Disobedience has consequences.

[TillICollapse]

I prefer anthropomorphic projection.

I've found the tendency of people to anthropomorphize things to be quite fascinating.

 

[Colter]

Who needs a book?

I'm with ya, but the historical and even scientific worldview of western civilization has been greatly influenced by this teaching from church government that God wrote the Bible books.

 

[TillICollapse]

It would be more fun for the rest of us if you were better at it.

Oh double snap.

 

[HatGuy]

I've found the tendency of people to anthropomorphize things to be quite fascinating.

Me too. That was part of my point as well - I don't think he can describe how he sees the "universe" without moving into anthropomorphic territory. I wonder why... it's very interesting IMO.

 

[Catherineanne]

We all have imagination. I just choose to exercise it.

Try exercising compassion next time, perhaps. And leave the dressing up to Halloween.

 

[bhsmte]

98

I am not sure I can split that particular hair. The objective evidence is from watching leaves fall and seeing people die.

My faith would be about what happens after death, which none of us can really know for sure. But we can know about what we see, and you can do that as easily as I can.

Not sure what the relationship would be between leaves falling and humans dying.

What have you objectively observed, from watching people die?

 

[Catherineanne]

I'm with ya, but the historical and even scientific worldview of western civilization has been greatly influenced by this teaching from church government that God wrote the Bible books.

Yeah, he didn't. Best offer is 'inspired', and opinions vary as to what that might mean, from vaguely giving someone the idea to write something, to dictating word for word. But the Bible does not use the word 'dictated', and therefore we are not obliged to believe it.

My own view is that any Christian bookshop you care to visit will give ample evidence that 'inspired by God' can result in work of mind-numbing mediocrity. Some diamonds; mostly dross. Why should Scripture be any different?

 

[GrimKingGrim]

It would be more fun for the rest of us if you were better at it. The whole point of the Grim Reaper is that he is reaping good souls to eternity, bad ones to destruction. If, as you suggest, he reaps us all to oblivion, then that is nothing whatever to fear for anyone. Who would fear going to sleep forever and never waking up?

Dunno, how much do you value that?

The only Grim Reaper who could potentially be feared is one in a Christian context of damnation, which you reject.

I find it far less compelling than the other mythologies. Needs more pizzazz. And I do love mythology.

And by rejecting that you effectively blunt the edge of your scythe and make it useless to frighten anyone.

You suspect my role is to frighten you? Only enlighten.

Except yourself, of course. I suspect you are the only one frightened here.

I fear no death. I just don't seek it.

Try exercising compassion next time, perhaps. And leave the dressing up to Halloween.

Compassion is my thing, you've just never met me. A warrior does have a family, but he does not treat combat as he would home life now does he?

 

[Catherineanne]

98


Not sure what the relationship would be between leaves falling and humans dying.

What have you objectively observed, from watching people die?

That no two deaths are the same. And that death can be a gift, not a curse. A mercy.

 

[TillICollapse]

Me too. That was part of my point as well - I don't think he can describe how he sees the "universe" without moving into anthropomorphic territory. I wonder why... it's very interesting IMO.

I don't know whether he can specifically or not, but it's rather obvious that it's possible to describe the universe/things/etc without anthropomorphizing them.

In your response to him, you made the jump that the will and intent that was being ascribed to "the universe" in such context made it a deity. That's not necessarily an equal conclusion either.

Consider something on a small scale: I stub my toe on the edge of a chair, and I then get mad at the chair, yelling at it, "##### you !" as though it did something to me on purpose. "Stupid chair, get out of my way," etc. I'm not saying that the chair is a deity because I'm suddenly treating it as though it has personality and intent. And I doubt you would think, "You just made that chair a deity," either. It's arguably normal and common human behavior to subconsciously relate to things from a "person to person" standpoint. Whether it's an inanimate object, a toy, a concept, something large and awe inspiring or something mundane and/or trivial. We do it all the time.

 

[Catherineanne]

I do love mythology.

In that case here is some Graeco Roman mythology for you, which says the same as I have; death is a blessing, not a curse.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tithonus

Compassion is my thing, you've just never met me. A warrior does have a family, but he does not treat combat as he would home life now does he?

