Who are God's Chosen People?
One thing that has bothered me for some time is the fact that the Bible (which is supposed to be a history of man and his dealings with God up to about 2000 years ago) only concerns people that lived in and around Jerusalem. God's chosen people are the Hebrews or Jews. What made them so special that they were considered "chosen"? Why did God neglect the rest of the world? No one outside of this area ever heard of God until global trade started to take place. None of the asian countries were Jewish or Christian. Europe wasn't Jewish or Christian until after this time, when Constantine spread Christianity throughout the Roman Empire. None of the ancient americans were Jewish or Christian (unless you believe the Book of Mormon). Why is this? I don't bye the fact that God enabled people like Moses or Paul or Nephi to spread the word of the Jewish or Christian God. Their reach was simply way too small.
Mormons will tell you that Lehi's journey to the America's could have been to preach the Gospel to the people of America. The problem here is that the limited geography theory of the Book of Mormon has no proof or backing, and there is no record in the Book of Mormon about preaching the Gospel to Native Americans. Of course there is always the sealed portion of the Book of Mormon that apologists will tell you probably contains this information, but that the world is just not ready for that information yet.
Even if that is true, why not the Asians, and why not the Africans? It just doesn't make sense. The old testament only speaks of the Jewish God. The new testament only speaks of the Christian God. And neither of these Gods existed prior to 6,000 years ago, so all the humans that lived before Adam and Eve didn't have a God. Again, this just doesn't make sense.
posted by Bishop Rick @ Tuesday, September 19, 2006
20 comments
20 Comments:
That is a great question, as far as the reach of this God to all the parts of the world. I can't say there is a great answer to that question that will suffice anyone. I know there was limits to mobility of this faith. I also see the beginnings of this faith (ex: Moses, Abe, and others) as just that, a working out of the faith they were to follow...which you cannot present to anyone while figuring it out (or else you have some problems). I think Paul was the first person to bring this faith to other communities and from there it spread (still way after the fact). It's a good question and one I will have to delve into (possibly read the OT again) deeper.
Well, if you buy the whole "Chosen People" thing, you can stop worrying about "all the humans who lived before Adam and Eve", because there weren't any. That solves a lot of your worry. And then I suppose you can say that all the non-Jews are descendents of Cain, so - using the sins of the father visited upon the children - they (through him) rejected God.
There you go. All solved.
Or you can accept that the story was created to give a sense of cohesion, community, and purpose to one small group of people who have since become, through an off-shoot of their religion that extended the chance to belong to the Chosen to anyone who wants it, extremely numerous.
Thanks, I enjoyed your take on the subject. I guess I have come to the conclusion that Maybe good has spoken to everyone according to their cultural standards of acceptance. When you boil down most religions, it is a simple belief in a higher power. Maybe that's all he wants us to believe. Three words come to mind: Love, Faith, and Hope. Maybe that is the whole message?!?
personally, I think that God is God no matter what you call Him or how you worship Him. As for the chosen nature of the jewish people, you have to remember that the people writing the books in the bible were hardly unbiased.
http://mysterymessiah.blogspot.com
BR, this is a great question. Since I've been married to a non-member, and have had ample exposure of great people who are not of the "One True Church" faith, I've come to the same conclusions as you. There is just no way on God's green earth that he's going to bless me to a higher level of heaven simply because I happened to be born LDS, when the non-member people I know are way more qualified for exaltation by good works than I am. Sigh.
Haven't seen your comments over on Outer Blogness much lately. Too busy with Molly the Mormon??
;)
SML,
I have been out of town without access to the internet. Back now, will be posting tomorrow (actually later today).
I don't waste my time with Molly. She's married.
Aaaaah. I see!
:)
God's Chosen People.
They are whales and dolphins.
Didn't anyone watch that one Star Trek movie where Spock and crew went back and time and saved the whale?
Nice question. 10 Billion answers.
Hi BR, just wanted you to know I finally added you to my blogroll. Hope that's OK.
Well, its about time. As soon as I figure out how to do that, I will create a blog roll of my own.
Yo, BR, Sinister Porpoise blogged about you....
:)
Unfortunately, while I cannot reveal Molly's identity, I can tell you that it is not Bisphop Rick.
Personally, I think the Bible is concerned with the Hebrew relationship simply because the other peoples had their own stories about the relationship with their god or gods. It's only with modern thinking that there is only one God that this becomes a problem.
Bishop, if you're not Molly, then I have nothing to believe in any more!!! Sob sob.
I'm going to keep up the faith and continue in my zealous pursuit of truth that you are in fact Molly AND Peter-Priesthood. Anyone who tells me otherwise is following Satan, I just know it.
:)
I couldn't believe when you guessed that none of my truths were a lie...
But which one in my Take Two is my lie???
I don't want to reveal my truth out of the lies until I see what you guess....are you gonna guess?
I'm ready for another deep question by Bishop Rick here. Do you have any more??
:) Happy Thanksgiving, you.
I find the whole issue frankly disturbing and racist, and one designed to cause divisions and feelings of superiority. If there is a God (and of that I am not so sure) surely he would not punish those who would have no chance of knowing.
my marrakech,
I totally agree.
The God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament are actually the same God. Jesus often referred to the OT and definitely considered his teachings to be in line with the spirit of the teachings of the "OT God."
There are indeed many historical problems with the Book of Mormon though. The OT and NT have much historical evidence in their favor. That is not the case with the Book of Mormon. For more on the historicity of the OT and NT, and the problems of the Book of Mormon, go to http://www.mrm.org/
and http://www.carm.org/lds/bom.problems.htm
That last link should have been
http://www.carm.org/lds/bom_problems.htm
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