Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature currently requires accessing the site using the built-in Safari browser.
I doubt that God sees death as unfortunate, any more than people see going to sleep as unfortunate. The next day lies beyond sleep, and a new life lies beyond death.So why did god want all those infants and children to die?
One can only "KNOW" God by the things He wishes to reveal. "Oh the depths of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and how inscrutable His ways." -- Romans 11:33. Paul is attempting to explain How the disobedience of Israel led to the gift of salvation for the entire world........by allowing ALL to be disobedient, it was God's plan for mankind to have the laws of God exist within those who would accept the gift of Salvation through God's mercy and love, a love so great that God gave His only begotten Son as sacrifice for the sins of all. (Romans 11:28-36).Two thoughts to address: The first is how did you come to know God, and to have faith in God?
The second: Specifically what made you decide there is no God to know? What caused you to stop exploring the possibility?
As frequent posters here may know, I first came to know about God in children's Little Golden Books. At that young age, getting to know about God made me insistent that knowing about God wasn't enough. Abraham, Noah, Moses had their experiences, and I wanted mine. Little Golden Books started me out, and my own stubbornness and persistence took it from there.
Why did you continue...or, why did you give up?
I haven't been reading everyone else's posts. Merriweather - like everyone else - is entitled to their opinion and can speak for themselves. I'm sure some people (not named Merriweather) ask God for color TV's but I don't know anyone who does.
So I believe it is worth repeating that I believe... The practical application of prayer is to alter the fabric of one's identity. That the structure of prayer matters. That giving thanks and giving praise puts one in a thankful state of mind which has been scientifically proven to be one of the key behaviors of reaching a state of happiness. When we are happy two things will happen; dopamine will be released which gives us that happy feeling and all of the learning centers of the brain get turned on.
Lastly and probably most important, I was taught that prayer should not be about what God can do for us. Prayer should be about us asking God what He wants us to do.
The practical application of prayer ...
So you believe in a bigger miracle that the universe can spontaneous burst forth from the size of a pinhead?
Then you go on to believe in an even more impossible astronomically unrealistic "accident of faith" that life burst forth all on it's own from some primordial slime?
Where do I sign up for that Cult? Sounds like a Fantastic Fairy Tale.
I doubt that God sees death as unfortunate, any more than people see going to sleep as unfortunate. The next day lies beyond sleep, and a new life lies beyond death.
When the US attacked Iraq, why did Bush want all those infants and children to die?So why did god want all those infants and children to die?
There is certainly collateral damage in every war. I don't remember anything about Bush or FDR giving specific instructions to target and kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’ ”When the US attacked Iraq, why did Bush want all those infants and children to die?
When FDR attacked Nazi Germany, why did he want all those infants and children to die?
And the list goes on.
You are blaming Jewish embellishment on God and using that as your excuse to not believe in God. It's idiotic.There is certainly collateral damage in every war. I don't remember anything about Bush or FDR giving specific instructions to target and kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’ ”
Not running away from anything. I gave you the courtesy of one response which is on more than I had told you I would. If you wanted to discuss my believing in god, why didn't put that in your silly thread?You are blaming Jewish embellishment on God and using that as your excuse to not believe in God. It's idiotic.
And you are a coward for running away from discussing it in the bull ring.
Your logic is flawed and you know it and that's why you ran away. Because it puts all of your silliness in one easy to read place. You're a coward. Not too worry, I'll just copy and paste your nonsensical arguments into that thread for you because I'm tired of reading your silliness.Not running away from anything. I gave you the courtesy of one response which is on more than I had told you I would. If you wanted to discuss my believing in god, why didn't put that in your silly thread?
I have seen nothing to make me believe that your god, or any god exists. That's the full story. Happy now?
Okey Dokey.Your logic is flawed and you know it and that's why you ran away. Because it puts all of your silliness in one easy to read place. You're a coward. Not too worry, I'll just copy and paste your nonsensical arguments into that thread for you because I'm tired of reading your silliness.
