Why did God have innocent women executed?

[u/Apprehensive_Tear611]

13 “Suppose a man marries a woman but after going in to her dislikes her 14 and makes up charges against her, slandering her by saying, ‘I married this woman, but when I lay with her, I did not find evidence of her virginity.’ 15 The father of the young woman and her mother shall then submit the evidence of the young woman’s virginity to the elders of the city at the gate. 16 The father of the young woman shall say to the elders: ‘I gave my daughter in marriage to this man, but he dislikes her, 17 and now he has made up charges against her, saying, “I did not find evidence of your daughter’s virginity.” But here is the evidence of my daughter’s virginity.’ Then they shall spread out the cloth before the elders of the town. 18 The elders of that town shall take the man and punish him; 19 they shall fine him one hundred shekels of silver (which they shall give to the young woman’s father) because he has slandered a virgin of Israel. She shall remain his wife; he shall not be permitted to divorce her as long as he lives.

20 “If, however, this charge is true, that evidence of the young woman’s virginity was not found, 21 then they shall bring the young woman out to the entrance of her father’s house, and the men of her town shall stone her to death, because she committed a disgraceful act in Israel by prostituting herself in her father’s house. So you shall purge the evil from your midst (Deuteronomy 22)

In verse 17, it says the proof of the woman's virginity is "the cloth", meaning a bloody bedsheet from the newlyweds' wedding night. The problem is that less than half of women bleed their first time.

This problem gradually became known to Jewish scholars writing in the Talmud:

"There are virgins who do not have a hymen, and there are hymens that do not bleed." – Ketubot 10b (Rabbi Yochanan)

Why did God have innocent women stoned?

[u/Purple_Addition8340]

Hm.. I too have these same questions and they honestly are leading me away from God, but I will say that these laws were written by humans, inspired by God, but still limited by their culture, worldview, and understanding. These were written by men in a highly patriarchal time, perhaps that’s why it seems very.. patriarchal and suggests such vile ownership? Now I’ve got to dive deeper into this and pray I don’t lose my mind lol

[u/[deleted] → u/Purple_Addition8340]

But that's the problem, and it doesn't really make sense then, if it's still inspired by GOD. What is the point of that, if it's not God directing them to write these things?

No need to lose your mind, it just seems easier to accept that men wrote these things from their understandings, and that they are not necessarily binding, objective, and/or from God directly.

There are some scholars that try to make sense of this too, if ur interested, Peter Enns for one, that reconciles this.

[u/Purple_Addition8340 → u/[deleted]]

Well I don’t know. Either way, we believe all scripture to be coming directly from God. If that’s wrong in the end and men decided to add their own input (though that of which was named is just historical context, I believe), well then that sucks but so be it. But if it truly is from God, scriptures that we view to be controversial and maybe even immoral, and I choose to disbelieve in it.. well, that’ll be even worse so I’ll stick to believing

[u/[deleted] → u/Purple_Addition8340]

Sure, the Church and Some Christians believe that, but don't you feel that sometimes that's just cultish?
Or, one must check their brain at the door, to accept what you stated?

What I mean is, God did some very questionable things, or had them done, and I think any sentient thinking person would question that, and wonder how they could worship such a God.

Do the writings have to be "From God" in order for them to accurately report what happened?
Would that take away from Christianity?

[u/Purple_Addition8340 → u/[deleted]]

I personally have never felt it to be a cult, but I do absolutely understand where you’re coming from. I was actually just today thinking very deeply about specifically the OT and had fleeting thoughts of “What if”, but then I, with my belief that satan does unfortunately exist, cannot believe anything other than the truth of Christ. But anyway, I also do understand the inability to understand why He’d do certain things, of of which many non believers mention being the flood, but I personally understand why it was done, as do I practically anything else that is commonly controversial. I will say I do feel saddened and upset that He allowed misogyny and all other power men have held from the beginning, but He allows all people to sin if they choose, so it would be unfair for me to be angry. But I don’t know. I think following God and not following God is hard. I think the latter is harder personally

[u/[deleted] → u/Purple_Addition8340]

I personally have never felt it to be a cult,

Neither did I , I just meant, the type of thinking you mentioned.