First Principles

January 12th, 2020 at 1:30:15 PM permalink
FrGamble
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 67
Posts: 7596
Quote: Mission146
Didn't introduce the concept? Perhaps not, but he certainly perpetuated that concept in the Old Testament. Not a big fan of those who weren't the, "Chosen People,"


Actually God is not a big fan of slavers, oppressors, and those who exploit widows, orphans, and foreigners. That is the common thread of the OT and the history of Israel.

Quote:
Yeah, I like the notion of eternal happiness. I like that notion about as much as the notion of a father who smacks his kid in the face for no reason, but apologizes, and promises it will never happen again. "I'll make it up to you tomorrow."


I think eternal happiness is more akin to father embracing his kid when he is hurt and promising him that there is always hope.

Quote:
And, to the extent that God is first cause, ultimately, God becomes only cause. You can't separate the omnipotence from the free will, because the will isn't free. He created people and set events in motion knowing the result of those events. If he doesn't know the result of events, then the Book of Revelations is nothing more than an educated guess. We can't choose to do anything if we were created with foreknowledge of what each person would do, thereby making free will illusory, at best, and a lie, at worst.


Free will is always an interesting discussion. Suffice it to say that because someone might know what you will do does not mean that you don't have freedom. It doesn't change your decisions or choices if God knows outside of time what you will do.

Quote:
Do I offer a dog food only on the condition that he learns and obeys his commands?


Do you create and sustain someone's life and even give your life for them without any conditions only with the hope that they will use their freedom to respond in grateful love to their creator. What would the humane society advise if you do everything you can to love your dog and all it does is ignore, misbehave, fight, and attack? It is a good thing God is much more merciful and infinitely loving.
“It is with the smallest brushes that the artist paints the most exquisitely beautiful pictures.” (
January 12th, 2020 at 1:56:19 PM permalink
Evenbob
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 146
Posts: 25010
Quote: FrGamble
I think eternal happiness


Eternal happiness, the original
oxymoron. Borrrring... The only
way we know what something
is, is by knowing it's opposite.
If you were eternally happy
you wouldn't even know it
because you would have nothing
to compare it to. The ying and
yang of life is what makes life
bearable. The cosmic duality, sets
of two opposing and
complementing principles.

Quote:
It is a good thing God is much more merciful and infinitely loving.


God is anything you want him
to be, you make him up as
you go along. Or they believe
what somebody else made up
because they're too lazy to do
it themselves.

There is no free will, lets not have
that discussion again.
If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose.
January 12th, 2020 at 8:29:03 PM permalink
Evenbob
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 146
Posts: 25010
"Isn't it lucky how everyone's god always wants them to be doing exactly what they like doing anyway." Ricky Gervais, atheist
If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose.
January 12th, 2020 at 9:07:13 PM permalink
FrGamble
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 67
Posts: 7596
Quote: Evenbob
"Isn't it lucky how everyone's god always wants them to be doing exactly what they like doing anyway." Ricky Gervais, atheist


I wish I always wanted to be doing what God wants me to do. As it is, following Jesus is the greatest challenge and often asks of me things I do not like or want to do. Yet my greatest peace comes from when I follow God and not what I like to do.
“It is with the smallest brushes that the artist paints the most exquisitely beautiful pictures.” (
January 12th, 2020 at 9:27:34 PM permalink
Evenbob
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 146
Posts: 25010
Quote: FrGamble
As it is, following Jesus is the greatest challenge and often asks of me things I do not like or want to do.


Jesus asks this of you? Or is it the
dogma of your religion that asks
it. Big big difference. The dogma
asks the same things of every
believer. If Jesus is directly talking
to you, that's a whole different
story.

What Gervais is saying, isn't it
convenient that when god
supposedly contacts people,
it's usually to encourage them
to keep doing what they like
doing. It's almost like they're
making it up to give themselves
permission to keep going.

You hear this all the time. God
pushed me to go for my owning
a restaurant dream. God gave
the green light for me to marry
the love of my life. God made
it clear I should quit the job
I hated and open a cheese
shop.

You never hear anybody say
god told me to turn down
the scholarship because
college would be a waste
of time for me. Nobody ever
says that. People only hear
from god what they think
a god would say.
If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose.
January 13th, 2020 at 8:03:45 AM permalink
FrGamble
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 67
Posts: 7596
This is simply not true, I guess it is what happens when you listen to an atheist talk about someone's relationship with God. For the believer God is constantly speaking and encouraging us to work harder, be more virtuous, forgive, love, avoid sin.
The other thing you and Gervais seem to not take into consideration is that God desires our happiness, even more than we do. Therefore it does make sense that God wants you to follow your dreams, your passion, and use your gifts to do good things.
“It is with the smallest brushes that the artist paints the most exquisitely beautiful pictures.” (
January 13th, 2020 at 9:53:36 AM permalink
Evenbob
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 146
Posts: 25010
Quote: FrGamble
For the believer God is constantly speaking and encouraging us


So he IS speaking to you. Do
you hear an audible voice in
your head? How is this speaking
done, how do you know it's god.
If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose.
January 13th, 2020 at 11:33:46 AM permalink
rxwine
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 188
Posts: 18631
Quote: FrGamble
if you do everything you can to love your dog and all it does is ignore, misbehave, fight, and attack?


Check to see if it's a cat.
You believe in an invisible god, and dismiss people who say they are trans? Really?
January 13th, 2020 at 11:35:02 AM permalink
Face
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 61
Posts: 3941
Quote: rxwine
Check to see if it's a cat.


Forum is on fire today. 3rd time I've laughed and it ain't even dark yet
Be bold and risk defeat, or be cautious and encourage it.
January 13th, 2020 at 11:37:10 AM permalink
FrGamble
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 67
Posts: 7596
It is an internal voice of my conscience. I kniw it us God because of discernment. This means paying attention to what these internal prompting and inspiration is asking of me and how they make me feel. They are not from me as they are often challenging and corrective. They give me hope even when I struggle myself to see it. I reckon you too have at times felt sone interior prompting to change some of your behaviors or a sweet calm presence desiring to comfort you.
“It is with the smallest brushes that the artist paints the most exquisitely beautiful pictures.” (