God is...Love? This video proves he isn't!

[queenofnines]

It's a common utterance amongst Christians that "God is Love".  However, the Bible itself defines what love is in 1 Corinthians 13, and Yahweh fails each and every definition miserably.  Nonstampcollector just released a great comparison video that shows how the god of the Bible is most certainly NOT love:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wc1Vt9S9v8Q

Christians, I'd love to hear your rebuttals to the point made by this video.

[jordandog]

Yeah, I know, the Christians aren't getting the first crack at a reply here, but I had to jump in (slap my hand, but NO feces on my face, please) and say gem of a find again, QON!

[jcribb16]

It does seems contrary that a God who is love can also hate. We are created with the capacity to both love and hate; it is part of our very being created in the image of God. The fact that we are all stained with sin does not negate the fact that the ability to love and hate is part of the image of God that was created within us all. So, if it's not a contradiction for a human being to be able to love and hate, then much more so would it not be a contradiction for God to be able to love and hate.

When the Bible does speak of God hating, the object of God’s hatred is usually sin and wickedness. Among the things God hates are idolatry (Deuteronomy 12:31; 16:22) and those who do evil (Psalm 5:4-6; 11:5). Proverbs 6:16-19 outlines seven things the Lord hates: pride, lying, murder, evil plots, those who love evil, false witness, and troublemakers. Notice that this these things do not include just things that God hates; it includes people as well.

God hates these things because they are contrary to His nature—God’s nature of being holy, pure, and righteous.  David writes in Psalm 5:4, “For thou art not a God that has pleasure in wickedness; neither shall evil dwell with thee.” God is holy and hates sin. If He did not hate sin, He would not be holy. God is love, but He is also wrath, justice, and vengeance. But His wrath is a holy wrath and His justice and vengeance are holy as well. God’s love is holy. Therefore, He cannot "love everyone all the time no matter what they do," as some like to claim.  God loves righteousness and holiness and He hates sin and evil. 

So even though God hates sin and loves holiness, He loves us because we have the righteousness of Christ who became sin for us on the cross (2 Corinthians 5:21). He poured out His wrath and vengeance against sin on His Son, so that He could pour out His mercy and love on us. But without that sacrifice done for us, His wrath and hatred remain on us because He hates our sin. The Bible never says He hates the sin, but loves the sinner.  Psalm 7:11 says, "God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day."

Even as a Christian, questions put forth to us, like yours above, are definitely worth a deserving answer.  It's hard to answer though when even to me it's hard to understand.  I have to remember that God's ways and thoughts are higher and deeper than ours.  We don't see the whole inside situation to know exactly why He seems contrary to His own words. 

One other thing about God being jealous, yet we are not to envy, is that God's jealousy is only for what should be given to Him (our belief in Him, praises, worship, talents, etc.) where our envy is usually toward wanting things other people have that we don't.  I do believe that an example of a jealousy that could be compared to the kind God would not be upset over, is when another man looks upon someone's wife with envy, and the husband gets that jealous feeling.  He is only wanting his wife's love and affection and the other man should go find his own wife to love.

I realize this doesn't completely address the question but given some extra time, I would like to search for some more answers.  Hope you are having a nice weekend!  I'll try to get back soon. 

[Falconer02]

The fact that we are all stained with sin does not negate the fact that the ability to love and hate is part of the image of God that was created within us all.

That's quite a statement. How is one supposed to respect a belief system when the followers assume everyone is "stained with teh evilz" and therefore should believe in their personal deity to stop the guilt-tripping insults? In order for someone or something to retain respect, it should be respectable of everyone and not toss around such blatant and idiotic curses. You wonder why the relgious get so much flak around this forum-- it's naive statements like this.

Then again, I'm probably starting an argument with a religious person which is pointless in itself. If one could argue rationally with the religious, there would be no religious people.

[jordandog]

One other thing about God being jealous, yet we are not to envy, is that God's jealousy is only for what should be given to Him (our belief in Him, praises, worship, talents, etc.) where our envy is usually toward wanting things other people have that we don't.

Interesting that you are giving God a human emotion, jealousy, when he is supposedly above and excluded from any negative trait, any trait period, of mankind. If I am not mistaken, that is setting limits on his omnipotence, which is a complete impossibility - you can't have it both ways.

[queenofnines]

gem of a find again, QON!

Why thank you.     I'm surprised I haven't heard this particular point before; I knew people like to say "god is love" and also that the god of the Bible does countless unloving things, but I never thought to bring up Corinthians.  I keep learning more and more solid arguments, I tell ya!   

Oh, and Google is god, btw.  It is all-knowing and always answers your queries.   

[jcribb16]

One other thing about God being jealous, yet we are not to envy, is that God's jealousy is only for what should be given to Him (our belief in Him, praises, worship, talents, etc.) where our envy is usually toward wanting things other people have that we don't.

Interesting that you are giving God a human emotion, jealousy, when he is supposedly above and excluded from any negative trait, any trait period, of mankind. If I am not mistaken, that is setting limits on his omnipotence, which is a complete impossibility - you can't have it both ways.

He, Himself, tells us He is a jealous God, but only of those things that are Holy His; not the kind of envy of wanting something someone has, which is more like the jealousy and envy we experience.

[marieelissa]

God is the one responsible for making us die and putting us in a physical form that could have all kinds of things go wrong with it. We only have to die and return to the ground because of him.

Couldn't he had just made us all angels from the beginning and done away with all this need for doctors and surgery and countless other things we humans and all other life have to endure.

Was all this necessary? I really don't think so.

