Kudos for getting some accurate statistics but fooey to you on not thinking thoroughly.
Assuming you don't actually mean own when you say carry, guns can be stolen from homes, firing ranges, gun stores, etc. Just because someone is not carrying a gun doesn't mean they can't get stolen.
If you did mean to say own instead of carry then people like him will just use other weapons. Usually a knife. In South Korea the gangsters carry knives. In knife holsters. On their belts! Did you read about the guy in Irvine (a few years ago) that cut people up in a supermarket with his sword?
I tried to drink from the water. But no matter how often or how sincerely I tried, there wasn't any damn water. I've felt like that too. Why pray if I never hear God's voice? I still feel that way. But the truth is that God does speak to me I just need to learn to separate His voice from all the other clutter in my mind.
God has no irrational standards. It's your mind that is irrational for thinking you can understand His thoughts. Certainly you don't want to hear that but you might know that it's true.
The Bible says that if you move close to God, He'll move close to you. Are you *really* sure it's God's fault and not your own that you lack a relationship with Him?
First of all, we've come, as it always happens, to (1) questions that are really hard to answer, and (2) questions that have answers that are hard to accept.
God made Hell for Satan and the other fallen angels. I'm not a Bible scholar but I don't think the Bible says why God chose to use Hell as the place for humans who don't accept him to go instead of a different place. The only reason I can come up with is because Heaven and Hell are the ultimate extent to which you can experience God's presence. For those that reject Jesus in this life they are saying "I do not want to experience you or be close to you." Satan, his angels, and man can all make that decision so God gives people what they want. (You *know* what Hell will be like, you just don't believe it.) That's the part that is hard to answer.
The part that is hard to accept is that God is perfectly wise and always makes the best choice. It's not possible for you or I to understand and it's not our place to understand. Assume for a second that the Christian God is real. Does it make sense for you to argue with how he's set things up? Do you *really* think that in your limited capacity of logic and reason that you can understand the nature of His universe and all his laws?
Regarding the Fat Tony analogy I don't think it holds up because the intent of the perp is different. God is fully just and Fat Tony is being an asshole. And it's also more of the reverse. It's like Fat Tony coming to the store owner after it's been burned (not by Fat Tony or his goons) and he says "Hey buddy. Here's $1,000,000,000. Rebuild your shop and live happily." And the shop owner says "Fuck you!" Fat Tony didn't do it so why is the Shop Owner mad? That's probably not a great analogy either but I think it's kind of hard to come up with one that mirrors the logic behind one of God's choices so I'll only give myself partial credit.:)
I don't know the specific verse is but children (and I would extend it to brain-damaged-from-birth people as well) who die before understanding the difference between right and wrong are exempted. Who decides who is exempt and who isn't? God of course. It's the same as Adam and Eve. Before they knew the difference between good and evil they were always in God's presence.
Regarding island births I don't know. The Bible doesn't specify. Some people say that they're SOL and some say that they might be given the choice directly, possibly just as they are dying, to accept Jesus. Still others say that he would judge them on their life overall. I would like to think that it's not the SOL option He has chosen for them, but truly, even if He did that's His choice and He'd be right for making it. Even though you might not be able to understand it. He doesn't care about that. Should He? Should He consult you before he makes a decision? (Serious question.)
Regarding Hindus and those in "modern" worlds, I've heard lots of stories of people being visited in their dreams by Jesus. There are stories of this happening to Muslim people who risk their lives to convert to Christianity after such an event. Can I verify these stories? No. But I don't think that takes the credibility away (completely).
In your last paragraph: 1. No of course not. 2. If he wanted to do that why would he send Jesus whose entire message was about love? Wouldn't He do something else? 3. Of course not.
For both #1 and #2 it appears that you've already made your mind up on the subject (obvious no?) so there's not much to say. Your opinion on #1 and #3 will only change once you stop seeing God as an adversary.
I wish you the best of luck in life with or without God. (I hope it ends up being with of course!)
