Richard Dawkins describes the Old Testament God as "a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser" (among other things).  Paul Copan is a Christian apologist and has written a book aiming to show why God's actions in the Old Testament are not immoral when taken in context.

Norman Bacrac is an atheist humanist and part ot the South place Ethical Society.  He believes that Old Testament morality was barbaric and we don't need a God to tell us how to behave.  He holds that God's morality is called into question if we take the Old Testament literally.

So how do we interpret passages where the Israelites were commanded to wipe out whole towns including women and children?

For Paul Copan and his book "Is God a Moral Monster?" see http://www.paulcopan.com/

For the Ethical Society see http://www.ethicalsoc.org.uk/

For more Christian/non-Christian debate visit http://www.premier.org.uk/unbelievable or get the MP3 podcast http://ondemand.premier.org.uk/unbelievable/AudioFeed.aspx or Via Itunes

If you enjoyed this programme you may also enjoy:

Unbelievable? 16 Oct 2010 - The Moral argument for God Philosophers Arif Ahmed and Glenn People debate

Unbelievable? 19 June 2010 - Does the Bible condone slavery? Bob Price & David Instone-Brewer.

Unbelievable? 13 Sep 2008 Christianity on Trial - Part 2 Can we really look to the Bible and Jesus for morality?

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