During the Jewish exodus myth, just after running from the Edomites (resulting in a detour that causes the people to grumble so much that God sends venomous snakes to punish them but tells Moses to erect a bronze snake idol that saves them from dying from the poison, breaking his own fourth commandment), but just before defeating the Amorites and fornicating with the Moabites while their god surprisingly betrays his own people by having Balaam tell all his plans to the Moabite king Balak, Aaron dies (again, actually; he had already died once according to Deuteronomy 10, cross-reference Numbers 33)). Why does Aaron die? Death before overthrowing the Canaanites and taking possession of their land by committing mass genocide on the many nations inhabiting the land of Canaan was God’s punishment to both Moses and Aaron because God asked Moses to speak to a rock to draw water from it and he hit it twice with a staff instead, which incidentally proved equally effective (Numbers 20). It does not actually state nor is it at all apparent what Aaron did wrong. God simply declares they both rebelled against his command, and that’s all he needs to do, really, being a supreme being and all.
This seems an odd offense for receiving the death penalty. Then again, God is a real reactionary with a twisted sense of justice. After all, the last thing God has Moses do is wipe out every last Midianite man, woman and child (the very people who had hid Moses from the Egyptians for forty years after he murdered one of them) except the 32,000 virgin girls, which they were allowed to keep as sex slaves (Numbers 31). This was an act of revenge because the Israelites were going out and having sex with the women of and worshipping the god Baal of the Moabites (a completely different nation, although they were in league) and because an Israelite named Zimri took a Midianite girl named Cozbi into his tent (Numbers 25). I have no idea how any of that would have been the entire Midianite nation’s fault; after all, Aaron’s grandson had immediately stabbed the actual perpetrators both through with a spear, presumably while they were “having relations.” In apparent fairness, 24,000 Israelites were also killed by a plague because of these incidents.
But beyond that, it is easy to understand how Moses could have been confused by God’s command. Early in their journey (Exodus 17), God had asked Moses to strike another rock with a staff to draw water from it under very similar circumstances. After all, the first rock was in the Desert of Sin and the second in the Desert of Zin. Both occasions were a result of the people quarreling because they were dying of thirst. And God did command Moses to take the staff with him the second time. Moses was so confused, in fact, that he named both places Meribah! (Besides being forty years give or take a month or two apart, these could not have been the same incident because the first happened at Rephidim and the second at Kadesh (cross-reference Numbers 33).) In essence, God virtually tricked Moses into disobeying him and then blamed both he and his brother. To his credit, he resurrected Aaron once without even taking credit for it and let Moses, three years Aaron's junior, live to be 120 in perfect health (Deuteronomy 34:7). That was generous.
This is all a bit tedious and my point is perhaps a little vague, so let me spell it out for you. Anyone who smugly notes that the god of Judaism and Christianity is consistent, loving, just and kind can cram those lies down their throats and choke on them. It is so easy to find contradictions all over the Bible that it is mind-boggling that many claim there aren't any. THIS is what every honest sermon would look like.
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I have a religious fanatic cousin in Washington state who wanted a missive from me to support her teenage daughter's indoctrination. When I declined and pointed out inconsistencies in religious argument, she flew into a rage. Haven't heard anything from her since. You can't teach a heathen anything, damn it!
Back to the practice room.
Perhaps what irritates me most is that i wrote this in around four hours including research, which consisted of scanning the Pentateuch minus Genesis (I've ripped on that one in this blog more than once already) and, just like the Christians, skipping all the parts elaboring on a bunch of ridiculous rules. That's how easy it is to unimpeachably reveal religion as a fraud. I did it for free. Nobody's ever going to read it because nobody wants to have to think about the fact that they are living a lie.
Meanwhile thousands of con artists in suits are screwing millions of scared suckers out of 10% of their income (assuming they tithe) by doing little except picking out a verse that sounds good, reading it aloud and elaborating upon it by spouting meaningless cliches and outlandish propaganda, all of which I'd guess takes about the same four hours of work per week plus the actual sermon. (Of course they also spend time talking to themselves (praying) and pretending they're psychologists.) Not only do they not pay taxes on that money, but they also talk their congregation into doing all kinds of volunteer work for them.
It's madness and it's maddening
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