I am not the only person who can assure you God is, and does exist. I cannot help but wonder why people hang onto--even embrace--the idea of no God? I cannot help but wonder what those who refuse to believe are looking for.I have seen nothing to make me believe that your god, or any god exists. That's the full story.
My point is that the world is at war. I don't think anyone wants babies dead except the abortion industry. When there is a war, innocent people will die. There is no way around that.There is certainly collateral damage in every war. I don't remember anything about Bush or FDR giving specific instructions to target and kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’ ”
I got back to God as Creator. I tend towards believing the flood was a natural disaster; that in the heat of battle the Israelites went too far. Simply because I tend towards this, doesn't mean that is what went down and I keep that firmly in mind as well.Another example would be the Great Flood. Did God save humanity by killing them all off?
We all have a mental image of who and what God is that is skewed. The difference being, those that reject God is the most skewed. They don't see love, like Jesus was as God in the flesh, they see how man interacted with God before he walked the earth with man, which made it harder to know him and understand him.People seem to want to begin with who they want to see in God. Just as God began creation with a Word, we use words to create the God we want. Then we go looking for that God...who does not exist. Why our failure in desire to meet our unique Creator, the distinctive Being He actually is instead of just who we want Him to be?
The purpose of God asking Abraham to sacrifice his only son was to test Abraham's faith in God to see if Abraham's love for God was reciprocal. It was also a prophetic depiction of The Coming Messiah when God The Father would send His only son as a sacrifice for The Sins of Man.My point is that the world is at war. I don't think anyone wants babies dead except the abortion industry. When there is a war, innocent people will die. There is no way around that.
Another example of what you are talking about is when God asked Abraham to kill his son as a sacrifice. On the surface, that looks insane. However, if you take the story in context to what was going on during that time, it starts to make sense. During that time it was common for people to sacrifice their children to pagan gods like Molech, so the request would have not been as shocking to Abraham as it is to us today. And as we see in the story, Abraham did not want to do it. He loved his son. And I think on some level Abraham either believed God would stop him, which he did, or would raise his son back up to life based on the promises God made to him concerning him.
So God stopped him, but why ask in the first place? It was to show him and the world that the God of the Bible does no sacrifice innocent blood like the pagan gods because he was different. It sent a message and it gave us the most courageous examples of faith in the Bible.
As for mandates to kill during the Canaanite conquests to which you refer, this is yet another example of faith being on trial. What was God thinking? Was there a better way? These are questions all people of faith struggle with, just as Jacob struggled with God physically. In fact, Israel, which Jacob was latter named after his struggle with God, means to wrestle with God.
I have my own conjectures about this, but I still have faith in God's judgement. If they had not done it, would it had led to more death and suffering later on, for example.
But we can only conjecture, as where God knows all.
Another example would be the Great Flood. Did God save humanity by killing them all off? You would say no, but those of faith would tend to think this way
At the end of the day, only God knows.
In no way do I get the impression that the Great Flood was a fluke when reading the scriptures, although I guess you are free to question the validity of how it was written.I got back to God as Creator. I tend towards believing the flood was a natural disaster; that in the heat of battle the Israelites went too far. Simply because I tend towards this, doesn't mean that is what went down and I keep that firmly in mind as well.
My focus is on, What came after? Time after time we see good rising out of the disaster, which should give us confidence in terrible times. Nothing has been so bad that good has failed to come from it.
I don't deny those views either, but they do not negate my point either.The purpose of God asking Abraham to sacrifice his only son was to test Abraham's faith in God to see if Abraham's love for God was reciprocal. It was also a prophetic depiction of The Coming Messiah when God The Father would send His only son as a sacrifice for The Sins of Man.
The Law of Reciprocation would in The Future make it possible for God to offer up His Only Son.
What was it that Abraham said to his son on the way up the mountain when his son asked where was the lamb?
"God will provide the sacrifice"
Then suddenly appeared a ram caught in a thicket of thorns.
Fast forward to when The Children of Abraham were in Egypt and you see The First Passover where only The Blood of The Lamb would spare you from death.
Fast forward some more and you see The Lamb of God upon The Cross with a Crown of Thorns.
The Passover Lamb.
"God Provided The Sacrifice"
