Does God really *punish* nations based on whether or not they follow Christian values?

[Winepress777]

Interpretation is interpretation. What makes your interpretation any more important than mine?
That being siad, I can only wish that you afford the same dignity of choice to Homosexuals than you do me here?

No, I never "interpret".

(2Pe 1:20) Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

There is no gray area.

As far as "choice", I'm not sure what you mean. I preach the Gospel. I show those who have ears to hear scriptures, how vile an abomination it is before God. Sodomites who hear will make their own choice. Some will repent, some will continue in their concupiscense. I let you go your own way, but I would never knowingly allow you around my sons or family until you repented of such behavior. May Jesus have mercy on you to that.

(Rev 22:11) He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.

 

[Chicken Little]

God has many reasons for doing what he does, but that was clearly one of them. Genesis 50:20 says that Egypt not succumbing to famine was God's work. Genesis 45:7-8 reveals that it was God's plant to save the Isrealites, and Egpytians.

this is true.
ultimately he would have that none parish he always he wants to do good to the evil and the good if they let him.
because judgement doesn't come until after the resurrections only then comes judgement. the word for the day is 'endurance'.

 

[Hetta]

It must be great to be perfect. SMH.

 

[bhsmte]

No, I never "interpret".

(2Pe 1:20) Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

There is no gray area.

As far as "choice", I'm not sure what you mean. I preach the Gospel. I show those who have ears to hear scriptures, how vile an abomination it is before God. Sodomites who hear will make their own choice. Some will repent, some will continue in their concupiscense. I let you go your own way, but I would never knowingly allow you around my sons or family until you repented of such behavior. May Jesus have mercy on you to that.

(Rev 22:11) He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.

You don't interpret?

I thought words on a page always had to be interpreted?

And if you don't interpret, you would have no understanding of the words, because interpretation is a requirement, for understanding.

 

[Cearbhall]

No, I never "interpret".

Says everyone who has a different interpretation than you do. There can't be more than one of you who isn't interpreting on any subject. Are you claiming to be that one single person in the whole world?

Just a note: I don't have anything against interpretation. I think the Bible is a wonderful work of literature, and it wouldn't be such if it were all written as a simplistic list of rules. I appreciate the style that many of the authors chose.

 

[bhsmte]

Can you list for me the countries that are inside of God's bubble and that he protects?

There is a poster on these boards that has declared; the United States job in the world is to destroy all nations who don't follow Christian principles. Maybe he can chime in.

 

[samcarternx]

Does God punish? Have you not heard "what you sow is what you reap"? All God's ways are judgement. The universe has built in judgement for sin. If evil rises up in one place, its judgement rises up against it. The nations are always undergoing judgement and God brings the good and the evil.

 

[Winepress777]

Says everyone who has a different interpretation than you do. There can't be more than one of you who isn't interpreting on any subject. Are you claiming to be that one single person in the whole world?

Just a note: I don't have anything against interpretation. I think the Bible is a wonderful work of literature, and it wouldn't be such if it were all written as a simplistic list of rules. I appreciate the style that many of the authors chose.

Just read back my posts and see if I did. Then tell me. Otherwise, is your post necessary?

 

[Hetta]

Does God punish? Have you not heard "what you sow is what you reap"? All God's ways are judgement. The universe has built in judgement for sin. If evil rises up in one place, its judgement rises up against it. The nations are always undergoing judgement and God brings the good and the evil.

Please give examples.

 

[Chicken Little]

There is a poster on these boards that has declared; the United States job in the world is to destroy all nations who don't follow Christian principles. Maybe he can chime in.

you would be assuming that understanding as thing is important somehow . it isn't . he doesn't ask us to understand.. though eventually me might understand . like Joseph didn't understand why he was sold or enslved or imprisoned and betrayed . it took many years for him to 'understand" it fully..
God demands obedience and faith and through obedience and faith we gain understanding eventually ........ so cognitive dissonance and fighting him about those things is part of how we have built a relationship where we trust him more than WE can understand in that second or that initial self protection kind of response.
some haven't been there yet.. they will go there .

 

[Cearbhall]

Just read back my posts and see if I did. Then tell me.

Yes. For starters, you redefined "sodomites" to make it mean what you want it to mean, without any justification for doing so. Not to mention that your opinion regarding the significance and truth of this Bible story is itself an interpretation. Many Christians would disagree that the ancient men who wrote these stories and pieced together the Bible managed to set aside their own culture completely in favor of God's will. Do you see many people achieving this today when they're claiming to speak only for God?

 

[bhsmte]

you would be assuming that understanding as thing is important somehow . it isn't . he doesn't ask us to understand.. though eventually me might understand . like Joseph didn't understand why he was imprisoned . it took many years for himto understand it fully..
God demands obedience and faith and through obedience faith we gain understanding eventually ........ so cognitive dissonance and fighting him about those things is part of how we have built a relationship where we trust him more than he can understand in that second or that initial self protection kind of response.
some haven't been there yet.. they will go there .

If you claim God is hard to understand, why do write in a way that you seem to understand what he wants so well?

 

[Hetta]

If you claim God is hard to understand, why do write in a way that you seem to understand what he wants so well?

I'm glad you understood that. I am utterly lost.

 

[bhsmte]

Please give examples.

Beat me to it.

 

[samcarternx]

Good example - Hitler started off very successful, but as the sins of Germany continued to pile up. God raised up an opposing force to bring it down. Murderers and thieves have curses associated with their houses. oh yeah sodom and gommorrah too. Jerusalem in 70 A.D.

 

[bhsmte]

I'm glad you understood that. I am utterly lost.

This is how it works.

Muddy the waters when it is beneficial and have clarity when that is beneficial.

 

[Chicken Little]

If you claim God is hard to understand, why do write in a way that you seem to understand what he wants so well?

because I only have much cognitive dissonance/ real pain about NEW things he is showing me that I have NOT yet fought out with him. and blessing and curses was like 30 years ago.. old hat..

 

[Hetta]

Good example - Hitler started off very successful, but as the sins of Germany continued to pile up. God raised up an opposing force to bring it down. Murderers and thieves have curses associated with their houses. oh yeah sodom and gommorrah too.

And yet millions had to die before God got around to stopping it. Was he on vacation or something?

Murderers and thieves "may" have curses on their "houses". Who knows?

 

[bhsmte]

because I only have much cognitive dissonance/ real pain NEW things I have fought out with him. and blessing and curses was like 30 years ago.. old hat..

Fighting out cognitive dissonance with something that is hard to understand, would seem to be circular reasoning.

 

[Cearbhall]

Good example - Hitler started off very successful, but as the sins of Germany continued to pile up. God raised up an opposing force to bring it down. Murderers and thieves have curses associated with their houses. oh yeah sodom and gommorrah too.

That's a bit of an awkward claim, considering that before this happened, Hitler rose up as a force and killed off 6 million Jews, which was about 2/3 of all the Jews living in Europe. I'd say he was pretty successful. Are you really sure that you want to go with "might makes right?"