{"id":56542,"date":"2023-12-28T09:55:17","date_gmt":"2023-12-28T08:55:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/institutodelbienestar.com\/verses-god-despot\/"},"modified":"2026-03-26T14:19:21","modified_gmt":"2026-03-26T13:19:21","slug":"do-no-harm-disapprove-the-biblical-texts-that-describe-god-as-a-cruel-despot","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/institutodelbienestar.com\/en\/live-without-harming\/publications\/do-no-harm-disapprove-the-biblical-texts-that-describe-god-as-a-cruel-despot\/","title":{"rendered":"Verses depicting God as a despot"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"56542\" class=\"elementor elementor-56542 elementor-17597\" data-elementor-post-type=\"page\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-d58e675 elementor-section-height-min-height elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-items-middle\" data-id=\"d58e675\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-c928b11\" data-id=\"c928b11\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dc8c178 elementor-invisible elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"dc8c178\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_animation&quot;:&quot;fadeInDown&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">AVOID HARM: LET US RISE AGAINST MODERN SLAVERY<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-eb94585 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"eb94585\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-843fc0e\" data-id=\"843fc0e\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1ab80ae elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"1ab80ae\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/institutodelbienestar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/VERSICULOS-QUE-DESCRIBEN-A-DIOS-COMO-UN-DESPOTA-SANGUINARIO-Y-CRUEL.jpg\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" title=\"VERSES DESCRIBING GOD AS A BLOODTHIRSTY AND CRUEL DESPOT\" src=\"https:\/\/institutodelbienestar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/VERSICULOS-QUE-DESCRIBEN-A-DIOS-COMO-UN-DESPOTA-SANGUINARIO-Y-CRUEL.jpg\" alt=\"VERSES DESCRIBING GOD AS A BLOODTHIRSTY AND CRUEL DESPOT\" width=\"703\" height=\"394\"><\/a><\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Various Bible verses portray God as an evil and bloodthirsty tyrant:<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Exodus 12:29: the Lord slaughters all the firstborn of Egypt, both human and non-human, even though they are innocent.<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=genesis+6-9&amp;version=RVA-2015\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?hl=es&amp;q=https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search%3Dgenesis%2B6-9%26version%3DRVA-2015&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1703840310944000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2iZyj9uAP9Lgv8F4uZt8xi\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"color: #3366ff; text-decoration: underline;\">Genesis 6-9<\/span><\/span><\/a>: He commits a much larger genocide with the Great Flood, in which almost all human and non-human beings were victims.<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=N%C3%BAmeros+21%3A4-9&amp;version=RVA-2015\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?hl=es&amp;q=https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search%3DN%25C3%25BAmeros%2B21%253A4-9%26version%3DRVA-2015&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1703840310944000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2-Q2PfVML5TkI2Htb0MOG7\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"color: #3366ff; text-decoration: underline;\">Numbers 21:4-9<\/span><\/span><\/a>: He sends a plague of snakes that bite the Jews who complained about God and Moses during the journey through the desert due to a lack of food and water, although he later spares the lives of some of them.<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bible.knowing-jesus.com\/Espa%C3%B1al\/N%C3%BAmeros\/11\/1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?hl=es&amp;q=https:\/\/bible.knowing-jesus.com\/Espa%25C3%25B1al\/N%25C3%25BAmeros\/11\/1&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1703840310944000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0Oc7NH7N8Xq53fRyXOH64p\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"color: #3366ff; text-decoration: underline;\">Numbers 11:1-3<\/span><\/span><\/a>: A wrathful God sends fire and burns part of the Jewish camp because the people complained about their hardship.<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Lev%C3%ADtico+10%3A1-2&amp;version=RVA-2015\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?hl=es&amp;q=https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search%3DLev%25C3%25ADtico%2B10%253A1-2%26version%3DRVA-2015&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1703840310944000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0fvoZ10VG64YJ6QSK6Zu4w\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"color: #3366ff; text-decoration: underline;\">Leviticus 10:1-2<\/span><\/span><\/a>: He murders Nadab and Abihu by burning them with fire for not making the offering exactly according to his rules.<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Exodus 7-12: He sends the 10 Plagues of Egypt, causing great harm to children, innocents, and animals.<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Deuteronomy 5:9-10: He punishes those who do not follow his strict dogmas and also <u>their descendants to the third and fourth generation<\/u>. To make this clear, it is repeated in other verses. <\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Other similar verses are Genesis 3:14-15, <span style=\"background-color: var(--base-2); color: var( --e-global-color-text ); font-family: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Sans-serif; font-size: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-size );\">2 Samuel 7:14, <\/span><span style=\"background-color: var(--base-2); color: var( --e-global-color-text ); font-family: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Sans-serif; font-size: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-size );\">Job 33:19, and <\/span><span style=\"background-color: var(--base-2); color: var( --e-global-color-text ); font-family: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Sans-serif; font-size: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-size );\">2 Samuel 6:6-8.