For whatever reason, God has chosen to give humans a finite amount of time for them to make up their mind for what path they would like to choose for eternity after they die. Some choose to follow Him (as he recommends) but others choose to balk at that path and choose another. A lifetime is a fair amount of time to make up one's mind isn't it?
Being "damned to hell" is the choice of the human, not God. God would choose otherwise for you but he is perfectly just so he leaves that up to you alone. I think you would agree with me when I say that I prefer being able to reject God than being forced to accept Him.
There's no logic in being mad at God for both the absolute freedom he gives you as well as the results of that freedom.
A person's path after death is not decided based on their overall good or bad quotient. Everyone is born with a human father (except Jesus) and is therefore not fit to enter Heaven. You must be perfect in God's eyes to enter Heaven and the only way to do that is by accepting the gift God gave us through Jesus. "Why doesn't God just count it towards us anyway since it's already free?" For the same reason that you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink. Just because you give the horse water doesn't mean it'll drink it and prevent itself from dying. See what I'm saying? God won't stick a tube down our throats and force water into our stomachs no matter how "good" it would be for us. Some would still say "I choose death!" if given the opportunity.
Huh? Does what you said *really* make sense to you?
What a ridiculous idea that "Believers" don't question. The Apostle Paul commended the Thessalonians because they "searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so" (Acts 17:11). "Those things" being what he was teaching.
The God of the Bible doesn't want mindless drones, people do.
You also seem to state that God doesn't give his own children the freedom to question Him like you do yours. You're wrong. You know how I can tell you're wrong? Because not everyone believes in God.
As others have already schooled you for me...
Please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Final_Fantasy_IV to discover that Final Fantasy IV was the Japanese name of North America's Final Fantasy II for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES).
I didn't want to have to spell it out for you but apparently you don't know much about Final Fantasy.
...a mad scientist will announce to his friends and family later today that he has come up with an idea for storing 500 times more data than a DVD on a single Cheerio.
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Very Important Peptide
Now I get the joke.
Kudos for getting some accurate statistics but fooey to you on not thinking thoroughly.
Assuming you don't actually mean own when you say carry, guns can be stolen from homes, firing ranges, gun stores, etc. Just because someone is not carrying a gun doesn't mean they can't get stolen.
If you did mean to say own instead of carry then people like him will just use other weapons. Usually a knife. In South Korea the gangsters carry knives. In knife holsters. On their belts! Did you read about the guy in Irvine (a few years ago) that cut people up in a supermarket with his sword?
GUNS DON'T KILL PEOPLE. PEOPLE KILL PEOPLE.
Duh GP! Don't you know???
God has no irrational standards. It's your mind that is irrational for thinking you can understand His thoughts. Certainly you don't want to hear that but you might know that it's true.
The Bible says that if you move close to God, He'll move close to you. Are you *really* sure it's God's fault and not your own that you lack a relationship with Him?
(Forgive me for not proof reading this!)
:)
First of all, we've come, as it always happens, to (1) questions that are really hard to answer, and (2) questions that have answers that are hard to accept.
God made Hell for Satan and the other fallen angels. I'm not a Bible scholar but I don't think the Bible says why God chose to use Hell as the place for humans who don't accept him to go instead of a different place. The only reason I can come up with is because Heaven and Hell are the ultimate extent to which you can experience God's presence. For those that reject Jesus in this life they are saying "I do not want to experience you or be close to you." Satan, his angels, and man can all make that decision so God gives people what they want. (You *know* what Hell will be like, you just don't believe it.) That's the part that is hard to answer.
The part that is hard to accept is that God is perfectly wise and always makes the best choice. It's not possible for you or I to understand and it's not our place to understand. Assume for a second that the Christian God is real. Does it make sense for you to argue with how he's set things up? Do you *really* think that in your limited capacity of logic and reason that you can understand the nature of His universe and all his laws?
