tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6677116486815012564.post3518712113223039150..comments2015-05-09T19:08:13.845-07:00Comments on Uneducated: Reflections on life, ministry, and friendship: Difficult storiesAllenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01221115684184172322noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6677116486815012564.post-47293549854303262552015-04-19T15:49:25.873-07:002015-04-19T15:49:25.873-07:00You make a good comparison that I did not pick up ...You make a good comparison that I did not pick up on relating to the story of Lot and the men at Sodom. Another good point is the mob mentality that one could use to forgive our individual sins, blaming wrongdoing on the mob. It was interesting in this passage that everyone was nameless, thereby endorsing corporate guilt and not "naming names". I'm sure we skirt our individual responsibility for modern social ills in the same way. What do we need in modern society if the Israelites answer was that they needed a king. I think the lack of moral political leadership in our country and around the world makes our need for Jesus even greater.Mary Beth Shearhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07562363698322784596noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6677116486815012564.post-71047937223453060372015-04-19T10:32:17.774-07:002015-04-19T10:32:17.774-07:00It is ironic that these stories aren't preache...It is ironic that these stories aren't preached or, from my experience, not discussed much at all in a church setting. Yet, in a church setting so many cling to a literal reading of the bible as representing God's will for people for all time. It should stand as a lesson for us to be more humble in deciding what is God's will for people for all time - after all, as you mentioned they consulted God before deciding what to do and clearly we don't agree with their determination of God's will.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01930197288559856052noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6677116486815012564.post-34478901505196947022015-04-13T18:02:34.622-07:002015-04-13T18:02:34.622-07:00Why is it that these difficult stories are not pre...Why is it that these difficult stories are not preached on Sunday mornings, but we love to discuss “controversial topics” during small group time? Thank you for sharing this thought-provoking post and getting my mind warmed up for the rest of the semester after a very much-needed spring break. "In those days there was no king in Israel, all the people did what was right in their own eyes" (Judges 21:25). We think we know what is best for us. This is a great reminder that we need our king, He truly knows what is best for us and wants the best for us. I completely agree that the difficult stories are really tough to read, but it teaches us to not make the same mistakes. I loved the last paragraph of your post. “We should see that the ancient Israelites would have seen just how far they had fallen in this story and used that to support a kingship over themselves as a way of saving them from their own brokenness.”Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com