It Is Time to Hold God Accountable

All Rights Reserved © 2000 by David J. Deines

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Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version.® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of International Bible Society.

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ISBN: 978-1-469-73889-5 (ebook)

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Dedicated to all truthseekers

Contents

List of Abbreviations

PART 1

God’s Existence and His Accountability

CHAPTER 1

Laying the Foundation for God’s Accountability

CHAPTER 2

God’s Actions Against Our Original Parents

CHAPTER 3

God’s Temper Tantrum Destroys a World

CHAPTER 4

God Interferes With the Right of Firstborn

CHAPTER 5

God’s Unconscionable Dealings With His Faithful Servants

CHAPTER 6

Choosing and Conquering the Promised Land

CHAPTER 7

God Compromises His Integrity With King David

CHAPTER 8

Israel-A Nation Deceived by God

CHAPTER 9

Who Is Jesus Christ?

CHAPTER 10

What Are the Answers?

CHAPTER 11

God’s Performance Review

PART 2

Humankind Without God

CHAPTER 12

The Bible-True or False?

CHAPTER 13

Repercussions Over a Nonexistent God

References

List of Abbreviations

PART 1

God’s Existence and His Accountability

CHAPTER 1

Laying the Foundation for God’s Accountability

This book determines how God, as presented throughout the pages of the Bible, has never existed and the tremendous repercussions brought to bare on humanity after evidence and logic are explored. Then why is it titled, It Is Time To Hold God Accountable?

First, we must consider what proof of his existence is offered in the Bible. Anyone can say, There never was a God. But upon what, is the statement based?

The main source document of God’s existence is the Bible and without knowledge of its contents, how can anyone realistically determine his existence or lack thereof?

There are two key words in the title; Time and Accountable. Why is this the time to consider God’s accountability if he never existed? According to the Bible, it was God’s divine plan to have his earthly son Jesus Christ sacrificed as a redemption for humankind after Adam’s original sin, marking the beginning of Christian belief. Since then countless millions of people have followed Jesus Christ’s teachings.

In modern times, how many Christians walk the face of the earth on any given day? LIFE magazine, its December, 1999 issue under the article, 2000 Years of Christianity, by Robert Sullivan gives us the answer:

Two millennia later, two billion people call themselves Christians. It is the world’s largest religion, and in more than 20,000 sects and denominations it offers an astonishing variety of ways to worship.

At the beginning of the twenty-first century, the world population is slightly over six billion. This means one-third are professed Christians; a major influence to say the least. After two millenniums of Christian teachings and influence from the Bible, is earth a safer or more dangerous dwelling for humanity? If this is not the time to consider God’s accountability, when will it be?

Which leads us to the second key word; Accountable. For what is the God of the Bible held accountable?

A. His unrealistic decisions and destruction of major human populations throughout the millenniums,

B. killing specific innocent humans,

C. destroying countless millions of lower animal life, and

D. ruining the original topography of the earth he created.

Holding God accountable for such actions is a major step toward proving he never existed.

This book is structured into two parts. In dealing with Part 1, The Bible is viewed as complete truth and presents God as creator of the universe and behind the scenes divine inspiration to the authors of the Bible, a compilation of smaller books. Approaching the Bible from a factual point of view is the only way an honest appraisal can be made.

From the time Christianity took root, Christians have been taught to worship him as a God of love, while numerous biblical stories reveal the opposite, creating a dilemma few Christians are willing to face. If God actually exists, then his accountability quickly surfaces when we scrutinize a few of those stories. By the conclusion of Part 1, the accountability leveled against God for his biblically described actions is so powerful, the question of his very existence becomes valid.

Part 2 begins with the question; The Bible-True Or False? In that chapter other portions of the Bible are reviewed under such subheadings as:

Archaeology

Other Missing Artifacts

The Bible and Chronology

Biblical Writers’ Lack of Knowledge

Jesus Christ and the Historian Josephus

In the final chapter we consider the question; How did humankind develop the concept of a nonexistent God in the first place? The tremendous influence of religion on humanity is addressed under such categories as; Angels, Faith Healing and Heavenly Life.

