THE NATURE OF GOD

Being on vacation for two weeks has allowed me to do some reading. I started a biography of Ben Franklin and even though I’m only one-sixth of the way through it, I’ve found him to be a fascinating character. I haven’t even gotten to the years where he was well known. His early years help you understand how his views were developed. I didn’t know he spent so much time pondering the existence of God and the various aspects of organized religion.

I find that my views about organized religion are very similar to his. He was open to going to church and hoping the ministers would be able to apply religious teachings to our everyday existence. He found all the sermons wanting. Rules, regulations, and dogmatism weren’t worth his time and they aren’t worth mine. I went to Sunday mass for decades and rarely if ever heard a sermon that taught me anything or opened my eyes to a new understanding of God or religion. He stopped going to church and concentrated on his own writings and understanding of God. I stopped going to Sunday mass a few years ago after becoming disillusioned and disgusted with the evil hierarchy of the Catholic church.

Franklin decided that how he lived his life, treated others and his own good works would determine whether he got into heaven. Thinking according to some dogma and going through the motions of organized religion meant nothing. A particular passage on page 87 caught my attention. Franklin thought deeply about the nature of God. He considered four options:

“His study of nature, he said, convinced him that God created the universe and was infinitely wise, good and powerful. He then explored four possibilities: (1) God predetermined and predestined everything that happens, eliminating all possibility of free will; (2) He left things to proceed according to natural laws and the free will of His creatures, and never interferes; (3) He predestined some things and left some things to free will, but still never interferes; (4) He sometimes interferes by His particular providence and sets aside the effects which would otherwise have been produced by any of the above causes.”

Benjamin Franklin – An American Life – Walter Isaacson

We differ regarding the nature of God. Franklin decided that number 4 was the most likely, by process of elimination. I believe number 2 is the most likely, and that will disappoint those who believe prayer can sway God. I don’t believe God is constantly deciding whose prayers are more worthy to be answered. Both sides invoked God’s name during the Civil War. Did God choose the North? I don’t think so. He created this world and allows us the free will to make it a better or worse place. We all have good and evil within us, and it is solely our choice regarding which one wins in the end.

What kind of God do you think exists, or not?


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151 Comments
Stucky
Stucky
January 2, 2015 4:25 pm

EC

Nice of you to bring up the penis in a discussion about G.O.D. How ’bout you go suck one?

Blow Me.

Gayle
Gayle
January 2, 2015 4:28 pm

Even Genesis recounts a water-covered earth prior to the commencement of then creation of life forms:
“And the earth was without form and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.”

Maybe there is a fish fossil from 75 million years ago? Would that fish look like mine, who look just like contemporary fish?

IndenturedServant
IndenturedServant
January 2, 2015 4:34 pm

Here’s a 419 million year old fish fossil. Pretty unmistakeable.

http://www.inquisitr.com/970680/china-fish-fossil-stuns-scientists-with-oldest-face/

[imgcomment image[/img]

Maggie
Maggie
January 2, 2015 4:50 pm

“IndenturedServant says:

Welcome back Maggie. How goes life at the doomstead? Still fending off the tax man?”

As a matter of FACT, the assessor and HER HUSBAND (turns out that HE is her lacky. She is the driver and actual tax assessor for the county) stopped by mid-December to see if we’d moved in yet. Nope… still roughing it in the little treehouse. So, apparently, we are on the radar to pay off any and all debt the county owes.

As for the estate? Turns out that I accompanied my oldest sibling to remove the will and a couple other legal documents from my parents’ safe when a massive flood hit the area a few years ago. And, I have requested (via lawyer) that the county probate judge petition that sibling for the will so that “we” may open the estate in probate. I would have liked to have been a fly on her wall when she received that summons. LOL.

I was handed $10,000 in cash in a regular white envelop, sealed. I have handed it to the lawyer as part of the “forthcoming” inventory of the estate.

She apparently has forgotten that I know where all the bodies are buried.

And, no… I am not greedy. God will provide me with all my needs. It is just that He will provide them quicker since I know the LAW.

No will? Well, then my father passed intestate. There are statutes for that too. I know them too.

