bjs wrote:
Setting aside your straw man version of Jesus statements about the law,
Straw man? Sorry but if you want to accuse someone of making straw man statements about Jesus and the law you'll have to call out Matthew on that one.
Matthew 5:
[17] Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
[18] For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
If you want to claim that Jesus changed the laws given by the prophets then you'll have to produce the scriptures that support your claim. Until then you are in no position to be calling the observations of others that CAN be backed up by scriptures "Straw Man".
In fact, this is precisely the kind of denial we get from theists all the time. I point out what's actually in the scriptures, and you accuse me of making up "Straw man" stuff.
bjs wrote:
in what way are Christians failing to keep Gods law? Are you suggesting that God has given modern Christians specific towns in which they are to prevent idolatry? Which towns are these?
He didn't state any specific towns. In fact, Deuteronomy states: "If there be found among you, within any of thy gates which the LORD thy God giveth thee".
If you are a Christian surely you believe that God has created the entire world and therefore any gates that you have chosen to live within have been given to you by the LORD.
So if any heathens come into any town that you call "Home" preaching of other Gods that would qualify. It's up to you to keep your town Holy unto God.
Caveat: You may personally wave off this
interpretation because you don't personally care for this commandment of your LORD thy God. But that's totally irrelevant. Christians argue among themselves all the time. The only point I need to demonstrate is that there are
interpretations that can be argued for via these Biblical scriptures. Therefore all we need to do is find
ONE CHRISTIAN who sees this as a valid interpretation and there is absolutely nothing you could do to argue against him or her other than to proclaim your own subjective opinion that you don't think they have it right.
You certainly can't argue on any grounds that you don't think this would be very "Good". Because you're not supposed to be able to say what's Good or Bad. Only God can say that, and clearly God had ordered men to kill heathens and preachers of other Gods if they come into their town. One could also argue that the scriptures state clearly that God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow to support the argument that if God saw this as being GOOD at any time, then it must be GOOD all the time.
So even if you personally reject this interpretation that wouldn't mean a thing. All that would amount to is your own personal subjective opinion. It wouldn't be the
WORD OF GOD.
Clearly the Bible shows that God commanded men to kill those who worship other Gods, and even the Moon, or Sun, etc.
Deut. 17:3 And hath gone and served other gods, and worshipped them, either the sun, or moon, or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded;
As far as I can see this God wants all these people to be killed if they come into the gates of
YOUR "God-Given"
TOWN.
Thank GOODNESS I'm not a Christian!
But my point is that you could not argue against any "Christian" who interprets the Bible in this way other than to object that you personally don't like his or her interpretation. That's all you could do.