The colossal repercussions to humankind without a God are reviewed along with discussions about the universe and evolution, which direct us to God’s nonexistence. How the accountability of a nonexistent God has enslaved humanity and its subsequent problems are revealed.

Then another important question is discussed; How do we deal with our global problems without a God to guide us? Also, how the discovery of alien intelligent life will be additional proof God does not exist and the resulting collapse of Christianity.

What is the manner in which all this information is presented? By scrutinizing various biblical stories questions concerning God’s accountability, especially in his dealings with humanity, come to light. A multitude of thought-provoking questions are considered and various scenarios place us there as the stories unfold. What do we see, hear, and feel? Some of those scenarios are graphic and violent, presenting information which is compelling and disturbing.

God Holds His Intelligent Beings Accountable

After humanity created the concept of God, a chain of accountability developed. From the Bible’s point of view, Jesus Christ had to live a perfect life and sacrifice it for the redemption of humanity from Adam’s original sin in the Garden of Eden. Also, Jesus’ accountability applied in heaven before having his life force transferred to earth and the same applied after returning to heaven. Jesus Christ has always been held accountable by his creator; God.

At an unknown time after deceiving Eve in the Garden of Eden, the angel who became branded as Satan, and any rebellious angels following his lead were cast from heaven to earth. The Bible book of Revelation, Chapters 12 and 20 refers to that conflict as a heavenly battle with Michael and those angels remaining loyal to God. Waiting for their ultimate destruction as Revelation indicates, Satan and his demonic angelic followers have always been held accountable by God for their rebellious actions.

The same holds true for those angels loyal to God. Their accountability is to remain loyal by constantly doing his will (see the Bible book of Psalms, Chapter 103, verses 20 and 21).

Also, humanity is held accountable for its actions, not only to each other, but in worshipping God. Such worship, or lack thereof, will result in our eternal life or destruction. To go a step further, our worship must be performed in the right manner (approved by God) or it will be in vain and lead to our destruction anyway. Humanity has always been held accountable, not only to each other but more importantly, to God.

Being the proclaimed originator of all life, it is important to consider God’s accountability. Because intelligent beings, both invisible (spirit) and visible (physical), in heaven and on earth are held accountable to him. However, God is the only one not responsible to anyone; an absolute void of accountability. It is that void which creates God’s mystique.

We view God as the ultimate judge. By reviewing biblical stories, God’s actions, statements and decisions which have affected humanity throughout the millenniums are revealed to us. It will enable us to decide for ourselves what kind of judge God has been and what measure of accountability he will have.

Checking Our Biblical Knowledge

What knowledge of the Bible do we have? Most people only know what they are told while attending a religious service. Yet there are many persons who are Bible students. They study and sincerely try to apply biblical principles in their daily lives. Some use religion as a status symbol only. They desire others to view them as responsible and respectable, God-fearing people; pillars of the community. Also, there are those who believe in God, but do not affiliate themselves with any religion. Others claim to be atheists.

Regardless of one’s biblical knowledge or lack thereof, the information presented in this book forces everyone to think. Consider the following example:

Standing at the boundary of a forest, two persons are asked, What do you see?

The first one replies, I see many trees.

However, the second person gives a completely different answer.

I see a beautiful forest with the color of spring. Birds are singing and I observe some of them flying between the trees. There is a heavy scent of pine and other springtime fragrances in the air. A soft breeze is moving through the forest and branches are swaying like waves on an ocean and the sound of running water can be heard through the leaves. I feel calm because it is such a beautiful and peaceful setting.

Both answers are correct, but the second one jumped out at us. That individual was interested and aware of so much more. The first person viewed the same setting but did not relate to most of it.

What do we mentally see and feel when reading the Bible? How many people really read and study it with an open mind? Who knows how many people have placed their faith and eternal life into Christian religions without investigating their validity. Will those same people buy homes and sign contracts without reading them first? But with homes attorneys are usually retained to review those contracts.