Am reminded of Jacob and Esau…

Llpoh
Llpoh
January 2, 2015 4:54 pm

Jesus Fucking Christ I hate God threads. I spent years learning more about this shit than anyone ever needs to know. It was a massive exercise in pud-pulling and mental masturbation. I have spent thirty years trying to forget everything.

God told Job “who are you to question me”. If there is a God, his actions and will are beyond the ken of man.

Re SSS and his facts – bullshit. Beliefs are not facts. I am pleased he is comfortable in his beliefs. But that does not make them facts.

Gayle
Gayle
January 2, 2015 4:56 pm

FFP

I didn’t for a moment think you were picking on me. It’s a good discussion.

EC
EC
January 2, 2015 5:00 pm

Stuck, I used the word penis rather than ‘masturbation’ because of the subject. You must have the idea handed down by puritanical nuts that a little boy’s penis (like sex) is dirty. Read Maggie’s comment above, a lot of what you judge as wrong is your own thinking due to religion. You show this same mistake when you impute certain ideas to God, as if he were a cruel and unjust being for acting in ways you do not understand or agree with. So again I say, you be second guessing God.

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.

Gayle
Gayle
January 2, 2015 5:04 pm

I S

Thanks for locating the old fish. I guess creation took longer than 6 days? Maybe 6 epochs.

EC
EC
January 2, 2015 5:07 pm

Other than that, I’m out, I just got a Blow Me from Stuck, signaling that I win, although I’m not sure what I won. Maybe because it’s Stuck I don’t want to know.

Jeebus, Son Of God
Jeebus, Son Of God
January 2, 2015 5:09 pm

“Jesus Fucking Christ”? Really, Llpoh? You dare use my name in vain!!?? You hate God threads? Really?? Then, stay the fuck off!

I have a message just for you.
[imgcomment image[/img

Enjoy you future home.
[imgcomment image[/img]

Jeebus, Son Of God
Jeebus, Son Of God
January 2, 2015 5:11 pm

Satan himself thwarted my message to you. But, I always win. So, here …

[imgcomment image[/img]

A song for LLPOH from JESUS
A song for LLPOH from JESUS
January 2, 2015 5:15 pm
flash
flash
January 2, 2015 5:18 pm

Stucky, ref. your snark at my Christian/torture link above, you gotta’ minute to define the biblical hell so many dogmatic Christians incessantly warn/threaten others with . I’ve seen no evidence in the bible of such a place as an eternal hell .Hell could be God simply relegating one’s soul to eternal darkness or non-existent . Fear should never be a motivating factor in searching the spiritual side for answers..it only breeds contempt and rebellion , but I could be wrong?

Maggie
Maggie
January 2, 2015 5:18 pm

@EC… I am not offended by penis or masturbation, though using both in one sentence is out of my realm of experience. 😀

And I’m sure God doesn’t mind you using the words either.

However, I’m reminded of a ride with my son when he was about 7 or 8 and becoming aware that some of the “rules” imposed by human interpretation of the 10 “big” commandments were silly. Riding along the road, we came upon a stop sign which someone had spray painted F U C K on. My son, being an avid reader said “Fuck! What does that word mean, Mom and why is it a cuss word.”

Thought I “Damn, the kid reads fast.”

I explained the word in simple terms and then explained why the coarser people around used the word as an expletive (cuss word in his language.) He said “Why would God care what words you are using anyway. That isn’t taking anyone’s name in vain.”

Thought I “Damn, I should have suppressed his reasoning skills.”

I explained that there are some terms that people consider to be naughty or obscene and they just aren’t used in polite society. He said “Well, I think that is stupid. I don’t care what words people say.”

Thought I “Hmmm. Shall we see?”

For the rest of the afternoon, I did my best to use swear words at every given opportunity with him in the car. “Dammit, that Son of a Bitch just cut me off.” “Shit, look at that stupid bitch.” “Fuck that light… I’m going.”

When we were on the way home, I said, “Damn it to Hell, I forgot the Fucking milk.”

My son looked at me and said, “You can stop, Mom. I get it.”

