I want you to take a look at the above picture carefully. It is a great artistic work by Gustave Dore of the last survivors not on the Ark of the Great Deluge. There are two in it that are totally Innocent of any sin or offense against God. The tigress and her cub.

When I really started thinking about Christianity, over 55 years ago, the story of the Great Deluge was on of the first things I started to question. Not because of science, but because of what I was thought to believe Christianity and God are all about. What upset me was all of the innocent animals that died in the flood. How could a loving and just god kill them all in such a horrible manner? (For me, then as now, drowning is the most horrible way to die. I’m a hydrophobe.) When I asked about this I was told God save two of each animal on the Ark. This is not a good answer to my way of thinking. If you do have what you think is a good answer please leave it in the comments. I really would like to know what you think.

This is what started me on my quest to question and understand the Bible. I started looking at all the places where god is supposedly acted in a manner that was not loving, and/or forgiving and/or just. There are a great many in the Old Testament but there are some few in the New. I’m not going to list any here, I think it is better you look for yourself. I recommend you first decide just what you mean by ‘loving’ and forgiving and just. Then see if the god in the passage is acting that way.

Now ask yourself if these stories were taken as allegory does it make more sense. Not that these specific bad things did or could happen but that if you act as the people acted bad things will happen. They will happen to you and they will, unfortunately to people and things totally innocent. An this will be a burden you will have to carry for ever after. This allows God to be Loving, kind, forgiving, just, and all the good things he is supposed to be and still teach us the lesson of the story.