If the Hebrews saw all the plagues hit Egypt and the parting of the Red Sea, why'd they switch religions?
607833
The making of a golden calf has to be understood in its ancient context.  In the ancient Near Eastern religions, the gods had thrones, or "vehicles" which were often depicted as animals.  Sometimes, the deity would be depicted on the animal, and at other times, only the animal was depicted, so as to make the worshipper aware of the unimaginable and esoteric God that "rode" the vehicle, or "sat" on the throne.  So an empty animal or throne was only a pointer to the God that was supposed to imaginarily sit or ride on it.  \n\nSo, it is very possible that what the people were doing was merely worshipping YHWH, but doing so by making the calf as a throne/vehicle for Him, and then imagining their un-depictable deity atop the calf.  This is not only an academic interpretation, but early Jewish sources also say that the sin of the golden calf was NOT that the people worshipped another God besides YHWH, but that they made the mistake of trying to depict him in some way.\n\nNotice that in the Jerusalem Temple, there is this exact same idea, and it was APPROVED.  There in the Holy of Holies, was a throne made in the likeness of a sphinx-type creature, with cherubs above it.  Why was it ok to have a sphinx for a throne/vehicle for God, but not a golden calf for one?\n\nIt is very possible that the answer is politics.  Jerusalem was the cult-center for Judah, the southern portion of Israel when Israel was divided.  The Northern Kingdom also had cult centers - one in the south and one in the North, and at each of the centers, was a golden calf in the holy of holies, depicting that throne/vehicle for God.  When Israel was defeated, the people from the Northern Kingdom had to assimilate their worship ways with those of the South.  Therefore, the Northern deity, El, became identified as the same God as YHWH.  But the priests of Jerusalem did not want anyone bringing sacrifices to any other place other than Jerusalem.  In an attempt to condemn the worship centers of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, they wrote this story of the golden calf into Exodus.  This gives their ruling against golden calves an ancient authority.\n\nIt also makes it seem totally ridiculous what the northerners did.  I mean, afterall, they were TOLD not to make golden calves at the exodus, right?!  And yet they turned around and did it anyway!?\nThe story is a metaphor.  It is a metaphor for condemning the worship practices of Northern Israel.\n\nIt is not historical.
400387
The crusades seperated people because it caused people who where either looking for religous salvation or just money to leave and fight.
267808
religeons evolve, like species. At first you have primitive people, tens of thousands of years ago, wondering how they got there, and thanking the clouds for rain. And the infection keeps on going.
568019
Read Numbers 16.  God opened the ground and swallowed Korah, his followers and their families.  He also sent fire from the sky to kill the rest of the 250.  You would think the rest of the Israelites learned their lesson...but they complained and whined the very next day and God sent a plague of death sweeping across the camps until Aaron atoned for their sins.
214738
Moses delivered the Israelites from bondage to Egypt. The reason that God freed them was so "that they may serve [God]." But shortly after they started their journey through the desert, the made a golden calf! So for their iniquity, they wandered in the desert for 40 years.\n\n2000 years ago, God sent His Son to deliver people from their bondage to sin & death. The purpose was NOT for liberty to do whatever ya wanna do (so that "Grace may abound"); it was so we would know what God's Word really is - to understand the Spirit of His Law (w/o the Pharisees' oral law/traditions... some of which conflicted with God's Law), to be able to seek to do His will "on earth as it is in heaven" without undue burden. It gives us the freedom to embrace the Torah (the written Word of God) and the liberty to live it as Yeshua the Messiah (the incarnate Word of God) demonstrated. He live a sinless life; He did not break any commandment of God; He followed the Torah (Sabbaths, Holy Days, clean food, etc... right down to the fringes on his clothes). And He told those who would have His Salvation: "Follow Me."\n\nBut history repeats. People do not find the narrow gate and do not stay on the straight path. For centuries upon centuries, people have been ignoring God's Law and practicing paganism - Constantine was a lifelong pagan who merely added some Christian elements to his sun god worship and called it Christianity. Almost all of the mainline Christian religions (Catholic, Protestant, non-denominational) desecrate the Sabbath which God gave as a gift to mankind, worship on Sunday (because Constantine & the Popes say-so), celebrate pagan holidays (Christmas & Easter), and in the most ironic iniquity, they eat ~Easter ham dinner~ a doubly abhorrent abomination to God! The Reformation was a failure....\n\nModern society is a moral desert we wander in because we are as rebellious as Eve was in the Garden of Eden. The proverbial log is in the eyes of the traditional institutional churches [leaders & members]; but they see specs in other heathens' eyes.\n\nGod is patient. As every parent knows, patience w/o limit is dysfunctional. Discipline & Judgment are looming over us. But "as in the days of Noah," [almost] no one cares.