Stucky
Stucky
January 2, 2015 5:20 pm

“You show this same mistake when you impute certain ideas to God..” ——– EC

And YOU don’t impute YOUR IDEAS about God???

[imgcomment image[/img]

Of course you don’t!! YOU surely know EXACTLY everything about God. Copy and paste some Bible verses … voila! There ya go! No one but The Shadow knows.

You’re killing me. Stop it.

SSS
SSS
January 2, 2015 5:28 pm

My take on a great story from Maggie @ 5:18 pm …….

She has one smart son.

She is one smart mom.

EC
EC
January 2, 2015 5:32 pm

Dammit, Stuck, give up already! Didn’t you read SSS’ comment?
I use the actual verse because I mess up and make up stuff inadvertently like the comment about David and the stars…

However, I’m pretty sure Paul said he was not perfect yet and dared not judge anybody, not even himself.

Tell me O Learned One, where I have judged God as you did when you were complaining of his cruelty?

EC who's only just a bit more saintly than Stuck, maybe
EC who's only just a bit more saintly than Stuck, maybe
January 2, 2015 5:37 pm
IndenturedServant
IndenturedServant
January 2, 2015 5:42 pm

Gayle says:
“Thanks for locating the old fish. I guess creation took longer than 6 days? Maybe 6 epochs. ”

I’m told that a day to God can be equal to millions of years for humans. It always seemed suspect to me that man was given free will and the ability to reason and that ability to reason appears to apply to EVERYTHING except His word. Apparently man is supposed to suspend reason and thinking when it comes to the bible.

Stucky
Stucky
January 2, 2015 5:55 pm

” … you gotta’ minute to define the biblical hell so many dogmatic Christians incessantly warn/threaten others with .” ———- flash

OK. Real quick …

First, it only SEEMS that “dogmatic Christians” speak for all of Christianity. They don’t!! There are several ways to interpret the “hell” passages. Off the top of my head ….

1) Hell is a literal place. The burning and torture are literal. People like Llpoh go there.

2) Hell is a temporary place … bad people go there for a period of suffering …. eventually most go to heaven. Those who don’t are destroyed.

3) Hell isn’t a “place” at all. It’s a state, or a condition. Catholics believe hell is a state of eternal punishment whose residents rejected God. The nature of the punishment is difficult to state, but it is not one of eternal torture.

4) There is no hell at all. The language is figurative. The stories allegorical.

But, “hell” is tied into “the destiny of man” …. some are destined for heaven, some are destined for hell. In other words …. SALVATION. That’s more interesting to me than hell.

The most popular Christian view today is the same as that of bb and EC. It’s such a simple formula: accept Jeebus (whatever that really means) = ticket to heaven. Reject Jeebus = you is goin’ TO HELL!! They repeat their silly mantra so often they probably don’t even realize there are other possibilities.

There are at least two competing views which are much more in line with a “God who is Love”;

1) UNIVERSALISM — God’s love and compassion and sacrifice is powerful and righteous enough to save ALL people.

2) ANNIHILATIONISM — Some people are so evil that even God can not save them. However, God is NOT an evil sadistic eternal torturer. His grace is sufficient to cause such people’s souls to be extinguished forever.

As usual, the differing sides have ample Scriptures to back up their point of view …. and, of course, at the same time denouncing other views as heretical.

My personal favorite? Annihilationism. It satisfies two requirements simultaneously; 1) God’s Justice is not minimized (truly evil people don’t go to heaven) and, 2) God’s Grace is maximized (saving most folks is not too difficult for him).

Stucky
Stucky
January 2, 2015 6:10 pm

“I’m told that a day to God can be equal to millions of years for humans” ———- I_S

Why stop at millions? How about billions? How a about trillions? How about one day to God is the same as a quadrillion bazillion years? One is just as valid as another.

That’s because the comparisons are truly WORTHLESS. It is comparing apples to oranges. PEOPLE LIVE IN TIME ……….. GOD LIVES APART/OUTSIDE OF TIME. (Not shouting … just for emphasis as I don’t know how to bold or underline). GOD. IS. TIMELESS.