However, attorneys will not do the same when it comes to Christian religions or the Bible. Most people transfer such responsibility onto the spiritual leaders of their respective religions. Not a good idea. In reality, such spiritual leaders are telling their followers how to think concerning God, religion, and the Bible. Letting others do the thinking for us is mind control. Is that what we really desire?

Read the Bible from the viewpoint of God having to answer any questions concerning his actions. Since God created humanity with the ability to ask questions, he must provide us with the answers. If not, why give us the intellectual ability to ask? Asking questions and worshipping a supreme entity are a couple of reasons humanity is set apart from all other animals. It is the reason we refer to other species on planet earth as lower animal life.

Finding the Correct Bible Translation

When reviewing the various biblical stories presented in this book, which Bible translation do we use? Christians cannot agree, so we will take a closer look at the problem.

Bookstores, especially Christian ones, stock different Bible translations. For hundreds of years, the most popular one was the King James Version. Starting in the mid-twentieth century, more modern English translations were published, replacing many of the Old World words such as, thou and thee with current ones. Later, some Bible scholars wrote books condemning certain translations; stating they did not adhere to the original Hebrew and Greek texts.

How does the average person know which Bible translation is correct? Does it really matter? Are there drastic differences which change the meanings of those biblical stories? Most people do not care because whatever Bible translation their religion uses is the only one they follow.

Christians automatically assume the translation their religion adopted is the correct one and have no idea of its accuracy. They take the word of their spiritual leaders and will base their eternal life on that choice.

For the purposes of this book, all scriptures quoted are taken from:

The Holy Bible, New international version® Copyright © 1973,

1978, 1984 by International Bible Society.

However, for this exploration into God’s accountability use any Bible translation to compare the scriptural references. Some wording will differ, but the same meaning is there.

So Many Religions

The correct Bible translation aside, Christian religions use the Bible to follow as God’s word, which brings us to another obstacle; so many religions. We have such a problem because each religion interprets the Bible differently and states, Our religion is the only true way to worship God.

The average person does not have the time or inclination to study all religions trying to decide which one is the true faith. How can anyone study 20,000 sects and denominations within a lifetime? Therefore, many Christians take the easy way out:

My grandparents and parents were Catholic. I was born and raised a Catholic and I will die a Catholic.

Feeling this way about your particular faith illustrates why it is difficult to change religions. It is easier to remain in the faith one was raised, rather than change. By just accepting the faith in which we were raised, the question concerning God’s accountability does not come to mind. But regardless of our religious affiliation this book will make us think.

3-D Questions Require 3-D Answers

Another reason for not holding God accountable is how we have been taught to read the Bible. It can be compared to viewing a sheet of paper with multicolored designs. We see a two-dimensional or flat surface; length and width, but cannot perceive depth. In recent years, it has become popular for designers to camouflage a three-dimensional (3-D) image within the design.

At first glance, the design appears flat. When adjusting our eyes in the right manner, a 3-D image raises from the flat surface. By training our eyes, any 3-D image can be observed if the designer created it.

Because of thinking one way only, many people never see those 3-D designed images and feel anyone who does, is crazy. For the rest of their lives they see the flat two-dimensional images only, never realizing such designs are hidden within them.

From childhood we are taught to read the Bible in a two-dimensional way, believing rather than asking questions. We can ask questions as long as they are basic ones, with basic answers.

As an example, reading the Bible story about Noah’s flood we ask, Why did God destroy all the people except Noah and his family?

The basic answer is, They were wicked and did not listen to God.

Now try the question as a three-dimensional one. "Why did God destroy:

A. older people, advanced in years and not able to help themselves?

B. crippled people of all ages?

C. pregnant women with fetuses at various stages of development?

D. women who were giving birth at the moment God unleased the flood waters?

E. young children from 3 through 12 years of age?

F. babies from newborn through 2 years of age?

As in the 3-D illustration, this question jumps out at us as it expands and the previous two-dimensional answer is no longer satisfactory. Countless numbers of us have either read the biblical story or heard of it many times. How many of us thought about it in that manner? Have many of us heard anyone else ask similar questions? Those questions illustrate how this book will scrutinize biblical stories, analyzing God’s actions.

