<aside> 📌 Is God a Moral Monster takes on the most challenging passages of Scripture that serve as ammo for hostile non-Christians and weights that burden the conscience of Bible reading Christians. Copan addresses topics of atheism, slavery, conquest, misogyny, weird laws and several more by helping the reader read between the lines to see God’s goodness in the midst of it all. Along the way, he subtly drops several keys to interpreting the challenging texts correctly that can be applied to any number of passages.
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This book is an excellent book for those wanting to know more of the viewpoint that defends God’s goodness in the Old Testament commands that seem bizarre or disturbing to us. Copan is extremely knowledgable of the Old Testament and other ancient Near East literature which makes him apt to respond to such topics.
[God’s laws] were to be viewed first as visible reminders to live as God’s holy people in every area of life (74).
If human beings are to be treated as real human beings who possess the power of choice, then the “better way” must come gradually. Otherwise, they will exercise their freedom of choice and turn away from what they do not understand (61, citing Alden Thompson).
The God whom the New Atheists consider a monster is not just a holy God to be reckoned with but a loving, self-sacrificing God who invites us to be reconciled to him (222).