Justin and Julian– Challenges to Christianity

Justin: What if the atheists and agnostics have it right,

that the Bible was written by men far from bright

and isn’t God’s word to instruct in the truth.

Hasn’t science given sufficient proof

that the whole of the Genesis account

by right verifiable facts we can discount;

how can I take it that Adam and Eve

is a story that I ought to believe,

have us Christians been played for utter fools,

our doctrine junk that should be banned by schools?

Julian: What gives you doubt man, that you should mistrust

what for your dear soul’s salvation you must

believe, do you look for excuse to indulge lust?

Justin: In truth some of the Bible I find problematic;

now, do not take it I’ll do something so dramatic

as to abandon the true way of faith

but aren’t there charges against us that rightly scathe,

the Bible seeming to condone slavery

which in modern times we hold so contemptibly,

and the problem as I hear from Alex O’ Connor,

not to hold that stubborn atheist to any honour,

of the genocide of groups like the Canaanites,

the ancient Israelites really seemed to like fights;

and does it not trouble that children were decreed

to be killed by God from the book we take our creed?

As for concupiscence, yes it does stir

like a vile never to stop stalking cur,

sometimes I think to entertain my sin

like the rest of the pleasure pursuing earth’s kin

and I would if not for God’s love to win.

Julian: You’ve made a few points and I will address them

seeing as you are decided to press them,

on slaves: this wasn’t the transatlantic slave trade

we mean, man, where a slave’s doom was entirely made,

yes although we wouldn’t condone it now,

it was often by voluntary allow,

somebody going into servitude

because of debt, so they may earn their food;

the slave was not someone without protection,

but for his safeguarding there was a whole collection

of rules regarding how a slave should be kept,

yes, again, I will say I do accept

it was far from ideal, thank God we banned

a man being owned by another’s hand,

but a slave was not without dignity,

and after six years service was set free,

or upon the year of the jubilee–

a slave wasn’t permanent property,

and it was ordered he be treated properly.

Justin: But what of Exodus twenty one twenty one,

which seems to permit thorough beatings being done?

Julian: It’s best not to look at that verse like its the norm,

for the hardness of man’s heart, God allowed some form

of slavery and like I say respect was owed

and certainly to be honourably showed

to a slave. In matters of discipline

a beating was not considered a sin,

but bear it that if a slave was to die

then likewise it was an eye for an eye,

the life of the master was then forsaken,

and also if in a beating an eye was taken,

or if a tooth was lost by a beating,

a slave was then set free for this mistreating

of himself. Do not take it that it was encouraged

that a master with a rod viciously raged

in the merciless beating of a slave,

it was not in his interest that he gave

such a brutal treatment. The spirit of the law

was that slaves receive no beating so sore;

yes, and by the law as long as a slave

was not to meet with his untimely grave

a hard beating was technically allowed,

it was not the encouraged treatment owed,

but the ruling by the law for a time

of man’s hard heart. Of course now its a crime

to own another and beat them like that,

of course its easy now to sit and chat

about how bad slavery is but then was a time

in the world it was the norm, not a crime.

Now, as for the Canaanites and other such stories,

I wouldn’t let those give you any worries,

you have to view them through spiritual lens,

the allegory is that one must cleanse

oneself from sin, route out all forms of evil

in one’s life from the flesh, world and the devil.

Justin: Yes I suppose we can go with as such,

but does that mean the literal meaning we don’t touch,

people want to know if these things happened for real,

or is it all but an allegorical deal?

Julian: The spiritual meaning is enough, we don’t need

to know for sure, just have faith as a mustard seed,

its not always right to pick and prod scripture

as if we could uncover every feature,

at the end of the day if there is something

we don’t know, we say I don’t know, but Christ is King

and I trust him but I don’t understand

everything– trusting in God is no hard demand.

Justin: Very well, that’ll have to be the reason I tell,

but to the listening ear it doesn’t always sell.

Julian: Then pray for the stubborn unbelievers my friend,

just remember that love never does end.

These arguments are often looking for excuse

to put the deeds of the flesh to sin’s use ,

I tell you don’t be such a wicked moose

trying to find fault with the holy word

so you can make sin your master and lord,

only the righteous will have true reward,

trust in the Lord and put sin to the sword.

Justin: You are right my friend, I ought to know better

than be sceptical of the holy letter,

the battle against sin continues, pray for me,

I want to gain happy eternity.

Julian: Let us make our way to church and we shall pray there,

for in God’s house we’re always in good care.