God is Great

Originally posted by KnightWulfe
Of course he is...

He can sleep with another man's wife and not only is he not an adulterer...no only did the husband let him do it....but billions of people THANK him for it!!!!


God IS great!!!

Col 1:27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Matt 25:35-45

Not only that, he also enjoys your wife every time you sleep with her. How great is that! 😀

Originally posted by The Chess Express
[b]God is great indeed.

Psalm 147:5 Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.

Psalm 145:3 Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.

God is a God of justice.

Psalm 145:17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.

God has a good ...[text shortened]... Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own turn...

Yes, God is great indeed![/b][/b]

I seemd to find conflicting information in the source you cited...



God is a God of justice?

2 Kings 2:23 From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking up the path, some small boys came out of the city and harassed him, chanting, "Go up, baldy! Go up, baldy!" 24 He turned around, looked at them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. Then two female bears came out of the woods and mauled 42 of the youths.



God has a good temperament?

Leviticus 10:6 Do not uncover your heads ] and do not tear your clothes, or you will die and the LORD will be angry with the whole community.



God does not discriminate?

Deuteronomy 7:6 For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.



God has given us the answers we need?

Romans 14:23 But the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.



God has made his children perfect?

Philippians 3:12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.



God does not ask for our fear, but instead asks for our love?

Genesis 22:12 "Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said. "Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son."




God will give us what we ask for?

Mark 14:39 Once more he went away and prayed the same thing.




God will not give up on us, but will see to it that we do not fail?

Genesis 6:17 I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish.



God will not let any of his own slip through the cracks, but ensure that there is only one possible outcome for all of his children?

Revelation 16:21 From the sky huge hailstones of about a hundred pounds each fell upon men. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible.

Originally posted by DoctorScribbles
I seemd to find conflicting information in the source you cited...



God is a God of justice?

2 Kings 2:23 From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking up the path, some small boys came out of the city and harassed him, chanting, "Go up, baldy! Go up, baldy!" 24 He turned around, looked at them, and cursed them in the name of the ...[text shortened]... n. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible.[/b]

Now now Doctor,

You obviously just 'don't understand'. Why is it, in fact, that everytime someone points our quite what a bast*rd god can be sometimes, killing first-borns and all that, the christian community chants out 'you just don't understand'. Man, I'm sick of the condescending attitude that you bunch have. You want 'I don't understand'? Yeah, I'll tell you, i don't understand when god decides to rain fire and brimstone and raise cities to the ground, I mean there are other ways he could have dealt with it - he's god, for his sake! I don't understand when he kills peoples kids because hes having a bit of a temper tantrum. I don't understand how he can create a world where there is extreme suffering on a daily basis, where the souls that he creates go on mass murdering sprees or kick people who are iin the gutter.

I just don't understand that at all. And I'll tell you what - if that's your gods idea of being an all-loving kinda fella, I'll take my chances in Hell.

[edit - oops i spelled 'condescending' wrong...]

Originally posted by BigDoggProblem
God is a God of justice.
Killed Uzzah for touching the ark of the covenant in an attempt to keep it from tipping over.

God has a good temperament.[/b]
Became angry with Israel (for an unexplained reason), motivated David to take a census (apparently a grave sin??), and killed 70,000 innocent people to make himself feel better.

God does no ...[text shortened]... 'Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels'...".[/b]

Originally posted by BigDoggProblem
Killed Uzzah for touching the ark of the covenant in an attempt to keep it from tipping over.

Became angry with Israel (for an unexplained reason), motivated David to take a census (apparently a grave sin??), and killed 70,000 innocent people to make himself feel better.

"I love Jacob, but I hate Esau."

Told Job, "Don't bother trying to comprehend the suffering I put you through because you're not smart enough to understand my motivations." (God was in a pissing contest with Satan)

"Fear Him (God) who has the power to cast body and soul into hell."

David didn't get to build the temple and Moses didn't get to enter the land of Caanan.

