Disobedience has consequences.

[GillDouglas]

God is not a big fluffy teddy bear that is all sugar coated rainbows and hugs. There are some Christians that might preach this, but then they're changing the Bible to fit them instead of changing themselves to fit the Bible. God is just like an earthly parent who wants His children to obey. Just like a parent has a need for discipline when it comes to a child's obedience, the same applies to the big picture. We are children of God regardless of your belief, and you are not exempt from making mistakes regardless of how 'good' you think you are. If you screw up as a kid, do you not ask your parents for forgiveness? When they forgive you, do you then not except it? What causes you such heart hardheartedness that you are unwilling to treat your Heavenly Father the same?

God's wrath is real, and it will pour out on those who refuse to accept his forgiveness. God is a jealous God, and He does not want us worshiping anything over Him. If you do not believe in Him, than you believe in something else. A false idol. The new false idols of this world are money, property, self, food, celebrities, etc. When we love something worldly more than God we are living in sin. We must love God, each other, and put our faith in Him. He has chosen us, and we should be thankful. Follow the rules of the loving parent who created us, and remain obedient to the Word of God. "For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God." (1 Peter 2:15-16)

 

[Colter]

Jesus wasn't threatening, his gospel was appealing. It wasn't threatening news, it was "good news." Christianity has lost sight of the "good news."

 

[GillDouglas]

Jesus wasn't threatening, his gospel was appealing. It wasn't threatening news, it was "good news." Christianity has lost sight of the "good news."

The good news remains in all who call themselves Christians. Christ saves. The results of rejecting Him are real.

 

[Archaeopteryx]

God is not a big fluffy teddy bear that is all sugar coated rainbows and hugs. There are some Christians that might preach this, but then they're changing the Bible to fit them instead of changing themselves to fit the Bible. God is just like an earthly parent who wants His children to obey. Just like a parent has a need for discipline when it comes to a child's obedience, the same applies to the big picture. We are children of God regardless of your belief, and you are not exempt from making mistakes regardless of how 'good' you think you are. If you screw up as a kid, do you not ask your parents for forgiveness? When they forgive you, do you then not except it? What causes you such heart hardheartedness that you are unwilling to treat your Heavenly Father the same?

God's wrath is real, and it will pour out on those who refuse to accept his forgiveness.

In keeping with the parental metaphor, what sort of parent would punish their child with eternal torment for any act of disobedience? What sort of parent could claim to "love" their child by doing this?

God is a jealous God, and He does not want us worshiping anything over Him.

How petty.

Follow the rules of the loving parent who created us, and remain obedient to the Word of God.

Or else he'll show you what he really means by "loving" by casting you into a pit of endless anguish.

 

[Albion]

In keeping with the parental metaphor, what sort of parent would punish their child with eternal torment for any act of disobedience? What sort of parent could claim to "love" their child by doing this?



How petty.



Or else he'll show you what he really means by "loving" by casting you into a pit of endless anguish.

You win with your second guessing of the 'loving father is a loving father' argument, but it's not convincing to say that unless God meets our/your/my idea of what a God should do, this can't be "the" one.

 

[warrior of Christ 94]

He does not cast them into hell, their own choices land them there. If you go around committing crimes you go to jail. With God it is a life sentence.

The purpose of hell is twofold. 1) It is a punishment for disobedience, in other words it is prison. 2) The fear of hell is required to maintain order. Order in society can only be maintained by force or fear of force, it is the same in the spiritual realm.

 

[GillDouglas]

So the obedient kids don't deserve their reward and the disobedient kids still get a gold star? As the Man from Galilee once put it, render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s. If you don’t believe in God, then you don’t owe him anything. There's no need or way for us to try to justify God's plan to you if you do not believe it.

It's the spoiled brat that says "daddy is not fair! Hmph!"

 

[Colter]

The good news remains in all who call themselves Christians. Christ saves. The results of rejecting Him are real.

If you know the "good news" then focus on that. BTW, what was the good news that Jesus preached to the Jews? What was the gospel that Jesus preached that appealed to those in Judaism that left to follow him?

 

[GillDouglas]

If you know the "good news" then focus on that. BTW, what was the good news that Jesus preached to the Jews? What was the gospel that Jesus preached that appealed to those in Judaism that left to follow him?

Jesus preached that God doesn't require them to try and fail at fulfilling the law of Moses.

 

[Colter]

In keeping with the parental metaphor, what sort of parent would punish their child with eternal torment for any act of disobedience? What sort of parent could claim to "love" their child by doing this?



How petty.



Or else he'll show you what he really means by "loving" by casting you into a pit of endless anguish.

Your post is illustrative of the problem with the current state of religion, all three of your points are true. It's obvious, if you can readily see the terribly inconsistent character of such a God as portrayed and defended, if you are more just, then how much greater must the true God be if, in fact, their is a God and you are his child?

My fellow believers in Jesus are so accustomed to confessing the imperfections of the world that it never occurs to them that the evolution of the general theology of the Christian religion may have problems. While people here on the thread may, in their hearts, see truth in what you are saying, religion has it's own Pride, they have been told that God wrote the books of the bible, which were in fact written by holy men. To doubt something in the book is to doubt God, lack faith and a risk damnation.

