A bit more of your merciful god.

[Blues Man]

If your words and how you relate to your friends and colleagues are not identical; and if others who know these same people do not use the exact same words and do the exact same things with these people as you do, what is the point of friends and relationship?

So now you are comparing an all powerful god to people? If an all powerful all knowing god wanted to tell his creations what he required of them why tell them different things?

And I like to think I treat everyone consistently but then again I have an extremely small circle of people who are close to me.

 

[Meriweather]

Really?

You think I am being intentionally ignorant on the subject of gods?

Not what I was saying. I was pointing out that it is not possible for humans to fully know and understand God.

 

[Meriweather]

HE obviously does since the bible tells people exactly what to do to worship him

Are you referencing James?

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Or are you objecting to giving God and His ways priority?

 

[Blues Man]

Not what I was saying. I was pointing out that it is not possible for humans to fully know and understand God.

If people can't do that then it's gods failing.

It should be an easy thing for a god to give all people a consistent easy to understand set of instructions.

Which is why I say that you all do not worship the same god because of the glaring inconsistencies between religions.

If there are these glaring inconsistencies and there is only one god then that god must want those inconsistencies to exist.

 

[Meriweather]

Would a god choose the one who worships him over the one who denies he exists as the one more deserving of rewards?

What are you imagining spiritual "rewards" to be? Because what they are is a place for each one to exist in the presence of God, the opportunity for each of us to serve Him.

Your position is that those who denies God and His existence in this life are more deserving of existence in His presence, and more deserving of serving Him in the next?

That is....astonishing.

 

[Blues Man]

Are you referencing James?

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Or are you objecting to giving God and His ways priority?

I don't know that there is a god and like I said The OT and NT are clearly referring to different gods.

And where does that quote say that constitutes worship?


Where is the reverence, adoration and praise?

A person can look after orphans etc and still deny that any gods exist so does this mean that person's life is not pure or faultless or that he will be judged poorly?

 

[Meriweather]

So now you are comparing an all powerful god to people? If an all powerful all knowing god wanted to tell his creations what he required of them why tell them different things?

I am noting we all interact differently even with our closest friends, and other of their close friends interact differently with them than we do.

 

[Blues Man]

What are you imagining spiritual "rewards" to be? Because what they are is a place for each one to exist in the presence of God, the opportunity for each of us to serve Him.

Your position is that those who denies God and His existence in this life are more deserving of existence in His presence, and more deserving of serving Him in the next?

That is....astonishing.

Wow you couldn't be more wrong on that one.

If the only difference in the lives of 2 people who live lives of equally commendable deeds is that one believes in a god and one denies that god and only one deserves a reward then the reward is not for the quality of the life lived but it is for only the belief in a god as that is the only difference between the 2 people.

 

[Blues Man]

I am noting we all interact differently even with our closest friends, and other of their close friends interact differently with them than we do.

That has nothing to do with the ability of a god to impart an unambiguous message.

 

[Meriweather]

And I like to think I treat everyone consistently but then again I have an extremely small circle of people who are close to me.

Do you have children? If not, your own children are often very different from each other. Good parents relate to each according to his/her needs and personality. For example, where one child may enjoy joking around, I know for a fact another can seriously say (and at a very young age), "I don't like being joked with."

Your own children often have to be taught differently and where one's interest is noise and sports, another may want a quiet place to write.

 

[Baron Von Murderpaws]

In judges, chapter 11, jephthah made a deal with god if he was victorious over the Ammonites, he would sacrifice the first person to greet him on his return, by burning them alive.
He did indeed win and upon his return, was gleefully greeted by his daughter. Sadly the news was not goid. He cooked her a couple of months later to satisfy this ghost they believed in.
God never said a word apparently but when Abraham prepared his son to be barbecued as a sacrifice, at the very last minute, somehow Abraham got an email from God who suggested he spare him.

Its a shame your merciful god didn't show the same compassion for jephthats daughter as ge did for Isaac. This is the stuff you teach little kids.
How can you be part of such horrific and wicked teachings of your filthy god? Is that where you get your morals from?

Boogeyman stories created to keep the superstitious sheeples under control.

 

[Blues Man]

Do you have children? If not, your own children are often very different from each other. Good parents relate to each according to his/her needs and personality. For example, where one child may enjoy joking around, I know for a fact another can seriously say (and at a very young age), "I don't like being joked with."

Your own children often have to be taught differently and where one's interest is noise and sports, another may want a quiet place to write.

No I don't have kids.

And people can be taught the same thing.

After all no children end up believing that 2+2 is anything but 4 even if they are taught with different techniques.

 

[Meriweather]

If the only difference in the lives of 2 people who live lives of equally commendable deeds is that one believes in a god and one denies that god and only one deserves a reward then the reward is not for the quality of the life lived but it is for only the belief in a god as that is the only difference between the 2 people.

Okay, two people live quality lives on earth. They both die and enter their afterlife. The one whose hope/expectation was in God enters a place where s/he is able to exist in His presence and serve Him.

The other enters into an existence that is more pleasant to him/her because it requires no nearness to God or service to Him. These people are free to continue to exist and be good people as before. They are on their own. Each gets what they want.

 

[Meriweather]

That has nothing to do with the ability of a god to impart an unambiguous message.

As one Rabbi put it ages ago: Love God, love your fellow man. The rest (of scripture) is just commentary.

How much more unambiguous do you want?

 

[Meriweather]

After all no children end up believing that 2+2 is anything but 4 even if they are taught with different techniques.

Don't be so sure. There are any number of middle school kids who will clearly demonstrate that 2+2=22.

 

[Blues Man]

Okay, two people live quality lives on earth. They both die and enter their afterlife. The one whose hope/expectation was in God enters a place where s/he is able to exist in His presence and serve Him.

The other enters into an existence that is more pleasant to him/her because it requires no nearness to God or service to Him. These people are free to continue to exist and be good people as before. They are on their own. Each gets what they want.

That's a nice rationalization I guess. But it totally negates the need for gods or religion

 

[Blues Man]

Don't be so sure. There are any number of middle school kids who will clearly demonstrate that 2+2=22.

Yeah OK

 

[Blues Man]

As one Rabbi put it ages ago: Love God, love your fellow man. The rest (of scripture) is just commentary.

How much more unambiguous do you want?

And what of those who skip the god part?

 

[Meriweather]

If people can't do that then it's gods failing.

I wanted to get back to this. How many, do you suppose, are so pure of heart that all they want is to meet God, discover who He is, His ideals, what He wants, how He sees Himself, how He sees me, what He likes best, His favorite color, favorite song, favorite animal, favorite story, and does He like to climb trees?

On the other hand, how many are looking for the God of their expectations, their wants, their needs?

Being a bit of a loner, I totally get my husband and those who say, "I don't want to know if God exists--not in this life. I want to do this all on my own, no help from the Outside. One of the first things he told me was how he saw God as failing him when he was a child and why he is so intent on doing this by himself, his way. He is a good man. And he is in good hands. As was/is my grandfather.

They are/were very respectful in saying they want to live this life on their own, on their own terms and IF there is a God, will be happy to wait and meet up with Him on the other side. Worked for my grandfather. I think it works for many that way and it will include my husband, you, and countless others. God knows the human heart, and He loves us.

 

[Meriweather]

That's a nice rationalization I guess. But it totally negates the need for gods or religion

Shrug. Some of us need to connect to God in this life, to have Him beside us. It is a blessing, nothing more, nothing less.