@ghost-of-a-duke saidThe Vedas, really?
I would have to do some digging (pardon the pun) to locate the archeological evidence. I also seem to recall that the time period was further confirmed by the comparable language to that used in the Vedas at the time.
Some have contended that the manner in which the scripture is written is complacent toward pantheism. Perhaps this similarity of language could be why they say this.
But surely the Vedas predates any monotheistic writings.
@fmf saidNo, the "answer" is not "horrible", it is your claim that it is horrible. Your namby-pamby blame-shifting mode reflects poorly on you and your creed.
It's interesting that you go to such lengths to dodge the question of "what happens when we die". If the answer is "horrible", then face up to it. Hsve the courage of your convictions. If the answer is not "horrible", what's the worry? Just going into a huffy hedgehog mode reflects poorly on you and your creed.
BTW, brainiac, I have never "dodged the question" (not as you insist on continually "dodging the answer" ) of "what happens when we die". I have answered it repeatedly to you and others who frantically continue to try to find something "horrible" in my answer. My answer to the question has never changed, but you continue to dodge my answer. Convenient, yet morally suspect.
@ghost-of-a-duke saidOddly enough, God was decidedly ambiguous:
"But, it is important to note that the Jews before Christ didn't reject the Trinity -- they merely did not know of it."
Why was that? - Could the reason be that the Trinity has no basis in scripture and is simply the result of later theological reasoning?
Surely God would have wanted His chosen people to know of his true nature and would not have been vague or ambiguous about it. Perhaps the Jews before Christ had the correct understanding of God?
No man gazed upon His Face, He approached the people through intercessory angels and events. He gave his name as "I AM," a very cryptic message indeed.
Christians also say that the reason that, in the Genesis story, they refer to "Before us" in Hebrew is because it was the Triune God who was there at the creation.
They also prophesy about a Messiah in the OT who will bring the message to all the people of the world.
@philokalia saidWe are in agreement that the Christian God is decidedly ambiguous. The question is, why?
Oddly enough, God was decidedly ambiguous:
No man gazed upon His Face, He approached the people through intercessory angels and events. He gave his name as "I AM," a very cryptic message indeed.
Christians also say that the reason that, in the Genesis story, they refer to "Before us" in Hebrew is because it was the Triune God who was there at the creation.
They also prophesy about a Messiah in the OT who will bring the message to all the people of the world.
Why didn't an omniscient deity see the wisdom in clarity? Just take, for example, the bitter history between Catholicism and Protestantism that could have been completely avoided if certain passages of the bible weren't open to different interpretations.
@suzianne saidSo what do you believe happens to athiests and non-Christians after they die?
No, the "answer" is not "horrible", it is your claim that it is horrible. Your namby-pamby blame-shifting mode reflects poorly on you and your creed.
BTW, brainiac, I have never "dodged the question" (not as you insist on continually "dodging the answer" ) of "what happens when we die". I have answered it repeatedly to you and others who frantically contin ...[text shortened]... ion has never changed, but you continue to dodge my answer. Convenient, yet morally suspect.
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@fmf saidMy answer to this has never changed in all the times you have asked me this.
So what do you believe happens to athiests and non-Christians after they die?
Perhaps you'd like to stop wasting my time and revisit one of the many times I've written in this forum about this.
Again, stop dodging my answers.
@ghost-of-a-duke saidThe answer to your question is "Free will".
We are in agreement that the Christian God is decidedly ambiguous. The question is, why?
Why didn't an omniscient deity see the wisdom in clarity? Just take, for example, the bitter history between Catholicism and Protestantism that could have been completely avoided if certain passages of the bible weren't open to different interpretations.
@suzianne saidGod could provide a message of clarity and human beings still have the free will to accept or reject it.
The answer to your question is "Free will".
@ghost-of-a-duke saidAre you serious??
God could provide a message of clarity and human beings still have the free will to accept or reject it.
If God showed up in your living room and told you to follow him, would you refuse?
Really?
@ghost-of-a-duke saidI think a reasonable state of affairs would have been for pretty much everyone to know that your Christian God exists and that Jesus was divine - after which it'd be up to people's free will as to whether they obeyed his commandments.
God could provide a message of clarity and human beings still have the free will to accept or reject it.