**
Need I remind you of the OP?
You don’t criticize religions which call for people to do evil things?
-Ben
Ben - this thread has been off on a tangent since its inception. I was not discussing Christianity - I was continuing the discussion concerning the percieved discrepency between an omnipotent God (which I believe in) and free will (which I believe in just as strongly). These are not exclusively Christian subjects.
As for criticizing religions, I’m willing to criticize the action, but not the thought. I don’t mind if someone thinks I’m going to burn in hell, just as long as he doesn’t try to send me there. The OP’s beliefs were just that - beliefs. He was not advocating any sort of action, or at leat no action which would force his will on someone else. So he’s cool by me.
Good night, Ben
Wildest,
God wants you to know that He would realllly like it if you took some spelling lessons.
End of prophetic word from God…
Originally posted by Rocket88
Originally posted by WildestBill
Do you think He is happy with the way we fall for so many of the Devil’s tricks and schemes?
Without getting into to many. The media and Hollywood is one of the biggest influences he uses. False religions are one of the Devil’s biggest tools.
Reading things into the Bible that are not there. Taking things out of context to fit the attitudes we want to live by.
There are so many. Scientology(sp) for one and people that worship nature for another that is pretty wacked out.
Poly,
Yes I think when he made his creation the sky, earth and even man I think He was pleased. I don’t think He was pleased with the choices his creation made. Examples: Sodom and Gammora, the world before the flood.
As far as the judging people I hope didn’t come off like that. Really the meat of the post was really just to wonder what God thinks about us in this day and time. If I came judging again, I apologize.
As far as how I am doing. Ehh ok. I have not been living as good as I should be got some sin in my life that I need out of it.
Dogsbody,
Hello to you too!
Ukulele,
God wants us all to go to Heaven so there is no way He would have wanted me to go to law school. 
Vanilla,
God spoke to you and all He had to say was His concern about my spelling? 
My goodness! I’m so happy! Thanks for saying that Poly!
:: wandering off from great debates, never to return, desirious to go out on top! ::
Where’s that yummy fatted calf?
jarbaby
Ok, I’ll agree with this one completely (Xenu the space-titan?)
**
The Story of Sodom and Gammora: or LO! There Shall Come a Turtle!
Thus it was that God saw wickedness and lust in the city of Sodom. And HE sent an Angle (a 90[sup]o[/sup] Angle, if you must know, square and true) of the LORD to the city of Sodom. And the angle of the LORD went among the city and searched for a righteous person. And the Angle found little Timmy and found that he was Good and Righteous, but very annoying.
And the Angle said “Go, little Timmy! Go from this place! Flee. For the LORD is wrathful and will send a Turtle of Vengeance to destroy this town of Sodom!”
But, though little Timmy was Good and Righteous, he was also kind of a Simp. “Gammara is friend to all children” cried little Timmy.
“Flee! Flee for your life!” Repeated the Angle
“Gammara is FRIEND to all children” Little Timmy repeated.
“Suit yourself” quoth the Angle. “As for me, ‘wings, don’t fail me now!’” and with that, he vanished.
And the sky darkened as the sun was blotted from the sky by the huge form of the TURTLE of the LORD. Rocket exhaust spewing from his shell, the Tortoise of Vengeance shot fireballs from his mouth and legholes as He spun in a pirouette of Death, destroying the city and all that lived within. Little Timmy lay bleeding, but still, with his last breath Timmy cried “Gammara is FRIEND to all children”
And the people of the surrounding villages cheered when they heard of Little TIMMY’s death, for Timmy was, indeed, a SIMP. And there was much rejoicing throughout the land. And songs of praise rose up for the TURTLE of the LORD, singing “Gammara is really neat/He is filled with turtle meat/We’re all praising Gammara”
The end
Fenris
*Yes, I know it’s spelled “Gamara” but it’s funnier my way.
I think in this instance I speak on behalf of everybody here: atheists, Christians, Wiccans, Muslims, everybody who has ever hired a lawyer and of course members of the bar.
God has indeed chosen wisely.
Fenris, you complete and utter bastard! I’m laughing my ass off at the story of Sodom and Gamara!
Fenris,
Are you seeing tracers along with those giant turtles?
Someone who predicts the future holds no power over one’s will, however, an omnipotent “creator” who lays down rules with punishments attached surely does. At least that is what some would like us to believe. Now if this omnipotent one just created us and held no presence what-so-ever in our lives, perhaps freewill could exist. ((However, I am an atheist and frequently wonder if there is actually such a thing as “freewill”))
Psychics and so called fortune tellers are a far cry in comparison to an ominpotent being.Most of their predictions are based on pondering a certain situation from every possible angle and choosing the most logical or sometimes most fattering outcome. If by chance some of these people actually see a glimpse of the future, it can still in no way be compared to omnipotent being’s knowledge. An omnipotent being would not see the future or need to make predictions for it would already KNOW the outcome, regardless of any choice a mere mortal makes. So if in fact this omnipotent being exists, and he created all of us knowing the exact choices we all would make, he really would have no reason to be displeased.
