Divine Violence: From Problem to Theme: The Example of Debora’s Song
摘要
Technology has always had an impact not only on practical and physical life, but also on ethical and moral life. Consider, for example, how the invention of the book and then printing changed the way we can enjoy traditions, share reflections, create fictional dialogues with authors of the past, and much more. In addition to ensuring better preservation and dissemination of content, books and printing have influenced the way in which their contents have been understood and transformed, as well as the way in which the human beings who enjoy them process their thoughts. Scientific studies have shown that the technology through which something is learned directly affects the development of certain parts of the brain. In this chapter, through an analysis of divine violence in Judges 5, one of the historical books of the Old Testament, I will attempt to provide tools for reflecting on how new digital technologies impact our ethical understanding and reflection (i.e., perspective, questions, criteria for judgment), our belief systems, and promote ethical polarization. Images of divine violence are among the most divisive in the Bible, both in terms of the image of God and the possibility that divine violence may or may not legitimize violence in the name of God. The radical nature of these issues requires a cautious and complex approach, which is difficult to reduce to algorithmic mediation and extreme, definitive positions. For this reason, the analysis of an ancient—but not outdated—text from religious tradition can provide fertile ground for investigation, increasing our reflection on the impact of digital technologies on the complexity of ethical reflection and belief systems.