God repeatedly told Israel that if they didn't keep his commandments, he'd abandon them and make a mockery of them before the nations.

"And he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels'...".

If you could give the Biblical references for these statements I’ll be happy to take a look at them.

Originally posted by The Chess Express
God has made his children perfect…so that we may realize this and become Godlike ourselves.

Originally posted by BigDoggProblem
"For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God…"Our righteousness is like filthy rags..."

The realizing part is what you missed. To accept God into our lives is the start of a long and difficult journey back to God and back to perfection. Though we are born imperfect, we are not destined to remain imperfect.

Cheer up. 🙂

Originally posted by DoctorScribbles
I seemd to find conflicting information in the source you cited...



God is a God of justice?

2 Kings 2:23 From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking up the path, some small boys came out of the city and harassed him, chanting, "Go up, baldy! Go up, baldy!" 24 He turned around, looked at them, and cursed them in the name of the ...[text shortened]... n. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible.[/b]

I'll bet a third poster could find a third completely different set of biblical contradictions of these sentiments, and a fourth, and so on...

Originally posted by The Chess Express
Though we are born imperfect, we are not destined to remain imperfect.

Cheer up. 🙂

www.biblegateway.com is an excellent site that should find all of the passages that I have quoted. Seems you need to learn more about what is in the book that you profess to follow.

I would not be feeling very cheerful if I found out that I was preaching a book as truth when I was not fully aware of its contents.

Originally posted by scottishinnz
Why is it, in fact, that everytime someone points our quite what a bast*rd god can be sometimes, killing first-borns and all that, the christian community chants out 'you just don't understand'.

This is covered by the Magic Decoder Ring theory.

To be fair, only a vocal Christian fringe element resorts to this hermeneutic device.

Originally posted by Bosse de Nage
This is covered by the Magic Decoder Ring theory.

To be fair, only a vocal Christian fringe element resorts to this hermeneutic device.

Yeah, kinda heat of the moment type thing... I appreciate that not all the Christians on the site do it, but hell, it is annoying when they do!!!

Originally posted by DoctorScribbles
I seemd to find conflicting information in the source you cited...



God is a God of justice?

2 Kings 2:23 From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking up the path, some small boys came out of the city and harassed him, chanting, "Go up, baldy! Go up, baldy!" 24 He turned around, looked at them, and cursed them in the name of the ...[text shortened]... n. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible.[/b]

Tuff post. We'll give it a shot.

Philippians 3:12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.

God made us perfect, but ignorant of our perfect, divine nature. Even though we are all immortal and perfect in God, we don’t realize it. What Paul is saying here is that he wants to realize his divine nature and be perfect as Christ is. Here is a translation from the NIV.

Philippians 3:10-14 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me 13. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Genesis 22:12 "Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said. "[b]Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son."[/b]

I realize that there are many verses in the Bible that say we should fear God. There are also verses that say that we should not fear God, so in order to make sense of this it is necessary to split hairs.

I’ve come to believe that the word “fear” is used in different ways in the scripture. This is what David says of fearing God.

Psalm 34:4-5 I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. 5 They looked unto him, and were lightened: and there faces were not ashamed.

Here David is saying that those who have accepted God see him as a friend. Not a horrible judge, but a companion whom they accept as their Lord. Their faces showed no fear but happiness when they saw him.

Psalm 34:7-9 The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivered them. 8 O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. 9 O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.

Here are some more mixed messages. In order to fear somebody, it is necessary to not trust them. David says that we ought to trust God, but also that we should fear him. This is how he clarifies it.

Psalm 34:11-14 Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD. 12 What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good? 13. Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. 14 Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.

This is what is meant by the fear of God. To do good, accept God, and to trust that he will not harm you. To fear God is to accept him as a good friend.

Psalm 138:2 I will worship toward Your holy temple, and praise Your name for Your loving kindness and Your truth; for You have magnified Your word above all Your name.
(NKJ)

David tells us to worship God for his loving kindness.