 

[Colter]

Jesus preached that God doesn't require them to try and fail at fulfilling the law of Moses.

The priest class who created the laws of Moses instructed the people that those laws came from God?

 

[GillDouglas]

The priest class who created the laws of Moses instructed the people that those laws came from God?

As far as I understand it, the law came from God who gave it to Moses. That's the Torah, first five books of the Old Testament.

 

[Colter]

As far as I understand it, the law came from God who gave it to Moses. That's the Torah, first five books of the Old Testament.

That's the traditional belief of Judaism and Christianity, but I didn't understand your take on Jesus' gospel?

 

[GillDouglas]

That's the traditional belief of Judaism and Christianity, but I didn't understand your take on Jesus' gospel?

The good news of Jesus or His good news to the Jews?

 

[Colter]

The good news of Jesus or His good news to the Jews?

The gospel of the kingdom of heaven that Jesus tried to carry to the Jews and the world.

 

[GillDouglas]

The gospel of the kingdom of heaven that Jesus tried to carry to the Jews and the world.

Jesus spent a lot of time ministering to Jews the ways of God. He was preparing them for a shift in their methods of worship. In trying to live up to the law, the law became corrupt or a stumbling block. Jesus was slowly revealing God's plan of redemption that He had all along. The good news was revealed to the Jews first, and then the Gentiles.

 

[juvenissun]

In keeping with the parental metaphor, what sort of parent would punish their child with eternal torment for any act of disobedience? What sort of parent could claim to "love" their child by doing this?


Or else he'll show you what he really means by "loving" by casting you into a pit of endless anguish.

At a far away distance, there is a place called Hell. A rebelling child set up his mind and insisted to go there. What can the loving parents do?

 

[Skavau]

God is not a big fluffy teddy bear that is all sugar coated rainbows and hugs. There are some Christians that might preach this, but then they're changing the Bible to fit them instead of changing themselves to fit the Bible. God is just like an earthly parent who wants His children to obey. Just like a parent has a need for discipline when it comes to a child's obedience, the same applies to the big picture. We are children of God regardless of your belief, and you are not exempt from making mistakes regardless of how 'good' you think you are. If you screw up as a kid, do you not ask your parents for forgiveness? When they forgive you, do you then not except it?

It is not a good example of parenting to insist that your children obey you without reason. It is not a good example of parenting to torture their children for messing up or doing something wrong. It is not a good example of parenting to demand your children worship you.

What causes you such heart hardheartedness that you are unwilling to treat your Heavenly Father the same?

I do not believe in a "Heavenly Father" but if I did and he was as you described then my objection would be based on the fact that he's hanging over me the threat of torture for not doing as he says. I do not believe that totalitarian dictators deserve praise or worship.

God's wrath is real, and it will pour out on those who refuse to accept his forgiveness. God is a jealous God, and He does not want us worshiping anything over Him. If you do not believe in Him, than you believe in something else. A false idol. The new false idols of this world are money, property, self, food, celebrities, etc. When we love something worldly more than God we are living in sin. We must love God, each other, and put our faith in Him. He has chosen us, and we should be thankful. Follow the rules of the loving parent who created us, and remain obedient to the Word of God. "For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God." (1 Peter 2:15-16)

So what part of this did you think would appeal to Atheists? You just make God sound like a tyrant.

 

[Skavau]

So the obedient kids don't deserve their reward and the disobedient kids still get a gold star? As the Man from Galilee once put it, render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s. If you don’t believe in God, then you don’t owe him anything. There's no need or way for us to try to justify God's plan to you if you do not believe it.

It's the spoiled brat that says "daddy is not fair! Hmph!"

This is a complete and utter laughable misrepresentation of the objection towards your ill thought-out parent analogy.

 

[Davian]

God is not a big fluffy teddy bear that is all sugar coated rainbows and hugs. There are some Christians that might preach this, but then they're changing the Bible to fit them instead of changing themselves to fit the Bible. God is just like an earthly parent who wants His children to obey. Just like a parent has a need for discipline when it comes to a child's obedience, the same applies to the big picture. We are children of God regardless of your belief, and you are not exempt from making mistakes regardless of how 'good' you think you are. If you screw up as a kid, do you not ask your parents for forgiveness? When they forgive you, do you then not except it? What causes you such heart hardheartedness that you are unwilling to treat your Heavenly Father the same?

God's wrath is real, and it will pour out on those who refuse to accept his forgiveness. God is a jealous God, and He does not want us worshiping anything over Him. If you do not believe in Him, than you believe in something else. A false idol. The new false idols of this world are money, property, self, food, celebrities, etc. When we love something worldly more than God we are living in sin. We must love God, each other, and put our faith in Him. He has chosen us, and we should be thankful. Follow the rules of the loving parent who created us, and remain obedient to the Word of God. "For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God." (1 Peter 2:15-16)

Belief is not a conscious choice. For what am I being held accountable?