[QUOTE=Hubert Cumberdale]
So there’s glory in allowing humanity to suffer horribly until the end of time?
[/QUOTE]
`I don’t know what you mean by “glory”,’ Alice said.
Humpty Dumpty smiled contemptuously. `Of course you don’t – till I tell you. I meant “there’s a nice knock-down argument for you!”’
`But “glory” doesn’t mean “a nice knock-down argument”,’ Alice objected.
When I use a word,' Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, it means just what I choose it to mean – neither more nor less.’
[QUOTE=Hubert Cumberdale]
So there’s glory in allowing humanity to suffer horribly until the end of time?
[/QUOTE]
It is uncertain if some of humanity will suffer till the end of time. But to your Q I would say probably not, the glory to God will be by the part of humanity that freely chooses God.
[QUOTE=the PC apeman]
Hi Liberal. Sure. Personhood (his or ours) is not necessarily about a corporeal body or appearance. Whatever you (any you) believe in in the way of our pre-, afterlife, or eternal existence, does God have characteristics or abilities that define him as an distinct entity? Which of those do we have? To the same extent? Which don’t we have? Why not? Could God have created us as his equals in every way?
[/QUOTE]
Going back to the drop of water and the ocean analogy. Breaking down a single drop isn’t it in essence exactly the same stuff as ocean. Yet one drop is not the same thing as the ocean. In the Bible the analogy of the body is used. We each are parts of the same body. Now we know that each cell in the body contains the same DNA, but the cells preform different functions. Yet it’s not for any cell to claim it is superior to the other cells.
[QUOTE=kanicbird]
Here is what many take as a end time prediction
[/QUOTE]
We use end of time and eternity, but they are terms that still denote time. I tend to think that God is *timeless *. As in, time doesn’t exist. If it doesn’t exist then there is no end of time.
[QUOTE=Thudlow Boink]
What would it be like to be unable to screw up?
[/QUOTE]
An absence of pain and suffering doesn’t necessarily mean change can’t exist.
[QUOTE=cosmosdan]
We use end of time and eternity, but they are terms that still denote time. I tend to think that God is timeless . As in, time doesn’t exist. If it doesn’t exist then there is no end of time.
[/QUOTE]
Sorry cosmosdan for the confusion, end times as I use it refers to the tribulation to the second coming of Jesus. The battle described in Ps 2 is frequently attributed to the battle at Armageddon.
[QUOTE=Rev 16:16 NIV]
Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.
[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=Hubert Cumberdale]
An absence of pain and suffering doesn’t necessarily mean change can’t exist.
[/QUOTE]
Possibly. How exactly do you see a complete lack of pain and suffering while change still exists? No more illness? No more death, even by accidents? How about just disappointment? Do people age? Do they become infirm?
[QUOTE=kanicbird]
Sorry cosmosdan for the confusion, end times as I use it refers to the tribulation to the second coming of Jesus. The battle described in Ps 2 is frequently attributed to the battle at Armageddon.
[/QUOTE]
There wasn’t any confusion. I understood your references. I was just offering a different perspective. I don’t anticipate any second coming as in the traditional doctrine.
[QUOTE=cosmosdan]
Possibly. How exactly do you see a complete lack of pain and suffering while change still exists? No more illness? No more death, even by accidents? How about just disappointment? Do people age? Do they become infirm?
[/QUOTE]
I was thinking more in terms of people’s’ brutality to one another. Are war and genocide are part of God’s plan for us?
[QUOTE=lekatt]
That comes later after we learn not to hurt ourselves.
[/QUOTE]
Alright, if that ever happens I owe you a Coke.