Quote Originally Posted by Hamlet
It makes perfect sense when you look at it along side other mythologies. Zeus tormenting Prometheus, Hermes and his shinanigans; Odin, Thor and the crew having all the heavenly fun in the stories told about them.

You see in the old days they didn't view God as we would probably consider him now; as an all-encompassing spirit permeating everything. The Universe wasn't as big. God to them lived on that mountain they couldn't climb; was up in the clouds and threw lightning at them.

Actually the Old Testament didn't deny other gods. The Hebrews just considered theirs the greatest and you weren't supposed to have other gods before him. War back then was about 'capturing the god'. If you could take the other guys statue of their god, your god was greater than theirs. (or if yours was captured, your own god delivered you into captivity for being bad)

Of course the stories get blended with other mythologies, borrowing from one another. The Greeks had Heracules, the Hebrews had Samson, and so on. Hell was borrowed from the Greeks Hades, with a little bit of Egyptian underworld stuff thrown in for good measure.

In fact, this is one of the tamer stories when you think about the Earth resting on the back of a great turtle and other fables to explain the Universe.
What is your position towards people who believe the bible literally, word for word.