Abraham and Isaac

     In this story, God asks Abraham to take his son Isaac up to the top of a mountain and sacrifice him. Abraham takes his son up the mountain and has him bring wood to craft an altar to god. After Isaac has asked where the animal to sacrifice is and Abraham is about to kill him, God sends an angel to him saying he truly fears God and that him and his son will both have prosperous lives.
      This is a portion of the bible that confuses me. God first asks someone to chose between their family and God, which would be a horrible decision to make. After Abraham "obeys God" and chooses the option that involves murdering his own son, God comes to him and indicates that he passed the test and wont have to fear him again. Religion, in my opinion should be personal, and should not involve unconditional loyalty and servitude. Any God that needs everyone to follow him blindly is not my kid of God.


Rembrandt depicts the scene