Reply to: God advice....

[EternalOptimist]

Presumably theology has nothing to say about God?

I am a bit concerned that I would find it easy to forgive my son even if he did something wrong and didnt apologise or ask for forgiveness. Yet God finds this a barrier to maximising total human happiness

A bit of a strict one if yous wanted my opinion

[Old Greg]

I'm not sure what your point is? If you don't think God exists, why do you care what the theology about him says in the first place? I'm simply correcting an earlier poster about what Christianity/the bible actually says, so he can choose more accurately what it is he doesn't agree with.

Presumably theology has nothing to say about God?

[d000hg]

I'm not sure what your point is? If you don't think God exists, why do you care what the theology about him says in the first place? I'm simply correcting an earlier poster about what Christianity/the bible actually says, so he can choose more accurately what it is he doesn't agree with.

[Old Greg]

[Christian] Theology is the study of what the bible says and means, not whether it's real. Theology is a serious academic subject... how the bible and the religion hang together, regardless if what they talk about is real. All the top universities offer theology as a course, and many (maybe most) theology students are atheists.


So, a bit of a daft question really.

OK - but you were talking about what theology says about God.

[d000hg]

By 'theology' do you mean fairy tales? If not how can we tell the difference?

[Christian] Theology is the study of what the bible says and means, not whether it's real. Theology is a serious academic subject... how the bible and the religion hang together, regardless if what they talk about is real. All the top universities offer theology as a course, and many (maybe most) theology students are atheists.


So, a bit of a daft question really.

[Old Greg]

Nope. You have the theology backwards. Atheists choose to reject God, not the other way around.

Also the idea that a 'nice' God would 'let everyone in' portrays God as a sentimental, weak-willed pushover. God is frequently compared to a father; a good father doesn't let their child get away with disobedience after warning the child they will be in trouble - the punishment does not in any way imply the father doesn't love the child.

This is basic theology, read a book if you want to know the 'stock answers'. CS Lewis is good if you don't want something dry and boring.

By 'theology' do you mean fairy tales? If not how can we tell the difference?

[ThomasSoerensen]

Choosing any religious means you are screwed, the fact that pretty much all of them say if you don't believe in our version you will go to hell and you cannot believe in them all so odds are you are going to at least one version of hell, as science states a body of mass cannot be in two places at once you will be left in a state of limbo forever wondering why you spent once day a week in religious servitude when the end result was the same.

Either that or you will be worm food so either way its lose/lose

Why not.

I think you should believe in all religions.
Just to be safe.

Would that cause any conflicts?

[d000hg]

So ... God exists and is on some sort of ego trip in which he will be the saviour of believers only and forsake all atheists regardless of their good deeds.

Nope. You have the theology backwards. Atheists choose to reject God, not the other way around.

Also the idea that a 'nice' God would 'let everyone in' portrays God as a sentimental, weak-willed pushover. God is frequently compared to a father; a good father doesn't let their child get away with disobedience after warning the child they will be in trouble - the punishment does not in any way imply the father doesn't love the child.

This is basic theology, read a book if you want to know the 'stock answers'. CS Lewis is good if you don't want something dry and boring.

[Paddy]

As my religious friend once said to me, "If I am wrong I have wasted my life, if you are wrong you have wasted eternity."

So your friend thinks that God exists and is on some sort of ego trip in which he will be the saviour of believers only and forsake all atheists regardless of their good deeds. This is just one reason that religion sickens me.

[TheBigD]

It's not.

HTH

I think it is.

The bread and wine IS the body and blood of Christ, in the form of Bread and Wine.

[Troll]

I believe the plan is flawed. Religious ladies don't put out before wedlock.

She's right!!

[d000hg]

If all that wine they drink at church really is the blood of Jesus then he must have been wasted 24/7

It's not.

HTH

[wobbegong]

If he does not intervene, then we can deduce one of the following from this simple experiment:

1. God does not exist, never did, and is a product of man's imagination.
2. God exists, but is powerless/unwilling to intervene in human affairs, and therefore cannot or will not help you.
3. God exists, but he has horns and hooves - not a halo.

I think you're paraphrasing this . . .

“Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent.
Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent.
Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil?
Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?”
- Epicurus

[TiroFijo]

If all that wine they drink at church really is the blood of Jesus then he must have been wasted 24/7

[BrilloPad]

I believe the plan is flawed. Religious ladies don't put out before wedlock.

Mrs BP is quite religious - but she put out on the 2nd date!

But then I am quite a catch.....