From "The Book of Questions" by Gregory Stock, PH.D.
Q #27
If God appeared to you in a series of vivid and moving dreams and told you to leave everything behind, travel alone to the Red Sea and become a fisherman, what would you do?
What if you were told to sacrifice your child?
11 comments:
I would be okay with the fisherman part but I might ask him for a different sea to work in. I would not sacrifice my child no matter who asked me.
Hmmmmm ..... seems a lot of women in Texas have been hearing from "God" about sacrificing their children ... and actually listening!!
I would have a word or two with "God" about the "thou shalt not murder" thing in the Bible.
I have a feeling that if I started having dreams like this, I would be headed for the anti-psychotics and therapy.
Now ... if Morgan Freeman showed up and asked me to build an Ark ... well, that's a whole different thing ....
I want to say YES, I would go if God requested. I want to have faith that I was doing the right thing and not having an 'out of my mind' experience..... But alas, my faith would not overpower my skeptical sensibility....so in the end, No! Wouldn't do it....to both questions.
Dreams are not reality, right? So this would be nothing more than my subconscious at work. Therefore, I would say "no", I would not follow the commands because they were not truly from God. If I thought God was standing before me giving me orders, I think I would share a cab to a phychiatric hospital with Cin.
I am like PEF - OK on the fisherman part, not too thrilled with the Red Sea part.
No on sacrificing a child.
This is the biggest debate there is about faith. I attend church regularly. Abraham was tested in this manner. Since I have no children I can't answer. I wouldn't kill anyone else.
The Red See - It's about faith folks. It's about whether or not you feel you can control your destiny, or if you will place your 'control' in the hands of God. I would certainly pray on it
before acting, but feel that I would do what God asks me. Question is as has been pointed out how does one discern how God speaks to you?
I could not sacrifice my child... one of my monster dogs maybe :)
I feel a calling from God daily and I hope I am doing what I was put on this earth for.
As for going to the Red Sea...I would know it was not God was in my dreams because he knows my lack of sea legs would not serve him well.
OK....here's the thing...withouth being too preachy. I'm Born Again so let me apologize right off so as not to offend any other Faith or Religious Belief. I was taught that before Jesus arrived, God spoke to men through prohet's, through burning bushes, whatever. But He felt separated from man so He sent his Son in the form of Jesus Christ who was and is the Perfect Sacrifice. So, I think this question is really a moot point. Gof left us His Spirit and His Spirit talks to us and not in dreams but to our souls and our minds, if we listen. God would NEVER ask us to sacrifice our children. Asking Abraham to do it was a test of Abraham's Faith and He stopped him. He did however, send His son to be sacrificed for all mankind.
Have a real problem with this one. Do not really believe that there is a 'God' up there guiding us, telling us right from wrong, who should do what. I hold my own beliefs, and according to my own ethics and morals, I would not leave everything behind, nor would I kill my child.
Wow, you know they say that you shouldn't talk about politics, religion and sex, but I have say this was a most illuminating question to read everyone's responses and their struggles with answering the question. Thanks to you all.
I agree PEF ... I have never actually used this question before because I was afraid of offending someone ...
I really appreciate the answers people have been giving lately!!
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