Skavau;2630612]
http://www.theologyonline.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2629719&postcount=360
Except beliefs are
not a choice. You can only 'choose' what actually convinces you. I cannot be convinced of Christianity or any specific religious belief until I am actually convinced that it is true (and in some cases, moral).
Yes a belief has to have a solid inner core to trust in it. Wisdom or special effects don't free the mind, neither opens the door of the prison.
This is laced with the assumption that God is actually able to be known. The method by which you propose to know God is for all intents and purposes identical to becoming fluent in Christian theology. You yourself have embraced it wholeheartedly but in doing so you mistake your devotion towards it to literally understanding God.
Once again you have correctly discerned the problem, theology the elephant in the room that can't fit through the door anymore.
The implications don't come into it. It is the fact that it smears the very character of all non-theists.
Yea, the wills of both have that effect, silent hunter would make the perfect religious christian, he is just like them, glad I escaped from that will power war. But you come across as very calm and polite, and very smart to boot.
Yes, you've given a justification for hell. It was however underwhelming and laced in hyperbole. It also smeared those it referred to by suggesting that those who go to hell somehow choose it, or rather gain it as a consequence of their actions and/or desire (whatever that may be). It did not address the very core point that such a hell in the face of an allegedly omniscient and omnibenevolent God need not exist in the very first place.
This is the blue whale in the guppy bowl, and denys the absolute power of Love, its a bad doctrine and unbiblical if researched back to its birth. Its was brought into scare people into submission because they were being human. Lots of liberty in that message, who wants someone to stay with them because of fear? I certainly wouldn't Love someone like that. Its the ole shoot yourself in the foot doctrine that has made a mockery out of the goodnews to "all".
No-one is rejecting mercy. Many atheists do not count themselves as anti-theist such as I and even amongst anti-theists the majority would only reject a specific rendition of God rather than all Gods.
Most christians understanding of mercy is like their version of Love, doesn't have alot of either.
I already queried whether you believed heaven involved utopian ideals. You didn't actually answer rather than complain that I didn't support it.
Being a believer I would believe that their is a purpose for this prison planet, and that we are just pilgrims. But If others don't share that view it no longer concerns me.
Not quite. For you suggested that life was meaningless without trial. If you view heaven as nothing but absolute perfection then one might query whether or not it would have meaning to you.
Love doesn't require perfection, it leads by example not blind faith, it can be written about, and spoken about but until it comes to your door it's only a relative, until its an absolute one can never really understand its power over our own will.
You're skirting the question. No-one removes themselves from contention. Not an atheist, scientologist or vehement anti-theist. Millions of non-religious people don't see the relevance of Christianity and live mundane lives in apathy towards it. Do you say that they have removed themselves from contention?
God doesn't have any contentions, everyone is included, though He hids His intentions by reflecting one's own mental will back at them, in that process causing them to build a God in their own image.
Can a zebra change its stripes? theology proclaims one can, your masterfully showing the folly of it.
I understand that there are people who claim it exists. It does not mean that I understand the proposition itself actually exists
.
Come on just make yourself believe, you can do it! maybe thats what they did, and is the reason for their bad theology on the absolutes of God. Relative proofs of men, verses the absolutes of God, man loses that contest.
Can we meet perfection then?
No more than we can make ourselves believe, its impossible, Love doesn't need it to have a relationship with, nor does it when its on the trail of the one being chosen to believe, hounds of Gods Love always finds the prey and it can't escape.
And the "grace I ignore" is the literal equivalent of a supernatural pardon based on belief - something that you can't will upon yourself.
Its not the believers right to judge others if they really understand the grace that was given them, It doesn't worry me that you don't believe, I know the power of Love and its very patience. If brains was all one needed then your more than qaulified, but thats not how Love works, its can be very foolish but effective.
Grace, Zeke.