<\/span><\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The monarchs of those times were often true dictators who abused, waged war, conquered, massacred, plundered, burned entire cities, and handed over all conquered women to be raped by their soldiers as part of the spoils of war. And it was widespread in most of the world. <\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: center;\"><em><span style=\"color: #3366ff;\"><a style=\"color: #3366ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/institutodelbienestar.com\/en\/live-without-harming\/publications\/do-not-be-authoritarian\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read LIVE WITHOUT HARM! Let us not be authoritarian <\/a><\/span><\/em><\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: center;\"><em><span style=\"color: #3366ff;\"><a style=\"color: #3366ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/institutodelbienestar.com\/versiculos-legitiman-dictaduras\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read LIVING WITHOUT HARM: Let us de-authorize the texts of the Holy Scriptures that legitimize dictatorships and slavery<\/a><\/span><\/em><\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: center;\"><em><span style=\"color: #3366ff;\"><a style=\"color: #3366ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/institutodelbienestar.com\/versiculos-daninos-de-la-biblia\/genocidio\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read HOW TO LIVE WITHOUT HARM? <span style=\"background-color: var(--base-2); font-family: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Sans-serif; font-size: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-size ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight );\">Reject the biblical verses that promote war and genocide<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/em><\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">People were born and raised in that scheme of the law of the strongest, so it seemed normal to them, as they knew no other model of society. They had always lived within that narrow mental box. Therefore, it is normal that the authors of different books of the Bible conceived God in the image and likeness of those despotic kings, emperors, and chieftains. Hence, they call him &#8220;Lord,&#8221; as they would surely address their hierarchical superiors.   <\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In fact, from an anthropological point of view, it was common practice for the artists who created the thousands of religions that have emerged throughout history to invent gods in the image and likeness of people, animals, stars, aspects of human life, or other elements surrounding them. Thus, for example, the ancient Greek, Roman, or Viking gods represented different types of people. <\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In monotheistic creeds, there has been a tendency to construct the one true God in the image and likeness of the sovereigns of those times, the &#8220;Lords.&#8221; <span style=\"background-color: var(--base-2); color: var( --e-global-color-text ); font-family: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Sans-serif; font-size: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-size );\">Therefore, it is not advisable to confuse the subjective worldview of previous authors with reality. We can recognize the imaginative creations of those religious authors as the cultural heritage of humanity, much like those of authors of books or paintings, but not as scientifically proven truths.<\/span><\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: center;\"><em><span style=\"color: #3366ff;\"><a style=\"color: #3366ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/institutodelbienestar.com\/en\/live-without-harming\/publications\/understand-every-religious-precept-within-the-historical-context-in-which-it-was-created\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"background-color: var(--base-2); font-family: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Sans-serif; font-size: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-size );\">Read FOR A WORLD WITHOUT HARM: Let&#8217;s understand each religious precept within its historical context<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/em><\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On the other hand, there are other verses in the New Testament that claim that the multiple <span style=\"background-color: var(--base-2); color: var( --e-global-color-text ); font-family: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Sans-serif; font-size: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-size );\">biblical exhortations to violate human rights (read in THE ART OF LIVING WITHOUT HARM:<\/span> <span style=\"background-color: var(--base-2); color: var( --e-global-color-text ); font-family: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Sans-serif; font-size: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-size ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight );\">Contextualizing the harmful verses of the Bible)<\/span> <span style=\"background-color: var(--base-2); color: var( --e-global-color-text ); font-family: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Sans-serif; font-size: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-size );\">are the word of God:<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"text-decoration-line: underline;\"><span style=\"color: #3366ff;\"><a style=\"color: #3366ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/verse\/es\/Juan%2010%3A35\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?hl=es&amp;q=https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/verse\/es\/Juan%252010%253A35&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1703840310945000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2luRsnEK4-dsMUBCa1xQgC\">John 10:35<\/a><\/span><\/span>: the Bible cannot be broken.<\/p><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Mateo%205%3A17-20&amp;version=DHH\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?hl=es&amp;q=https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search%3DMateo%25205%253A17-20%26version%3DDHH&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1703840310945000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2H9alF0OjDNQWeZqEAB4qf\"><span style=\"text-decoration-line: underline;\"><span style=\"color: #3366ff;\">Matthew 5:17-20<\/span><\/span><\/a>: the entire Old Testament is valid and must be obeyed down to the last comma.<\/p><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/verse\/es\/2%20Timoteo%203%3A16\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?hl=es&amp;q=https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/verse\/es\/2%2520Timoteo%25203%253A16&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1703840310945000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2rrmnZmP54ZaTICDvcHFj6\"><span style=\"text-decoration-line: underline;\"><span style=\"color: #3366ff;\">2 Timothy 3:16<\/span><\/span><\/a>: all Scripture is inspired by God and teaches us what is right and what is wrong.