Can God....

[RydenStoompala]

We do not have a manual for life that we can all choose to ignore. Most of the population cannot comprehend it and without comprehension, how can they argue the moral virtues of their own behavior? Therefore, He is not producing any kind of manual for Us. Unless you wish to tell me that a supreme being is exclusionary, sorting people by "have cash, dont have cash." That would be rather insulting.

Then there's the whole "My God has it right, your God has it wrong" problem. Not only may a person not understand what is required, if he does comprehend some ancient religious work the scripture may tell him to kill you. Does that make his interpretation less valid than yours? There are a billion people out there whose most holy work was partially depicted on animal bones. Dont tell me we have a roadmap to salvation. It's just a blueprint for hatred, like most religions. Mind you, I'm less cynical than most.

Then there's the really beautiful cult stuff, like Latter Day Saints and their breakaway sects. You want to tell me that any God thought it was a good idea for old men to have half a dozen teenage sex slaves? I know who likes that interpretation of things...the old perverts. I know who doesn't subscribe to it...everyone else. That's a rather convenient vision to experience, when you're a pedophile, dont you think? That's like coming out of the desert in 635 AD and deciding that these rich Christian thugs with the swords should have their butts kicked in perpetuity. Very convenient.

I know the bible bearers can explain God's tollerance for man's inhumanity toward man. So can I.

[kalooki45]

"Therefore, He is not producing any kind of manual for Us."
" It's just a blueprint for hatred, like most religions."

Ryden, I really like you.
I get the feeling that you're a good person, that you think about things, and that you CARE about what happens to others. Jesus would like you a lot. He DOES like you a lot.

Therefore, I'm writing out a quote for you. Memorize this, and you've got MOST of the manual of the New Testament.

1 CORINTHIANS 13 (caps mine)
"And now I will show you the MOST EXCELLENT way."
"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor, and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the TRUTH. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perserveres.
Love NEVER FAILS. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is KNOWLEDGE, it will PASS AWAY. For we KNOW IN PART, and we PROPHESY IN PART, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. NOW we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; THEN we shall see face to face. NOW I know in PART; THEN I shall know fully, even as I am FULLY KNOWN.
And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love." [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]

This is a letter (part of the New Testament) written by the Apostle Paul (Saul of Tarsus, St. Paul) to a church in Corinth.
Paul was a learned Pharisee Jew. He started out believing that the Christians were blasphemers, and persecuted them mercilessly according to his version of the truth.
Is this the same man writing now? YES...God works with us ONE at a TIME, honey...FROM THE INSIDE OUT. He wants to be in your heart. That's where He chooses to live. Not on a gilded throne, or in a mansion on a hill.

Rev. 3:20
Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with Me."

You see, he not only gave you a manual for universal consumption, He gives you a GOLD EDGED PERSONAL INVITATION.

Luke 15-23 (caps & parentheses are mine--to aid understanding)
When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, "Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the Kingdom of God."
Jesus replied: "A certain Man [God] was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests [Israel]. At the time of the banquet He [God] sent His servant [Jesus] to tell those who had been invited, 'Come, for everything is now ready.'
"But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, 'I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.'
'Another said, I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I'm on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.'
Still another said, 'I just got married, so I can't come.'
"The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.' [literal and figurative: the "blind" are all without the Word of Truth i.e. the Gentiles].
"Sir,' the servant said, what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.'
"Then the Master told the Servant 'Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full. I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet."

If you got a telegram from God, would you read it? If He sent you a personal invitation, would you refuse it?
They are lying on everyone's doorstep....let's at least read. Otherwise, we have nothing to say, do we?

[Matt Ruff]

[ QUOTE ]
problem with the bible is that modern, more intelligent audiences can't create a revised edition without the homophobia, misogyny and blatant contradiction.

[/ QUOTE ]

Also, it doesn't have any good car chases.

-- M. Ruff

[Peter Harris]

maybe thats why Starsky and Hutch have such a following!