Again (I’ve mentioned this several times before), think of a place called Flatland … where beings live ONLY in two dimensions, length and width. There is NO height. So, what sense would it be for them to say — “Height is like a thousand lengths.” Or, “Height is like a million widths.”. You and I know that’s it’s nonsensical …. because we understand “height”.

God is like that. He is time-less. Certainly, there was NO time before the beginning of the universe. You need a universe and planets and such to measure time. Yet, God existed before he created the universe … which makes him time-less.

We humans can only “understand” this on a philosophical level. That’s why we say “a day is as a thousand years”. That can’t possibly be literal … so we use a word-construct to build an image, to help us get it, sort of. The realities of how this TRULY IS, well, that’s as far beyond us as height is to a Flatlander.

Stucky
Stucky
January 2, 2015 6:17 pm

“Tell me O Learned One, where I have judged God as you did when you were complaining of his cruelty?” ——- EC

You seem to be pretty sure that people will go to hell … perhaps even me. That is a judgment about the character of God. Oh, yes, it is.

Stucky
Stucky
January 2, 2015 6:30 pm

I have both these books in my library. Excellent reads.

[imgcomment image[/img]

The God Part Of Our Brain ———- “Alper uses a Socratic technique to brilliantly and flawlessly argue that our concepts of spirit and God are derived from the mechanics of our brain…enormously important…full of scientific and philosophical truths.”

http://www.godpart.com/

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How God Changes Your Brain —– “boldly explores the relationship between the structure of our brains and our ability not only to experience but to cultivate innate compassion and deep inner peace.”

[imgcomment image[/img]

Bea Lever
Bea Lever
January 2, 2015 6:38 pm

STUCKY

I believe the Bible states that one thousand of our years are equal to one day in heaven. Pipe in if anyone knows that to be incorrect.

EC who's only just a bit more saintly than Stuck, maybe
EC who's only just a bit more saintly than Stuck, maybe
January 2, 2015 9:30 pm

Stucky says: You seem to be pretty sure that people will go to hell … perhaps even me. That is a judgment about the character of God. Oh, yes, it is.

Evidently you can read minds, that shouldn’t surprise me since you know the mind of God so well. Should I just step aside and let you argue both sides?

Kill Bill
Kill Bill
January 2, 2015 9:37 pm

My vote goes to T4C

EC
EC
January 2, 2015 10:32 pm

“And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs” ———– Rev 14:20

You do believe this literally, don’t you …. that in mankind’s final battle, in the Valley Of Jezreel (aka, har megiddo, Armageddon, etc) that the slaughter will so great that there will be rivers (oceans ?) of blood up to the horse’s bridle? I know you do.

Stuck, along with chapters that have endless ‘begats’ and gib me dats I skip these things, sorry. I read in the paper that California would need those 1.6 trillion gallons of rainfall to end its drought. I don’t think helicopter Ben could drop trillions of dollars on the nation to end its slump, he wasn’t speaking of a literal event, it would take a long time to print, package, ship, fly and drop that much currency. I look at the scene of the winepress as a picture of judgment day, not a world event.

Don Murphy
Don Murphy
January 2, 2015 10:57 pm

I have yet to read through the entire thread, but as I have been thinking about this a great deal lately I wanted to mention my 2 cents worth.

I know there is a God and that is about where my knowledge ends. I speak of ‘Him’ because that is how I was raised, but I could just as easily speak of ‘Her’, ‘It’, ‘Them’, ‘We’, etc. had I but been raised that way.

The thing is, God is not what we think He is, He is what He says he is. And that requires each of us to do the work of listening to what He says. For if I simply accept what another person relates to me, then I am not listening to Him, I am listening to another just like me. I am taking their word for it, and God may have other ideas about what He is to or for me, and I for Him.

That all life form consists of some sort of spirit in conjunction with a body is generally accepted. It seems to me that the spirit is the sacred part of life and thus can only be affected by communion directly with God.

It is as if, in the distant past, a man climbed a mountain and experienced God. Upon coming down to his village, he told the people that they could know God by climbing the mountain and meeting Him directly. He really is very approachable. But the villagers were busy with work, or afraid to climb, or lazy, or whatever. So they took his word for it and made him the mouthpiece of God. What they got out of is was secondhand interpretation of a profound personal experience.

