Quote:
Originally posted by Fljotsdale:
But if YOU have made something, you spend time admiring it. You do not allow it get damaged if it is within your power to protect it. You test it, yes, to see if it fit for your purpose, and if it is not, you modify it ‘til it is. You do not expect what you have made to GIVE YOU BACK ANYTHING AT ALL, except pleasure, and the fulfilment of its purpose. If it fails of its purpose, and cannot be modified, you throw it out.
But what about your children? Do you expect them to worship you, in any sense of the word? Of course not! You can earn respect, but cannot demand it. You can demand obedience, when the child is young, but you should be very happy if you get it! Would you KILL your children if they refused to obey you?
We are called ‘the children of god’ in the bible… God, therefore has to EARN our respect. And the human family knows enough now to be considered a disobedient early teenager – and according to the bible, god is going to kill most of us off because of it… (see the scriptures cited above).
Regards
Fljotsdale
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Fjlostdale, God doesn't demand anything. We have been given free will to do anything we want, including rejecting God, destroying the perfect four dimensional artwork he created, and each other. I rather think it was a huge thing to give us the power to destroy that which he has made, and it must grieve him incredibly when we kill his creations that he has poured so much into. The strength in allowing this is something I don't have, and something he has often wrestled with humself it seems (the flood, the said Nineveh etc).
I don't think you know the God that I am referring to enough to dislike him. The characteristics of Jesus you are referring to I see in God, as I see the two as one. Through Jesus, I CAN KNOW GOD and aspects of his love I would otherwise not.
That is the point of Jesus existence -
facilitating relationship with, and knowledge of, God.
However he also allows room for those that don't wish to be with him, and don't want eternal life, to have it. You can call it punishment, oblivion, destruction, whatever, but it is our choice.
I respect your view, and it is certainly none of my buisiness what you do or not with your beliefs. I appreciate the conversation though, and enjoy discussing something so central to my existence.
Thanks for the response, once again.
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I am the walrus!.... er, no hang on....
A fair dinkum laughing Hyena!