Other Bible stories to be reviewed contain deceptions, lies, temptations, tests, lust, incest, homosexuality, and murder; perfect settings for soap operas from Hollywood script writers. But they are contained in the Bible and reveal God’s lack of uniformity in dealing with such human conduct.

Chapter 10 explains how to put this book to the test, thereby proving its truthfulness. To obtain a complete understanding of the subjects addressed, please read the previous nine chapters beforehand.

Is it time to hold God accountable for his actions, plus determine if he ever existed? Yes it is and the information to be presented is astonishing. Ultimately, each person must conscientiously hold God accountable. Once the decision is reached, God becomes defenseless and his very existence is seriously challenged. Only then can we fathom the precarious position in which mankind has placed itself.

Will the discovery of alien, physical, intelligent life help humanity? Or is it just another false hope as our Christian religions and government claim?

We will be taken on a long journey from Adam to aliens with numerous biblical, logical, and scientific stops along the way.

Be forewarned; after reading this book, Christians may feel their faith in God has been shaken. But it is just as important to non-Christians since the absence of God affects everyone.

The next chapter immediately focuses on God’s accountability after he creates mankind’s original parents.

CHAPTER 2

God’s Actions Against Our Original Parents

Do as I say or you will die. The first biblically recorded conversation between creator and created, uttered from the invisible spirit realm. According to the Bible, humankind’s origin is by a direct creation of the initial male in our species. Simply referred to as God, he is also the creator of the heavens and earth, per Gen. 1: 1.

Called Adam, this male becomes God’s crowning achievement on planet earth. Created in God’s own image, Adam was given an immediate life or death commandment when placed in the Garden of Eden. God’s remarks were very specific in Gen. 2: 15–17:

15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.

If we are told not to have knowledge of a certain subject, what thoughts come to mind? Why can’t we know about it? Why are you holding back? If we are not supposed to know, why bring up the subject in the first place?

No such discussion between God and Adam is recorded in the Bible. It is unusual since Adam did not know what evil meant. What evil examples could God cite? Adam was created as an adult child. He had no life experiences to guide him. What did die mean when no one else had passed away before him? Also, what stood for good? Everyone concentrates on the evil part. Adam was not to know or have knowledge of good and evil which meant both. Had good and evil situations taken place in heaven before God created Adam? Why call his attention to something of which he had no knowledge?

The Bible makes its own statement of being inspired by God (refer to 2 Tim. 3: 16). In other words, God influenced all the biblical writers to record what he deemed necessary. Immediately we become suspect of such inspiration when realizing valuable pieces of information are missing. Though every conversation between God and Adam cannot be recorded, what about the explanation of how God created him? At Gen.

2: 7, the writer merely tells us in generic terms of his being formed from the dust of the ground and [God] breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.

There is no technical information presented concerning Adam’s creation. However, if God does not exist then the answer is plain: the writer had no knowledge of how human creation was actually accomplished.

The unfolding Genesis story states God planted two distinctive trees in the center of the garden but told Adam of the first one only. Gen. 2: 8 and 9 enlightens us of the second distinctive tree:

8 Now the LORD God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. 9 And the LORD God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Adam’s lack of knowledge over the second tree is brought to our attention after he sins. The whole premise was obedience—do what God says. Listening to his word or commandments meant life and not following them would have the opposite affect. No tree or other physical symbol was needed. His sinning (not following his creator’s command) and eventual death, proved it.

Eve-A Suitable Helper For Adam

Next, Gen. 2: 18–20 informs us of God’s second human creation:

18 The LORD God said, It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him. 19 Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. 20 So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds of the air and all the beasts of the field. But for Adam no suitable helper was found.

Most Christians concentrate on how the animals were named. The main reason God brought the animals to Adam was to find a suitable helper for him. What did it mean? Verses 21–24 gives us the answer:

21 So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of man’s ribs and closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. 23 The man said, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’

for she was taken out of man."

24 For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and

be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.