Regards,
Pete Harris

[Hansi]

Probably many of the same ones who claim it's okay to "kill in the name of God", despite the commmandment, "Thou Shall Not Kill".

Interesting (and intriguingly appropriate) that a religious question is posted under "Psychology"...Life as we know it is filled with dilemmas and paradox; many of which have no clear cut answers. Yet the human mind tends to not deal well with the unexplained or unknown. As such, many folks go to interesting lengths to explain and/or catagorize things in order to maintain a feeling of security...number two on Maslow's Heirarchy of Needs after food, sleep and such. This is what (in my opinion) explains much of the fanaticism with "God", whatever he, she or it may be. Religion essentially becomes a security blanket and explanation when things don't go the way we desire. For some people, it's both a security blanket and a crutch to explain away their failures. (This is the way it was meant to be, God has his reasons, God please take away this pain, etc.)

My life experience tells me the existence of some omnipotent force and/or "life after death" is highly probable...in fact, I am quite convinced of it. Yet, this incessant need to explain our existence, the universe, death, etc, is what gives rise to so much of the turbulance and conflict that exists amongst the human race. (Talk about a paradox..."God" must be so pleased to see his children fighting and condemning each other over the nature of his all-loving being.)

Whatever people choose to believe, that's fine...I'm not here to change anyone. Your relationship with God should be very personal, which means my relationship with him/her/it doesn't mean beans to you and vice-versa.

It would be nice, though, if people took a little more rational (and yes, logical) approach to God. He gave us the ability to think and reason, so he must expect that we will do just that.

Blind belief because somebody (parents, priests, etc) told us this is what God is, or because we have sunk so low in life that we needed an emotional crutch to "save" us, is far more dangerous than asking questions that challenge us (i.e. Can God make a burrito so hot that he can't hold it?) to take a critical look at ourselves and our beliefs.

[thedude4life]

[ QUOTE ]
come up with two positive integers such that when you cube each and add them up, you get the cube of a third integer?


[/ QUOTE ]


so you is askin if god can do better stuff than david blaines. if the answer is no, then aint god just like an over hyped, david blaines?

[Kopefire]

[ QUOTE ]

It is utterly inconceivable to me that the Christian version is accurate


[/ QUOTE ]

David,
I have many years of graduate studies in theology, focusing on the historical development of Christian theology.

Having read a large number of your posts, I have no reason at all to believe that you possess an understanding of theology that can be coherently labelled as "the christian version."

At best you present a caricature of the worst and least respected theological musings of American fundamentalist preachers.

While such makes for a very important social critique, it is very dangerous to presume that that is what "Christianity" is about. Any more than it would be correct to take the average losing poker player's "strategy" as representative of what poker is about.

[Matt Ruff]

[ QUOTE ]
Having read a large number of your posts, I have no reason at all to believe that you possess an understanding of theology that can be coherently labelled as "the christian version."

At best you present a caricature of the worst and least respected theological musings of American fundamentalist preachers.

While such makes for a very important social critique,

[/ QUOTE ]

Uninformed musings about Christianity posted to a poker forum? I'd call that a trivial social critique -- though not without occasional entertainment value.

-- M. Ruff

[David Sklansky]

It is utterly inconceivable to me that the Christian version is accurate



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David,
I have many years of graduate studies in theology, focusing on the historical development of Christian theology.

Having read a large number of your posts, I have no reason at all to believe that you possess an understanding of theology that can be coherently labelled as "the christian version."

Absolutely true. Absolutely irrelevant. Because you imply that if I were to understand the version you learned I might change my mind. And you know I wouldn't. Yes it would have been better if I said "anything remotely related to the Christian version".

But let me rephrase. I believe:

The probability that Jesus was resurrected is one in a quintillion. The probability that Jesus is the messiah or the son of God is one in a septillion. The probability that God listens to prayers and grants wishes from Christians but not dolphins, aliens, or Muslims is one in a novemdecillion.

[garyc8]

I believe he (Fermat) was relatively recently proved correct, but in a manner far less elegant than he would have offered. As for me, I haven't found the proof yet. [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]