Book of Job is it an Allegory?

[RandyWayne]

Originally Posted by pelathais

On the subject of the Book of Job being allegorical, forget the character called "Satan" in the drama and consider the one called "God."

Are we comfortable with a deity who throws away the lives of Job's children in order to win a bet? I read about a man in Wisconsin recently who threw away the life of his diabetic daughter on a similar wager - and he's looking at serious prison time.

And don't forget - Job never got an answer from God. The "curtain" was never thrown back revealing heaven's parlor game. Job was left to ponder the deepest of mysteries along with his readers. But Job was able to find a higher meaning and purpose for deity than the idea of God as a Supernatural bickering with another supernatural being.

And thus, Job justified God and God justified Job. Sounds like a good basis for a friendship, allegorical or otherwise.

If one is in a cynical mood while reading this, it is easy to compare what happens in Job between God and Satan to Randolph and Mortimer ruining a mans life for a one dollar bet. "I say it is heredity!", "Well, I say it is environment! Shall we make our usual wager?"

As far as the man who risked his daughters life in Wisconsin, have you read any of their blog posts? They've made themselves into the victims being persecuted by the state (and satan) for THEIR "minister". It is all about them -their daughter is forgotten -or has even gotten sick because of HER sins.