How Many Lives Does God Take in the Bible: An Investigation into a Surprisingly High Body Count
Whether or not we believe in any god, most of us here in the twenty-first century have the impression of divine rulers overlooking humanity with at least theoretical love and benevolence. They forgive us, they have plans for us, they never close a door without opening a window, and so on. But in the particular […]
In the modern world, many people hold the belief that divine rulers oversee humanity with a sense of love and benevolence. These deities are often imagined as forgiving, with plans for humanity, and ever-present to open new opportunities. However, when we delve into the specific narratives of these divine beings, particularly the Christian God, a different picture emerges. The Bible, both the Old and New Testaments, reveals a God who not only gives but also takes away, a concept highlighted in the Book of Job. This aspect of the divine can be surprising to first-time readers, especially when it comes to the willingness of God to cause death.
A recent video by YouTuber Tommie Trelawny, titled "God’s Biblical Kill Count," has sparked interest in this topic by meticulously tallying the number of lives attributed to God in the Bible. The video focuses on the Old Testament, or Hebrew Bible, which not only lays out God's laws but also explains the consequences for those who violate them. In some instances, these consequences involve the death of large numbers of people.
One passage in the Old Testament describes 50,070 men being "pulverized" for glimpsing inside the Ark of the Covenant. In another instance, God sends an angel to "wipe out 185,000 soldiers in one night." These are just two examples of the numerous instances where the Bible attributes the deaths of people to God.
Trelawny's initial count of the deaths attributed to God in the Bible totals 2,559,449. This figure, however, only includes instances where the text explicitly states the number of people who died. In cases where the number is not specified, the biblical body-counter must rely on historical estimates to make an educated guess. For example, when the Old Testament mentions the annihilation of an army or a city, the YouTuber must estimate the population to determine the number of lives lost.
The Old Testament is not only concerned with laying out God's laws but also with the consequences of disobedience. It describes numerous natural disasters, such as the flood that wiped out all life on Earth, and plagues of Biblical proportions. These events are often attributed to God's actions, adding to the count of lives lost.
The video "God’s Biblical Kill Count" raises questions about the nature of the divine being portrayed in the Bible. While many people hold a benevolent image of God, the Old Testament presents a different picture. It shows a God who can be capricious and willing to cause death as a means of punishment or demonstrating power.
This investigation into the number of lives attributed to God in the Bible serves as a reminder of the complex and sometimes harsh portrayal of the divine in religious texts. It also highlights the importance of critically examining these narratives and considering the implications of such a portrayal on our understanding of the divine and our relationship with it.
