Originally posted by knightmeister I sometimes cringe when I see similar, always asking myself, "Would God really want to 'take sides' in a war?" WITTY
Would God even condone any war let alone take sides? The answer is emphatically no.
Those are my sentiments, also. I was just looking for other answers, out of curiousity...
Originally posted by wittywonka Can one sin be weighed differently from another? If so, how would God "calculate" the side with whom he "sided"?
Only one sin can not beforgiven, all sin in one way or another even the rightous on this site, tho they give the impression not so. This is why it was said i wash your garments from scarlet to white, thouse who jesus forgives, and all knowledge of sin will be forgotten, so when them who are chosen can not bring sin into eternal life. Sorry about taking so long to reply do not get here often
Originally posted by whodey Thanks. What I find interesting is that both believers and nonbelievers say that distasteful teachings in the Bible are metaphorical. The question then becomes, why do we have distasteful metaphorical issues in the Bible? It really seems like a no win situation.
If some of the teachings in the Bible did not make me uncomfortable or if I could intellectu ...[text shortened]... watching Bobby Fischer play chess and say, "Yea, I would have moved the exact same way." 😉
Fischer is not an infinitely good player. He's very, very good, but not infinite. That's why analogies between God and humans always fail. Infinites overwhelm any other factor. Kasparov, for example, might understand Fischer, and could be better, because Fischer's skill is not infinite.
Originally posted by Stregone what do you mean? of course god condones war. read the bloody old testament! (or maybe the entire bible is irrelevant?)
I think you will find God updated the OT with the NT giving it a whole new meaning and significance , infact it split Judaism into Christianity and created two major faiths instead of one. So let's think about this. The son of God in every meaningful way displays pacifism to the end of his life. Compare this with the OT God created partly out of violent Jewish nationalism , so which one do you think is more valid?
Originally posted by AThousandYoung When knightmeister finds something distasteful in the Bible, he declares it metaphorical. Thus his faith is protected.
When Thousand young finds something metaphorical and distasteful he turns it into reality thus his disbelief is protected because he can make God look so ridiculous that it's easy for him to disbelieve. He uses an absurd literalism (akin to fundamentalist thinking in cults) and then accuse others of playing games with the Bible.
BTW- I believe in hell , and you can't get much more distasteful than that.
Originally posted by whodey I don't. You have to admitt one thing and that is I take the good the bad and the ugly concerning the Biblical teachings. I take my lumps!! Just because something is found to be "distasteful" in no way means that Biblical teachings are "bad", rather, it is only an indication to me that in a world of sin distasteful things are a direct result. What would trouble me is if the Bible seemed at peace with this current worldly system.
It's not about whether it's distasteful or it's whether it's mature and spiritual and well informed by intelligent reasoning.
Tough aggressive pacifism is just as challenging as war. If you want something that threatens our worldy way of looking at conflict try pacifism.
Originally posted by knightmeister It's not about whether it's distasteful or it's whether it's mature and spiritual and well informed by intelligent reasoning.
Tough aggressive pacifism is just as challenging as war. If you want something that threatens our worldy way of looking at conflict try pacifism.
Is the Christian faith a form of pacifism? I would argue otherwise. Granted, the Christian faith is not faught with flesh and blood specifically, rather, the Christian faith is a spiritual battle in nature. For example, I view the establishment of the nation of Israel via conquests as one such spiritual endevour so that the Messiah could be born into the world. Now that it has been accomplished I see no real need to fight "wars" as in times past. An example of this is Christ's response to the occupying Roman Empire over the holy land. Did he raise an army to fight them off, no. It was because the spiritual battle being waged no longer involved physical warefare, rather, the violence turned soley into a spiriutal endevour over the hearts and minds of men. However, he did raise a whip to drive out the money changers from the temple because they were defiling God's house of prayer because of its spiritual implications.
The conquest of the holy land was also done with the notion that the Canaanites stole the land from the Hebrews that was once theirs and was once given to them by God for such a purpose.
Originally posted by knightmeister When Thousand young finds something metaphorical and distasteful he turns it into reality thus his disbelief is protected because he can make God look so ridiculous that it's easy for him to disbelieve. He uses an absurd literalism (akin to fundamentalist thinking in cults) and then accuse others of playing games with the Bible.
BTW- I believe in hell , and you can't get much more distasteful than that.
Luke 12:5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.
Revelation 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Why does Jesus command us to do that which will cause us to go to Hell?!
Originally posted by AThousandYoung Fischer is not an infinitely good player. He's very, very good, but not infinite. That's why analogies between God and humans always fail. Infinites overwhelm any other factor. Kasparov, for example, might understand Fischer, and could be better, because Fischer's skill is not infinite.
I think if you sat down to play him a game you might see that the comparison is valid. 😉
Originally posted by AThousandYoung Luke 12:5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.
Revelation 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burnet ...[text shortened]... he second death.
Why does Jesus command us to do that which will cause us to go to Hell?!
Is there no end to your literalism or have you any understanding of language at all? Has it not occurred to you that the word "fear" can be used in different ways (eg- "God fearing folk" where fear is meant to imply respect for God ). The word fearful in revelation probably relates to those who are fearful of God (ie terrified) due to the impending knowledge of the judgement coming. This is in comparison with the command to fear (respect) God in Luke. In revelations there is the reference to being full of fear ("fearful" ) whereas in Luke there is no command to be full of fear (we also know that Jesus did command us to think of God as a loving father much more than he preached fear)
But hey ho if you can't think for yourself how the same word can have different meanings in different contexts then I can't hold your hand and go through the entire Bible with you. You need to get some English lessons and start applying your brain to these things.
I'm sure that the German in WWII were praying oGod to bless their troops, and that before our invasion, the Iraqi's were praying to Allah to bless their troops. Why are ours so special that God should bless them above all others. I ask God to bless all equally, and pray for peace. I believe in Christian non-violence, Jesus was a pacifist.
Originally posted by duecer I'm sure that the German in WWII were praying oGod to bless their troops, and that before our invasion, the Iraqi's were praying to Allah to bless their troops. Why are ours so special that God should bless them above all others. I ask God to bless all equally, and pray for peace. I believe in Christian non-violence, Jesus was a pacifist.
Okay, you believe in non-violence and the Nazi's believed in violence. Morally, in a Godless universe, both positions are equal. There is no moral distinction between Hitler and Jesus.
Originally posted by gaychessplayer Okay, you believe in non-violence and the Nazi's believed in violence. Morally, in a Godless universe, both positions are equal. There is no moral distinction between Hitler and Jesus.
I disagree there is a huge distinction between them. They are polar opposites morally. Your logic does not follow. Morally in a Godless universe they are both equal? That's like saying all Christians are people, all Nazi's are people, therefor all Christians are Nazi's
Originally posted by gaychessplayer Okay, you believe in non-violence and the Nazi's believed in violence. Morally, in a Godless universe, both positions are equal. There is no moral distinction between Hitler and Jesus.
I don't see how any sane person can honestly believe this.
17 Sep '07 06:31
"God bless our troops"
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