Word of God

[UkrainianGirl]

We may not like many of its content, but for Christians OT has no other purpose other than the historical importance. The OT is about Jews and for Jews and valid for a limited time, until the time of Christ. God chose a nation out of which Christ will be born preparing them for centuries. Its laws may be strange and weird, but they fit the great scheme, even the smallest thing, leading to the birth of Christ, the ultimate purpose for all those that lived and shall live. While cutting the hand off for a woman who accidentally touched man's balls sounds ridiculous as Bezprym puts it (it is about two men fighting and if a woman comes to aid one of these men and if she grabs him by his balls hard enough to jeopardize his possibility of having children...) he might have lost his place in Israel's community for not being able to have children. Also, many nations tried to eradicate people of Israel who were given years (in some cases 400 years) to leave them alone despite warnings, and that is when it was commanded to people of Israel to take their vengeance. What I don't like about atheists is that they always criticize the OT God with this or that and never questions reasons. So, they might criticize what kind of God would order the destruction of cities like Sodom and Gomorrah, blame God constantly and just forget the murder, gang rape, bestiality going on there. Atheists also have to know that they are not the only 'enlightened' people who have a hard time reading that, but Christians follow the New Testament since the OT has no value for Christians.

Hey, yes. I totally agree with you

[Bezprym]

So, they might criticize what kind of God would order the destruction of cities like Sodom and Gomorrah, blame God constantly and just forget the murder, gang rape, bestiality going on there.

What bestiality?

Why shouldn't we mention such fragments? Even in case of Sodom and Gomorrah, these are two cities - both destroyed. And I haven't found any "angel's presence" in Gomorrah in the Bible, or maybe just don't remember.

Atheists also have to know that they are not the only 'enlightened' people who have a hard time reading that, but Christians follow the New Testament since the OT has no value for Christians.

Similarly I can say "I am a Christian, just not believing in God".

[N1019]

We may not like many of its content, but for Christians OT has no other purpose other than the historical importance. ...but Christians follow the New Testament since the OT has no value for Christians.

The OT has NO value for Christians? The key is to interpret the OT in accordance with the provisions of the NT. At the very least, the OT still has some value for the purpose of edification, even if the old covenant has been superseded. It appears that early Christians may have taken the OT much more seriously than us, and they lived very close in time to the supposed life of Jesus. The current mainstream approach to the OT took some time to evolve and develop. In one of the linked articles below it is stated that As far as we can tell in the Gospels, Jesus did not tell his disciples that Passover lambs and sacrifices would no longer be needed. He did not tell them the old covenant was obsolete. He simply proclaimed that his blood was the blood of a new covenant, and it took the church many years to learn how significant this was.

It took the church many years to "learn" how significant this was? Interesting choice of words. I'm inclined to the view that it took the church many years to formulate and formalise its interpretation of the texts.

https://www.gci.org/law/otlaws
https://www.gci.org/law/otl05

Similarly I can say "I am a Christian, just not believing in God".

That's a familiar concept.