<\/p><p>That is why the Catholic Church and other churches have followed the various precepts of the Bible for thousands of years, including its most abusive and cruel texts, and extracts from both the New and Old Testaments are read during masses.<\/p><p>It is doubtful that Jesus Christ said what John and Matthew claim, as the rest of his message usually deviates from the harmful verses, such as when he protects a married woman who had sex outside of marriage and was going to be killed by stoning (John 8:3-8). Unlike Saint Paul, he never defended slavery, the mistreatment of homosexuals, or other human rights violations.  <\/p><p>Therefore, it could be that John or Matthew, educated in traditionalist Judaism, added those verses of their own accord because they did believe in all of those abuses. Another possibility is that, later on, someone altered the Gospels to suit their preferences. <\/p><p>In any case, one cannot serve two masters at the same time: on one hand, justice and ethics, and on the other, traditionalist Christianity that accepts harmful passages. Therefore, in the end, there is no choice but to choose between 2 options: <\/p><p>1. To be an accomplice to the crimes, human rights violations, and great injustices contained in the evil verses, trying to defend the indefensible, justify the unjustifiable, mitigate the unmitigatable, whitewash the unwhitewashable, and sugarcoat the unsugarcoatable.<\/p><p>2. To be upright and a good person, free of cruelty, clearly and categorically distancing oneself from all that and doing something so that Christian churches reform until they are 100% benign and harmless.<\/p><p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em><span style=\"color: #3366ff;\"><a style=\"color: #3366ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/institutodelbienestar.com\/no-danes\/publicaciones\/reformemos-la-parte-danina-de-cristianismo\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read THE REVOLUTION OF LIVING WITHOUT HARM: Let us reform the harmful part of Christianity<\/a><\/span><\/em><\/p><p>Thank you for being part of the second group and for attracting others to it,<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-63e2de8 elementor-share-buttons--view-icon elementor-share-buttons--shape-circle elementor-share-buttons--align-center elementor-share-buttons--skin-gradient elementor-grid-0 elementor-share-buttons--color-official elementor-widget 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elementor-share-btn_facebook\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\trole=\"button\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\ttabindex=\"0\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\taria-label=\"Share on facebook\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-share-btn__icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class=\"fab fa-facebook\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-grid-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"elementor-share-btn elementor-share-btn_linkedin\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\trole=\"button\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\ttabindex=\"0\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\taria-label=\"Share on linkedin\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-share-btn__icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class=\"fab fa-linkedin\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-66bb550 elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"66bb550\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-0a28f6d\" data-id=\"0a28f6d\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-26705d4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"26705d4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"><strong> Xavier Paya <\/strong><\/span><\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><b>Live Without Harming initiative<\/b><\/span><\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #e5ac1b;\"><a style=\"color: #e5ac1b; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/institutodelbienestar.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/institutodelbienestar.com&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1705739656386000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0r_zOrwTRU9jKMsNGkX-Vn\">www.institutodelbienestar.com<\/a><\/span><\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">LET&#8217;S NOT HARM ANYONE, except in legitimate self-defense against an aggressor.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">Read:<\/span> <span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #e5ac1b;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a style=\"color: #e5ac1b; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/institutodelbienestar.com\/en\/live-without-harming\/publications\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/institutodelbienestar.com\/no-danes\/publicaciones\/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1705739656386000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1Y-BstuMG-ZGz1yLfoAV21\">other<span style=\"color: #e5ac1b; text-decoration: underline;\"> articles<\/span> from DO NO HARM!&#8230;<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6d2b686 elementor-invisible elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6d2b686\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_animation&quot;:&quot;fadeInDown&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"><strong>With the <b>Live Without Harming initiative<\/b>, we strive to prevent any kind of suffering or harm from being caused to you, your loved ones, and others.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>AVOID HARM: LET US RISE AGAINST MODERN SLAVERY Various Bible verses portray God as an evil and bloodthirsty tyrant: Exodus 12:29: the Lord slaughters all the firstborn of Egypt, both human and non-human, even though they are innocent. Genesis 6-9: He commits a much larger genocide with the Great Flood, in which almost all human &#8230; <a title=\"Verses depicting God as a despot\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/institutodelbienestar.com\/en\/live-without-harming\/publications\/do-no-harm-disapprove-the-biblical-texts-that-describe-god-as-a-cruel-despot\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Verses depicting God as a despot\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6836,"featured_media":0,"parent":56575,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"elementor_header_footer","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-56542","page","type-page","status-publish"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.3 - 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