Does God Kill Innocent People?

This is a continuation from an earlier blog in which I began a running series of answers to questions from an atheist video challenging Christians for their belief in God

In the video "10 Questions that Every Intelligent Christian Must Answer," the atheist filmmaker (from the site GodisImaginary) asks the following Question - which is Question #3:

"Why Does God Demand the Death of So Many Innocent People in the Bible?"

Once again, we see a loaded and presumptuous question. Note the word "innocent." The question is worded as an indictment of God - which has already been decided. The atheist has made his mind up that God ordered the death of innocent people. There's no desire for inquiry here. Just a loaded question designed to attack Christianity.

As examples of God's ordering the deaths of "innocent people," the video filmmaker cites...

Exodus 35:2 - those who work on the Sabbath

Deuteronomy 21 - disobedient teenagers

Leviticus 20:13 - homosexuals

Deuteronomy 22 - promiscuous women who marry

FIRST...while many people (including many Christians) will find the penalties of the Mosaic Law harsh and unsettling, let's dispense quickly with this word "innocent."

Let's take the family. God's biblical standard for the family is a high one:

Sexually pure Man unites in committed, lifelong marriage with sexually pure Woman. A heterosexual union is formed into which children are born. These children are to be brought up to honor and obey their parents. Then, when they become old enough, the cycle repeats.

The above is a fair (albeit simplified) picture of God's standard for the family.

Note that three of the four examples of God wanting "innocent" people killed (examples provided in the video) represent challenges to God's standard. Promiscuity before marriage is an offense to God, as are same-sex relations. As are disobedient teenagers.

Are these standards fair or just? Well, that's what they were for the ancient Israelites, according to the Torah. Whether you agree with them or not is immaterial for now. But one thing is clear, those punished for violating these standards were NOT "innocent" in God's eyes.

What about the Sabbath? The video calls God's concern over the Sabbath "trivial." But we are talking about a people that God wanted to set apart - a people who had (according to the Old Testament) witnessed God's supernatural presence and power.

The Sabbath was the one day of the week, which served as a tangible reminder of their unique relationship with the Lord. They had plenty of experiences with God to understand His reality. It wasn't simply a faith thing for them. They knew who God was - and they knew what was being asked of them. And they KNEW to take the Sabbath seriously.

SECOND...not only does the video use the word "innocent" as a self-serving ploy, it also BEGS the question as to WHO is qualified to determine guilt or innocence.

Think about it: While it might be fair to ask why God would demand the death of people, it is rather presumptuous to tack on the adjective "innocent." Especially when you've provided NO explanation or basis for that assessment.

For the video to describe anyone as "innocent" is to presuppose a moral code of some kind. But wait? If the video is from an atheist perspective, what possible moral code exists? I'm not saying that an atheist can't be "moral." What I'm asking is...By what standard can an atheist decide the guilt or innocence (or right and wrong) of ANOTHER person or group of people?

Just think about it.