If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times, atheists should not get involved in theological discussions. Period. They are their own best evidence against their involvement. Take for instance this little gem from "the Poised Atheist". (https://thepoisedatheist.wordpress.com/2016/07/29/recap-of-joshua/).
Where to begin? First, how can one call an emotional tirade bereft of any evidence or citation a "recap"? It's simply a tantrum in word form, based on a "discussion" of the book of Joshua. A discussion with whom? How in depth? Was this a one sided affair with only atheists sitting around passing judgement on something they're ignorant of? (I know that at the very least the "Poised Atheist" is ignorant, as they repeatedly call the book a "chapter" throughout their little tirade.) So because of this little inconsistency, I took to Google in am attempt to see if perhaps there was a podcast, or YouTube channel, or some other form of media where I might find this discussion. I found nothing. Actually, that's not entirely accurate. I did find out that the "Poised Atheist", is a big fan of Robert Price, a man who was decimated in a debate by Dr. James White. (https://www.youtube.com/shared?ci=vX46bnjCYPk) So all we have to go in is this emotional diatribe that isn't worth the hard drive space it wastes to keep it online. There isn't a single factual point brought up in this post. No evidence laid out, no point of contention explored, not even a passage from the book cited! Of course, I could ramble, but instead why don't I show you what I'm talking about.
Early this week I finished up my discussion of the book of Joshua. Joshua was a 24 chapter book detailing the time of Joshua who led the Israelites into the promised land after Moses died. To put it simply, Joshua is quite possibly the most disgusting book in the Bible.
Aside from being horribly simplified, by what standard could an atheist claim anything is "disgusting"? They have no objective moral standard, therefore the claim of being "disgusted" is nothing more than so much wind. It carries no weight except to the author, which makes it meaningless to everyone else. Now, if they want to claim it is objectively "disgusting", then they must borrow from the Christian worldview to gain that objective standard. The fact that they then need to borrow from the Christian worldview males it defacto the correct objective worldview, meaning that the Bible is actually a moral book, thereby making the argument that it's "disgusting" groundless.
Now, to the book of Joshua. While it's true that Joshua was the next leader of the Israelites after Moses died, it is infantile to simplify it down to "he led them to the promised land". Joshua details the war the Israelites had to fight to regain their land, that had been promised to them by God. You see what the "Poised Atheist" neglects to realize is, the Israelites had been forcibly captured and put into slavery by the Egyptians. During that time, other people groups had inhabited the now empty land. War is not a pretty thing, it is however, sometimes a necessary thing.
Death? Yes. Murder? Yes. Rape? Yes. Killing of children and babies? Yes. Misogyny? Yes. Hardening of hearts? Yes. Slavery? Yes. Pillaging of cities? Yes. Pushing innocent people out of their land? Yes. All done by God’s command? YES!
Notice how there isn't a single passage cited to back up any of these emotional assertions? Was there death? Of course, it was a war!
Murder? citation needed.
Rape? citation needed.
Killing of children and babies? Now this is rich, coming from an atheist who undoubtedly is ok with abortion! Hypocrisy thy name is "Poised Atheist"! Let's consider something for a moment. The Canaanites were a pagan people, fond of child sacrifice, ritualistic murder to their false gods, basically a list as long as my arm of things that are by any standard of morality, abominable. The men would of course be fighting against the men of Israel, and they were to be wiped out. In some cases even the women fought against the Israelites. Now, if you wipe out all the men and even a good portion of the women in battle, who is left to care for the children? You certainly can't bring them along, aside from being a major problem in terms of supplies, it's not as though they'll be happy to follow you after just having killed their parents. So instead, you would have all these children and babies left to either starve to death, die of dehydration, or exposure, since all of their cities were burned to the ground. It may not be a great thing, but unfortunately in the era in which the Israelites lived, it was a necessary thing, and in the end, the most humane and kind thing, that could be done. Of course I don't see the "Poised Atheist" railing against the Canaanites sacrifices of their own women, children and babies, but hey, atheists are nothing if not inconsistent!
Misogyny? Yeah this is what atheists who haven't even actually read the Bible like to throw out all the time. Hate to burst your bubble, but the story of Rahab is one shining example of the exact opposite of misogyny. She's in fact a hero, first hiding two Israelite spies so they weren't captured in Jericho, then saving all of her family. How is a heroine of a book misogynistic? It isn't, but it's the go to word for ignorant atheists who refuse to read or study that which they slander.
Hardening of hearts? Why would an atheist care? We are talking about a group of people that hated the Israelites, and wished destruction on them. In hardening their hearts, God made it so that instead of running away when defeat was imminent, they would continue to remember their hatred of Israel, and fight to the last man. It isn't like the Canaanites were somehow ambivalent to or apathetic of Israel, (quite the contrary in fact)and God just decided to arbitrarily change their minds. Their hearts were already hardened and wicked, denying God, sacrificing their women and children, and detesting the chosen people of God. God simply gave them what they wanted, which was to further harden their hearts against Him and His people.
