Cartoons to make you think.

The following cartoons summarize a story from the following books. The reader is encouraged to read the entire books in context: The Book of Joshua; The Bhagavad-Gita; The Quran.

The Book of Joshua 1

God does not take sides in battle or command or condone violence, especially the killing of subservient women and children. The women and children of Canaan were subservient to the men who were led by male priests. The women and children cannot be held responsible for the leadership. Joshua killed the innocent and claimed divine direction. This is a false claim because God does not condone violence. Jesus taught us not to see people as separate or inferior, thus no condemnation. Whatever bad acts were done by the Canaanites do Not justify genocide. Jesus said, "Father forgive them for they know not what they do." This can be applied in many situations.

And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city (Jericho), both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword. Joshua 6:21.

And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, and were in the going down to Beth-horon, that the LORD cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died: they were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword. Joshua 10:11.

And there was no day like that before it or after it that the LORD hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the LORD fought for Israel. Joshua 10:14.

So Joshua smote all the country of the hills, and of the south, and of the vale, and of the springs, and all their kings: he left none remaining, but utterly destroyed all that breathed, as the LORD God of Israel commanded. Joshua 10:40.

And the LORD said unto Joshua, Be not afraid because of them: for tomorrow about this time will I deliver them up all slain before Israel: thou shalt hough their horses, and burn their chariots with fire. Joshua 11:6.

Perhaps half the population of Canaan were women and children who were subservient to the adult males, particularly priests. The women and children had little say in their society and therefore were innocent, but Joshua killed them anyway.

So we can conclude God did not have a covenant with Joshua or the Hebrews because violence was involved. God promotes peace, not violence. The Hebrews were not chosen by God to kill anyone. Joshua is not inspired of God, not sacred, and therefore not scripture.

p. 105 Considering your specific duty as a ksatriya (King, Royalty, government) you should know that there is no better engagement for you than fighting on religious principles; and so there is no need for hesitation.

Purport: The ksatriyas are specially trained for challenging and killing because religious violence is sometimes a necessary factor. Therefore, ksatriyas are never meant for accepting directly the order of sannyasa, or renunciation. Non violence in politics may be a diplomacy, but it is never a factor or principle. Therefore, killing on the battlefield on religious principles and killing animals in the sacrificial fire are not at all considered to be acts of violence, because everyone is benefited by the religious principles involved.

Answer to Purport: Was this translated correctly? Was there a transposition error long ago which was carried forward? Was the meaning lost? Shouldn't it say, Religious principles keep us from harm and prohibit us from fighting?

We are individuals, not Kings. We have freewill. From the standpoint of the individual, violence is to be avoided. Avoid any group or society who advocates killing. Renounce being a warrior because warriors kill.

2:191 And slay them wherever you catch them, and turn them out from where they have turned you out; for tumult and oppression are worse than slaughter; but fight them not at the Sacred Mosque, unless they (first) fight you there; but if they fight you slay them. Such is the reward of those who suppress Faith.

2:216 Fighting is prescribed for you, and you dislike it. But it is possible that you dislike a thing which is good for you, and that you love a thing which is bad for you. But Allah knows, and you know not.

There are about 100 more verses which call Muslims to war with nonbelievers for the sake of Islamic rule. We are not presidents or kings. Violence is just violence from the standpoint of the individual. There is no distinction between offensive and defensive fighting from the standpoint of the individual. Therefore, do not fight at all.

Mohammad (may peace be upon him) fell from grace when he picked up the sword.

The Book of Mormon adopts the Old Testament and the New Testament and adds Another Testament of Jesus Christ. The Book of Mormon depicts God as Wrathful which is the same problem with all the other scriptures cited above. God is Peaceful, Not Wrathful.

1 NE 4:12 And it came to pass that the Spirit (of God) said unto me again: slay him, for the Lord hath deliverd him into they hands....

1 NE 17:31 And it came to pass thst according to his word he did destroy them and according to his word he did lead them and according to his word he did do all things for them and there was not any thing done save it were by his word.

