodus 11–12. In this story, the Pharaoh of Egypt has refused to let the Israelites go free after they had been enslaved in Egypt for many years. In response, God sends a series of plagues upon the Egyptians in order to convince the Pharaoh to let the Israelites go. The tenth and final plague is the death of the firstborn son of every family in Egypt. This event is seen as a demonstration of God’s power and his faithfulness to his people, and as a warning against disobedience and rebellion.
Extreme violence against infants
Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones.
Psalm 137:9
This verse is part of a psalm that laments the destruction of Jerusalem and the exile of the Israelites. This verse expresses the anger and bitterness of the psalmist towards the enemies of Israel who have caused the destruction of Jerusalem and the exile of the Israelites. The phrase “dasheth thy little ones against the stones” is a metaphor for extreme violence and cruelty against young children.
The Rape of Dinah by Shechem
There is also Genesis 34:2, which is a verse that comes from the story of Dinah, the daughter of Jacob. In this story, Dinah is raped by a man named Shechem, who is the son of Hamor the Hivite. After the rape, Shechem asks to marry Dinah, but her brothers are angry and seek revenge. They trick the Hivites into being circumcised, and then attack them and kill many of them, including Shechem.
And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her, and lay with her, and defiled her.
Genesis 34:2
According to some research, and in line with the culture around that time, Dinah was probably 7-9 years old.
Mary was Impregnated as a Child
According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, “Jewish maidens were considered marriageable at the age of twelve years and six months.” That’s right, 12 and a half years old. Scholars believe Mary would have been somewhere between 12-16 years old when she gave birth to Jesus.
Sodom and Gomorrah
The story of Sodom and Gomorrah is found in Genesis 19. According to the story, Sodom and Gomorrah were two cities that were said to be wicked and sinful. In other words, they were either pagan or practiced another religion that was considered unacceptable by the biblical authors.
God decided to destroy the cities, but before doing so, he sent two angels to warn a man named Lot, who lived in Sodom, to flee the city.
Look, I have two daughters who have never slept with a man. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do what you like with them.
Genesis 19
Lot and his family were initially reluctant to leave, but the angels urged them to do so, warning that the cities would soon be destroyed. As they were leaving, a group of men from the city surrounded Lot’s house and demanded that he turn over the two angels so that they could rape them. Lot, horrified at the thought, offered up his two virgin daughters to the men instead, saying that they could do what they wanted with them.
It gets worse.
One day the older daughter said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is no man around here to give us children… Let’s get our father to drink wine and then sleep with him and preserve our family line through our father.”
The next day the older daughter said to the younger, “Last night I slept with my father. Let’s get him to drink wine again tonight, and you go in and sleep with him so we can preserve our family line through our father.” So they got their father to drink wine that night also, and the younger daughter went in and slept with him.
Slavery
Exodus 21:20-21, says that if a man strikes his slave so that the slave dies immediately, the man shall be punished. However, if the slave survives for a day or two, the man shall not be punished, because the slave is his property.
Leviticus 25:44-45 says that if a man sells his daughter as a slave, she shall not be treated as a male slave would be treated. She shall be given the opportunity to be redeemed or to be set free after a certain number of years.
Peter 2:18 (the book of 1 Peter) addresses slaves and urges them to be obedient and respectful to their masters, even if their masters are harsh and unreasonable.
“Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh.”
Peter 2:18
Summary
The Bible contains more than a fair share of unpleasant reading. There is more of course, from God turning Lot’s wife into a pillar of salt (Genesis 19), or God becoming angry and causing it to rain for 40 days and 40 nights, flooding the entire world and killing all living things.
We also have Deuteronomy 25:11-12, that says if two men are fighting and a woman grabs the genitals of one of the men to stop the fight, her hand shall be cut off.
For no one who has a blemish shall draw near, a man blind or lame, or one who has a mutilated face or a limb too long, or a man who has an injured foot or an injured hand, or a hunchback or a dwarf or a man with a defect in his sight or an itching disease or scabs or crushed testicles.
Leviticus 21:18-19
All of these were written as laws and regulations given to the Israelites by God and were intended to guide their behavior and practices.