Slavery? Wait a second, wasn't the "Poised Atheist" just a moment ago complaining about how the Israelites killed everyone was bad, but now when they decide to defy God and allow the Canaanites to live as servants (there are specific laws held by the Jews regarding slavery and servitude protecting those in service) now they're going to complain about that too? Inconsistency and atheism goes hand in hand doesn't it...
Pillaging of cities? What part of "It's war stupid!" is so hard to understand?
Pushing innocent people out of their land? If it isn't clear by now, let me reiterate. The Canaanites were not "innocent people". Remember al that child sacrifice and ritual murder stuff? Yeah, that doesnt go unpunished by God. And again, we're talking about a war to reclaim land that was unjustly stolen from the Israelites! If you have a problem with this, then find out whatever native peoples were living where you live now, and give them back your land. It's only fair since they were innocent people pushed out of their land right?
All done by God's command? I seriously got a headache at this point. First, the slavery was directly opposed to what God had commanded, thereby making this entire statement false. Why was it against God's command? Because of exactly what happened afterward, namely that the Israelites would begin to fall away from God and His law, and take up the evil practices of those they had captured. As to the rest, considering it was war, and that the "Poised Atheist" couldn't string together one complete thought, nor give a single citation for their assertions, I think it's safe to say there's not a single issue with God commanding what He did.
See what I mean?
No, not really since all you've done is give misrepresentative emotional assertions that are easily debunked. What is there to see?
This chapter is horrible!
Again, based on what? You're baseless and unsupported assertions that I've already shredded like cheap tissue paper? Oh and here we go with calling the BOOK of Joshua a "chapter".
How a person can read this chapter and remain a Christian is beyond me.
Apparently there is a great deal that is beyond you then. Perhaps if you hadn't come right out of the gate with emotional half truths and dishonesty, you'd actually have learned something? Is that asking too much?
This book holds no moral values and is evidence the Bible should NEVER be used to support moral living. Moral living according to the Bible is to be against anyone who is not like you. Hating them is not enough. You must kill them too.
So is it a book or a chapter "Poised Atheist"? Because you keep slipping back and forth between the two. They have very different definitions, so how you're confusing them is odd. Now as to "supporting moral living" how can you possibly make such an assertion since you have no foundation to call a single aspect of what's found in the book objectionable? All anyone would have to say is "I disagree" and your entire angry paroxysm is defeated! Since the Israelites found it to be moral, who are you to tell them otherwise? You have no moral authority, nor objective standard to base such an accusation upon! Your last line in this paragraph reminds me of a child who's parents just told them no, and they've now thrown themselves on the floor and are in the throws of the most epic tantrum ever displayed. You cannot support such an asinine assertion by any stretch of anyone's imagination. What part of "love thy neighbor as thyself", Jesus's own words, sounds like "if anyone is different, kill them!" It doesn't, and you're a moron for even putting the words into a sentence. War, especially war for territory, has exactly nothing to do with how different the people in the territory you're trying to control are from you. Of course it's nonsensical lines like this that lead me to believe that "Poised Atheist" is another of those ignorant enough to claim that Christianity is just as bad as radical Islam.
I don’t expect the Bible to get better after this, but it simply amazes me how all of this can be right there in the Bible and yet Christians still hold up the Bible as an amazing book to be used as a guide to lead one’s life.
Considering how badly you've mangled this so far, I'm sure it amazes you that planes can fly, water is wet, and that you need air to breathe. This isn't meant to be an ad hominem, I'm simply stating that if you approach every aspect of your life with this little regard for truth or context, it's a wonder you can make it through a day!
If you’re using the Bible as a guide to lead your life, you are either faking it or you should be in prison because you’ve likely murdered or raped someone by now.
And right back to that epic tantrum based on absolute falsehoods. I understand that there are those that disagree with Christianity, and disbelieve the Bible, but I'd like just once, if people like the "Poised Atheist" would actually do so based on something other than lies and insults. Again, where does "love they neighbor" fall into going to prison for rape or murder? This is just another asinine statement meant to insult those with a higher intellect than the "Poised Atheist". In fact, let's break that down shall we? Poised: "having a composed and self-assured manner. Having a graceful and elegant bearing." What part of what we just read even remotely resembles "poised"? It's a short, rambling paroxysm, a tantrum thrown by a person with the mental capacity of a child. It's an ignorant, arrogant word salad thrown together by one so inept at argumentation, so bereft of the most basic logical and cognitive skills required for even a basic foundation for a competent discussion and critique of a subject, that they can get no further than the level of a child calling someone a "poopy head" to win an argument!
I've ranted enough for now. As always, I've left the link to the "Unbalanced and childlike Atheist's" blog post so you can see for yourself, I've left nothing out, and misrepresented nothing. If you're an atheist reading this right now, please do not stoop to this level of argumentation. It's beneath contempt and is not reflective of a stable intellect. God bless!
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