1NE 17:32 And after they had crossed the river Jordan he did make them mighty unto the driving out of the children of the land, yea, unto the scattering them to destruction.

Also see: 1 NE 35-37

2 NE 5:21 And he had caused the cursing to come upon them, yea, even a sore cursing, because of their iniquity. For behold, they had hardened their hearts against him, that they had become like unto a flint; wherefore, as they were white, and exceedingly fair and delightsome, that they might not be enticing unto my people the Lord God did cause a skin of blackness to come upon them.

[White skinned people are delightsome and black skinned people are cursed].

Ether 1:1 And now I, Moroni, proceed to give account of those ancient inhabitants who were destroyed by the hand of the Lord upon the face of this north country.

Ether 2:8 And he had sowrn in his wrath unto the brother of Jared, that whoso should possess this land of promise, from that time henceforth and forever, should serve him, the true and only God, or they should be swept off when the fullness of his wrath should come upon them.

[It is interesting to note that in Ether 3: 6-9 The Lord, has the finger of a man, like unto flesh and blood....]

So, if you believe in a Vengeful, Wrathful, God it is a projection of yourself and is Not God.

Renounce war and fighting for any cause or under any pretense whatsoever.

We should renounce all images and stories which make a hero out of someone who harms themselves or another. Set high ideals: peace, forgiveness, acceptance, reconciliation, thanksgiving and sharing. Apply the principles Jesus taught, but not his example of self-harm. Do not willingly martyr yourself. Suicide is Not the answer to your troubles. Jesus "took on the troubles of the world" and it led to his suicide. This example is Not to be copied or glorified.

Near Death Experiences (NDEs) are evidence of a spirit and therefor an afterlife. NDEs are a medical fact and have been studied. Verified out of body experiences have been made. The crucifixion of Jesus was unnecessary.

1

The author of, The Book of Joshua, is unknown. No author is mentioned in the book. Some Bible students think Joshua wrote the book except for the death reports (Joshua 24:29-33 ); but the book gives no indication that Joshua had anything to do with writing the whole book, though he did write the laws on which the covenant renewal was based (Joshua 24:26).

It is also difficult to date the writing of books like this. Some Bible students suggest a time about a hundred years after Joshua's death, or at least by the time of the beginning of the monarchy. A date around 1045 B.C. would place it within the lifetime of Samuel, who was in a sense the last of the judges and the one who anointed the first two kings. Other Bible students think the Book of Joshua only reached its present form when the Former Prophets were collected together during the Exile.

2.

The Bhagavad Gita is an ancient Indian text that became an important work of Hindu tradition in terms of both literature and philosophy. The earliest translations of this work from Sanskrit into English were made around 1795 CE by Sir Charles Wilkins. The name Bhagavad Gita means “the song of the Lord”. It is composed as a poem and it contains many key topics related to the Indian intellectual and spiritual tradition. Although it is normally edited as an independent text, the Bhagavad Gita became a section of a massive Indian epic named “The Mahabharata”, the longest Indian epic. There is a part in the middle of this long text, consisting of 18 brief chapters and about 700 verses: this is the section known as the Bhagavad Gita. It is also referred to as the Gita, for short.

Authorship & Origin

The Bhagavad Gita was written at some point between 400 BCE and 200 CE. Like the Vedas and the Upanishads, the authorship of the Bhagavad Gita is unclear. However, the credit for this text is traditionally given to a man named Vyasa, who is more of a legend than an actual historical figure; because of this, Vyasa has been compared to Homer, the great figure of ancient Greek epic poetry.

3.

According to the Quran's teachings, it came directly to Muhammad, peace be upon him, from the angel Gabriel (Ar. Jibril), who received it from Almighty God (Allah) and then he recited it to Muhammad, peace be upon him, piece by piece, sentence by sentence, revealing small and large portions of it over a period of 23 years.

The actual assembly and order of verses was never changed by Muhammad, peace be upon him. It was Jibril, the Angel of Allah, who instructed as to what should go where every time more of the Quran was revealed.