I don't want my body messed up in life but it could happen.

[aaddie256]

The whole point of that is because of eve getting the apple...duh. thats why we are going through this if not we WoULD of had eternal life... God also sayS dont questions is work...... so IF U BELIEVE THEN U WENT ?IS WORK.... EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON...U TAKE CARE OF UR BODY U WANT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT SURGERY AND DOCTORS...

OUTRO

[queenofnines]

God is the one responsible for making us die and putting us in a physical form that could have all kinds of things go wrong with it. We only have to die and return to the ground because of him.

Hmm, so you think if there were no supernatural deities, nothing that is alive would ever break down, age, deteriorate, get destroyed, die?  You're forgetting that billions of other things besides humans are alive, too.  That is quite the unrealistic expectation of biological creatures you have there in a world without gods.   

[queenofnines]

The whole point of that is because of eve getting the apple...duh.

It never says Eve ate an apple...duh.

U TAKE CARE OF UR BODY U WANT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT SURGERY AND DOCTORS...

Well this statement is an utter lie.  You could do everything right and still get cancer; it happens everyday!  Now is it your loving god who gave you cancer, or biology?   

OUTRO

lol  You're whole string of words almost made me think you were trollin' this thread or joking based on the poor, poor structure...but the scary thing is, millions of people actually talk/think like this.   

[gaylasue]

God is Love and Just.  Please don't let satan and his demons claim your soul!!

[marieelissa]

God is the one responsible for making us die and putting us in a physical form that could have all kinds of things go wrong with it. We only have to die and return to the ground because of him.

Hmm, so you think if there were no supernatural deities, nothing that is alive would ever break down, age, deteriorate, get destroyed, die?  You're forgetting that billions of other things besides humans are alive, too.  That is quite the unrealistic expectation of biological creatures you have there in a world without gods.   

I was saying that it happens because there is no God not because there is a God. God didn't cause things to die but rather they die because that is how it is.

[shernajwine]

Okay I'm going to respond to every point made in video. I apologize but because I hate excessively long posts, I'm going to separate each point into seperate posts so it will be easier to read.

Love is patient
Genesis 3:13-19 Romans 5:12
As a parent I am told by professionals that if I tell my children there will be a consequence for an action that I must follow through without faltering. It’s good parenting, as matter of fact it is considered BAD parenting to not give consequences for inappropriate behavior and rule breaking. Consistency and firmness with love make a stable and comforting home for children. It’s not considered by anyone to be impatience to administer discipline for rule breaking.

Now God created the universe and everything on the earth and lastly created man. He gave him free will and gave instruction and listed consequences for rule breaking. God knew the outcome before he ever got started. We can understand from scripture a glimpse of why God made man knowing he would sin.

God’s purpose was to create a world in which His glory could be manifest in all its fullness. The glory of God is the overarching goal of creation. In fact, it is the overarching goal of everything He does. The universe was created to display God’s glory (Psalm 19:1).

But this leads to another discussion. Right now I am answering the accusation that God fails the love is patient characteristic.

So now I will give some examples of how God IS patient.
1.The people of Amalek found in 1 Samuel often tried to wipe Israel out but God gave them 400 years to repent. (FYI they never did)

2.The book of Jonah describes God’s patience with Nineveh even though:
When archaeologists uncovered Nineveh, the TV specials produced from their work had to be filtered because the evidence of brutality was so great. The discoveries unearthed facts such as how the Assyrians used to slowly impale their victims by sliding them down sharp poles, and that they also made handbags from their victim’s skins. In a stone pillar found at Nineveh, one Assyrian ruler boasted of “nobles I flayed” and “three thousand captives I burned with fire. I left not one hostage alive. I cut off the hands and feet of some. I cut off the noses, ears and fingers of others. The eyes of numerous soldiers I put out. Maidens I burned as a holocaust.” http://www.gotquestions.org/is-God-evil.html

God set rules for Adam and Eve and they broke them. Being a good parent God followed through on the consequences. And being a loving parent he gave us a way of redeeming ourselves through the person of Jesus Christ his own son who died for us.

[shernajwine]

Love is kind
I suppose the video producer read Genesis 6, 7,  and 8 and thought it would be the nice thing for God to do to leave the people alone. After all so what if every person had become “corrupt” - “EVERY inclination of their heart was evil ALL the time”-“and the land was filled with violence because of them”.

I know if everyone in my neighborhood around me was corrupt, evil and violent ALL the time I would be perfectly fine with that and would think it would be the nice thing to do to not call the law on them and have them removed from decent society.

The video mentioned 1Kings 20 and the incident where a prophet was killed by a lion.
The king of Israel was a bad king. God sent a prophet to the king, the prophet needed a way to approach the king and if he appeared to be an injured soldier God knew he would receive an audience. The prophet asked another prophet of God to injure him and the prophet refused.

Perhaps being killed by a lion seems harsh but then perhaps the man producing the video has some super power as to know that this man was completely innocent in all other aspects of his life and perhaps God should tolerate insubordinate and disobedience in his prophets. Perhaps forgetting the bigger picture (the nation of Israel at the hands of a disobedient and evil king) is less important when you look at ones man’s death due to disobedience.

I think it was kind that God spared Noah and his family in the flood. I think it was kind that God gave Sarah and Abraham a baby even though she was barren. I think it was kind that even though Nineveh was so horrible God wanted to save them. I think it was kind that after Job lost everything God gave him more than he had before. There are so many examples of God’s kindness throughout the bible I cannot list them all. But the kindest thing he ever did was send his son to die for us.