Elsewhere, at other villages at various points around the base of the mountain the same thing was happening. Men, women, and even children climbed the mountain and heard directly from God who and/ or what He is. And in each of their villages, people tended to believe them, and not bother to climb the mountain for themselves. Thus were a great many religions born and flourished.

Naturally some folks capitalized on the inherent human need for God and, sensing the opportunity to gain from it, manipulated it to their advantage. Some intentionally, some unintentionally. And mankind proceeded to become ever more divided and ruled.

Does this mean that there is one God, or multiple? A being with a body, an amorphous spirit, a raging angry diety or a gentle loving Jew, a multi-limbed destroyer, an individual, a sea of consciousness… We can only hear with our own spirit and then hopefully take the advice of Tecumsah and trouble no man about his religion.

As for myself, I had an epiphany one day while eating pizza: God is something greater than the product of all existence. in the form of a mathematical equation: God = x * infinity + 1.

EC
EC
January 3, 2015 1:54 am

Theology aside, we benefit from the teachings that oppose widespread murder and continual war for goods, property and women. We benefit from morality and scruples that don’t rise up by themselves in a world where savage humans associate by clans and fight other clans for living space and resources. Without a god to guide humanity, no doubt chance would secure a program of ethics that united nations and countries, probably right after monkeys managed to type out a Dawkins outline on the case for a spontaneous big bang.

Stucky
Stucky
January 3, 2015 7:26 am

“Evidently you can read minds, that shouldn’t surprise me since you know the mind of God so well. Should I just step aside and let you argue both sides?” ———– EC

That’s a pretty snarky comment. And, not true.

I am the first to acknowledge that I am only giving my OPINIONS about God. I am 100% aware of my limitations as a finite human being discussing the infinite. Therefore, I will gladly be the first to admit that I could be FULL OF SHIT on everything I have ever posted about God. So let me be crystal clear: I DO NOT KNOW THE MIND OF GOD!

Contrast that with Christians. They claim to KNOW God. They have the Bible. They will tell you God approves this or that, God doesn’t want you to do this. They ….. pray. They HEAR his voice. God talks to them!! Sometimes in a whirlwind, sometimes in a still small voice. And often a daily basis, no less!

So, please, don’t give me this bullshit that I claim to know God’s mind. I leave that to People Of The Book … like my son, who even knows which movies God would approve of, or not.

flash
flash
January 3, 2015 8:56 am

Thanks for taking the time Stuck. I somewhat agree with your definition of hell as total annihilation ,only not dealt from God, but the grave….I think of death sans the presence of God merely God refusing to renew our contract .

As a kid , I remember hearing this sermon on hell from Herbert Armstrong and lo and behold after a quick Google, I find it on the web… certainly worth the time of any interested in the subject of hell as a place of eternal torture.

http://www.hwalibrary.com/cgi-bin/get/hwa.cgi?action=getbklet&InfoID=1328041553

Is There A Real Hell Fire?
Herbert W Armstrong
What Is Hell?
Confusion is in the mind of today’s Christian because he is told either that the Bible does not mean what it says, or that wherever “hell” is mentioned in the Bible, it is a hell of fire for the eternal torture of the damned. God’s Word plainly reveals that there is more than one kind of hell.
There are three different Greek words, each having a different meaning, which have been translated “hell” in the King James Version.
The Greek word hades simply means “pit” or “grave.” In 1611 when the King James Version was translated, the Englishmen spoke of putting their potatoes in “hell” for the winter-that is, simply in a hole in the ground! There has to be a place for those who die, and of that place we are all in common knowledge, the grave. If men immediately when they die go to either heaven or hell, then God’s Word would not have said, “For David is NOT ascended into the heavens” (Acts 2:34) and, “Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he IS BOTH DEAD AND BURIED, and his sepulchre is with US unto this day” (Acts 2:29).
At the time Peter was preaching his first inspired sermon on that day of Pentecost in 31 A.D. — 50 days after Christ first ascended to the Father in heaven from this very “hell” — he says that the great patriarch David is still in hell!

Interior shot of Herod’s tomb. It is a “hell” (Greek: hades) — or HOLE in the ground. That is what the Greek word “hades” really means!

