Why doesn't God make us behave the way he wants us to?
Why doesn't God make us behave the way he wants us to?
I choose to think He has quite the sense of humour!
How do we know he isn't??
How do we know He's a He?
Christian fundamentalists told me.Originally Posted by chm2023
How do we know he isn't??
Actually I think it's been proven (at least in the movies....) that He is Alanis Morissette
Fr. Andrew Greeley, whose novels I very much enjoy, always refers to God as feminine and possessing a great sense of humor
What, by making you burn in hell for all eternity if you do not worship him?
What would be the point if He did?
If we didn't have a choice in our actions, what would make us human? We essentially would be like robots, toys for amusement. No individual thought or action.
Again I ask, how do you know joy with out pain?
Cassandra
"Some believe in destiny, and some believe in fate. But I believe that happiness is something we create."-Something More by Sugarland
I'm not Christian bashing, but it does seem they take credit for their own good behavior, but bad behavior? The devil made me do it...:angry:
The devil can't make you do it - but he can tempt you (kinda like the lady giving out free food samples at the grocery store :D )
I don't blame the devil either. I am in complete control of my person.. including my overendulgence on chocolate and other confectionary items.
While it would be nice to place blame on someone else... it doesn't do me any bit of good.
The idea is for me to overcome temptation, (ie put the doughnut down) and to realize how it would hinder me instead. (like adding weight instead of losing it)
As one of the Articles of Faith I was taught states:
Adam fell that men might be, and men are that they might have joy.
The fall was a necessary part of the plan to lead us to salvation. It would be so easy to do the right thing all the time, if there were no wrong. But how would that help us grow and learn?
Cassandra
"Some believe in destiny, and some believe in fate. But I believe that happiness is something we create."-Something More by Sugarland
I think we expect God to do too much. I see life as a test. Those who past the test gain entrance to heaven, those who do not don't.
Lets face it, heaven is where all spirits live for the rest of eternity. In retrospect, life is like the size of one person in the universe compared to the Kingdom of Heaven.
But the Devil makes us eat fluffernutters. He's sneaky.
How would we learn? Things have been left incomplete or imperfect for us to finish or attempt to fix. Of course we make the wrong decisions from time to time but we are constantly growing. We can never understand why. Like when you were a kid and were told to cut down on the sweets, could you honestly understand why? You were forbiden, but you had a million and a half reasons why you should have the candy. We couldn't understand why. We couldn't see the big picture, we had to learn and grow to realize the horrors of tooth decay, obesity, and diabetes. We can't understand the big picture right now. But by giving us free will we can grow and learn and one day hopefully see it. At least thats what I heard our Rabbi say.
..........dang!! now I want fluffernutters!!!!!
I thought it was George Burns
Being Pagan, I must agree with Fr. Greely.
I feel that God leaves it up to us to show him what kind of people we truly are inside (within our hearts), as to whether we deserve to go to heaven. We choose our own paths by our actions, and we might not realize it, but he does continuously guide us in the right direction. Whether we accept the direction or ignore it, he leaves that entirely up to us. I'm a true believer that bad things happen for a good reason, and I can always find a positive out of a negative, no matter how bad the situation might be/have been. I don't feel God is trying to test us, but to make us wiser and give us the strength to use our misfortunes as an opportunity to better ourselves and help others. :)
Yo Malibu Barbie: for the longest time I have been a big fan of "Snitgirl' on the Optiboard--in terms of having the best name, I may have to reconsider, love "Malibu Barbie!!"
1. Melville's Moby Dick begins, "Call me Ishmael." We say it is told in the first person. In what person is Genesis told? From whose viewpoint?
2. Who is the "good guy" in this story? Who is the "bad guy"? Can you make a strong case for reversal of roles?
3. Traditionally, the apple is considered to be the fruit the serpent offered to Eve. But apples are not endemic to the Near East. Select one of the following, more logical substitutes, and discuss how myths come into being and are corrupted over long periods of time: olive, fig, date, pomegranate.
4. Was Adam being a genteman when he placed the blame on Eve?
5. God grew angry when he found out he had been defied. If God is omnipotent and omniscient, didn't he know? Why couldn't he find Adam and Eve when they hid?
6. If God had not wanted Adam and Eve to taste the fruit of the forbidden tree, why didn't he warn the serpent? Could God have prevented the serpent from tempting Adam and Eve? If yes, why didn't he? If no, discuss the possibility the Serpent was as powerful as God.
7. Using examples from two different media journals, demonstrate the concept of "slanted news."
-Harlan Ellison from Deathbird Stories
Science is a way of trying not to fool yourself. - Richard P. Feynman
Experience is the hardest teacher. She gives the test before the lesson.
Awe, thank you! Snitgirl was here before me though, and I've seen her posts, so she deserves undivided attention. I'm just a newbie. :)
What about good and moral atheists? Or immoral Christians? Or Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists etc? Or tribes who have never encountered organised religion? Or babies who die?
Will they all burn in hell?
My personal beliefs are that when we pass on from this life to the next, that we will enter into another time for learning and growth till the final day of judgement.
Therefore, if you were not offered or presented the "truth" in this life, it will be presented in the next. As for babies, the mentally handicapped, etc, it is also my belief that they will be given this opportunity as well.
The purpose of baptism is to show your personal commitment to God. Baptism should take place after a person has developed the capacity to make the decision for themselves. If they can not in this life, then they will be given the opportunity in the next.
As for Robert's post, I have posted in previous messages that my belief is that yes, God knew the fall would occur, and it was necessary for our growth.
Cassandra
"Some believe in destiny, and some believe in fate. But I believe that happiness is something we create."-Something More by Sugarland
Personally, I think the "apple" was either a strawberry or mango - my two favourite fruits! Isn't apple just used arbitrarily by the original translators into English? What is it in Hebrew, anyone know?
You're exactly right, there is actually no reference to apple...We just know that it was on a tree. It may not even be a fruit that is currently grown...
Diane;)
Anything worth doing is worth doing well.
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