Fenris, that was brilliant, only made funnier by the fact that WB doesn’t get it (but then, that’s not saying much).
Esprix
I tell you one thing, if I ever spend money on a fortune teller, they’d better not give me the most fattering outcome.
The most skinnying outcome, that’d be okay.
Fenris, that was freakin’ hilarious! Ah, Mike could have used you on the Satellite of Love.
Fenris, that was freakin’ hilarious! Ah, Mike could have used you on the Satellite of Love.
WB, you really must read some books and learn about other religions before you dismiss them as “weird.”
So far, you have yet to show why Christianity is any truer than Islam. To a Muslim, your religion is weird, and worse, blasphemous because the doctrine of the Trinity disputes the unity of God. Have you checked out the Qu’ran for yourself?
You act as if Christian doctrine were the universal standard, and it just isn’t so.
Besides, your OP is disobedient to your own savior’s explicit teachings. Jesus said, "Judge not, lest ye be judged (Matthew 7:1), and “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.” (John 8:7) Your mission is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and to love your neighbor.(Matthew 22:36-40) Jesus had very sharp words for people who take it upon themselves to judge others in God’s name.(Matthew 23)
Just my opinion, but I think that God is most probably VERY pleased!
Why?
Because I think we’re just entertainment for him… Heavenly TV, as it were. I can’t think of any reason for the creation of the universe and life other than sheer boredom on the part of our Creator.
As entertainment, humanity can’t be beat!
If I may repeat:
But WB, you haven’t answered their arguments at all. If a Muslim came on to this list and posted an OP just like your own, but instead of the Bible he was talking about the Koran, how would you respond?
And while we’re at it, I think that one of the “sins” in your life which you mentioned to Poly is your presumptiveness about other religions. You don’t know anything at all about nature worship, so you call it “wacked out” and “weird,” and falsely accuse them of preaching that people can do anything they want. Instead of bearing false witness against religions just because they’re different, maybe you should withhold judgement lest ye be judged? Remember, earlier you described Asatru as sounding like a stupid sci-fi movie, and you ended up looking like a fool because you didn’t realize that “Thor” is a god, not a movie character. How would you feel if someone who knew nothing about Christianity were to say, “Oh, yeah, you believe in Jesus, and he takes the heat for all your sins so you can do whatever you want. Pretty whacked out”?
Anyway, instead of saying that God is disappointed in us because we don’t believe in him, you should be posting about how God is disappointed in all the fundies like FriendofGod and Der Kommissar who make false accusations against their fellow dopers. What do you think disappoints God more: someone who doesn’t believe in him, but loves his neighbor, or a Bible-thumper who lies about his neighbor?
-Ben
I think it’s the Bible thumper.
I was thinking one night, who decided that God was a he? I mean, if he was a man, wouldn’t he have destroyed the universe by now? To me it makes for sense for god to be a goddess, because women are creators and problem solvers. It might make even more sense for god to be asexual, because then god can do both things. And the first organism was asexual, and if he created the first organism in his own image…
I also think that the God displayed on South Park might have some value. It makes sense for him to be like that, if you think about it. But anyways, I think God (if there is one) is only dissapointed in ppl who don’t love their fellow man, and only goes to church because he’s afraid of hell. I think god would be more pleased with a Buddhist than a devote Christian who is mean to people. And the God in South Park was buddhist.
First off Wildest Bill, reading your posts to this thread have given me a headache. You don’t seem to want to even give the slightest considertion to the possibility that you might be just a little wrong.
Admittedly I’m not real familiar with the Bible, but isn’t there something about honoring the body (or something like that)? Let’s just do a hypothetical, do you think He would be happy with someone shooting their body full of steroids? I mean, it seems to me that doing that might give Him the impression that you aren’t real happy with the gifts He gave to you. Hypothetically, it could come across as being extremely ungrateful for the gifts the Big Guy has given to you (His creation).
Didja ever stop and think that maybe you are the one that is twisting things?
As has already been pointed out, this wonderful religion He has created for “us” is pretty new to the scene.
You mean, like, taking things meant to be stories literally and as fact?
Have you ever really thought this issue out? I think you need to do some pondering on this issue. Try to look at this objectively (might be hard at first, but give it a shot) and consider the possibility that you might be incorrect.
Minty, Esprix and Goboy Thanks! (and Goboy, I’m really flattered by the MST3K comparison! One of the funniest shows ever!)
Bill:
“tracers”? Wha? Either explain what you mean, or I’ll retell the story of David vs Gojira or Daniel in the Mothra’s Den
Fenris