Let us understand this!
“Because thou wilt not leave my [David’s] soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One [Jesus Christ] to see corruption” (Acts 2:27). This is quoted in your New Testament from Psalm 16:10, where David prophesied of the coming of Jesus Christ, of His crucifixion and death, of His burial and stay in the grave, “hell”-but that his stay in the grave would not be long enough for Him to suffer “corruption,” that is, the decaying of the flesh. Yet after Christ was resurrected, David still remained in the grave, in his sepulchre, completely corrupted and nothing but dust at that time.
By comparing this scripture with the Old Testament, we find that this hades hell of the New Testament is the same as the sheol hell of the Old Testament. God’s Word describes this hell very plainly. It is merely the grave where everyone goes when he dies. It is not “the abode of the dead” in the sense that dead spirits are walking around in a dark, cold cavern somewhere in the heart of the earth, but merely the resting place where all those who have died await a resurrection. That is why the triumphant Psalm is quoted in I Corinthians 15 — the resurrection chapter­ where it states, “0 grave, where is thy victory?” (I Cor. 15:55.) All the individuals who have died and rotted and turned to dust will eventually be resurrected — some to eternal life, some to judgment. This hades hell will not have an eternal hold on those who spend time there.
The description of this hell is not left to the imagination of men but very clearly defined. “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave [sheol — hades — hell] whither thou goest” (Eccl. 9:10).
Your Bible describes this as a very dead place! How else would you describe the grave?
“For the living know that they shall die: but the dead KNOW NOT ANYTHING, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now PERISHED”! (Eccl. 9:5-6.) God’s Word is very plain-spoken. The grave, “hell,” where you or anyone goes upon death, is a place of neither physical nor mental activity of any kind. “His [man’s] breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth, in that very day HIS THOUGHTS PERISH”! (Psalm 146:4.)
Any scientific experiment which can be enacted and observed completely backs up these Bible statements. But this is as far as science can help us. This is the only hell of which science is cognizant.
Churchmen try to confuse this hades hell by admit­ ting that it is indeed the grave, but going on to explain that only the body goes to the grave while the soul goes elsewhere. This doctrine can nowhere be proved within the pages of God’s Word. (Write for the free booklet Do You Have an Immortal Soul?) God ‘s Word very clearly says that David, not David’s body, is both dead and buried and is not in heaven! And if David is not, then surely no one else is.

Stucky
Stucky
January 3, 2015 9:17 am

“Thanks for taking the time Stuck.”

You are most welcome, flash.

I am not a fan of Herbert Armstrong and his Church Of God. I’ll just leave it at that.

May I suggest a more scholarly person? John Stott … one of the most influential theologians of the 20th century. He is one of Christianity’s leading voices for annihilationism.

Here’s a link … his OWN words … where he responds to a critique of his views;

http://www.truthaccordingtoscripture.com/documents/death/judgement-hell.php

Stucky
Stucky
January 3, 2015 9:20 am

And if you want to get a good grasp on Universalism then this book is a great place to start.

[imgcomment image[/img]

https://www.robbell.com/work/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=44

flash
flash
January 3, 2015 9:59 am

@ Stuck,…I have to admit I don’t know much about Herbert Armstrong, and the only sermon I ever heard him preach was the one I linked too , but FWIW, I think he was spot on in his assertion that death was the true meaning of hell i.e. eternal separation form God.

That said, thanks for the links ,I’ll certainly give them a read. I ‘ve changed my mind on so much I believed in since I was a youngster that I wore a hole in my cerebral cortex from the scrubbing of old ideas and the introduction of new….fer chrissakes, I once even supported the Republican party…talk about daft!

Stucky
Stucky
January 3, 2015 10:14 am

flash

OK, I went back and actually read the article. My feelings for Armstrong notwithstanding … the article was spot on, imho.

BTW, it was not me who voted thumbs down.

flash
flash
January 3, 2015 10:38 am

Stuck , I see nothing to be gained from traipsing after universalism … a snippet from your first link says it all.

