Why Is There So Much Violence In The Bible? It's An Honest Book.
Image from northbrunswicknj.gov The Bible has been criticized for listing, portraying, describing, and including violence. Would it be a credible book about the human condition if it did not? Of course, the Bible has much to say about other topics: life, love, death, goodness, sin, holiness, faith, purpose, etc. When you are describing the human condition, you cannot escape a discussion of violence. Violence has marked much of how we define human history. As a college student and a history major, I learned how much of what was defined as history was actually the record successive rulers and kingdoms. Their comings and goings were marked by violence: war, military conquest, genocide, and forced migrations. You cannot understand or address human needs without acknowledging we really aren't naturally good at heart. Original sin marks itself in our history through violence. God acknowledges this violence by giving us a revelation---the Holy Bible-- that clearly show...