tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2246295430976433070.post1227380835906621741..comments2023-11-04T17:57:14.675-06:00Comments on Asleep No More: Bill Cosby, Martin Luther King, Abortion and InjusticeDoug Evanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05318930961031654937noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2246295430976433070.post-84167520608720693862016-01-29T17:21:04.399-07:002016-01-29T17:21:04.399-07:00I'm not sure why you blame John Calvin - it...I'm not sure why you blame John Calvin - it's clearly in the bible, "For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality" (Colossians 3:25) Jesus himself said “Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matthew 25:41)<br /><br />I truly do believe that the bible is the word of God. I may not have much time left on this earth, so I can't go about cherry-picking bible verses claiming that one doesn't fit my world view while another one does, and I don't have the guts to tell God "You're wrong!" when He tells us exactly what we are required to do and what He will do if that doesn't happen. <br /><br />I must conform to the word, and not expect God to make an exception for me just because my puny brain can't wrap around His all knowing all seeing vision. Do I hold this belief because I'm part of the elect? I don't know - Calvin is dead, God is Alive, and Jesus is my Lord, Savior, Brother, and Kinsman redeemer. It's Him I serve. <br /><br />I also don't see God as merely Perfectly Loving. I also see Him as Perfectly Merciful (Psalm 103:8–17) - you ask for mercy and you get it. I see Him as Perfectly Just (Psalm 119:137) - what He says goes, with no exceptions and no favoritism. I see Him as Perfectly Holy (Leviticus 19:2; 1 Peter 1:15) - we sinful creatures are not fit to stand in His presence He is so Holy, it's only Jesus' atonement that allows that to happen. I see Him as Perfectly Wise - (Proverbs 3:19; 1 Timothy 1:17) His intellect and capacity to reason is far beyond anything we can imagine. He's so much more than a narrow view of a fluffy Love diety that many people seem to have<br /><br />God is Eternal<br />God is Perfect<br />God is Gracious <br />God is Compassionate<br />God is Jealous<br />God is Merciful <br />God is Mighty <br />God is Almighty<br />God is Slow To Anger<br />God is Righteous<br />God is Awesome <br />God is Holy <br />God is Truthful <br />God is Faithful <br />God is Just <br />God is All Powerful <br />God is a Consuming Fire<br /><br />God gave me everything - life, a planet to live on, 6 beautiful children, two beautiful grandchildren, air to breath, food to eat, a healthy brain so I can reason for myself His wonder, a disabled body so I can learn dependence on Him and not my puny self. He gave me decades without interference so I was able to explore this world learn for myself the horrors of the part of this world where atheism slaughters its people and Muslims slaughter everyone.<br /><br />Deserving worse from God? In my opinion we are an ungrateful, stiff necked, hard headed infestation that turned our back on our creator and master. He sacrificed His own son for us to save us and we dare question His word? This is the problem with the "God is love only" mindset - people start thinking that "God couldn't possibly find anything to punish in me" and worse "God is incapable of feeling anything but love toward me" Oh yeah? That's called pride, the worst sin of all. Also known as "Haughty eyes"<br /><br />16 There are six things which the Lord hates, Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him: 17 Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood, 18 A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that run rapidly to evil, 19 A false witness who utters lies, And one who spreads strife among brothers. (Proverbs 6:16-19)<br /><br />We need to stop asking "Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people" and as a question that isn't nonsense: "Why does God allow good things to happen to us bad people?"Doug Evanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05318930961031654937noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2246295430976433070.post-28392101068211838382016-01-29T10:36:04.834-07:002016-01-29T10:36:04.834-07:00Hello, I was wondering if I might ask some questio...Hello, I was wondering if I might ask some questions about your thoughts?<br /><br />I found your site through some mutual sites we both visits and, in case you haven't noticed me, I will say up front that I am one that you would probably call a part of the Christian Left and that Neil and Glenn (who I see both comment here) will be glad to tell you that I'm a heretic (in their opinion) and Neil has even dedicated a page where he attempts to discredit me (a page where I can't post to defend myself against his false charges, I will note).<br /><br />Nonetheless, I am a Christian, a believer in God and follower of Jesus, the risen son of God... I am one who is saved by God's grace. And, at the same time, while I grew up quite conservative/traditional, in my walk with Jesus, I have moved to more progressive beliefs. To that end, I have grown suspicious of that belief I used to hold, the traditional "depravity of man" thinking. I have come to believe this is not a rationally consistent or biblically consistent opinion to hold. So, where you say...<br /><br /><i>While no one deserves to be raped, tortured, taken apart limb by limb, or murdered by fellow human beings, it is important to remember that we all deserve worse from God Himself.</i> <br /><br />I would ask, do you see how this seems contradictory? No one deserves, you say, to be tortured, etc, by fellow humans AND YET, we "ALL deserve" worse from God. How so? <br /><br />I believe that the traditional view of this evangelical/calvinist tradition of Christianity is that even if we only commit one sin as a child and died at the age of say, 16, we would still, then be monstrously evil or "depraved," and "deserving" of an eternity of torment (torture? Being burned alive forever??!) for that one sin.<br /><br />Is that a fair understanding of this notion of "deserving worse from God..." in your opinion?<br /><br />If so, why? <br /><br />Do you agree that part of the definition of Justice is that any penalty for an offense needs to be proportionate to the crime? If we were to cut off a child's hands for the crime of slapping a classmate, do you agree that this would be monstrously unjust? If so, then how do we recognize a perfectly just and perfectly loving God with the idea of such a disproportionate penalty?<br /><br />I'm asking because I've tried to get many conservative brothers to give me any kind of reasonable answer and don't feel I've ever got one (indeed, mostly, it seems the question goes ignored).<br /><br />Are you interested in discussing this with one considered a "heretic..."?<br /><br />Respectfully,<br /><br />Dan TrabueDan Trabuehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14303597141397042669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2246295430976433070.post-21108418707882805822016-01-19T07:57:51.028-07:002016-01-19T07:57:51.028-07:00It's so easy to forget these things when we...It's so easy to forget these things when we're confronted with others doing evil to us or the ones we love.<br /><br /><em>Vengeance is mine. I will repay, saith the Lord</em> Romans 12.19<br /><br />Thank you Doug. I'm glad to read this today.<br />AlecAlechttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00825239050486476125noreply@blogger.com