What does the fact that God is all knowing have to do with whether or not he would "limit himself to one form"? Why wouldn't He?
Reply Spinto: Why would he? I think Christians think too much in a little box when it comes to God. They are so busy trying to explain him and practicing what they interpret to be truth in order to make it into this exclusive HEAVEN --
[Which brings me to another question here on the side: If this big Heaven Payoff possibility did not exist, do you think most Christians would continue to be Good Christians? Or would all this service to the LORD go by the wayside because that promised payoff would not be available? I only ask because getting into heaven often seems to be the only motivation for being Godly]
-- they totally miss what is going on in life and often what God is really trying to say. I realize this is my observational opinion. You ask, "Why wouldn't he?" Well, you say he created man (and to a certain degree I agree, but maybe not in a literal sense). Last I checked, we come in all different shapes, sizes, cultures, beliefs etc.... So, why would he pick just a few of his children and banish the rest to hell. How unloving and down right cruel... I refuse to think of God that way because I know I dont deserve to be treated that way. Again that is how I choose to believe.
Waiting4tomorrow said:
How so? God can't choose to have only one way to Him? How does having only one way to Him have anything to do with desempowering Him?
Reply Spinto: This is personification. You limit God to the qualities of Man. Man is limited (not limited in quality, just not a GOD). Choices are made by Man. God just is.
Waiting4tomorrow said:
So now you're telling me what God SHOULD be like. Again, you're saying that one way to God cannot be true because it somehow shows that God is not all powerful or all knowing. Yes there are different forms of good-by the worlds terems. God has different terms-we are ALL unworthy to be saved. Non of us are "Good" enough. It is through Jesus we are saved, not through what the world describes as "good".
Reply Spinto: No I'm not telling you what God should be like. I'm telling you that there is a contradiction in Christian thought that God is all powerful when you turn around and limit the deity by saying what he Cant do ( For example, cant welcome you into heaven if you are a wonderful person but otherwise dont believe that Jesus died for your sins). I am also telling you what God IS like in my life. That is truth to me. Furthermore, what kind of good can a population on a whole be if they think they are unworthy to be saved? That is just the self-degrading attitude that is one of the biggest reasons I'm not a church goer. I am good enough. I am good enough to be happy, I'm good enough to be loved and accepted for who I am (and certainly good enough to be accepted by God as I am).
Waiting4tomorrow said:
So if you mourn something it means that it is God's will? Mourning is a feeling, and our feelings are often not tuned to what God's will is. Just becuase you FEEL something is right doesn't necessarily mean that it IS right.
Reply Spinto: I believe God's will is your free will. Feeling is God and Feelings are often God's word. That is why I don't believe in the bible. I know this may not be true for everyone, but it is for me. I say that because it would be immoral for me to state ONE WAY for everyone. I just speak for myself and what God means to me.
Waiting4tomorrow said:
If she truely is a Christian, she will pray for his heart to be changed. That is what Christians do. They pray for those who don't believe that Jesus is the only way to come to know the truth. It is not "immoral" to pray for someone to change their beliefs. If that were true, many many religions are "immoral" simply because of that reason alone. Most are trying to get others to follow their ways.
Reply Spinto: Again, this is immoral. No one has the right to change anothers heart. (for example, my words here are not meant to change beliefs, its meant to be noticed as a singular voice and meant to provoke thought--even to encourage your own faith by arguing against me
God says that he should believe in him a certain way and that is the way it needs to be. And yes, many many religions are immoral if they pray for others to dissolve the very essence of their free will (their UNIQUE Faith). Christianity is often right up there on the immorality scale in their dictations of what is right and wrong for everyone. This I believe to be true. And yet, I don't **** you to hell and I don't pray for your soul. I just feel frustrated when I'm thought of as lacking spirituality and morality simply because I don't agree. Simply, what is right for you is right for YOU. Embrace Christianity IF its right for you. Spare others the damnation for not believing as you do.