Oooooooh it's okay, I've read plenty of Christian apologetics, including apologetics of the Old Testament. I know exactly how that line can be interpreted in a metaphorical way.
But the thing is, this story never actually happened, so if we're making a movie out of it as if everything in it (magic, plagues, and all) were literal reality, then there's no getting out of a literal reading of God making the Pharaoh's decision for him instead of letting him decide. If Pharaoh relents he doesn't get to unleash the plagues, so he makes sure Pharaoh can't. Which makes sense if you think about it - if Ramses says "sure, whatever, go then" there's no awe and terror-inspiring story about God's wrath.
I'm not "bashing" God, I'm just telling people what's literally written in the Bible. The Bible says God made Pharaoh reject Moses' request, so the game was rigged from the start. There was never any chance for him to show compassion.
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But the thing is, this story never actually happened, so if we're making a movie out of it as if everything in it (magic, plagues, and all) were literal reality, then there's no getting out of a literal reading of God making the Pharaoh's decision for him instead of letting him decide. If Pharaoh relents he doesn't get to unleash the plagues, so he makes sure Pharaoh can't. Which makes sense if you think about it - if Ramses says "sure, whatever, go then" there's no awe and terror-inspiring story about God's wrath.
I'm not "bashing" God, I'm just telling people what's literally written in the Bible. The Bible says God made Pharaoh reject Moses' request, so the game was rigged from the start. There was never any chance for him to show compassion.