15 Sep 07
Originally posted by jaywillHe\'s right on the money.
Something must be wrong with Richard Dawkins.
Your defense of God is a red herring. Faced with unfavorable allegations against God, you largely ignored them and concentrated on his more favorable attributes instead. It is like defending a serial killer on grounds that he gave money to charity.
16 Sep 07
Originally posted by SwissGambitKnow I don't. I look at the whole balanced picture:
He\'s right on the money.
Your defense of God is a red herring. Faced with unfavorable allegations against God, you largely ignored them and concentrated on his more favorable attributes instead. It is like defending a serial killer on grounds that he gave money to charity.
"Behold the kindness and severity of God" writes Paul. It is not JUST the kindness. It is not just the severity.
Behold, consider both the kindness and severity of God.
Like I said, one entire book in the Old Testament, the book of Jonah, is dedicated to God's reluctance to do the "strange work" of judging a nation.
Let's take Genesis chapters one through five for a start. For every "meaness" of God I'll show you two acts of His mercy and kindness.
However, the New Testament does refer to the old covenant as the ministry of condemnation. So there is some ground to say that harshness is seen in the OT.
Dawkins doesn't appreciate that all that judgment against sin fell on the Son of God that the whole race of man could be reconciled to God, justified, redeemed, pardoned.
"Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."
16 Sep 07
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Faced with unfavorable allegations against God, you largely ignored them and concentrated on his more favorable attributes
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I expect that a very living person would have many sides to their personality.
God as the most living one, I would expect to have not just one attribute but the fullest scope of all attributes expressed approrpriatly to the situation.
The Bible is the story of how God's love and God's righteousness are at work for man's salvation simultaneously.
The cross of Jesus is the place where the eternal righteousness of God and the eternal love of God operate together.
We do not expect God to have only one side to His personality.
16 Sep 07
Originally posted by jaywillLet\'s cut to the chase. Do you deny any of Dawkins\' charges against God?
Know I don\'t. I look at the whole balanced picture:
[b]\"Behold the kindness and severity of God\" writes Paul. It is not JUST the kindness. It is not just the severity.
Behold, consider both the kindness and severity of God.
Like I said, one entire book in the Old Testament, the book of Jonah, is dedicated to God\'s reluctance to do the ...[text shortened]... \"Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.\"[/b]
16 Sep 07
Originally posted by jaywillThe standard for God ought to be more stringent than the standard for man, not less. We do things that are morally wrong. Our moral vision gets clouded easily.
I expect that a very living person would have many sides to their personality.
God as the most living one, I would expect to have not just one attribute but the fullest scope of all attributes expressed approrpriatly to the situation.
The Bible is the story of how God\'s love and God\'s righteousness are at work for man\'s salvation simultaneously. ...[text shortened]... f God operate together.
We do not expect God to have only one side to His personality.
God claims to be morally perfect. This is a very high standard to meet. It rules out even one occurrence of a moral infraction, even of the most minor severity.
Charges like genocide, infanticide, etc. are moral crimes of the worst kind. A morally perfect being should be far removed from doing such things. It\'s simply not good enough to say, \"Oh, but he does good, kind and merciful things, too!\". If anyone is to take the claims about God seriously, he must be acquitted of all charges.
17 Sep 07
Originally posted by jaywillTell that to the thousands and thousands of innocents he slaughtered to make the point.
Besides, God had to establish in our minds His hatred for the abomination of sin. Otherwise we could not appreciate that He comes in Christ to bear its guilt on our behalf on the cross.
17 Sep 07
Originally posted by kirksey957Do you know what people study to tell the difference between a real
I don't get this thread at all. Look, Christians should be reading Richard Dawkins. They don't have to believe in him or what he says. Atheists can read the Bible and they don't have to believe in it. I can read Harry Potter without believing in it. You know people do read for enjoyment and learning and relaxation.
twenty dollar bill and a fake one?
Kelly