Why Earth?

[Guest shiloh357]

makes sense to me

So you accept that God cannot be all-loving?

God is not "all-loving" and the Bible never makes such a claim. There are things that God hates. God hates sins. God hates pronography. God hates child molestation, God hates murder, theft, lying, stealing. God even hates satan.

The problem again, is that you like Silvan, Ariala and emeraldgirl persist to apply things to the Bible it does not say and then argue against the Bible as if those things are true.

[emeraldgirl]

Shiloh, does the Bible say that God is omnipotent, or is that just Christian tradition?

How about omniscient?

[secondeve]

Ofcourse He's all loving.

Well, He does hate sin.

Shiloh: When I say all-loving, I mean 'all-loving to his creation.' Does the Bible support that claim, or is it only Christian tradition? In which case, why do many state it as definitive fact?

[SoulGrind]

Shiloh, does the Bible say that God is omnipotent, or is that just Christian tradition?

How about omniscient?

Dictionary

omnipotent |

[sylvan3]

makes sense to me

So you accept that God cannot be all-loving?

God is not "all-loving" and the Bible never makes such a claim. There are things that God hates. God hates sins. God hates pronography. God hates child molestation, God hates murder, theft, lying, stealing. God even hates satan.

The problem again, is that you like Silvan, Ariala and emeraldgirl persist to apply things to the Bible it does not say and then argue against the Bible as if those things are true.

A God who has to "hate" anything is not an omnipotent God. Hate is a weakness--an infallibility. People who hate have limited control over their environments and hate may result from that. It is a human attribute. Saying that God hates--or has anger--is yet another anthropomorphic contradiction regarding a deity that is omnipotent, omnipresent, omnibenevolent, and omniscient.

Also, saying that we "persist to apply things to the Bible it does not say", is without merit

[secondeve]

A God who has to "hate" anything is not an omnipotent God. Hate is a weakness--an infallibility.

I would add to this that an omnipotent God would have no need to "hate" anything, because it would be well within his power to eternally prevent and remove anything he found abhorrent. If God truly hates child molesters and the like, why not get rid of them?

[sylvan3]

A God who has to "hate" anything is not an omnipotent God. Hate is a weakness--an infallibility.

I would add to this that an omnipotent God would have no need to "hate" anything, because it would be well within his power to eternally prevent and remove anything he found abhorrent. If God truly hates child molesters and the like, why not get rid of them?

Excellent point!

[SoulGrind]

A God who has to "hate" anything is not an omnipotent God. Hate is a weakness--an infallibility.

I would add to this that an omnipotent God would have no need to "hate" anything, because it would be well within his power to eternally prevent and remove anything he found abhorrent. If God truly hates child molesters and the like, why not get rid of them?

Because even a child molester may end up believing in God as some point and have his or her place in the kingdom of Heaven.

It is man's feable attempt to wrap their minds around what they think God should be instead of accepting what God really is.

Everyone will get their dues on judgement day - don't you worry about those child molesters, whoremongers, wrongdoers, etc. who are unrepentant. God has a place for them. It's called Hell.

God's judgment will be final. And as to why we don't understand everything - well, if history is the axiom, we have proved it over and over - we are man, we are finite. We continue to learn as we progress. What our forefathers did not know of 50 years ago, we know of now. What we do not know now, our children's children will know.

God is infinite. He resides outside the realm of our puny limitations, hence the reason we should look to God for advice and wisdom. This is accomplished through heart felt prayer and study of his Holy Word (the Bible). But of course, this requires faith.

But also, bear this in mind - not everyone's eyes and ears are open to God. This is described in the scriptures. And so I have to wonder - are your eyes and ears wide shut to God?

You see, many people who do not believe in God (such as yourself), tend to forget that those of us who do believe in God were like you at one time (non believers). We were not born Christian. We were not born looking for God. But someone, or something in our lives presented God to us and our lives have been changed ever since. How do you explain this? Coincidence? Luck? Pure insanity? Or something more... a higher "power"... perhaps... God?