221509
The whole Moses/Egypt/slavery thing is BS.  Besides the bible, there is no record of Hebrews in Egypt being held in slavery.\n\nEven if the Pharaoh wished to cover-up his embarrassment over losing to Moses... don't you think that all the other Egyptians that lost their first born sons would put down some record?!?  I mean, that is a monumental event!  Can you imagine how much impact there would be if all the first born male animals and children died in America today?  This would have been an earth shattering event that would be recorded in tons of sources.\n\nLet's imagine that it actually did happen in Egypt though.  Don't you think that instead of covering up the incident (which would be next to impossible), that the Pharoah would instead put a spin on it?  He'd probably say this his god, Amon-Ra, killed all the first borns because the Egyptians weren't faithful enough to the Pharaoh.\n\nBesides the bible, there is no record of the Hebrew's slavery.  \n\nAs to the attacking the land of Canaan... why would a peaceful and loving god wish to have humans attack and kill one another?  Why wouldn't he have Moses just do more miracles and convert the Canannites?\n\n-----\nScheb, you totally ignored my point.  All the first born men and animals killed?  It's not a defeat, it's a disaster.  The plagues should have been recorded somewhere!  Nile river levels, livestock purchases, reduction in the sale of frog legs, something!  By the way, what's with the idea of a benevolent and loving god killing children and animals (like puppies, kittens, and ponies) because a government leader pisses him off?  The people didn't vote him in, they didn't have a choice in who their leader was!  That's divine justice, oh yeah! <-- note sarcasm.
1115903
The cities of the plain were destroyed as a warning for all that this same event will happen again one day to the wicked.  One would think God is capable of preserving this ancient lesson for us to see and learn from.\n\n"Then the Lord rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the Lord out of the heavens"  Genesis 19:24.  "Turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly"  II Peter 2:6.  (The word for "example" means an exhibit for warning.)
990977
with the coming of Islam to Egypt in the late 600's AD, most Egyptians soon converted from Christianity to Islam. Some Jews living in Egypt remained Jewish, and some of the Christians remained Christian - these Egyptian Christians are called the Copts, today. But since 700 AD most people in Egypt have followed the Islamic faith.
550107
Good Lord. \nThe Old Testament was under the Law of Moses. As a christian today you should know that Jesus' death and resurrection removed us from the curse of the 'Law'. In the Old testament Israel was a fledgling nation. They were trying to seperate themselves from the 'pagans' Plus they were a lot less civilized than we are today. \nGod does not want you to kill your child, come on. If you truly believe that then you need psychological help and all your children should be removed from you care.
766325
Muslims believe that Bible was changed from its original version hence all these contradictions.
1025085
all the holy texts of ancient times have been changed over the years to fit political and social climates of different eras. but, that was man's fault. whether religion existed or not, there was still going to be violence over something. all religion is good until some nutcase takes things too far. its a shame that most ppl cant take the lessons that can be learned from any religion and apply them to their daily lives without going off the deep end and rejecting others that dont agree.
1166869
This is a perplexing situation.  \nIn the middle east it has been going on for thousands of years and it's a wonder how they have gone so long with out totally destroying themselves.\n\nIt must be due to the fact that prior to this war it was always small scale skirmishes.  You killed my brother so I kill you and your brother too, and back and forth...\n\nAlso another irony\n\nAll religions preach there own version of thou shalt not kill yet religion has caused the most wars in history...\n\nSo the answer to your question would be that this will never end until the people become educated enough to realize that what they are doing is the opposite of what they are supposed to be doing...
256536
The only real changes I can think od would be 1. who the slave masters were and 2. the death of one god and the birth of another. I see little difference from north, central and south. They came, they saw, they conquered.