This part of the story began with God noticing it was not good for Adam to be alone. When did God decide Adam was in a bad situation? After he realized Adam noticed all the other animals had mates and were procreating, but he could not? God could not have thought of this in advance, especially after creating all other animals as male and female? Why not create Adam and Eve at the same time? Later, he could bring the other animals and let both enjoy naming them.

The idea of having Adam look among the animals for a suitable helper to be his mate indicates God did not originally plan such a female complement for him. Try to picture a man going to the zoo and finding a helper more suitable than a woman. Also, does it mean God did not initially plan for Adam to have offspring? There is no other explanation for the story. By revisiting the account, notice how everything ties together:

A. God observed the negative affect of Adam being alone.

B. He brings all lower animal life to Adam for naming and finding a suitable helper.

C. When Adam does not find one, God creates a female and brings her to him.

D. Adam is overjoyed and the account concludes with the statement about a husband and wife becoming one flesh.

God was shortsighted when it came to Adam, his finest earthly creation. But God must have been learning, too. He eventually creates a female and together, a perfect couple is matched: the original parents of our human race.

But what did perfect mean? Adam and Eve were created with bodies free from disease and imperfections. Also, they breathed air and ate fruit in a pollution-free environment. But what good is perfection without knowledge and experience? Such perfection will not prevent them from going against any of their creator’s commands or what the Bible calls, sin.

If God created a perfect couple today and placed them in the middle of a large city, how long would it be before someone took advantage of them? Without knowledge and experience, their perfect minds and bodies would be easy targets for unscrupulous persons.

Christians may bring up the point, This was a test for Adam and Eve. One of the meanings for test is temptation. Where does a test end and temptation begin? Why test them in something of which they had no knowledge? If knowledge is power, Adam and Eve were basically powerless.

Deception and Sin Hit the Perfect Couple

The entire third chapter of Genesis contains the story of what happened to Adam and Eve and the first part of verse 1 sets the stage:

Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals

the LORD God had made…

Crafty leans more toward a bad use of intelligence rather than good. Why did God create a serpent (reptile, mainly a snake) with a crafty nature? What purpose can it serve since God created all animals to be in harmony with each other? The fear of man and allowing humans to eat lower animal life was not authorized by God until after Noah’s flood (see Gen. 9: 2 and 3).

The remaining account indicates such craftiness was used for a bad purpose, as we continue with the latter part of verse 1 and verses 2–5:

1…He said to the woman, Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’? 2 The woman said to the serpent, We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’ 4 You will not surely die, the serpent said to the woman. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.

The serpent speaks directly to Eve. How can it be possible since Adam and Eve were the only animals able to communicate with each other by human language? The Bible does not record any conversations between other physical animal life.

Note: Direct communication with God would be another manner of the couple being made in our image. However, if lower animal life could converse with them we have another example of the writer leaving out valuable information.

The most common thought is an invisible angel, to be called Satan

at a later time, spoke through the serpent; similar to a ventriloquist.

After Satan lies to Eve, verses 6 and 7 states:

6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

Why did they feel shame at seeing each other naked? Did it mean naked was evil? If so, God was the one who placed them into an evil situation and blocked their mental ability to recognize it. Since both their eyes were opened by the realization of being naked, is it the knowledge of good and evil? If there was additional knowledge to be gained, the writer does not say. However, nakedness was the knowledge and guilt was associated with it. Before sinning, notice the remark made in Gen.

2: 25: The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.

Had Adam not sinned, were his future offspring to remain naked through our present day? If they started to desire each other sexually, why should they feel ashamed? God created reproductive organs in them to be used in procreation. Only society has placed shame on nakedness.

For centuries explorers visited remote areas in Africa, South America and The Philippines to name a few places. When discovering isolated tribes, one of the common characteristics was an almost complete lack of clothing. Yet, they lived together without feeling ashamed. What should have been most important to Adam and Eve was the breaking of God’s command; not being naked.

God Condemns All Involved

The account continues in Gen. 3: 8–10:

8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hide from the LORD God among the trees of