[RJT]

Not sure if this belongs here or under bigdaddy’s thread (or neither).

We start with 3 sets of folk.

1) Those who believe ( I include those who say they believe) .
2) Those who say a God makes no sense.
3) Those who say it cannot be determined therefore, I abstain from belief or non belief.

1) These folk will be judged fairly by God on the sincerity of their belief. God is omniscient. He knows.

2) There is nothing in Science that says a creator God is impossible. These folk have no rights. They relinquished their right to a trial (whether the trial is fair or not really becomes moot) when they chose that God does not exist. No rational thought can lead to any certain conclusion that God does not exist. They are not justified in coming to that conclusion. Lack of evidence is lack of evidence. It is not evidence for a lack of God. They do not recognize any Supreme Authority. The simply then do not participate in the Kingdom of God. A Kingdom which they decided does not even exist.

3) These are the folk with whom we are most concerned. How can a just God judge them harshly for using their “God given” brain? So long as they are decent folk, I don’t think God will be too hard on them. But, as far as participating in the Kingdom of God, I am not quite sure. There are a few complications with these folk.

Regarding why being decent is necessary - If one chooses to be selfish (not decent) and take the attitude that might makes right, then really what one is doing is choosing the Law of Nature. He is following the rule of the animal. He does indeed make a choice after all. He really chooses Man is God. He chooses no God.
He really belongs to group #2.

To the decent folk, why should they be awarded a prize simply for being decent? What is their intent? I think they do actually make a choice too. Again they choose Man is God. They are kind to others so that society works. They do unto others because that is how they expect others to do unto them. If all act accordingly, then the system works. It is Man’s system, though, that they are interested in. They have no interest in God. If they have no interest in God, that is they allowed for the possibility of God, yet decided not to seek Him - why do they wish to partake in His Kingdom after the fact?

If in the back of their mind they think maybe God. Then these folk just might ask for absolution at the last minute before Gettysburg. They might say, even only conditionally “If God exists then I believe“. They allow for God’s saving Grace. Perhaps a just God decides this is a Baptism of Desire that Bluff spoke of. And a just God absolves them of their omission of not knowing Him prior. He accepts them into His Kingdom.

To those who have no such last minute opportunity, yet allow for the possibility of God. This is the hard one. I think the onus is on themselves. Did they make an attempt? Did they seek and not find? What were the circumstances of not finding? This is where a just God must find justly for/against them. He is omniscient. He knows.


Footnote: When I speak of God in the basic form of Creator only, I do not mean to imply that is enough. Once one decides that a creator God is possible, then the onus is on the person to look for evidence. I think rare is the case of one who seeks and does not find it. If one so desires a relationship with God, God graces that person with the gift of Faith. That is how it works. That is how some have given witness to how it works. That is how I believe He works.