967059
When Moses led the Children of Israel out of Egypt to the promised land. They were commanded to kill all the homosexual idol worshiping inhabitants before them.  They were instructed to not show mercy or spare anyone. Or in the latter days they would come back to hurt them.\n\nSo Israel went to Canna did not kill the homosexual worshipers of Baal and as you can see it has turned to their hurt.\n\n\nGo big Re Go
790562
If muslims are leaving their faith could it be because of the following:\n\nThe Qur'an tells muslims to kill and go to war to fight for Islam:  Quran, chapters (Surahs) 9:5; 2:191; 2:193; 3:118; 4:75,76; 5:33, 8:12; 8:65; 9:73,123; 33:60-62.  \nFight for Allah:  "And kill them wherever you find them, and drive them out from whence they drove you out, and persecution is severer than slaughter, and do not fight with them at the Sacred Mosque until they fight with you in it, but if they do fight you, then slay them; such is the recompense of the unbelievers, (Quran 2:191). \nMuslims are to battle for Allah:  "Those who believe do battle for the cause of Allah; and those who disbelieve do battle for the cause of idols. So fight the minions of the devil. Lo! the devil's strategy is ever weak," (Quran 4:76). \nKill those against Islam:  "The only reward of those who make war upon Allah and His messenger and strive after corruption in the land will be that they will be killed or crucified, or have their hands and feet on alternate sides cut off, or will be expelled out of the land. Such will be their degradation in the world, and in the Hereafter," (Quran 5:33). \nBeheading:  "When thy Lord inspired the angels, (saying): I am with you. So make those who believe stand firm. I will throw fear into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Then smite the necks and smite of them each finger. 13That is because they opposed Allah and His messenger. Whoso opposeth Allah and His messenger, (for him) lo! Allah is severe in punishment," (Quran 8:12). \nAllah urges war:  "O Prophet! urge the believers to war; if there are twenty patient ones of you they shall overcome two hundred, and if there are a hundred of you they shall overcome a thousand of those who disbelieve, because they are a people who do not understand," (Quran 8:65). \nSlay non-muslims:  "Then, when the sacred months have passed, slay the idolaters wherever ye find them, and take them (captive), and besiege them, and prepare for them each ambush. But if they repent and establish worship and pay the poor-due, then leave their way free. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful," (Quran 9:5). \nAllah urges war:  "O Prophet! strive hard against the unbelievers and the hypocrites and be unyielding to them; and their abode is hell, and evil is the destination," (Quran 9:73). \nAllah urges war:  "O you who believe! fight those of the unbelievers who are near to you and let them find in you hardness; and know that Allah is with those who guard (against evil)," (Quran 9:123). \nAllah urges killing: "...the hypocrites and those in whose hearts is a disease and the agitators in the city do not desist... 61Cursed: wherever they are found they shall be seized and murdered, a (horrible) murdering. 62(Such has been) the course of Allah with respect to those who have gone before; and you shall not find any change in the course of Allah, (Quran 33:60-62). \nBeheading:  "Now when ye meet in battle those who disbelieve, then it is smiting of the necks until, when ye have routed them, then making fast of bonds; and afterward either grace or ransom till the war lay down its burdens..." (Quran 47:4). \nAllah loves those who fight for him.  "Truly Allah loves those who fight in His Cause in battle array, as if they were a solid cemented structure," (Quran 61:4).
9475
I don't have any solid research but I imagine there were at least a few general reasons:\n\nTo spread out a kingdom because individuals and their livestock needed more land, OR to accomodate growing populations in a certain kingdom/city/empire.\n\nTo provide a safer buffer from enemies, that is, cities in the center of an increasing territory for better protection.\n\nTo secure resources or trade routes\n\nTo convert other people to the expanding religion\n\nTo populate newly/randomly discovered territories\n\nI am editing now, I suppose those things could have been the reason in the very earliest of times but in prehistoric societies, I bet survival sums it up pretty well. Maybe not expansion but certainly the nomadic thing...pick up and move to beat the weather or a threatening pack of animals, to find food or land appropriate to grow food and support livestock. Territory would certainly have had something to do with it, if there was a serious enough pissing contest with a threatening enough adversary, such as an unfriendly neighboring clan, a settlement of people might pick up and move to give themselves more safety by giving the big guy wider berth.
845568
Nothing. The only reason that Moses needed to have a second set was because he threw the first set down. He threw them down because he was pissed that the Israelites were worshipping a golden calf when he was on the mountain.