Rom 2:4 says "Or do you despise the riches of his goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?"

It’s the goodness of God that attracts people to him. Just take a look at how much people in this thread despise him because of his perceived wickedness.

I John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear has torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

Here the scripture speaks of the kind of fear that we think of. This drives people away from God, and God tells us to reject it. Good repels evil. If our thoughts towards God are evil, then we will never know him.

Lam 3:22 It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.

Again, we are to trust in his compassion for us.

Jer 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord; thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

More of the same.

Romans 8:38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

I John 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

I John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and everyone that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

These passages tells us that God is in fact love, and will always love us no matter what.

This is of coarse splitting hairs. I don’t like it either that the same word means different things in different places of the Bible, but this is what we’re left with. It is the only way to reconcile the different ways that God should and should not be feared according to my interpretation of the scripture.

Mark 14:39 Once more he went away and prayed the same thing.

Ok, this is a little silly is it not? Jesus knew all along as God did that he was to be crucified. He didn’t really pray believing that God would stop it, so Matt7:7-8 and 21:22 still hold true.

It is also necessary to use common sense. Praying to God to rule the universe would not count either.

Genesis 6:17 I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish.

Do you believe in an afterlife?

Revelation 16:21 From the sky huge hailstones of about a hundred pounds each fell upon men. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible.

Same deal.

Deuteronomy 7:6 For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.

Psalm 145:9 still holds true. Do you think that no Jew has ever seen hell?

Originally posted by The Chess Express
God has given us the answers we need.

Romans 14:23 But the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.

It kind of depends on your definition of faith. I thought we discussed this in a previous thread?

Hebrews 11:1-2 NOW FAITH is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.

2 Kings 2:23 From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking up the path, some small boys came out of the city and harassed him, chanting, "Go up, baldy! Go up, baldy!" 24 He turned around, looked at them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. Then two female bears came out of the woods and mauled 42 of the youths.

Leviticus 10:6 Do not uncover your heads ] and do not tear your clothes, or you will die and the LORD will be angry with the whole community.[/b]

These two instances appear on face value to be examples of excessive retribution by God. All I can say is that we don’t know much about them. God does. If the rest of the scripture is to be believed then it is necessary for there to be an explanation.

I’ll hijack stocken’s position.

Originally posted by stocken
"The message from the bible (well, the part I like to hear, anyway) is to love, be compassionate and tolerant. This, is something I take literally, and very seriously. The rest of the bible that don't speak to my heart, or I find very hard to believe, I just... well, leave it be..."

The idea of religion is not necessarily to know everything there is to know about the religion, but to find God. When I meet God, I’ll ask him about some of these things.

Originally posted by BigDoggProblem
www.biblegateway.com is an excellent site that should find all of the passages that I have quoted. Seems you need to learn more about what is in the book that you profess to follow.

I would not be feeling very cheerful if I found out that I was preaching a book as truth when I was not fully aware of its contents.

www.biblegateway.com is an excellent site that should find all of the passages that I have quoted.

Thanks for the link. You’re right, it’s a great site.

Seems you need to learn more about what is in the book that you profess to follow.

I’ve heard the stories but have never bothered to look them up.

I would not be feeling very cheerful if I found out that I was preaching a book as truth when I was not fully aware of its contents.

I simply give my interpretation of a book of which it is probably impossible to be “fully aware of its contents.” Take it or leave it. It's all good.

BTW, what caused you to become so disillusioned with Christianity after twenty years?

Originally posted by scottishinnz
Now now Doctor,

You obviously just 'don't understand'. Why is it, in fact, that everytime someone points our quite what a bast*rd god can be sometimes, killing first-borns and all that, the christian community chants out 'you just don't understand'. Man, I'm sick of the condescending attitude that you bunch have. You want 'I don't underst ...[text shortened]... inda fella, I'll take my chances in Hell.