Regarding the Fat Tony analogy I don't think it holds up because the intent of the perp is different. God is fully just and Fat Tony is being an asshole. And it's also more of the reverse. It's like Fat Tony coming to the store owner after it's been burned (not by Fat Tony or his goons) and he says "Hey buddy. Here's $1,000,000,000. Rebuild your shop and live happily." And the shop owner says "Fuck you!" Fat Tony didn't do it so why is the Shop Owner mad? That's probably not a great analogy either but I think it's kind of hard to come up with one that mirrors the logic behind one of God's choices so I'll only give myself partial credit.
I don't know the specific verse is but children (and I would extend it to brain-damaged-from-birth people as well) who die before understanding the difference between right and wrong are exempted. Who decides who is exempt and who isn't? God of course. It's the same as Adam and Eve. Before they knew the difference between good and evil they were always in God's presence.
Regarding island births I don't know. The Bible doesn't specify. Some people say that they're SOL and some say that they might be given the choice directly, possibly just as they are dying, to accept Jesus. Still others say that he would judge them on their life overall. I would like to think that it's not the SOL option He has chosen for them, but truly, even if He did that's His choice and He'd be right for making it. Even though you might not be able to understand it. He doesn't care about that. Should He? Should He consult you before he makes a decision? (Serious question.)
Regarding Hindus and those in "modern" worlds, I've heard lots of stories of people being visited in their dreams by Jesus. There are stories of this happening to Muslim people who risk their lives to convert to Christianity after such an event. Can I verify these stories? No. But I don't think that takes the credibility away (completely).
In your last paragraph: 1. No of course not. 2. If he wanted to do that why would he send Jesus whose entire message was about love? Wouldn't He do something else? 3. Of course not.
For both #1 and #2 it appears that you've already made your mind up on the subject (obvious no?) so there's not much to say. Your opinion on #1 and #3 will only change once you stop seeing God as an adversary.
I wish you the best of luck in life with or without God. (I hope it ends up being with of course!)
For whatever reason, God has chosen to give humans a finite amount of time for them to make up their mind for what path they would like to choose for eternity after they die. Some choose to follow Him (as he recommends) but others choose to balk at that path and choose another. A lifetime is a fair amount of time to make up one's mind isn't it?
Being "damned to hell" is the choice of the human, not God. God would choose otherwise for you but he is perfectly just so he leaves that up to you alone. I think you would agree with me when I say that I prefer being able to reject God than being forced to accept Him.
There's no logic in being mad at God for both the absolute freedom he gives you as well as the results of that freedom.
A person's path after death is not decided based on their overall good or bad quotient. Everyone is born with a human father (except Jesus) and is therefore not fit to enter Heaven. You must be perfect in God's eyes to enter Heaven and the only way to do that is by accepting the gift God gave us through Jesus. "Why doesn't God just count it towards us anyway since it's already free?" For the same reason that you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink. Just because you give the horse water doesn't mean it'll drink it and prevent itself from dying. See what I'm saying? God won't stick a tube down our throats and force water into our stomachs no matter how "good" it would be for us. Some would still say "I choose death!" if given the opportunity.
Back to work.
Huh? Does what you said *really* make sense to you?
What a ridiculous idea that "Believers" don't question. The Apostle Paul commended the Thessalonians because they "searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so" (Acts 17:11). "Those things" being what he was teaching.
The God of the Bible doesn't want mindless drones, people do.
You also seem to state that God doesn't give his own children the freedom to question Him like you do yours. You're wrong. You know how I can tell you're wrong? Because not everyone believes in God.
The Royal Tenenbaums is my favorite movie of all time!!
Umm... I know would've sounds a lot like "would of" but, c'mon man.
As others have already schooled you for me... Please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Final_Fantasy_IV to discover that Final Fantasy IV was the Japanese name of North America's Final Fantasy II for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). I didn't want to have to spell it out for you but apparently you don't know much about Final Fantasy.
First post? Second best Final Fantasy ever. First being Final Fantasy II on good old SNES.
...a mad scientist will announce to his friends and family later today that he has come up with an idea for storing 500 times more data than a DVD on a single Cheerio.