From: pv02@ns1.cc.lehigh.edu (PETER VOROBIEFF)
Newsgroups: talk.religion.misc
Subject: Re: An End to All Arguments? R U kidding?
Date: 7 Jan 93 05:13:36 GMT
Organization: Lehigh University

In article <1993Jan6.134204.12312@hsr.no>, barclay@hpa.rf.no (Barclay Stevenson) writes:
>
>God is a good God, God is righteous and God is just. This is the basic
>nature of God (God is love).
>If you do not agree, then your God is just a god.
>
>It is because of the earthly limitations of our brains (and thence pride
>in our hearts) that we can start to argue if God is unjust,
>or doesn't care.
>
>Jesus said that we cannot even understand earthly things, how then could
>he start to explain heavenly things for us.
>
>Paul explains it like seeing through a glass darkly.
>Don't critisize the view when it's your eyesight that's the problem.

It seems to me that one of the messages you are arguing with is mine. 
I want to clarify that I understand that, if one truly believes, all
the logical paradoxes so much talked about disappear for such a person.
From the point of logic it is impossible to prove or disprove _anything_
about God (as shown by Immanuil Cant). See my point: impossible to
disprove - and impossible to prove as well. Matter of faith.

What I want to write now is just how the logical inconsistencies 
of the Bible have influenced my choice. 

First, if we assume that the Creator is one and omnipotent, then He
bears responsibility for all the worldly evils. Kalmoth the Vile
pays no homage to evil deities.

Second, if one objects that God's justice is beyond mortal understanding,
then we mortals are an example of a _very_ sloppy programming. Blasphemous
to say, but even Kalmoth the Vile might have done better, especially given
omnipotence.

Third, if the Creator intentionally made us all run in real mode when
386 extended is available, then truly must he enjoy our suffering, and see 
Point One.

In my opinion, nothing brings more harm to Christianity than the repeated
attempts to read The Bible in verbatim mode, without taking all the errors
of multiple translations, recompilations and interpretations into 
consideration. The Scriptures are a very powerful spiritual tool, but
it must be used with care. God gave us the Scriptures. But also God gave
us brains (assuming that truly there is but one God) to filter and 
interpret them. Maybe none of the interpretations is true, maybe all
of them, but let nobody say, "I know better!"
 
>There is a great chasm between Christians filled with the Holy Spirit and
>unbelievers that cannot be crossed by the bridge of intellect, reasoning, or
>consensus. 

>The fact remains that the Bible is not for arguments, but is Truth that
>can set you free by accepting it whether you are Jew or heathen, pagan,
>Witch or witch, or reject it and remain under Satans' dominion.

OK, then, by your definition, any good, loving, caring, industrious,
honest, modest guy remains under Satan's dominion if he allows 
himself to maintain a bit of logic and common sense and not to accept
the Bible "as is." Am I not right? 

Still I think that _living_ a good life must be more important for
salvation than just _believing_. And Satan's dominion is mostly for
those of the holier-than-thou type.











-- 
---
Thus spake Kalmoth the Dreaded, Bane of the Forests of Gnoy.