See comment about about fancying yourself. Double it.

 

[bhsmte]

That no two deaths are the same. And that death can be a gift, not a curse. A mercy.

Ok, thanks.

 

[GillDouglas]

<snip>

You're absolutely right on many points. I wrote this out of frustration over conversations with fellow Christians. Many were claiming that those who didn't chose to follow Christ had no fear of consequences. They refuse to look at the side of God that is often displayed in the Old Testament. They will not believe that the trials, struggles, and challenges of this world could ever come from a loving God. Its for His glory that the world is the way it is. We need Him to make it through all the crap and for our inheritance, to be with Him forever.

Sure I could have written it a different way. My hope is that maybe it was a wake up call for a few. I don't confess to have it right, or know it all. It was not my intention to insult anyone. If you took it as such, then you took what I said very personally. However, my point stands: Those who would reject God will have to deal with the consequences.

 

[GrimKingGrim]

In that case here is some Graeco Roman mythology for you, which says the same as I have; death is a blessing, not a curse.

Never said it was a curse or a gift. But the end result is death. That's the end.

You're not grasping that.

You seem to equate the result of dying with the process of dying. The result of dying will never change.

With this logic we'd have to come up with millions of new definitions to fit your criteria because a subtle difference in certain occurrences. Like Car Crashes for example. Yes that was a car crash but it's not the same as that other car crash it was entirely different because it had 3 cars not 2. That Baby's birth is entirely different than that one because the baby didn't cry the exact same way. That supernova was entirely different from the other one because it was red.

This is entirely faulty to lean on. The process to which an occurrence happens bears none on the occurrence. It was still a car crash. It was still a birth. It was still a supernova. The definitions don't change just because a small detail was different from others.

If two people die, one of a heart attack and the other of a stroke, the result isn't different. They're dead. The end result is death. It didn't magically get a new definition because they died in a different way.

See comment about about fancying yourself. Double it.

Triple it. I'm as human as they come. What's your point in mentioning it?

 

[rockytopva]

"Unless the foundations of a family be properly prepared and laid, those who are sprung from it must be necessarily unfortunate." - Plato

There is no greater disobedience than the sin of adultery and fornication. This is a sin against the spouse, the children, the state, the country, and the world. With all these children running around the world with no guidance most likely they turn to the life of crime.

When Augustine was young him and his lads would go from relationship to relationship, until he found the relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ at Rome. At his home in Africa he was there as the barbarians were burning the place down. All of these evils have their origins in the sin of adultery and fornication.

 

[Cute Tink]

Who would fear going to sleep forever and never waking up?

Some people greatly fear the idea of oblivion.

 

[Catherineanne]

Some people greatly fear the idea of oblivion.

Do they? It sounds lovely to me. Just like being asleep. : )

 

[Catherineanne]

Never said it was a curse or a gift. But the end result is death. That's the end.

You're not grasping that.

I never actually dealt with that bit of it.

If two people die, one of a heart attack and the other of a stroke, the result isn't different. They're dead. The end result is death. It didn't magically get a new definition because they died in a different way.

Actually, it does if one of them (or indeed both) is a Christian. There is no such thing in all eternity as a dead Christian. There are Christians here on earth, and there are Christians in eternity. No dead ones.

 

[Cute Tink]

Do they? It sounds lovely to me. Just like being asleep. : )

I did say some. I don't really fear it either. I fear being alone for some eternity, even though that is illogical within how I believe.

Besides, it doesn't sound like I will be alone in Hell anyway.

 

[Colter]

Yeah, he didn't. Best offer is 'inspired', and opinions vary as to what that might mean, from vaguely giving someone the idea to write something, to dictating word for word. But the Bible does not use the word 'dictated', and therefore we are not obliged to believe it.

My own view is that any Christian bookshop you care to visit will give ample evidence that 'inspired by God' can result in work of mind-numbing mediocrity. Some diamonds; mostly dross. Why should Scripture be any different?

Wow! Refreshing! We need many more like you