Rational Theology

[Nonson]

Rational Theology
The contradictions in the idea of G-d as a being of Infinite Awareness (omniscient), but who still permits his creatures the freedom (free will) to damn themselves, is too apparent. If G-d is Infinite Awareness then all events past and future is known, and this includes what acts people will commit, as well as the ultimate fate of the people before they are born.

The meaning of this is unmistakable, G-d creates people destined from even before time to burn in the fires of hell for all time. Obviously, this is in contradiction to the accepted definition of G-d as Infinite Love. It is due to these aversive and divisive doctrinal thoughts of misguided theologians that religion becomes ever more incongruous with the desperate needs of modern society.

A secondary theological complication attends the Infinite Awareness idea. For if G-d is not Inifinite Awareness in the sense that He knows all futures, then it is only logical that He cannot be Omnipotent. Therefore, if He did, indeed, exist within relativistic time, He must be subject to all of its temporal uncertainties much like all of mankind, meaning that the space-time continuum will ultimately master its Creator.

If G-d is Infinite Awareness then certain conclusions are forced upon us. He is not able to decide anything; never select a course of action. Why? Because His advanced knowledge tells Him the future actions for an eternity. He cannot change his thinking because he knows in advance the time and the how of that which might cause a different thought train. Plainly, His mind was already made up before Creation. It would seem that pre-ordained futures is the ultimate in feed-back loops. It is most definitely a horrendous set of contradictions in the use of logic. Peace



[This message has been edited by Nonson (edited 11 December 2000).]

[Traper]

<If G-d is Infinite Awareness then all events past and future is known, and this includes what acts people will commit, as well as the ultimate fate of the people before they are born.>

Don't you think that there are many options of what can happen? God knows THEM, I mean, He knows not " what will happen", but " what will happen if happens sth. else".

That's true that God have for everyone the way He thinks will be the best for him/her and sometimes influe on the situation to help (or even force) taking right decision.
But inmost of cases man can choose what to do, remembering about the possible consequences.

[Nonson]

Traper, I need to consider your post before responding to it. There are several difficulties to be dealt with here. Peace

[1John]

You've got a good point.

By the way Nonson, are you Jewish? It is common for Jews to spell God as G-d.

Back to the issue. Have some people misunderstood God and in so doing created irreconcilable contradictions?

Most people don't know what the God of the Bible is like. Everything in the Bible has to be interpreted in light of the character behind it (God).

"Love always hopes, love always perceivers". In other words, hell is not the end of the story. What could be more awful for a man, that refused to repent, than to find himself in a place where he was forced to face up to all the things that he had ever run away from? "Our God is a consuming fire."

God's wrath burns because of his love. He gives passion and patience new meaning. His love never ends. There is no escaping his love. He will free people from their selfishness, love will reign supreme.

God hates sin because he loves us. He hates that thing which destroys us. And he will never stop hating sin because he loves us. He will not have finished making us until we are like him in character: loving, kind, brave and patient.

Character is measured by how much one is willing to sacrifice and is revealed by their actions. The greatest men in history were those who were willing to sacrifice the most in order to achieve their goals.

No one has ever sacrificed more than God. No one has greater character than God. To create the world does not require great character if such an act is easy. But God has demonstrated to us just how great he is, he understands our pain, he knows how to win hearts.

Our God is an Awesome God.

Don't try him, if to hell a person must go, to hell they will go. It is awful when people will not respond to perfect love. It is awful when the one who can only be described as perfect love has to adopt a less pleasant means to wake them up to the truth that they are loved by someone who loves them perfectly, someone who gave up everything for them. (God had more to give up so how can we even begin to comprehend such love, such self sacrifice?)

No one will beat God. God will destroy sin and death. Sin will not reign forever in hell. And yes, God can see the future and he knows that many will have to go to hell because of their hard hearts. Don't be one of them.

Yours,
John

[Nonson]

You've got a good point.
By the way Nonson, are you Jewish? It is common for Jews to spell God as G-d.

Back to the issue. Have some people misunderstood God and in so doing created irreconcilable contradictions?
Everything in the Bible has to be interpreted in light of the character behind it (God).
"Our God is a consuming fire."

God's wrath burns because of his love. His love never ends. There is no escaping his love.

God hates sin because he loves us. He hates that thing which destroys us.


No one has ever sacrificed more than God.


God will destroy sin and death. Sin will not reign forever in hell.

Yours,
John _____________________________________________ John, are not the contradictions in the above all too evident? _____________________________________________ Normally, I attack such a loose toying with otherwise serious ideas. Instead of doing so, however, you have the opprotunity to re-assess your post. After having done so the we can discuss your views. Peace

[1John]

Dear Nonson,

Please tell me where I have gone wrong. I want to know if your God is worth believing in. We will not imagine God to be better than what he is.

Yours,
John

[Nonson]

John, to point out but one falsification. You wrote: "G-d's wrath burns because of His love." To predicate that love is the cause of wrath, divine or not, is a serious error in logic. It is to my mind the apotheosis of the unsane thinking so prevalent in Christianity. Believing such a causal linkage to be true opens the door to all sorts of irrational interpretations of Scripture. Peace