[edit - oops i spelled 'condescending' wrong...]

For an atheist you sure are taking this personally. If it helps any I don’t understand it either.

The time that we have here is brief though, so it makes sense in my opinion to prepare for what’s ahead. I guess for you this isn’t a concern, so you’re left with the hard reality of this world.

I can see how that would start to wear on a guy.

Originally posted by The Chess Express
For an atheist you sure are taking this personally. If it helps any I don’t understand it either.

The time that we have here is brief though, so it makes sense in my opinion to prepare for what’s ahead. I guess for you this isn’t a concern, so you’re left with the hard reality of this world.

I can see how that would start to wear on a guy.

Yes, well, here's the very core of the problem with religion the way I see it. Since you "know" you're going to some beautiful place when you drop, why try and change the "hard reality of this world"?

Religion is mostly a way of escaping the hard reality. Is it not?

Originally posted by stocken
Yes, well, here's the very core of the problem with religion the way I see it. Since you "know" you're going to some beautiful place when you drop, why try and change the "hard reality of this world"?

Religion is mostly a way of escaping the hard reality. Is it not?

I’ll say this. If it wasn’t for my belief in God and the afterlife, I’d be a much sadder man. I’m hopping that the wars and the environment hold out for another 40-50 years or so and then I’m home free.

I try to do my part. I vote, and I try to live in an environmentally friendly way, but I also don’t expect to have a major impact.

I firmly believe that the best way to change the world is to change yourself. Make the changes that you’d like to see in the world in yourself. That way you make your own contribution to a better world.

If everybody lived the way God intended us to live our problems would be greatly reduced.

Originally posted by The Chess Express
I’ll say this. If it wasn’t for my belief in God and the afterlife, I’d be a much sadder man. I’m hopping that the wars and the environment hold out for another 40-50 years or so and then I’m home free.

I try to do my part. I vote, and I try to live in an environmentally friendly way, but I also don’t expect to have a major impact.

I firmly b ...[text shortened]... ld.

If everybody lived the way God intended us to live our problems would be greatly reduced.

The best way to change the world is to change yourself. Absolutely. I agree.

Now, let's see. Instead of fantasizing about what's gonna happen in 40-50 years or so; find comfort in what could turn out to be bed-time stories, why don't you change a little of yourself to a more positive attitude than: "I can't see myself having a major impact on this world" 😞 , to "yeah, I'm good. I'm strong. I'm mighty. And I'm gonna help those who suffer in my vicinity to be equally good, strong and mighty." 😏

---

My apologies if you're already doing that. 🙂

---

edit

It's a team-work, see? The only people who doesn't like it when others start feeling good about themselves is those who can't accept that they're no better than anyone else.

Originally posted by The Chess Express
I’ll say this. If it wasn’t for my belief in God and the afterlife, I’d be a much sadder man. I’m hopping that the wars and the environment hold out for another 40-50 years or so and then I’m home free.

I try to do my part. I vote, and I try to live in an environmentally friendly way, but I also don’t expect to have a major impact.

I firmly b ...[text shortened]... ld.

If everybody lived the way God intended us to live our problems would be greatly reduced.

Hey there Chess Express,

Yeah, I guess I don't like to see what I perceive as 'stupidity'. Imagine what we could get done if people really started to see the world for what it is?! I don't believe that we can conquer death. To be honest I don't want to. Am I scared of dying? Yes. Can I imagine a world where I don't exist? No. But I will stand there and face it straight on, and I'll tell you why. I'm not going to stand here and lament about how bad it is, and I'm not going to stand here and say how much better the next life will be. And I'm definately not going to stand about saying that suffering should be tolerated because it's 'God's way'. I'm gonna go out every day and satisfy my curiosity and learn as much as I can and try and give something back to the world, which has given me life! To me the truth is more important than anything else....

Just my random, half drunk thoughts!! Happy Friday night!!