Therefore, we can conceive of no reason whatsoever as to why we would have any need to look outside the sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures in all matters of faith and practice. We believe that to do otherwise is to open ourselves up to the error and corrupt traditions of sinful men; a leaven which has always had detrimental effects on the Church throughout her history.

http://www.truthaccordingtoscripture.com/about-us.php#.VKgLanrkWM8

flash
flash
January 3, 2015 10:45 am

I appreciate the thumbs down as much as the ups.. …I fully expect to always get the obligatory one and quite often a few more, but WTH, it comes with the TBP turf…

Gayle
Gayle
January 3, 2015 10:48 am

Armstrong doesn’t impress me, Stott does.

Hell is another spiritual concept that we are given broad descriptions of, but the details are hazy. Stott provides an ample examination of the scriptural bases for various interpretations.

For quite a while I have settled the hell issue for myself like this:

As Stott explains, John 17:3 describes eternal life as a conscious enjoyment of knowing God and Jesus.

When I die, my spirit will continue to enjoy this fellowship in a state called “heaven,” which we are assured is a condition free from all the effects of sin we see around us every day.

Those who have rejected the conscious enjoyment of knowing God will likewise continue to be apart from him after death. Exactly how that will play out is the subject of all the great hellish controversies.
All I trust for sure is that it will be way better to be with God than away from him. I think no matter how hell manifests, its primary characteristics will be complete darkness and complete lovelessness. Perhaps the human spirit must have light and love to live, and thus their absence would produce annihilation.

I LIKE to think that hell is remedial, that God kind of says, “Ok, let me run this by you one more time and see if you can get it,” but I don’t think Scripture supports that, unfortunately. (I haven’t read Bell’s book, but I suspect that’s kind of the direction it goes. I know it came under a lot of criticism.)

Stucky
Stucky
January 3, 2015 11:01 am

“Stuck , I see nothing to be gained from traipsing after universalism ….” —– flash

You might be surprised. They raise interesting points.

Logically, if by ONE MAN (Adam) sin entered the world and condemned everyone, then it makes sense that by ONE MAN — the New Adam, Jeebus — everyone will be redeemed.

Logically, isn’t a 100 billion years in hell (as we hoomans measure time) enough punishment for even the most evil of men, such as Stalin?

Nevertheless, it seems there are too many Scriptures which indicate that some will never ever make it to heaven … that the Final Judgment is truly final.

Also, if ALL are saved, then logically, that completely removes man’s Free Will. “You WILL be saved, whether you want to or not!”. Ultimately, I don’t like ANY doctrine that removes man’s free will from the equation. I just don’t believe Scripture supports that.

flash
flash
January 3, 2015 11:19 am

Stuck I’m agnostic towards how those of other faiths are presented a chance at eternal salvation by God via Jesus Christ , but I’m sure they are.

There could even be something to the Hindi belief that we are all on a wheel of life and are incessantly recycled to back to life for punishment of past sins and until we get it right we can not travel on to the spiritual realm and the promise of an eternal life with God..I have no way of knowing so I’ll leave it at that , but regardless , it could be the path the heathen finally get that leads them toward the golden gates.

Or we could already be in hell as Huxley once speculated , “maybe this earth is another planets hell”

Stucky
Stucky
January 3, 2015 11:47 am

flash

I understand your comments about the Hindi belief …. but I can’t take ANY interest in their cartoonish blue Gods with 8 hands and multiple tits (OK, maybe I can live with that). I’ve studied many religions, flash, but I honestly don’t think I’ve spent 2 hours TOTAL … in my entire life … studying Hinduism. Indian culture and beliefs simply REVOLT me …. so solly, but that’s the way it is.

I believe with that comment I am finished here.

I am currently working on another post. Pictorial Essay: Craptastic American Cars ….. should be done by tomorrow.

EC
EC
January 3, 2015 2:28 pm

Stucky says: Therefore, I will gladly be the first to admit that I could be FULL OF SHIT on everything I have ever posted about God.

Snarky but not mean spirited, I said I’m only a bit more saintly (less sinful) than you because you’ve had more time to make mistakes, I certainly tried to keep up though.

TBPers will have a lot to answer for, Good Luck, Everybody!