She-bears and the IFB pastor

[oneflewoutofthecuckcoosnest]

(02-11-2012 09:28 AM)FmrMarine Wrote:  One finds this story in the Bible because it was written in the Bronze Age by primitive men. Despite some attempts to rationalize the story, it describes a god who is so thin-skinned that some insults hurled at his prophet incited him to a frenzy of violence. Furthermore, attempts to describe the victims as young people instead of children does little to make the story more palatable.

The story in its present form actually comes from the end of the iron age and was written or redacted by people with a particular theological bent that most call deuteronomist. Primitive men refers normally to stone age people.

This story is not about god being thin-skinned. That misses the point. The prophet curses them in the name of YHWH and then YHWH acts. It is really more of a vindication of Elisha as Elijah's heir than a commentary on what pisses god off. The story belongs to the period in Israel where exclusive montheism and centralization were becoming dominant and Elijah/Elisha were folk heroes that served by way of story to glorify this theology. YHWH acts on behalf of those who are devoted exclusively to YHWH. Doesn't mean I agree with what the story implies, but I think this is closer to the meaning than god being thin-skinned.