Perfect Empathy

[sylvan3]

We are told that God is perfect. In my eyes, that would mean that he would be perfectly able to know why a person would think or do something. I would call that perfect empathy.

For the sake of discussion, say a person was thinking "incorrectly" about religion but was very sincere about this belief. Why wouldn't a perfect God be able to understand this through perfect empathy?

[Nero's Fiddle]

I'll answer that with a question:

Does empathy negate responsibility?

[Floatingaxe]

God does empathize. That is why He came in the form of man---Jesus! It says in the bible that He is acquainted with all our griefs. He is acquainted with all our ways. Jesus was tempted in every way as we are, yet never sinned.

God empathizes so well with our hopeless state that He became one of us to give us a Living Hope!

[dakota190]

read the bible, it's in there. pray for the wisdom to understand his word. it will all be revealed to you. God is a gracious God, he will reveal things to even non-believers, if you read the bible and pray.

i guess if maybe you are afraid, if you studied, the bible and tried praying, you might suddenly, meet God face to face, then what would your friends think.

[sylvan3]

I'll answer that with a question:

Does empathy negate responsibility?

Not if the definition of responsibility includes a person making a sincere effort at arriving at the truth.

As you know, people could be wrong but sincerely think they are right. A person may have legitimate reasons for believing a certain way. For example, someone may ask you what the price of gasoline is at the corner station. You might give them an answer that is eventually found out to be wrong based on further evidence. But you were sincerely wrong. It was what you thought it was.

In the case of religion, the factual evidence is not there to determine what beliefs are right or wrong (for those who argue that the factual evidence IS there, I will disagree and say that religion is widely viewed as based on faith as opposed to factual evidence). Therefore, people could be wrong because there is nothing presently to prove that they are right.

My contention is that a God with perfect empathy would "understand" someone who thought they were right but was actually wrong, given that truth could actually be determined in a hypothetical afterlife.

Edited July 20, 2006 by sylvan3

[Fool-4-Christ]

My contention is that a God with perfect empathy would "understand" someone who thought they were right but was actually wrong, given that truth could actually be determined in a hypothetical afterlife.

Sylvan - may I ask you a simple question? Is this what you are gambling your eternity on? Humor me for a moment and suppose the possibility of a God could in fact be true, just for arguments sake - We all know you are an Athiest.

If I was dunking your mother's head in a pail of water and making her choke and that was my only intention but inadvertently I drownded her, would you not want to see justice served and the law upheld?

Let's go on further to say that I was standing before a judge in court and I was telling him how very sorry I was and that I didn't intend to kill her, that I had sincerely made a mistake and I really thought that dunking her would only cause her to choke for a while. Would he be a good judge if he looked the other way and dismissed my crime. Be honest when you answer this. If anyone is rational they would say, "no he wouldn't be a good judge because the law must be upheld." Ignorance of the law does not prevent anyone from being subject too it.

How much more do you think we are subject to God's law (if he exists)? God would really be unjust if he turned a blind eye on sin.

[sylvan3]

My contention is that a God with perfect empathy would "understand" someone who thought they were right but was actually wrong, given that truth could actually be determined in a hypothetical afterlife.

Sylvan - may I ask you a simple question? Is this what you are gambling your eternity on? Humor me for a moment and suppose the possibility of a God could in fact be true, just for arguments sake - We all know you are an Athiest.

If I was dunking your mother's head in a pail of water and making her choke and that was my only intention but inadvertently I drownded her, would you not want to see justice served and the law upheld?

Let's go on further to say that I was standing before a judge in court and I was telling him how very sorry I was and that I didn't intend to kill her, that I had sincerely made a mistake and I really thought that dunking her would only cause her to choke for a while. Would he be a good judge if he looked the other way and dismissed my crime. Be honest when you answer this. If anyone is rational they would say, "no he wouldn't be a good judge because the law must be upheld." Ignorance of the law does not prevent anyone from being subject too it.

How much more do you think we are subject to God's law (if he exists)? God would really be unjust if he turned a blind eye on sin.

First of all, your scenario is not reflective of what I am actually referring to. A better example would be being pulled in front of a judge and sentenced to life in prison or death by torture for believing that gas prices were $2.80 instead of $3.00 a gallon. What would you think of that court system?

I am merely asking if God, being perfect, would have perfect empathy that would enable him to understand why some people didn't believe in him who were, in fact, being honest with themselves due to a lack of evidence of his existence.

Edited July 21, 2006 by sylvan3

[billie]

God understands everything. Just because He understands everything doesn't mean He excuses everything. Also, the Bible says He'll give everyone a fair shot at knowing Him. A willing heart is all that's required for a person to come with. He reveals everything else.

[LightofJesus]

Sylvan- How can anyone say there is lack of evidence of His exsistance. Just look at the beauty of a child that was formed secretly in a mother's womb. Also every breath we take, even the trees all around us. How can any one deny that there is a creator. How do you think we got here?

His plan was for us to live forever with Him and He sent His Son to recover what was His. What He recovered was us. He loves us so much He came to earth as a man and died to save us, all of us. Religion has nothing to do with anything. It is all about trust and having faith in the God that loves us and KNOWS what is best for each and everyone of us. All He wants to do is LOVE us but we have to be cleansed by the blood of our Lord cause God cannot look at sin He can only look at the precious blood of Jesus. That blood is what cleanses us from our sin to open that door to let Jesus into our hearts. It really is a wonderful thing to experience that love from our Father.

Sylvan God loves you no matter what, it is sin He hates. I pray that you will come to know Him, He really does love you!!

Didn't mean to go on like this but I do love the Lord and I know He wants you to enter into the family of our Father!!

Sincerely yours,

Elaine

[Floatingaxe]

Amen, Elaine!