Question for God

[woodward.72]

Can anyone point out a short passage that could be considered as C.S. Lewis's response to the following question for God? Thank you.

The Ten Commandments: "Thou shalt not kill." Didn't you order Moses to do a lot of killing? Why did you do this if it violates one of 'your' commandments? Why did he wipe out entire cities, kill all the men and rape the women and children?

[carol]

I'm sure Lewis would deny the Israelites were directed to rape women and children! [have you read the primary text?]

[WolfVanZandt]

I don't remember seeing that addressed in Lewis' writings. It can be addressed, though.

First, it's pretty commonly understood that "kill" would have been better translated as "murder". There are many options that would have made the warfare in Exodus and Joshua not murder.

As for raping women and children, I'm fairly sure that you're talking about that thing about sparing the virgins and taking them as wives. That was the option to killing them. And I'm sure you don't know whether they appreciated that fine distinction or not. The culture back then was somewhat different.

Hmmmm....I could go in a lot of directions here. What do you think?

[rusmeister]

[Leslie]

I'm pretty sure Lewis does address this, at least in terms of killing in times of war, capital punishment, etc. I don't remember where (Sven!!), but he does say that these legally-sanctioned killings are not a violation of the commandment. He doesn't address rape as a method of warfare, as far as I can recall.

[Sven]

Well, folks, you're answering a question that Mr. Troll didn't ask. You're responding to what Lewis' opinion was on lawful conduct in war, and giving excellent answers to that.

What woodward.72 is asking, though, is "God, why are you a hypocrite" (note the thread title), and he's doing it by the fine old technique of setting up a strawman. I don't consider such buffoonery as worthy of any response other than scorn.

[Leslie]

[WolfVanZandt]

[Leslie]

[Durandal89]

[woodward.72]

[Pine_Tree]