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Post by Kessie on Dec 22, 2012 1:33:23 GMT -5
Why do people have such strong opinions about Abraham sacrificing Isaac? It's all symbolic and stuff, like a lot of Bible stories. I always get choked up thinking of what must have been going through Abraham's head.
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Post by Resha Caner on Dec 22, 2012 10:12:46 GMT -5
I'm not sure what you mean by "it's all symbolic." Are you saying you don't think Abraham was real? Or the request to sacrifice him wasn't real?
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Post by Kessie on Dec 22, 2012 12:32:40 GMT -5
It's symbolic of Jesus. That mountain they were on was the same area as Golgotha, I believe. How God provided the ram to be offered in Isaac's place and all that. I have no doubts Abraham and Isaac were real people.
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Post by Resha Caner on Dec 22, 2012 12:55:33 GMT -5
OK. I'm glad we agree on that. You just never know ...
That helps me answer your question. The issue some people have, then, is the idea that God would demand we sacrifice our children. As I mentioned, the issue includes Jephthah as well.
I don't think that's at all what this story is conveying, but you can understand why people might get a little angry if they think that is what the story means.
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Post by Kessie on Dec 22, 2012 22:50:44 GMT -5
Isaac's sacrifice was a test for Abraham, and Abraham didn't actually kill him. Jephthah was an idiot who made a stupid vow. Saul made the same kind of vow (whoever eats today will die!) and Jonathan ate, but the people wouldn't let him kill Jonathan. Somebody should have stopped Jeph.
The difference being between a man being tested by God, and a moron making vows he shouldn't have. I don't see how the two are connected, really.
It is comforting to know that God uses stupid people despite their failings. :-)
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Post by Resha Caner on Dec 23, 2012 14:54:26 GMT -5
You're preaching to the choir (or at least one member of the choir). I'm a bass, BTW, and my favorite Christmas song is O Holy Night.
Anyway, some people are determined to see the story a different way, and that saddens me. I ask myself, "Why?" I know the answer is sin, but that's not what I'm looking for when I ask the question. I'm always trying to dig and find out what informs their view - what specifically caused the distortion.
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