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Ananias and Sapphira

posted 8 years ago by jlvergae
5 replies | jump to latest

Episode 4: The Holy Spirit shows Peter a vision of Ananmias and Sapphira hiding money, despite their telling Peter that they donated everything to the commune. When confronted, both die, drowning in their own fluids.
Me and my Malaysian/Chinese wife have been watching the original Bible and until this A.D. episode, and quite enjoyed it, with my wife very intested in the story and Jesus' message of Love.
But after watching the above scene, we all agree: "what's that nonsense? we don't see here compassion and forgiveness, simply fanaticism of a cult which demands everything or kills".
I know I know: Peter pointed out that Ananias was in control of the money and could give or keep it as he saw fit, but Ananias had pretended that he had given everything, and therefore he had lied not to men, but to God.
But the scene is depicted as the Holy Spirit killing that couple while Peter hysterically cried upon the inevitability of the punishment. Obviously, they had nothing else to care about while Pilate was crucifying 10 people a day....
IMHO, it totally damages Christianity. It could have been depicted as Peter gently explaining the sin to Ananias, offering foregiveness, and maybe an unwilling Ananias dying in a road accident, hit by bad luck.
OK, now my wife totally lost interest....

[–] DabacTSP 8 years ago

Go and read New Testament for yourselves and be aware that God's love and mercy (dying on the cross for the sinners, bunch of strangers) comes with equally important warning of double crossing - or blaspheming - Holy Spirit. Thankfully, God is much much much more patient and forgiving in most other cases than in this particular one.
BTW in Bible there was no blood from their eyes and no drama, they just dropped dead like they had heart attack. (Acts 5 I believe) Don't forget - people die suddenly every day.

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[–] KatharineFanatic 8 years ago

Get and read "Simply Jesus" by N.T. Wright with your wife.

Trust me, it's terrific -- and it really does explore the love of Jesus.

[–] jlvergae 8 years ago

Thank you both for your inspiring replies. I think we agree that the actual story as per the Bible was fine, just that this TV show was a bit too dramatic for its own good.... I take good note of the "simply Jesus" book. Cheers.

[–] Brocardi 7 years ago

I agree with the OP, it is terrorism plain and simple, punishing people by putting them to death for the crime of not being all-in fanatics. But keep in mind that there is also genocides and all types of similar atrocities in the name of god all throughout the bible, in fact you read in the book of acts that Roman centurions saw the early church as "terrorists" Acts 21:38 NIV Indeed the terrorism we saw in the episode of Ananias and Sapphira makes you wonder what kind of people would join such a death cult. Of course what's hilarious is listening to "conservative christians" actually defending these atrocities, they are disturbingly just like Muslims in that way.

[–] vicky_lc2001-1 7 years ago

That scene affected me as well to be honest. Others have done much worse and more deserving of punishment/death than two people who donated almost everything they had and just putting aside a little for themselves and lied about it.

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