This is an extrapolation of another thread (on the Golden Rule), but I wanted to come at it from a different perspective. I would like to know why YOU think Yahweh shouldn't have to set a good example. Let's move beyond "authority", because that argument says absolutely nothing. Parents are authorities to their children, but must (to be worthy of respect) be good role models and practice what is preached. So, that now that we've established that authority is not justification, let's move to how you do explain god's failure to lead by example. Non-theist responses welcome and encouraged!
I thought one of the points behind Jesus was to set examples. I'm not convinced it's in God's plan to have humans know all the finer points of this theology.
I think sending His Son to die for all of us so we could have eternal life is about the best role model you could ever think up, don't you?
How so? Sending your own son to be murdered horribly, as a way of ameliorating 'bad stuff' which you planned and created, strikes me as about the worst possible example of good morals. Furthermore, if you consider it a great and noble sacrifice (but why would you ... blood sacrifice is barbaric), you have to contend with the fact that it was only a very temporary sacrifice, since the subject got up and carried on as usual after 3 days. If I (*)(*)(*)(*) up and teach my kids the wrong thing, or fail to teach them the right thing, I don't sacrifice one of them, so that the power of blood and death will magically cleanse the remaining kids (especially if I already know that the remaining kids won't actually be cleansed - because that's how I planned it). Instead, I fix myself first, and then the fixed me teaches the right stuff gently and patiently, remembering that they are not to blame for my errors. And I'm a very average parent. Nowhere near being a great role model.
