The Jealous God
A common dogma tells us that the Abrahamic god is a jealous god, meaning there are things he demands that we must give him and he'll punish us if he doesn't get them. Why do I mention this? Because he's also supposedly omnipotent, omniscient, benevolent and allegedly the source of all wisdom and morality. So let's consider that for a moment. How do we look at a person who throws a tantrum when they don't get what they want? Childish? Juvenile? Certainly not someone who is wise, moral or benevolent.
But he's the creator, we're told. We owe him things like worship and praise because he has that right. Let's look at someone who builds an ant farm. What do the ants owe the person who maintains their farm? Do they deserve to be flooded, baked or starved if they don't behave according to the rigid demands of their owner?
History tells the story of hundreds of kings and queens with total dominion over their kingdoms. As a general rule we look poorly on the ones who treated their station as a right to be exploited and we look favorably on the ones who treated it as a responsibility. Jealous kings and queens aren't deemed wise or benevolent but tyrants. Benevolent kings and queens were the ones who ruled fairly, forgiving human frailty while guiding their kingdoms through crisis and prosperity alike.
The god of Abraham has more in common with a child than a benevolent ruler. Children are jealous of what they consider their rightful due and we try to teach them to abandon such attitudes as they mature.
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Thanks for the clear and well written thoughts. I meant to write a response days ago but got sidetracked. But I'd like to keep the discussion going, so I'll make a short version.
The word "jealous" has come to connote a childlike envy and a generally irrational response. I don't think that's the idea it was intended to portray in the bible. Rather, it's a feeling of ire at the injustice of a situation. It's often likened to the jealousy of a spouse - they rightly claim exclusivity and are angered at the betrayal of the other.
The ant farm analogy is interesting, but I think it's flawed in that the owner hasn't created the ants nor imbued them with the ability to appreciate/worship/etc. If you had created the ants, given them the ability to respond to you, taken care of them, fed them, etc., and then saw them go and worship your cat, you might be a little pissed. This is closer to what I think the idea with god is, but it's still dangerously tending toward anthropomorphizing god.
However you choose to interpret jealousy, it's still not something we associate with benevolent rulers. Benevolent rulers do not torture and kill most of their population whether or not they feel parental toward them.
Creation doesn't change the circumstances, either. I had a hand in creating my children but I'd never in a million years torture or kill them for disobedience. When a creature is dependent on me for food, shelter and support I am responsible to it no matter how it behaves toward me. The ants in my farm do not deserve to be wiped out by a flood because they behaved against my wishes.
Hmm, how I always have been taught. Its that God is jealous when we worship something other than him. My appreciation for my wonderful fiance is of course appreciation to God for making such a wonderful human that I get along so grand with. But if I didn't praise him than I am worshiping the creation not the creator. Now in my truest of hearts I really thank him every day for creating someone so amazing.
In the same way, if someone is openly flirting with my girlfriend I don't act out but I feel that jealousy inside of me building up, which it is okay to be jealous in those situations.
I think Paul says it best.
This is precisely the jealousy the apostle Paul described in 2 Corinthians 11:2, “I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy."
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In your words:
Put another way, if we're not explicitly worshiping your god and giving him all the credit then he gets jealous and punishes us. Are you familiar with divine command theory?
Yes I have, believe it or not I was a Deist before God found me. I think the biggest part of my relationship with God. I have been pulled through things and shown things that should of never happened to me before I started reading the bible. Than I studied Biblical Science and learned and formed my own opinions about God. But the one thing that has to be pretty consistent with me is that I read the Bible and not take it out of context.
In that regards meaning according to the time it was written and when it was written and the original language it was written in meaning something totally different than what people 'think' it means today.
"Context" isn't a useful argument. In the context of when the books of the Bible was written the god of Abraham was a literally bloodthirsty tyrant who could do whatever he wanted whenever he wanted for any reason he chose. If we base our understanding on the ideas of Bronze Age nomads then the god worshipped by the majority of people today will kill and torture most of humanity for the crime of not believing. That was the mindset of the time, when life was cheap and brutal.