There are many statements in the Bible accusing the Jews of being stubborn and thick-headed. That’s not a bug; that’s a feature. In order to be the people of God, people need to be stubborn and thick-headed. People who are not stubborn and thick-headed will assimilate into whatever is around them and would not be able to remain people of God for long. The Jewish people need to be stubborn and thick-headed in order to be people of God, and there is nothing unrighteous about it.

There are also many statements about errors in human nature. Once again, that’s not a bug, that’s a feature. A being who exists in the image of God will have the same propensities as does God. And God is not a being that obeys but a being who creates. Which means that it will be in human nature not to obey but to create; and there is, once again, nothing unrighteous about it.

Now I can most certainly see how, if someone has created you, he would be upset about you worshipping Baal or Astarte. I do not question that. What I do question is statements that are incompatible with what we know about man and God. In order to be people of God, you need to be stubborn and thick-headed. And if you were made in the image of a being that creates, then creating rather than obeying would be your nature as well.

I am not against God. God has been wonderful to me. I am however against beliefs that are wrong in the light of what we know about God. Cruelty and anti-semitism are wrong. And a truly righteous person would fight such things..

Are Jews thick-headed and stubborn? Yes we are. Once again, that goes along with the role. You need to be stubborn and thick-headed in order to be people of God. As for human nature, a being that is created in God’s image will have God’s propensities; and there is nothing wrong about it.