I also find it amusing that the world tells Christians that we are "narrow minded fools" who need enlightenment. But I tend to look at the world the same way. Once again, before becoming a Christian, I was "enlightened" by the wisdom of the world. But since I have found God, other aspects of life seem to make a lot more sense to me now. So who is more enlightened, the one who dejects the idea of God and looks within themselves for their own wisdom, or the person who realizes their limitations and finds fullfillment in a life of worship that they did not find outside the realm of God?

So we can argue to attributes of God all day and all night. Whether he is good or evil or just plain ticked off. It all makes no difference really.

What it all really comes down to is, how has your life been affected by God?

I know for a fact that my life has been affected - and it is more than mere coincidence and "luck".

[sylvan3]

A God who has to "hate" anything is not an omnipotent God. Hate is a weakness--an infallibility.

I would add to this that an omnipotent God would have no need to "hate" anything, because it would be well within his power to eternally prevent and remove anything he found abhorrent. If God truly hates child molesters and the like, why not get rid of them?

Because even a child molester may end up believing in God as some point and have his or her place in the kingdom of Heaven.

It is man's feable attempt to wrap their minds around what they think God should be instead of accepting what God really is.

Everyone will get their dues on judgement day - don't you worry about those child molesters, whoremongers, wrongdoers, etc. who are unrepentant. God has a place for them. It's called Hell.

God's judgment will be final. And as to why we don't understand everything - well, if history is the axiom, we have proved it over and over - we are man, we are finite. We continue to learn as we progress. What our forefathers did not know of 50 years ago, we know of now. What we do not know now, our children's children will know.

God is infinite. He resides outside the realm of our puny limitations, hence the reason we should look to God for advice and wisdom. This is accomplished through heart felt prayer and study of his Holy Word (the Bible). But of course, this requires faith.

But also, bear this in mind - not everyone's eyes and ears are open to God. This is described in the scriptures. And so I have to wonder - are your eyes and ears wide shut to God?

You see, many people who do not believe in God (such as yourself), tend to forget that those of us who do believe in God were like you at one time (non believers). We were not born Christian. We were not born looking for God. But someone, or something in our lives presented God to us and our lives have been changed ever since. How do you explain this? Coincidence? Luck? Pure insanity? Or something more... a higher "power"... perhaps... God?

I also find it amusing that the world tells Christians that we are "narrow minded fools" who need enlightenment. But I tend to look at the world the same way. Once again, before becoming a Christian, I was "enlightened" by the wisdom of the world. But since I have found God, other aspects of life seem to make a lot more sense to me now. So who is more enlightened, the one who dejects the idea of God and looks within themselves for their own wisdom, or the person who realizes their limitations and finds fullfillment in a life of worship that they did not find outside the realm of God?

So we can argue to attributes of God all day and all night. Whether he is good or evil or just plain ticked off. It all makes no difference really.

What it all really comes down to is, how has your life been affected by God?

I know for a fact that my life has been affected - and it is more than mere coincidence and "luck".

Taking one of your paragraphs and switching some words:

You see, many people who do believe in God (such as yourself), tend to forget that those of us who do not believe in God were like you at one time (believers). We were born Christian. We were born looking for God. But someone, or something in our lives presented rationality to us and our lives have been changed ever since. How do you explain this? Coincidence? Luck? Pure insanity? Or something more.--just plain reason?

I stopped believing not more than a few years after I stopped believing in Santa Claus, from which some comparisons can be made. The whole Biblical story just does not make sense to me. I am amazed at people who can read that book and not see the total ludicrousness of it, sorry to say.

For example:

(Genesis 22:1-2 NLT)

"Later on God tested Abraham's faith and obedience. "Abraham!" God called." Yes," he replied. "Here I am." "Take your son, your only son

[ayin jade]

(Genesis 22:1-2 NLT)

"Later on God tested Abraham's faith and obedience. "Abraham!" God called." Yes," he replied. "Here I am." "Take your son, your only son